rikyuu

I can't remember the last time it rained whilst I was in work either! Sent from my HTC EVO 3D X515a using Tapatalk 2

Just from what I've seen in Vic as I say. Unfortunately don't have time to travel around as too busy working, but hopefully will once we retire. Sent from my HTC EVO 3D X515a using Tapatalk 2

Domino's pizzas are cheap here and wine.

very unfortunate for you and extortionate charges, but it does show that they do check.

similar here; Satruday 5-10C rain (camping) Sunday rain in morning (camping) sunny in afternoon (not camping) Monday 22C sunny (work) Tuesday 26C sunny (work) Wednesday 29C sunny (work) Today 33C sunny (work- I can se the sun shinging though the blinds and my desktop widget says it's 33C) Tomorrow 16C rain (off work) Saturday 15C rain (camping) Sunday morning rain (camping) sunny afternoon (not camping) Monday 22C sunny (work) Tuesday 22C partly sunny (work) wonderful

I think Australia is very different, the little villages you describe in the UK have developed over 100's years and the pubs have been like the central focus. But from what I've seen of rural villages in Australia is they sort of have a very American wild west feel and there may be one quite rough pub and an IGA supermarket!

I don't care what the facts are, Juliar has said the boom times are ahead of us and anyway house prices have turned the corner and are making the biggest gains ever, so you don't need to work, and she isn't going to let the facts talk down the economy.

I did a HR course in the UK, 4 days solid driving with a test on the final day, cost about $2000. There was a slight frost on the test day, so the test was cancelled as no-one was authorised to put grit on the braking straight, I still had to pay for the truck hire though. I rebooked the test for a week later and took another day off work, there was another over night frost and test again cancelled, paid for the truck again. At this point I got fed up and gave up. (very p'd off with it). Got a HR lesson booked a few months ago in Melbourne after having my Oz driving license for a year. 1/2 day lesson followed by test at lunch and got my license, easy as and only about $400. No frost. Will get HC license next year. doesn't answer your question about work, but my experience of getting the license, as a backup and because it's fun driving trucks!

a $10 samosa.....must have been huge we use to order samosas at work in the UK every time it was someone's birthday, anniversary, stated, left, farted, 'y' in the day etc....25p each and made by an authentic Indian, with 3 sauces.

within 4 hours of Perth: the ocean, the desert within 8 hours of Perth: the ocean, the desert within 10 hours of Perth: the ocean, the desert within 12 hours of Perth: the ocean, the desert within 28 hours of Perth: Adelaide but you have to drive 37 hours to reach civilisation in Melbourne LOL just joking :wink:

we packed most of our stuff ourselves and fully labelled them with name, to city, phone, email. The packers (from Crown) did a few and just wrote my surname on them very roughly and wrongly spelt. I asked them how the hell those boxes weren't going to get lost and they just said it works out somehow, so I frantically stuck my labels on their boxes too. Nothing got lost, but it was 3 months before our stuff even left the UK and that was after phoning/emailing Crown almost from Japan and Australia.

In some ways, I was most happy when we were living out of 3 suitcases, it just seemed so simple. But then (many months later) our stuff arrived and it's snowballed since then. As a keen DIYer, I have to have everything in order to do everything myself, and it takes up some space. I also find that I only throw out stuff I need and keep stuff I don't.

Well, I hate to complain, but I think I've got a point here....I rarely get chance to take my kids camping as they go to a Sunday school, but as they are off currently, I planned to go camping each of these 3 holiday weekends. Sat in the office all week, blue skies outside, reached 28C by Thursday. On Friday the change came, but Saturday morning was sunny....until we started packing the trailer. Huge black clouds rolled in and the sound of a steam train in the distance. Dived for cover as torrential hale stone came down. Managed to finish packing in the gaps between the rain and set off, driving though torrential rain all the way. Camp site was a muddy mess, they'd had snow that morning, it didn't get above 5C and rained continuously until Sunday morning, when it finally stopped. Left about lunch time and by the time we got home, it was sunny again. Now, this is the kick in the nuts....we're camping again this weekend, my last chance before Xmas hols. It's sunny today and will reach 28C again by Thursday, but dropping to 18C and rain on Friday. Why Friday? Because I've got Friday off work. Deteriorating on Saturday to rain and 15C when we go camping, before picking up Sunday afternoon when we get back, ready for a glorious Monday in the office. It is really depressing watching it be sunny all week, then horrendous on the only weekends I get chance to take the kids camping. Doesn't bother my wife as she's at home with the kids all week, going to parks, zoos, coffees etc etc, in the sun.

