blobby1000

This is a wonderful post, particularly for me at this precise moment. But in the interests of a balanced argument here is a list of things I wouldn't miss about England if given a second chance at Australia and it's myriad of annoyances: *A Conservative Government *A government intent on refusing all public servants any type of payrise and destroying pensions whilst awarding themselves above inflation payrises each year. *The price of petrol which means I can't actually afford to drive to the garage to fill my car up. *Not having a meal and entertainment card so we can't eat out without feeling guilty. *The fact that if you have children you can never ever go on holiday again (unless you happen to earn a £1m a year or be a politician) due to greedy holiday companies pricing normal families out of the market during holidays. *Rain *The expectation from the NHS that you are happy to work for nothing because your job is "a calling" f@ck off, I'm just paying my mortgage thanks very much *Jeremy Clarkson *Council tax rising whilst the council only collecting our bins fortnightly instead of weekly. *Incredibly high fuel prices for the home *That f@cking great tree in my garden that drops leaves and kills our newly planted grass/turf every year *Health and Safety: My sons teacher was not allowed to put a plaster on his cut, but she was allowed to call me in and get me to apply the plaster! *Poor wages and it being impossible to save for anything....to the point where, at times, I start to daydream about my relatives dying soon before I quickly curse myself and realise I am not very nice and then have to call them to check they are still alive.

That's a great post and a great idea. Don't be too scared, Australia is absolutely set up for backpackers and is really easy to travel around with very few pitfalls so long as you don't go off driving off road in the outback or walking into the bush without letting anyone know where you are going! It's pretty safe out there compared to a lot of places you could be heading to. There are a few places that I have visited that I must recommend. I consider them off the beaten track because they were when I backpacked in 2000, but this is probably old news now and they could now be where all backpackers go so you may hear these places a lot! Coral Bay on the west coast is my absolute favourite place in Australia and is absolutely worth the 12 drive north from Perth. You can snorkel in a mini Great Barrier Reef right off the shore, in fact you can paddle out and stick your head under and will be amazed what you see. There's a camp site almost on the beach. Magnetic Island is a magical place, that's off the coast from Townsville. Although I must admit, everyone I know that has been there reckoned it was crap (probably because it was so very quiet) but I found it to be paradise. Port Douglas and the Daintree north of cairns is stunning, most people stopped at cairns when I was backpacking but the extra effort to carry on North certainly pays dividends....and if you can get to Cooktown to experience that then so much the better (they once had a salt water crocodile walking down their high street.....no swimming in Cooktown!) The Kimberley's are apparently unforgettable although I have never been there. And, on a slightly different note, if you happen to get to Melbourne then get yourself to St Andrews Market on a Saturday morning for an authentic hippy experience and some very fine sausages. But most of all enjoy yourselves, you don't get these years to live again!!

Well they don't welcome anyone that arrives in a boat.

No they didn't mess us around at all. That's probably just to protect them in case the customer takes the p!ss. We found them friendly, efficient and reliable and cheap compared to other companies.

This is exactly the thread I needed to read. It's like I have returned and suddenly it's all come flooding back! Happy days. I can relax in England once again!!

But loads of people hate the summers, even Australians. I loved autumn and spring but summer was another reason we ran away

From what you say I don't think you are depressed. Worn out and emotional from two big moves and confused as what to do next . But you have time on your side so I would take a break and see how you feel later in the year (contrary to my advice earlier today!). There's very few things in life that can't be fixed!!

Seriously though I don't know about the tax although you may be liable in the uk for capital gains tax if you were not living in the property and you wish to declare it. Legally I'm not entirely sure if you would be taxed if you don't own another home somewhere else. I wonder what the best way to transfer the money over as a small change in exchange rate will obviously have a big impact but it's got to be a good time right now.

Ssshhhhhhhhhh!!!

This is an excellent idea. We should have had a pact like this

Incidentally I reckon you should leave the rude comments on here because the rest of us will support the OP and it's just the rude poster that looks silly

So, going back to your original post, what you are suggesting is that the DIAC should be able to make a prediction on who will feel homesick and who will not? That sounds quite reasonable. I wish that policy has been in place in 2010, it would have saved me a fortune.

Makes it even harder that they paid for your flights! Parents can be a bit of a pain in the arse!!

I think your parents are being a bit selfish to be honest. Yes emigrating is a fundamentally selfish thing to do, and I always struggled with the guilt associated with that, but it's your life and you can't spend it pleasing others at the expense of yourself. Of course they love you and will miss you but I wouldn't stop my kids doing what makes them happy (and please quote me on that in 20 years!) 'YOU WOULDNT PUT US THROUGH THAT AGAIN' just sounds like emotional blackmail to me. I don't think you need to be any more honest with your parents as it sounds like they know you want to go back anyway! If you want to go back then I wouldn't bother waiting around to find jobs in the UK you better just bite the bullet! where did you live in Melbourne by the way? having said all that....what it may do to my ageing Mum is one of the many reasons I wouldn't go back...although (and I'm sorry to be smug) I know she would support whatever choice we made. I do understand your difficult situation and hope you find a good resolution one way or the other.

Yoy Yoy is an even better name than Wollongong. i wish I could live in Yoy Yoy you sound very positive about the commute and if you are used to it I'm sure it will be OK...even though it's terrifying for most of us (especially running to the station!)

Yeah the drivers or something else! I always liked the loom of Lara? glad you are enjoying it, which suburb do you live in now?

whereabouts are you living? that reminds me of our local park in Greensborough with signs for snakes....I was gutted to never see one!

Oh hahaha just joking. I did see 4 snakes in my time in Victoria but they took no interest in me. It's something to be aware of but I wouldn't let it put you off.

I found one in suburban Melbourne. I had to get it off my throat and wrestle it to the ground while my wife sucked the poison from my bottom.

DONT DO IT!! is there not a Sydney suburb in the outskirts somewhere with reasonably priced housing?

Sound advice. my wife and I had 2 hour + commutes each way in our second year in Australia....it nearly killed us. Not much time to enjoy the good life when you spend 4 hours every day in traffic jams. Now back in the UK and driving 10 minutes to work each day, that 2 hour commute seems even more ridiculous and can't believe we did it for a year

Although Wollongong is a wonderful name for a town it really is a bit of a dump.

Yeah hope for a rainy drab two weeks and your friends aren't interested in any of your antipodian tales! Then you'll get back to Australia and really settle!

Definitely go back and how you feel when you return to Australia will be enlightening for you. You may find you are more settled than you realised. It's an expensive business and impractical but I wished we had had a trip home to see how we felt before we gave up

we are off camping the Forrest of Dean in a fortnight then "glamping" with friends in Lincolnshire in June then camping for a week on the beach in Dorset in August... You are right, there's lots to do out there and we probably need a little time to settle back here. Sometimes it just feels like Australia never really happened!