Apologies if you don’t recognise any of the names in here but they are all from the Britivics forum and I’ve used the same reccie report for both. (Sorry Tim).
Okay, I know its taken a while, but here it is.
Right, decided to take it day by day. Apologies if this goes on a bit, but we packed so much in thanks to our hosts.
Monday 18th Feb - We landed about 13 hours late (after a detour to Perth), but Gary was there to meet us with a big smile. My first thought was that Australia smells different. When we landed at Perth, I remember thinking that outside smelt as though someone had sprayed an air freshener. I don’t remember a lot about the drive from the airport as I was busy dealing with a travel sick Hayleigh. But what I do recall is seeing the city and thinking how fantastic it looked. Wow! You can look at all the pictures you want, but seeing it for real is breath taking. Gary dropped us off at Chris and Lou’s as we were to be staying with them for the first part of our holiday. Once we’d done the hugs and stuff, we had something to eat and then later we took a stroll down to Berwick Springs, and that was a sight for sore, tired eyes I can tell you. A lovely big stretch of water surrounded by trees, bushes and grass. There’s also a path running round the outside of it for you to cycle, walk, run, whatever, around. There’s a kiddie’s park too and even a small “beach” ha ha. We were amazed at how clean the streets were and it seemed alien to us that no two houses were alike on any road. We are so used to housing estates being built totally by the same builder. The size of the houses astounded us. Didn’t do a great deal else that day except sit in the sunshine drinking wine and chatting. I couldn’t believe we were actually in Australia.
Tuesday 19th Feb - Woke up to sunshine. Long time since we’ve done that!! Lou took us into Berwick town centre as we had an appointment with the National Australia Bank to activate our account. We had lunch in Moods, sat outside of course! Amazed at how large the portions are. Hayleigh ordered a beefburger and it could have fed us all. Surprised that the chips came already salted. We then had a wander around the shops before our appointment. We really liked the feel of BerwickTown. Its very pretty and has a lovely little grassed area in the centre where you can sit under the trees and have a little shade on a sunny day. Lou took us on a tour of Berwick that day and we called in to Coles where I had a good nose around. I was really surprised how much choice there was. We don’t, as a family, eat ready meals or convenience foods, so can’t really comment on them. However, the meat, fish and fruit and veg looked very good. We bought our toiletries from there and I got all my usual brands. The VO5 shampoo and conditioner I usually buy in the UK was actually cheaper in Aus. I took it upon myself (all in the name of research, of course) to try as many chocolate bars as I could. I tried Cadbury’s rocky road (not keen – a bit sickly), good old fruit and nut (not too much different) Lindt chilli chocolate (excellent), and Coles own brand (mint crisp and plain). As has been said before, the Cadbury’s doesn’t melt well on the tongue due to its preservatives. Lindt, I thought, was exactly the same. But for me, the winner was definitely Coles own brand. $2.49 for a bar. That’s the one we’ll be scoffing. I was amazed at the choice available from Cadbury’s. Never seen so many varieties before.
The Coles we went in also had a separate section outside the main store for meat and chicken products. Lovely looking meat and very well priced. The lady behind the counter was very forthcoming with her recommendations and how to cook them. Also saw things like chicken and sheep hearts, which you very rarely see in the UK on a meat counter.
Then we popped over to the “grog shop” to have a look around and to buy some beer and wine. Hayleigh discovered the cold area, so we all had to stand in that for a bit!!! Beer seemed to be more expensive than the UK, but I would say that wine is probably on a par.
That night we had a lovely meal again with Chris Lou and family, all sat around the dining table just talking and laughing. Happy days.
Wednesday 20th Feb- No sunshine today, in fact lots of rain. It poured down. We had to go and pick the hire car up today, so Lou drove us to Budget and we picked up our Toyota Corolla automatic. Nice car. Just what we needed. We then went to Fountain Gate shopping centre. God that place is massive!! We had a look around at a few clothes shops, chemists, etc. Hayleigh fell in love with a Spoodle she saw in a pet shop (half spaniel, half poodle) but Neil says that he won’t have any dog that doesn’t come above his knee!! We had lunch in Fountain Gate. Loads of choice.
After tea that day, we went for another walk around Berwick Springs again. Its lovely to be able to have somewhere like that to just stroll to of an evening. Lou had told us that Pelicans lived on the water, but as yet, they’d been a bit shy.
