GlobeTrotta

Divorce is my only regret in life I should have made it work, tried harder, got counseling, firm believer in that. I was foolish about that one could easily say that - i would not disagree, c'est l'amour or is tel est l'amour can't recall (Such is love).

If the GFC had not happened It would have been somewhat more convenient, but hey...70's werent great economically in London, nor Denver in 80's once you learn to live poor or shrewdly its easy peasy. Coming to Oz was not really a brainer UK was a mess by Dec 2009, so used last of capital travelled HK, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, and NZ it was actually getting here supporting self and never getting proper work, despite MBA and 25 years corporate experience. Immigration could not wait to take my money..lol feed uetter BS about value I brought educated experience then reality. I have worked since 15 35 years but not here USA, UK, HK never an issue this naive country - you can have it overrated overblown and far too hot. Still no crime and its clean, and I now can go to NZ if I choose so no big deal is how I look at it. decidely upbeat, realist me, always have been, always will be. Jar is always half empty - thats the potential for something new untapped and what could happen, not about what you have or want to hold on to. Enough of this it's not Hyde Park (Sydney or London)...LOL Oh yes and my pension is okay so long as USA does not go bankrupt about 900-1000 GBP per month so just get to 67...10 years to go...bags of time...cheers to all who read...

I 'av a plan and frankly me nan was right about taking it with you. I intend to use my retirement approx 900 GBP a month in a decade to just drive around the UK and see the sights then when time comes drive to a hospice or do a Louise and Thelma...LOL Sign of the times not a believer in that, more consequence of decisions we make in life sometimes we use far too much emotion and I have always favoured logic since it costs far less. Onward and upward...people in 40's were way worse off and my grandparents kept it simple so I now do too. Less to loose perhaps but far less to try to keep hold of and maintain.

Where do I start, it didn't work out on just about all levels. So, I broke off a relationship, sold every asset I could and having wasted best part of 5-6 years and now in mid 50's it will be hard to recover but last decade moving from USA to UK to Aus between a divorce and exchange rates etc well enough said...got all my possessions down to a backpack and one tea chest is what i did identified what I need to live with and without - basically micro living or tiny house style. Sold anything there was 2 of reduced multiples of so many things we take for granted except those things necessary (pants and socks etc.) it took ages but everytime I downsized over time and kept going back I would find more to get rid off that I never used or could live without. You then realise how much junk we keep papers etc. I had already got rid of some 200 books in the USA, copied all CD's to back-up drive in iTunes etc. Does that help!

Seven seas moved me from USA to UK 2007, then to Australia 2010, and back again been brilliant competitive and service was excellent like other poster I changed delilvery addresses they had no issue with that - I gave them ample notice. I only moved tea chest sized boxes. Best of luck!

Have used Seven Seas three times on 3 continents and they have always been excellent. Delivery always showed up and cost was reasonable mind you it was only two tea chest size boxes now last time down graded to one. As to books they are far more expensive in Australia and I bought them regularly from UK at about 50% of cost.

Goes with the adage about holidays, its not where you go, but who you go with. You can build most things with the right resources, starting with a job, place to live, partner, amenities that you desire.

Was chatting to a high ranking Vice Chancellor re similar situation here in Adelaide some 6 months ago, his remarks were similar, now he was from the USA and said here they dont like tall poppies and that when you come from the outside with all this experinece and overseas education, vision of how to do things differently not even better, just differently even though they have said they wanted that they actaully dont want to change the status quo - anyway it doesn't bode well for finding work. So essentially the way I read it was to dumb down the CV - to me this seems akin to not being any better than lying on my CV I am supposed to reduce the experiences I have had how is that possiblel say I didnt work there, delete successes, leave off education (another fact: apparently having a masters is intimidating and means you will command more money - which that dont want to pay - LMFAO) so that investmet was for nothing. Frankly, while the world has dramatically changed since the GFC I had never ever expected the utter frustration of being in such a narrow minded place really cant wait to leave in December. I long since gave up wasting my time sending letters applying for jobs that are so fundamentally basic only to be told that I dont have local experience - its a global world for f*** sake how hard can a call centre be when I have run multi million dollar call centres for Fortune 100 companies hello pick up a phone listen...its absurd and the UK will get me expertise gladly even when I was underemployed i was at least employed. the five experiment is soon to be over arguably the biggest disappointment is the mindset of people and clearly a system that is frought with complete stupidity at realising the value someone with extensive experience can add value. There is no lateral thinking here. Please note I am not speaking for the whole of Oz just my perpsective relative to where I have had to endure the inane stupidity of the Adelaide job market.

