Well we have been here now sine the 19th August 2007. We flew with Quantas and although they were fine i will say we have been over with both BA and Singapore and found Singpore airlines fantastic. Quantas would not allow us extra baggage allowance as we had already been over to Australia and validated our visas, but the other airlines would have so that was a big pain. It was a smooth and uneventful flight. My two boys aged 10 and 7 were excellent (not the norm).
We arrived to the rain, floods and winds. We were staying in the centre of Mooloolaba and i thought the windows were going to blow in! I lay in bed that first week, thinking what the hell have we done. This is not how i remembered the sunshine coast! I am pleased to say this was very freak weather. The worst since the late 1800's. It was not long before the sun came out and i was hot, VERY HOT and loving it!
Those that have already arrived and those that are on their way will agree that it is a very emotional rollercoaster beofre you leave the UK. I sat on the plane and cried. I knew what i was doing was the right thing, but felt so guilty and sad at the things/people i was leaving behind.
We managed to find a rental very quickly, but be prepared they do get snapped up quickly when you go out looking take your passports and all evidence of credit history. We took our bank and mortgage statements. This will save you time as if you find the house you can simply apply there and then.
Getting Medicare and tax file numbers were so easy. So unlike the systems back at home. Plus the staff are so helpful. We have even been told we can apply for family allowance and rent assistance, which we really did not expect.
We managed to get the boys into a private school. (they did not attend a private school in the uk but the cost to send them here (AUD $3100 for the year)it is a quarter of that in the UK) they benefit so much from the facilities provided that i think it is definately worth you looking into. Alot of these schools are religious schools do not let this put you off! My kids have settled in very quickly and i have no regrets.
Our dogs arrived safely from Sydney quarantine and those long 30 days of worrying about them was not necessary they were very well cared for.
My partner found a job within two weeks on arriving and as others have mentioned on the website although money not brilliant, you do get extra benefits such as finishing early, extra paid bank holidays, pension and some companies even pay you extra on top to go on annual leave!
Buying a new car was eventful. For some reason the sales person kept going back and forth to his manager to batter on the price. The manager was only sitting two desks away. 3 hours later, with tired boys in tow my partner got up and approached the manager and said can we buy it or not, otherwise we will go. It was all signed up then! The saga did not end there - we had to go to another desk to see someone else to pay our deposit, then another desk where someone tried to sell us every product under the sun. They did not get very far. One good thing though. Car insurance is so cheap. i mean cheap. They insurae the car not the drivers so for both of us to drive with a top policy cost us $592 (£250 uk pound)
We have done alot in the time we have been here. Maybe too much as it has been tough on our relationship. I have found it hard emtionally, but mainly because i miss my family dearly, i still do not have my own furniture its still on the boat! So to me its not 'home' yet. Getting back online has helped. I know we are going to have ups and downs along the road but so far so good.
Hi
Glad to hear that everything is on the whole going well. It is a tough journey from deciding to apply for a visa to eventually moving away and I am sure you will always have the ups and downs. At least you are settling in and after just 4 weeks you seem to be doing fantastically well. I only hope we can be half as organised as you when we go to Perth (hopefuly Jan/Feb). Good luck with everything and keep all of us here posted!
Mandy x
Hi
Glad to hear that everything is on the whole going well. It is a tough journey from deciding to apply for a visa to eventually moving away and I am sure you will always have the ups and downs. At least you are settling in and after just 4 weeks you seem to be doing fantastically well. I only hope we can be half as organised as you when we go to Perth (hopefuly Jan/Feb). Good luck with everything and keep all of us here posted!
Mandy x
Thank you Mandy. We too wish you and your family all the best.
Hey there, good to hear that you are settling in nicely, we arrive on the sunshine coast in 3 weeks time, im getting really nervouse now.
Its me, hubby and 2 boys age 2 and 1....maybe will see you there ?
Ang
__________________
TRA Passed Feb 2007
Visa 136 submitted 2 March 2007
Ack 20 April 2007
CO 8 May 2007
Meds Completed 15 May
VISA !!!! 8 June
Leaving the UK : October 12th !!!!
Thank you so much for your post. Its really great to hear what its like for others like us. We leave our home here in just over three weeks and I cant stop crying already!!! I know its the right move - its just so sad to leave everyone and everything that you love. I am so glad to hear that you are settling in. We too are going to put our children into a fee paying school and I am so happy about all the opportunities they will get. There are so many options for schooling in Aus aren't there! I am dreading the goodbyes to family - I cant bear to think about it and we have to first go through a leaving do with all our friends - it will be so awful!!! Keep up the posts - its good to hear how its all going. Take care and thanks for all your info. Sarah x
Thank you so much for your post. Its really great to hear what its like for others like us. We leave our home here in just over three weeks and I cant stop crying already!!! I know its the right move - its just so sad to leave everyone and everything that you love. I am so glad to hear that you are settling in. We too are going to put our children into a fee paying school and I am so happy about all the opportunities they will get. There are so many options for schooling in Aus aren't there! I am dreading the goodbyes to family - I cant bear to think about it and we have to first go through a leaving do with all our friends - it will be so awful!!! Keep up the posts - its good to hear how its all going. Take care and thanks for all your info. Sarah x
Thank you Sarah and good luck. Where in Cyprus are you. I have been several times on holiday and i have a friend with a house there. Good luck with the lieaving do. You will be fine we had a shall we or shant we have a leaving do and glad we did. Only tears of joy and drunken people! All the best Caroline
Hiya, Only just read your thread but already sent you a message anyway. I know what you mean about belongings etc.. I know they are material things but I am the same as you I need familiar things around me to feel I am at home, my husband thinks I'm mad and thinks as long as I have him thats all I need LOL!!!
Be happy you worked hard and achieved your dream and I hope it is everything that you wanted it to be and more
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Thank you Caroline for Sharing:
So glad everything is more or less going to plan; certainly great news about the job and your kids settling in. It is early days yet, emotionally, as it takes time to settle anywhere NEW, and I'm sure it will help so much once you have your personal belongings delivered, bound to make a big difference.
At least these days there are so many instant ways to keep in touch with home & Most Missed, and I bet it won't be too long before people start making plans to visit. (Not with Quantas hey?!)
Really it is so helpful to us still tangled in the Visa process to hear that you have slotted into a new life, so far away, relatively easily - quite amazing really. Can you remind us what OH does, and are they doing what they wanted or is this just a temporary position?
Continued success, and thanks for keeping us updated,
Hi there. My OH is a plumber. It is a permant position and they have given him a truck. Im a secretary so will look at finding something in admin, but not looking to start anything just yet. Good luck with your visa process. Trust me it seems eternal while your waiting but then all of a sudden it happens and your here in a blink of any eye.
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