When we got back, Neil planned his route for the first of his interviews the next day. I phoned my Mum and Dad that night and they sounded so far away. They both had flu and had been in bed since we left.
Thursday 21st Feb - Neil had two interviews today so he set off at around 8.50am and Lou took me and Haylz to look at some show homes. The weather was not too bad. Sunny spells. We went to The Chase estate. Saw some absolute beauties, but to be honest, they were all far too big for us. We intend to look at established houses once we are over for good. Neil got back in the afternoon after his interviews and they’d gone very well. He’d been offered a job already, and the other interview had also been promising. Later that afternoon we packed our case and headed out to Gary and Sue’s for the second leg of our stay. We were greeted with a warm welcome from Gary, Sue and Rosie. After having a look around Gary’s pad, we went out for a meal to Cardinia Club in Pakenham and had a lovely evening. It was really refreshing to be able to go out for a meal and to be able to wear whatever I wanted. At no time on the holiday did I ever feel judged by the clothes I wore. In the UK I will often change my clothes several times before I step foot out of the door (as my long suffering husband knows only too well). The food was good, the bubbly was great, and the company was even better.
Friday 22nd Feb - Neil had another interview this morning, so Gary drove him to that and Sue took me and Haylz into Pakenham town. We had a look around the shops and saw what was on offer. Lovely fruit and veg shop. Lots of parking. Completely different feel to Berwick town centre and I can’t really put my finger on why. They both had a lot to offer, but in different ways. Berwick was prettier, but Pakenham was easier to navigate. Berwick town is set on a hill and Pakenham town is flat. Another thing to note was that when we visited Berwick it was lovely and sunny. The day I went into Pakenham it was cool and cloudy. It makes a big difference to how you view something. Then we took a drive to Lakeside for a coffee at the side of the lake. The weather wasn’t great so we had to sit inside. I was amazed at how big the Lakeside development is. Its huge! Sue then took us to a meat wholesaler, Tasman Meats. We came away with enough meat to feed an army for the price of approx $70. I was really impressed with the choice and the look of the meat. Well worth a trip to stock up the chest freezer I’d say.
In the afternoon, we met back up with Neil and Gary and we headed out to Cardinia Reservoir. What a lovely place. We took a walk down to the children’s playground (which Hayleigh had all to herself). We were lucky to see a few roos grazing further down so we took a walk down there and managed to get quite close to them. As we were leaving, we saw a load more on the banking up to the water. I’d say the weather was quite cool that day.
We were invited to Lorraine and Stu’s this evening. We were made very welcome and had a nosey around their lovely house. Hayleigh and Stephanie got on like a house on fire and were soon off doing their own thing.
Saturday 23rd Feb - Cloudy and windy today so we went house viewing again. The things you can get. Why would anyone want an outside bathroom?? Later that afternoon, Lorraine, Stu and Steph came round to Gary and Sue’s for a bbq. Gary has a major piece of kit on his decking and he and Sue did us proud. We ate like kings that evening while gazing out at the views from their house. The meat from the wholesaler was top notch. Sue brought out the desserts and Neil got stuck in.
Later in the evening we thought we’d have a bash at MSN with my parents. After a shaky start we were soon chatting away. What a wonderful thing MSN is. Then, just as I was talking to my parents, Neil’s parents came on as well. So we were able to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. I felt a lot better once I’d spoken to mum and dad. Knowing that I can do that is going to be a big help.
Sunday 24th Feb - It was raining when we woke up, so we decided to have a drive around in the morning and just have a general nose around. In the afternoon, Gary drove us to MountDandenong. What a lovely place. The rain cleared, the sun came out and we could just make out the city skyline. It made the hairs on my neck stand on end. There’s so much to see up there. We had a wander around the EnglishGardens and then enjoyed a coffee while admiring the view. We called at the Pig & Whistle on the way back for a swift half. Wouldn’t mind eating there sometime. When we got home, Sue cooked roast beef, Yorkshire puds and all the trimmings. Mmmmm.
Monday 25th Feb - We said our goodbyes to Gary and Sue and set off back to Berwick. We had a school visit this morning at the Berwick campus of BeaconhillsCollege. V impressive school. Never seen so many laptops, computers and electrical equipment in a school. The children all seemed v happy and were extremely polite. Loved the idea of Year 9 being a “special year”. The headmaster was a very likeable guy. He seemed very enthusiastic about the school. Would be more than happy for Hayleigh to go there.
