Holiday first or just go for it?

[london cabbie]

Hi
We are in the process of getting visa's etc and have been told that we could poss be out there by the end of the year.
I thought we could come out there at some point on holiday for a couple of weeks to have a look at schools,houses etc and generally get a feel for the place.However my wife now thinks that the money it would cost to go on holiday could be put to better use once we are out there it could buy a car or maybe go towards furnishing our house etc.My argument is how can we move to a place that we have never been to and have only seen on web sites etc ,ok we know people in brisbane who say obviously its great and feedback from anybody who has ever been there is positive but i think it may be irresponsible to just go for it.
My wifes argument however is what can we see in two weeks that would make us decide either way and the money it would cost as i said could be put to better use.
We will be moving to brisbane whatever happens holiday or not.

Has anybody any comment on this?
Thanks....Jamie

[HeywoodMonkey]

Hey my friend
Just go for it, we are. Lifes too short to waste time thinking about it and the longer you wait the more this country will turn into a s%£t hole

[dunnarunna]

hi jamie
i think your wifes right (but then again shes a woman and we are always right!)
thats my view too, ive never been but would rather put the money into buying new stuff when i get there (IF we get there), also makes the adventure more exciting or stupid depends on which way you look at it!
donna

[batman]

theres an argument on both sides i change my mind every week on day we need to visit and the other not,i think your wife is right when she says what can you learn in two weeks about a place i suppose if your renting anyway if you dont like the place where you start you can always move on, the only worry i have are the children if you visit first at least you know it is right for them and you are not moving them about i still dont know what i will do maybe it will become clearer in the future what ever we all decide to do good luck

[brownfamily]

Hi Jamie,

We were in exactly the same situation and we had a holiday booked for August. Our plans have now changed and we are now going this year instead of next and have decided to cancel the holiday and get a refund.

I think that your wife is right and the money could be put to better use. We are only going to rent initially so as to get a feel for where we would like to live (first two years needs to be near Nambour as OH is doing a 2 year course).

The way I look at it is that it can't be worse than most parts of England at the moment as as long as my family are together we will manage just fine!

Heather

[2Posh2Push]

I know what you mean - my hubby and I thought about dragging the kids over at Xmas as I missed my sis so much - we always get together at xmas - but we worked out that at about £5000 it was too steep. We know if we went for 2 wks a) we'd be in holiday mode, b) we'd love it c) we'd still want to go and we would never know what its like until we live there. How can you possibly know how you will really feel until you have done it. i think you should look on it as a challenge and if you can't settle theres nothing saying you can't return to the UK. Look forward to the jump!

[Stuju]

Hi Jamie,
I can see both sides of the coin so to speak, as my hubby (oz) already lived in the area that we moved to in oz before we married, when i migrated here with him i had never been before and felt exactly how you do.
Personally i think that even if you can half afford to come for a holiday here before moving here then do it, imagaine if it was the other way around and some one told you and you had read lots of positive feedback say on the East End (no offence to any one my family from there anyway) woudnt you be a little dissapointed to say the least if you moved to the east end without a vist first, if you get what i mean.
By coming here for a holiday first it would able you to view all the areas and see what you like, view the properties,see about work, look at cars (and 2nd hand here are pricey) and find out lots of other bits of info like schools etc all at once.
What is it they say " Better to be safe than sorry"
good luck

[london cabbie]

Well thanks for all your advice my wife is buzzin! ive had "i told you so" all night ,so i guess the holiday is off then,but there is just something telling me that to sell up ,pack up and move somewhere that ive never been is some how not right.But as i said we have made our minds up to live there holiday or not.2 posh 2 push you are right 5 or 6 grand is alot of money to spend just to confirm what we already know and how much research can you do? my head is spinning and my favourite places is bursting and a couple of weeks in holiday mode isnt going to make a lot of difference i suppose, and the 5 grand that we save would be really usefull,and would take the pressure off when we get there and could buy alot of fosters lol.
Thanks again....jamie

[Stuju]

Hi Jamie,
Pleased you have come to a decision - go with the flow and see what happens,
just to let you know you don´t drink Fosters here in oz its seen as only a product made for the uk market and is very unpopular here in oz - not many places sell it, believe it or not but we have seen folk had the pee taken out of them for drinking fosters here

Tooheys - vb - hahn premium - crown - pure blone - blue tongue - are the beers to drink here
cheers
gizmo

[calNgary]

Hiya sorry but i agree with the misses ,you dont really get a feel for a place in a couple of weeks anyway and what you would spend on a holiday could be what it costs you in rent for a fair few month,,your better to save it and just bite the bullet and get moved here ,,youll be fine although i fully understand that niggle of doubt ,you sound like a clever guy and im sure youll find your way easy anyway ,,good luck
Cal x