Crown were great until they took 4 months to deliver our stuff (3 months before it even left the UK) and that was only after phoning and emailing them every day making threats. Hard to manage with 2 young kids and 3 suitcases of stuff.

looks deadly :elvis:

I understand your difficulties, I struggle to support a family of 4. With 2 young kids, my youngest won't start school for another 1.5 years, so my missus can't think of working until then. Even then it will be difficult, because we won't have enough holidays to look after the kids in the school hols and with the distances you generally have to travel to work, it's not easy to pop to the school when a child's ill etc. Are you renting currently? What sort of income do you have? You should be able to claim family tax credits up to a certain income and rental assistance. My pay only increased 3% after the first year, seems my main reward was being made permanent instead of temporary! Payrise more that used up with utility bill increases this year, so actually worse off than when I started working. Still, I do the lottery so there's hope yet! Only helpful thing I can say really is to keep trying.

Comparison using 2AUD/1GBP (my costs in Melbourne): Gas and electric, £130.00 per month for a good sized 4 bed detached house AUS - about the same. Electric can go up in the summer due to aircon. Rates £146 AUS - don't pay because can't afford a house Water rates £30 - AUS - about 20GBP Sky tv £60 - AUS - can't afford phone and broadband £35 AUS - about 44GBP for Telstra package Weekly Big shop for 4 £125 - AUS - about 100GBP, but nothing fancy like fish, steaks, lamb chops. Just mince and potatoes! Wine 3 litres £18.00 AUS - 5l box 7GBP Decent whisky £18.00 AUS - can't afford but about 30GBP petrol £1.40 - AUS 70p/l or 30p/l for LPG (which is how I can afford to run a 5.4l V8 on LPG) Car insurance £500 - AUS - about the same excluding TAC House insurance £350 - AUS - 200GBP for contents car tax £170 - AUS - 350GBP including TAC. (and a 10 year old carp car will still cost 5000GBP and you have to pay tax on s/h cars! Plus the annual fines you pick up and the insurance claims from being side swiped every now and then). so if you can live off cheap wine in Oz, you're on to a winner.

We (me, wife and 2 young kids) came here with pretty much nothing and started again. No furniture or appliances, just clothes and basic stuff. In fact we had to manage for nearly 4 months with what we had in our suitcases as our shipper (Crown) took that long to ship. Not easy with 2 kids. Managed to get a job in my normal field (in fact almost exactly what I'd been doing in the UK by chance) in 3 weeks. Carp company and not particularly good pay (supporting 4 on $70k), but it's work. No assistance or support from outside/company etc, bought about $30k in AUD with us.

saying you prefer the UK can cause friction because some people can't handle the fact that you prefer somewhere else, yet you are living in 'their' country. If you add reasons why you prefer the UK, the same people will vigorously defend Australia, potentially ultimately suggesting you leave. Hence in real life, I talk very little about the UK or the things I like about it. On here it doesn't matter so much, it's just a forum not my life, but still get some very defensive responses sometimes. Like you I enjoy many of the aspects of Australia. I do more outdoor stuff and the kids do more than they ever could have in the UK. But the UK is my home land, where I grew up and my family is there and life was easier, hence if pushed I may still say I prefer it. It doesn't mean I want to go back. Some people can't understand that and if it doesn't fit their point of view then it is often easier just to say go back to the UK.

I guess they don't check everything, but it's a risk. $150 for tripple burner with hood from bunnings Sent from my HTC EVO 3D X515a using Tapatalk 2

no it's not and I have to support a family of 4 on $72k, 20km outside of Melbourne CBD.

without adding it all up, our combined income is about $5k so I reckon we spend about $4000-4500pm, renting, family of 4. We have to keep costs down as much as possible, like food, holidays, cars, no health insurance, public schools etc. Seems like I'm in the wrong occupation, but too late to change now.

A broad rimmed hat with corks hanging around the rim! Anti-mozzie spray that is so strong it makes you choke, spray all over including neck, face and hair. stay covered with thin clothing, including ankles, top with a high collar

out of those, I'd chose Nissan any day. F2 is notoriously unreliable, 200k is end of life and will be mega expensive to fix here, especially 1.8 petrol is a ticking bomb (old Rover engine with head gasket issues). Kia also fairly low quality. A black car will be significantly hotter inside than a white/light car. black cars also show all the imperfections, scratches and dirt. My camping trailer used to have a green roof, which was too hot to touch in the sun. I painted it white, now it's cool to touch. Same with houses, current one has a white roof and is significantly cooler than the last one with a black roof.

most bbqs in Oz are gas. If you are shipping your UK one, it will need to be scrupulously clean otherwise they will charge $$$$ for cleaning in customs and as they are fairly bulky it will add to the shipping cost. As a large 3 burner bbq with hood is only 75gbp here, I wouldn't bother.