In the afternoon, Neil had to go for a medical for one of the jobs so we decided to all go together. Neil was to drop me and Haylz off at the Discount Factory Outlet and once he’d done, we’d take a drive down the morning peninsula. I should mention at this point, that although we had taken our sat nav with us, we had forgotten to take the car adapter and the bloody Tom Tom battery decided it wouldn’t charge from the wall charger. Now I will hold my hands up and admit to anyone that I cannot read a map for love nor money. Lou had to use her own sat nav today as she was taking her son for an appointment and I wasn’t insured to drive, so I knew I’d have to bite the bullet and navigate. What a revelation!! Because of the grid system, it was so much easier to read maps. And the fact that every street has a sign on the end of it also helped. I won’t pretend I got it right every time, but it was a lot less stressful that it usually is. Thank heavens for Melways I say!! Neil dropped us off at the DFO and me and Haylz had lunch in a little café then had a wander around. Neil picked us back up and we headed off down to Mornington. We saw some lovely areas on the drive down, but as I was map reading, I couldn’t really give it my full attention. Anyway, we ended up parking up at the roadside to have our first real taste of the sea. The sight that met us was better than we could have imagined. The sun was shining and we had never seen sea so blue. We took a walk down to the little beach and me and Haylz had our first paddle in the sea. It was a lovely moment. Hayleigh couldn’t believe how clear the sea was.
Tuesday 26th Feb - Today we did the Pakenham campus of Beaconhills. Again, v impressive, but a completely different feel to the school. Pakenham is larger than Berwick and more spread out. It had more outside space and playing fields. Would be happy for Haylz to get a place at either. We then called in to see Rachel in her new rental. It was good to see her again as the last time was in the UK last April. Their new place is great. The rest of the Pearsons joined us later back at Chris and Lou’s for a bbq. We had a great time and the girls all got on brilliantly.
Wednesday 27th Feb - Neil had a recall for one of the interviews he’d been to, and another medical to attend, so we decided to go and find a beach for me and Haylz while Neil was doing what he had to do. We packed up Lou’s eskey with bread, cheese, meat and fruit and headed out to Brighton beach. Neil went off and me and Haylz took a walk down the front. This must be where all the “beautiful people” live. Loads of people out running, power walking, skating and biking with their perfect bodies. The beach was really lovely, but not quite what we were looking for today, so when Neil rejoined us, we drove to a beach further down the coastal road. WOW, WOW and more WOW. Loads of toffee coloured sand and the most brilliant blue sea. This was what we wanted. This is what we had come to see. We parked up and walked down to the beach. That day we ate peaches that actually dribbled juice down our chins. Fabulous. Hayleigh played in the sand while me and Neil just took it all in. Then Neil went in for a dip, just as the wind picked up. So he was freezing when he came out. Then a load of yachts came into view. What an amazing thing to sit and watch. I think that was the day I enjoyed the most. The weather was lovely, and it was the only day we spent on our own (that’s not meant in a funny way at all – we couldn’t have done this trip without our friends’ help and hospitality). What I mean is that this was when I first realised that a simple thing like taking a picnic to the beach was something we will be able to enjoy as a family, and I really liked the thought of that.
Neil had been offered another job today. It was just what he was looking for. The only thing is that it now puts pressure on us to get the house sold. Its not something we can control and its driving us mad.
We headed back to Chris and Lou’s that day all very happy and content.
Thursday 28th Feb - Going back day.
Took the hire car back and then we headed into Berwick for the “last supper”. We sat outside and braved the weather. We had a fab meal and I had the best glass of wine I think I’ve ever tasted in my life. Gary came to pick us up at 3.15 and took us to the airport. Felt really sad that we had to go back. When Gary walked away after we’d said our goodbyes, I felt quite close to tears.
Some observations we’ve made along the way:-
Driving - After reading literally hundreds of posts on forums about how bad the driving was, we were pleasantly surprised. The driving must be bad here in Rotherham because we honestly didn’t see anything in the two weeks we were in Melbourne that took us by surprise (and believe me, we looked). We saw one small incident in a car park and the usual people in the wrong lane, etc, but that was it for us. Yes, we were tailgated a few times, but that happens everywhere and a couple of light taps on the brake usually cures it.
