blondie

We came back 18 months ago and I arranged all myself. The container I phoned around and got quotes, I checked with local council for leaving it on a nature strip for a couple of days, found a local small removalist who would finish off the packing up and load the container, he provided a VAT receipt in order to qualify for the insurance, the container was never opened and inspected. It took a good half day to unload and put into storage. Was cheaper though than going through an international removalist but quite stressful with all the paperwork etc.

Thanks for this message. I actually did email the hospital (Musgrove at Taunton) and thank them. I hope it was passed onto the staff. I worked at a public hospital in Sydney for 3 years, some things were better than UK some not. My daughters experience at a Brisbane hospital was pretty horrendous (nurse came in wearing a hazard suit and mask and asked her to take her own blood pressure) they thought she may have had swine flu as there was an epidemic of flu at the time. My son though broke his foot and although he walked around for several months on it once the GP requested an MRI scan, it only took a few weeks until the doctor found two hairline fractures. This was at Westmead Children's Hospital. So good and bad always wherever you go. I always believed the value of a country was in how it treated its old and sick and I don't believe that a persons health care should be dependant on what they can afford to pay, but saying that the NHS has got to change. We have longer life expectancy now, it's bound to put a strain on any system. A consultant once advised me to take private health care for the minor things and rely on the NHS for the emergencies. Sound advice I believe.

Your daughter and yourself sound very brave, I hope she is well. It's good to hear she has a great medical team. I am struggling with the idea of him going to Germany in March on a school trip and that's just a short flight away if I need to get there quickly so Aus to France must have been a big worry for you.

We have been back in the UK now for nearly a year and what a year it has been. We finally sold out house in Devon, bought a barn conversion in Somerset (yay), husband started new job (yay) I have been offered a full time job in local private school (yay) and then ... our darling son has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, he is 15 years old and we are gutted. This post isn't to talk about the diagnosis but to applaud the wonderful NHS system, it may be overstretched as the media reports but it came up trumps 2 weeks ago for our family. I called 111, he was seen later that day with the out of hours GP, diagnosed immediately and admitted to the local children's ward within an hour. All done calmly, professionally and with such kindness. Two days in hospital and he did so well in understanding the injections and other medical stuff he was allowed home. Follow up calls every day from the specialist diabetic team, they are going to come to our home to talk to all the extended family as to how to look after Matthew, dietician coming next week for further education for me, follow up appointment in a couple of weeks for Matthew. I know it's early days but this whole experience was made less stressful not having to think about how much all this would cost. I wonder if the stress of moving back was too much for him and somehow 'caused' this but have been told no one knows what causes type 1 diabetes. Then I wonder what would have happened to us if we had stayed in Oz and he was diagnosed anyway, how much money would it cost for the prescriptions alone. We always said that Australia was a very expensive country to be ill in.

Are you renting ? If so you could move a few streets into catchment. I also heard negative things about gals ton but have no firsthand experience. Our daughter went to muirfield at north rocks and our son northholm grammar school. You could try pennant hills and see if they take him out of catchment.

We returned to UK in March this year when our son was 14. He turned 15 in April. He had started year 9 in Sydney and competed the first term. We initially enrolled him in a private school in the UK who were happy for,him to finish year 9 and start year 10 in September. Son did not like or settle into the school. He has just started at a local comprehensive school that his cousin attends. Again they are happy for him to finish year 9 and start year 10 in September. The SENCO will be assessing him next week for dyslexia etc. He has been able to choose all the options he wanted and has the opportunity to drop one and have extra support with his maths and English. He seems happy and more comfortable at school so fingers crossed it's good for him.

Interestingly I read point 1 differently to you. I took from it that she advocated thinking about what you will lose as those are the things that will affect you psychologically and then decide if you are able to willingly give that up. Her point is made quite succinctly in the last paragraph.

Hi everyone I came across this blog yesterday and thought it was one of the most sound pieces of writing about the process of deciding to relocate, be it City or Country. There were a fair few points that resonated with me so I thought I would share for those of you who are struggling to make your decisions, questioning if it was the right thing to do and just generally feel like your head might just explode with all the thinking http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2012/02/11/7-big-relocation-mistakes/

I was in Sydney for 7 years. It was meant to be somewhere between 3 and 6 but my husband loved it too much to want to come back, hence the stress and arguments !! But his flight is booked now and he is coming back home.

