Sydney

Have to agree with you on the people who have never lved outside the UK. They love their package holidays here, and having a rep to complain to is their security when abroad. Who'd be a rep ? Good luck with the Oz accent, there's certainly a few around.

Have to disagree there. I'm presently enjoying time in the UK, and the lifestyle etc couldn't be more different from Oz. I see a long standing trend on here whereby most, not all, of those who return to the UK from Australia feel the need to justify their return by making disparaging remarks about the country. The OP mentioned she loved the cold weather etc when she got home, which is one of the reasons people usually give for leaving the UK, and I wondered what her expectations of Australia were before she left the UK. I've been back nearly a year now, and my lifestyle couldn't be more contrasting to that in Sydney. I find the UK a much slower pace than Sydney which suits me now, but nearly everyone I talk to asks why I returned, and they're generally not very complimentary towards their own country. Most of the young single people I've spoken to who have spent time in Australia talk of having had a brilliant time there and wish they could go back. Emigrating, particularly with a family isn't for the faint hearted. I think most who go there aren't prepared at all. Hope the OP gives her view.... Syd.

Why did you go to Australia in the first place ?

It's not that long ago when immigration to Australia was dominated by the white Australia policy and heavily favoured Brits. The highest court in Australia was the Privy Council in the House of Lords. This was only changed under Labor in the eighties whereas NZ waited another ten years or so before they followed suit. Aussies used to travel on UK passports, and the longest serving PM Robert Menzies was considered as a successor to Churchill when the Tories were beaten in the fifties. When I first travelled to Oz/NZ as a fifteen year old on cargo ships they were still called "home boats", And we british Merchant Seamen at the time didn't need a passport to enter Australia. The influx of Vietnamese was a huge turning point in how immigration changed and the country quite visually became less British, and took a huge step towards it's own identity. Long may it continue.....end of rant.........Syd.

Think that just about sums it up. Australia is still part of the Commonwealth but no longer just a colony of the old Empire. Moving to Australia requires a bit more planning than a fortnight in Benidorm, all inclusive, with the benefit of the rep in the lobby if you have any complaints.... Best of luck... Syd.

Agree absolutely. Lots of poor beggars here in Blighty would bite your hand off if you offered them a ticket to Oz. Whether things work out/or not in Australia, you can always go back.

I'd much rather be "stuck" in Oz with the option of returning to the UK someday instead of being stuck in the UK with no choice.

Best of luck mate to you and your fam. Still a bit puzzled about your reference to red tape and officialdom in Oz. The UK has so many rules I can't see how Oz outperformed it in that category.....Syd.

I wasn't twisting your words mate. I randomly came upon your quote and disagreed with your opinion.

So what were you looking for in Australia ? You make you're life sound idyllic prior to leaving the UK.

Well I suppose we are all different, but anyone who wishes they had never gone to Australia must have a regretful story to tell. Personally the best move I made as a young bloke was to leave the UK regardless of where I went. Despite enjoying the UK just now as an old codger in semi retirement, I can't think of anything that would keep me here if I was a young man wanting to get on in life. They say failure or regret are the two sides of a coin to consider when making big decisions, but I speak to people almost on a daily basis who would love to leave this country but make no effort to do so. You obviously had more get up and go than these people, and for whatever reason you have for regretting going to Australia, at least you can back it up with the experience of having done it. I don't think it's ever been harder for people particularly from the UK to settle in Australia. The expense involved, the higher cost of living, and the fact Australia is at the height of a "greed cycle", isn't helpful at all. Australia is now an affluent country as opposed to thirty or forty years ago when it was seen as still developing. At that time living was cheap and both governments, Oz and the UK, actually contributed to assisted passage when there was a shortage of labour. These days Australians seem to be less welcoming to migrants, and the tv shows here in the UK showing life on the Gold Coast most likely do very little to prepare people for their new life. Your present life here in the UK prior to emigrating also has a lot to do with how well things work out. If life is comfortable then Oz may be a disappointment, whereas if you've just spent twelve months on Christmas Island after escaping Afghanistan then life can only improve. I hope aspiring emigrants from the UK aren't put off by some of the stories on this website. They just have to ask themselves what reasons they have for wanting to leave the UK.

You're quote of beach, sand, etc is in itself a "sweeping generalisation". There's much more than this for kids, anyone for that matter, in Australia. Here in the UK, the press are talking of a lost generation because of such little opportunity for youths in this country. Personally I can't see how the UK can fix things in the short term.

You really don't know anyone who has an Aussie friend ?

Many thanks for the kind sentiments........beer's on ice........Syd.

I think tv licences are outdated and should be abolished. Not sure why you're getting so fired up about it. Maybe you should contact the beeb.