Shopping - We went shopping a few times with our hosts and again, quite surprised at what is available. We’d read that clothes choice was limited and that quality was poor. Well have you ever shopped in West One, Bon Marche or Mark One here in the UK, to name but a few? Yes, we saw a few shocking outfits and some strange shoes, but we also saw some great jeans, tops, trainers, underwear, bags, etc. It’s the same everywhere I suppose, you have to shop around. Same with food shopping, wasn’t worried by anything we saw (or didn’t see). I appreciate that our views may change over time, but we feel quite confident that we will be able to manage.
Electrical Goods - Again, quite pleased with the choice and price of electrical items. Yes, certain items such as Dysons are expensive, but there are loads of alternatives to be had. We’re certainly not going to stock up here and ship over.
Jet Lag - We hardly noticed it really on the way out. Obviously we were flagging anyway what with the 13 hour delay, but after a good night’s kip (aided by alcohol), our sleep pattern was absolutely fine.
The way back was a completely different kettle of fish. We landed on Friday at 1.30pm in Manchester. We wanted to leave the weekend free to get ourselves ready for work and school on Monday. What a good thing we did cos we were all absolutely wrecked. We just kept falling asleep all over the place. Hayleigh fell asleep on the wooden floor on her knees as soon as we got through the door. It was Wednesday before we felt anywhere near normal.
General - I’ve never been a coffee drinker before, I’m a builder’s mug tea girl. But I had the best cappuccino in a place called Ashscotts in Berwick town centre. Served just warm, so you get to enjoy the froth as well. The idea of just nipping into a restaurant or café for a coffee is a whole new notion for us. Its not something we’ve ever really done in the UK. But I really enjoyed doing it. Its civilised, it’s a sociable thing to do. Me and Hayleigh had some lovely chats over coffee/juice and a muffin.
Another thing that pleased us was that places weren’t as far apart as we’d thought. A drive to the coast is something we’ll be able to do without a great deal of planning. Travel time for Neil’s work is probably less than it is now in the UK.
The only thing we couldn’t get our heads around is the Aussie thing of taking your own beer to a bbq or get together, only drinking that and then taking home what you haven’t drunk. It’s the complete opposite to what we do isn’t it?
This might be a bit sad, but I loved the sound barriers on the side of the motorway. The fact that they are not just all one size, shape and colour really pleased me. Like I said, I’m sad!!
One thing I cannot wait to see is the city at night. We are planning on staying for a few days in Melbourne city when we land for good so I should be able to tick this off my list very quickly.
Oh and remember the pelicans from earlier? We’d looked for them every time we’d passed Berwick Spring and had never seen one. (Me and Haylz had seen one in flight one day). Well, true to form, we got a phone call from Lou while we were at the airport waiting to go home. There was now a whole sodding flock of them on the water!!
So to sum up - All in all, our validating visit was a huge success for us. Its not something we’d planned to do, but we’re very glad we did. Hayleigh absolutely loved her time in Melbourne and can’t wait to get back, Neil secured himself a job, I put a few niggles to bed and we all saw a glimpse of what our lives are going to be like.
Once again, thanks to all our friends in Melbourne. We hope we’ll be seeing you very soon.
Victoria – The Place To Be!!
__________________ VISA GRANTED 30/10/07 House still not sold 20/06/08 Finally on our way 23/06/08
We are in the last stages of getting over. House sale working its way through - deciding what to keep and what to ship. Working through the list stuff to organise.
I was born in Melbourne - lived in Geelong unti I was 14 and came over to the UK when I was 16. I finally got back for a holiday last year but only to Queensland.
We have decided to start in Mornington and see if it suits so your post was invaluable. Its been so long since I lived there that I have all the same niggles and worries and it was good to hear that my 'hometown' is a good place to be.
We are planning on leaving around 30th April - any idea on when you will be there?
My sympathies on the house sale if your area is like ours the market is slower than a slow thing on slow juice so we are pinning all our hopes on this one going through.
Sounds like you all had great time. we are thinking of going to the gold coast but the other day was having a conversation about Austrailia and Melborne was mentioned never thought about looking into Victoria before, so i have been looking at web sites for more info. So i would love to here your comments and any suggestions about subburbs etc.
Good luck & Hope everything goes well for you all for the future.