It really is

After all the tears, indecision, arguments and stress I finally moved back to England. Camping at my mothers while I visit schools, have made an offer on a house, looking for short term rental, bought a second hand car and waiting for OH to arrive in a couple of weeks. beautiful sunshine more or less since our return 5 weeks ago. I feel like 'me' again.

Burnett , we'll done, A well written, articulate view and one I wish I had been able to convey so succinctly. A must read for anyone considering the move to Australia.

Thats fantastic for your son and so pleased to hear it has worked for him. However, I was told by the speech pathologist that works at my sons school that there is no such thing as Dyslexia anymore, they prefer to use the term auditory processing disorder !! My son is year 9, I don't have the time to take on the school and system.

I think its horses for courses ... my experience has been negative, time consuming and very expensive. I hear of good schools and woefully bad ones. We live in Sydney and I have met many mothers who could just weep with the frustration of trying to help their kids in school. It was not my intention to scare anybody. My reasons for returning to the UK are numerous, I don't need to justify it. I know that in the UK I could send my son to a specialist dyslexia school and I can't here ... simple.

Look for garage sales, local charity shops and check out Reverse Garbage based in Brisbane. We found some really great furniture this way.

Thanks everyone for the replies ... I feel quite optimistic now. We have just accepted an offer on our house in Devon and now have to find somewhere else to buy nearer to Bristol. We tend not to eat out a lot here in Sydney, I think it is way too expensive and RSL clubs just really aren't my thing. I am looking forward to a basic meal in a country pub with half a lager and lime.

Hi, we have had family visit several times and it does get a bit boring doing the same sights. Try looking at weekend notes for ideas, they have some great writers and there is always something new to do. Ferry rides anywhere around the harbour are always good value A drive out towards Woolongong along the scenic route to the large buddhist temple (can't remember the name, I think it's Nan Tai, or something similar) The drive in cinema at Blacktown A great retro cinema at Cremorne (again google it) Amazing ice cream called H20 in Chinatown Chinese Garden of Friendship in Darling Harbour

That's good advice, thanks. I really want to holiday in Europe and see old architecture again. I have had enough of hot beaches for a while !! They are not much fun when you have blonde hair, blue eyes and deathly white skin I see you are heading to Brisbane in July. I know it a little bit as our eldest daughter went to uni there and we visited a few times, so if you have any questions and I can return the favour please let me know.

Our son has dyslexia. It was not picked up at his local primary school in Sydney. It wasn't until year 7 at his new high school (private) that we asked for the speech pathologist to please see him and complete an assessment. She came back with auditory processing disorder, we thought OK, now what are the school going to do to help. The answer ? .... a big fat zero. The only assistance available is regular appointment with the speech pathologist at stupid money per hour !! This is not an isolated incident, if your child has dyslexia they will not receive the kind of support that is offered in UK schools. You will have to look for a dyslexia tutor outside of school, it will be expensive and hard to find. I have spoken to british dyslexic tutors who work here, who have long waiting lists and who all, without fail, have been appalled at the lack of recognition and support of dyslexic students. This is just a heads up for anyone who is thinking of moving here and their child requires that extra help. The emphasis is very much on the gifted and talented kids.

Thanks for that, I suppose I mean struggling as not being able to afford holidays, put aside savings, and keep warm

My husband has been offered a job back in the UK with a starting salary of 60k. He is stressing that this won't be enough for us to live on. I will obviously find work as well although it may only be part time to start off. We will also have a naval pension, a small pension here in Oz to draw on this year and the mortgage gets paid this year on our house in the UK, although the endowment will not cover all of it and we will have a shortfall of about 30k. We also have bought an investment property on the Gold Coast which is being rented out. Our son is 14 and just started year 9 here in Sydney, I have checked several schools and they are happy for him to transfer over to the same year. Our eldest daughter has already moved back to Holland with her dutch boyfriend, is a newly qualified teacher and will be looking for UK teaching work. Our youngest daughter moved out and lives on the Gold Coast with her british boyfriend. We have to leave our rented accommodation in March as the owner wishes to sell it and the new employer wants a start date of mid April. All sounds good on paper .. but we have been away 7 years and have lost track of the cost of living there. Does this salary mean a comfortable life in the current climate or struggle street ?