According to the info pack which came with my tv licence, any device that is capable of accessing tv requires a tv licence. The list included laptops and smart phones...... Syd.

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/moving-back-uk/148344-syds-been-back-mutha-country-three-months-now.html Syd's bulletin after first three months above. Mrs Syd and myself are surviving nicely. After thirty odd years in Australia the contrast here in Scotland is stark but certainly not disappointing. Not much point in mentioning the weather. If it's really important then it's best to stay in the land down under. Autumn up here in the lothians is really beautiful. Amazing colours, darker nights, and the fire on in the local pub is a clear signal of colder months to come. We're talking of going away for Xmas and there's no shortage of package deals in warm places. Since writing last, we've spent time in Spain and on a cruise ship down in the med. Xmas here in Scotland would be nice but sadly there's not a lot of enthusiasm from the Scottish side of the family so we could end up anywhere. My mother passed away last year and after spending six months over here while she was sick we decided to buy her little house rather than leave it on the market which is very slow as you probably know. Edinburgh was our first choice but being only a twenty minute drive to the "big smoke" is no real hardship. We're in the process of renovating. We had a new central heating system installed last month and a new bathroom. Lying in a bath was a novelty for a while but was never going to be the most practical start to the day. The new bathroom took two weeks and we used the same local chap that did the central heating. He only lives up the road and we felt confident enough in the young bloke to give him the keys and we took off and drove around the highlands of Scotland, and hired a house down in Coldingham/St Abbs for a week and checked out Northumbria which we really enjoyed. Was nice to see how many castles it took to keep us marauding Jocks under control. Went over to Lindisfarne island which is quite stunning. When we got home the bathroom was all finished and the new kitchen, yep,using same bloke again, should be finished in a couple of weeks. Soon after arriving back in the UK it didn't take long to work out you can't beat the system. People are so set in their ways, it's realy not all that different to the seventies in many ways. Times change but people tend not to. The big brother aspect is quite sobering though. My wife rang council a few months ago to ask about dumping some old carpet at the local tip. Before giving details the council lady wanted her full name and date of birth, and a week later a letter arrived demanding to know who she was and why was she living at this address. I phoned council and told the same lady that I thought her questioning was intrusive and to mind her own business. I then received a letter saying my council tax was under review and my "benefits" would be affected because of the lady who was living with me. Just for the record neither me nor Mrs Syd are receiving any benefits. My wife misses Sydney a bit but I'm enjoying the good and the bad about the UK. We've both found the locals extremely friendly, and because our income is still derived from Australia, living is surprisingly cheap. We swim at the local leisure centre a couple of times a week, (you should see the rules in this place), and make a point of topping up the profits of the local publicans. The UK's not for everyone, in fact most people ask us why we're here, but it's certainly serving it's purpose for us at the moment. The independence issue here in Scotland is interesting, and political debates over the next couple of years should make good tv. Talking about tv, I received a letter not long ago reminding me of my obligations about getting a tv licence. Couldn't believe tv licences still existed. Seemingly you now require a licence if you own a smart phone even if you don't have a tv. I must admit the BBC still makes some great programmes but they fail to justify the charges for a licence, and I think with the present investigations into what they do with the money, they'd be better off ditching the licence fee. Controversial I know but certainly outdated. I tell any young people here who are thinking of going to Australia not to hesitate. For all the enjoyment of living here just now I see hardly any opportunities for young people who want to get on. Australia can be rude, over confident and not everyone's cup of tea, but the UK has a long way to go to rival Oz for careers/jobs etc. not all will agree with me here. Don't get me started on the benefits system/nhs !!! Maybe another day............syd

I don't know of any landlord who would accept someone "doing a runner" mate. These things tend to catch up with such people eventually. Also I'm not suggesting you support this sort of thing, rather your attitude seemed to be quite flippant towards it. No more "sniping" from this side".......Syd.

What a dreadful attitude towards someone else's misfortune.

Hi Benson. Was sorry to hear you're affected by the negative posts on here about Australia. I mentioned on this site a few months back that prospective immigrants to Australia shouldn't bother reading most of the posts on the "returning to UK subjects" simply because of the negativity and bad feeling about Australia that emanates from the various reasons for going back home. I'm presently back in the UK after 30 odd years in Sydney, and although I'm having a nice time, I can't stress enough about the opportunities awaiting like minded aspirants like you and your partner. Arriving in Oz with no children and just the two of you to worry about means you're more free than some to take advantage of chances that come your way. I hope you enjoy the change of country/routine/culture etc.............Syd

I've found drivers over here in the UK very aggressive and they seem to park anywhere they please, e.g. the wrong side of the road facing the wrong way, (if that makes sense), and on foot paths. Women drivers appear to be particularly impatient especially in Tesco's car park. Only my opinion mind !!