Fact is 43% of all jobs in Oz are casual (2011) here is the link I read an article last year said 40% but damned if I can find it. The real question is how would Australia's economy looked over the past deacde without the mining sector - I would suspect an entirely different situation as many sectors are in and have been incontraction for several years. Here is a link to support the 43% statement and the author is an academic at Monash so it is not some arbitrary specualtive remark. http://theconversation.com/labour-in-vain-casualisation-presents-a-precarious-future-for-workers-8181

That has to be one of the most obvious questions I can answer $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ think about the revenue stream of $4-5k per visa application then there is the bogus $400 health check for the government owned Medibank. Undoubtedly, Australia for jobs least for me is the worst place I have ever worked including UK, USA, HK...in fact I just spoke to someone in East Anglia about work over the phone I have not even been i touch with this chap in 5 years and already got a bite - coming up on five years here and the only thing that bites are the mosi's. Australia overrated, ridiculously expensive and frankly not a fair go! Brits get sold on sun weather its Spain, Portugal, Australia et al. but reality is we all need a bit of rain, well I do.

IMO in Adelaide, clean air its always fresh, if you like sun well this is the place to be, the crime I have to laugh having lived in USA (big cities) and London really its pretty damned safe, ease of getting about but its Adelaide...clean beaches and by this I mean hardly anyone ever on them really minimal litter compared to Los Angeles or UK for that matter. If this is what you like then you would love it - its relative and each person has their own desirable lists.

Have to agree for the most part not sure about 4 seasons definitely 3 and the worst is now and while the heat is bad and you mention double glazing given that to me thats a minimum I would want that with a higher iron content to block the damned glare and heat....get through March and its 8 months of bliss weather wise could use a few more cloudy days just to give the eyes a break. Having skied in Colorado at altitude and the glare off the snow is horrendous I thought I was prepared for this, but have to SA wins....there are days I want mirrored Arctic lenses in fact I think Vaurnet still makes them that for me and temps are drawback but versus cold damp December and January in UK where one gets completely melancholy SA wins that. Neither of us ever get cold here but we are not from here and now landlord installed new AC he didn't like fact I threatened a lawsuit since old one didn't work - there are times when SA is so behind it was only rated to 35c and had automatic cut off how on earth does that work really who installed that. Our only costs are summer so to me insulating against heat tiled floors and foil backed attic/roof insulation only way to go. Winter outside and long stroll along the beach blustery day gotta love that....now for a new Fish and Chip shop in Glenelg and happy as Larry - has anyone seen Larry.

link to FBI http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/criminal-history-summary-checks Gives you all you will need to satisfy anything needed in Oz from the US it covers all States to support this I did a State clearance as well but then that was overkill. Probably easiest thing you will ever do even the fingerprint card is there.

Having lived in both USA and UK its fairly easy to get done. Just got to FBI website they do it and that was sufficient proof for DIAC in Oz fingerprints did cost me a bit though $120 to be done here and sent. Quick turn around that was 3 years or so ago though. Hope it helps.

Cold is relative 15c is to me still warm even here, we only ever need heat perhaps 3 days and our place is not very well insulated. I see people in bloody woolen overcoats when its 10c they clearly have very thin bloody for me its gotta be about 5c to even put trousers on im in shorts as often as I can if you go to the beach the air is cool but then winds are coming off the Southern Ocean a warm sweater is all I need but I love the cold Pacific NW or blustery old blighty was rarely cold to me and that's probably due to experiences in Chicago, Denver etc....its relative Winters and I add April to October here are the best anywhere on the planet and goes in my top three reasons to even be here, with cleanliness and safety. Others may find it colder but again thats relative and my OH from Melbourne thinks its warm compared to their so if any of that helps all the best good luck.