DavidandGill
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Many congratulations Phoebe, wonderful news. So glad it all worked out OK you must be relieved and so.....excited. G
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Great news! Now the fun really starts!! Good Luck with it all. Gill
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Same here, our preference is to build and we have got as far as having a house plan priced out by the builders that built our daughter's house, so we know the build quality - it will all be down to whether we can find a piece of land at the right price! Fingers crossed! G
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....and visiting poms too! We didn't go to any auctions this year but attended several 'opens'. The agents were very helpful and we made it clear it would be some time before we are in a position to buy but just wanted to 'get a feel' of typical Aussie properties in our price range (and see for ourselves how acurate web pictures actually were). We have done that too, and spent way too much time visiting display homes. The only thing we have found disconcerting is the way that many houses are built so close to the neighbouring property fenceline. Or maybe that's just Torquay which is so popular that land is premium. Open inspections are a great way for getting ideas if you plan to build. We have found that the photos and descriptions are generally very accurate. G
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The majority of houses/apartments here are sold at auction. Peewit We attended an auction when we were in Torquay in January - just to see how it works for when we move there later this year. It was held at the house itself, which was open for inspection 30 mins before the auction. There was only one agency, represented by 3 of their finest and they held an "ice-breaker" auction first of a bottle of wine, proceeds to charity and then got onto the business of the house auction, which was actually done out in the street. They started at $600k, but no-one bid, they dropped to $580K and still silence, and silence and more silence until it actually became incredibly embarrassing (at least to David & I.) Eventually after much encouragement on the part of the auctioneer he asked anyone to put in any bid that they thought reasonable - MORE silence. He went indoors and phoned the Vendor (at least he said he did, but he was back out very quickly) and said that the Vendor was very disappointed but would be prepared to consider offers in excess of $550k - still no response so the auction was abandoned and everyone went home. We spoke with the agent before the auction and told him we were not there to buy but to watch and he was very willing to tell us about building and pest inspections that are recommended before buying either by auction or otherwise and he gave us a lot of tips for the future. We spoke to him again after the auction and he told us that 90% of properties that go up for auction receive no bids at all - that this example was very typical. I don't think my nerves could stand it and there really wasn't the kind of intimidation that Peewit describes. It was a interesting thing to see but very alien to us used to the slow and cumbersome English system. Apparently, going to house auctions is a favourite pastime for many Aussies! Gill
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Just found this on the web in response to "£ sterling v Australian $" search REUTERS The euro has been gaining versus sterling on expectations of an interest rate hike in April just as UK growth concerns have dented expectations for rate hikes by the Bank of England. Sterling was also driven broadly lower by reported selling in the UK currency against the Australian dollar GBPAUD=R related to insurance payments for damage caused by severe floods in Queensland.
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Think I am now having blood pressure problems! Just discovered how much its going to cost to park at the railway station all day and train it up to London !!!!! It's not just the Aussie Government making a mint out of us all is it?? Hey Ho, off to the bank for some £1 coins for the %*&@"* parking machine! Good Luck everyone! G
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Hi Linday, We too have our medicals booked for Tuesday - in London - where are you booked? Feeling a bit nervous about it to be honest - I know I am overweight and I have not been able to lose even a pound lately (winter, I think, staying indoors and not exercising enough) but otherwise healthy and fit so fingers crossed. Good Luck to you. Steve - I did send you an e mail with update info but I don't think you could have received it. Could you update the tracker please - meds 29th March, Son-in-law AOS interview 6th April! and not using a Migration Agent. Regards Gill
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Our Aussie born granddaughter had to have a heart transplant at 7mths of age, and since our daughter is our only child and she and her other half have no other family in Australia, we thought our circumstances might get a sympathetic hearing from Immigration. Our application was supported by letters from the Royal Children's Hospital (Melbourne), Cardiologist, Social Services, our daughter's local vicar but all to no avail - even though we were paying they would not advance our application in any way! We now have our CO so things are up and running but it has been a very frustrating 14 months waiting - like everyone else you feel like you are in limbo and cannot get on with anything. The Immigration Department is very rigid with the rules and the only person who can overturn them is the Minister. G
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Morning all On the subject of vacuum cleaners - I have a very old Dyson and a 1 year old one - hubby has now decided he wants to take the old one for using in the garage - any tips on how to clean them? The old cleaner drum is removable and can be washed but how has anyone dealt with the tubes and pipes? The new one is more complicated because it opens at the bottom and the top part is the cyclone thingys and I don't think I can wash it out. Any advice would be really appreciated. Got our medicals next week and our s-i-l has sorted out the appointment with Centrelink for the AOS - sent some money over last week when there was a small rise in the FX rate so everything good at the moment - off to sort out some more stuff for boot sale/Ebay! Best wishes to everyone. Gill
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Hi Les Congratulations on getting your Visa - I have been so engrossed in organising the stuff the CO wants it had slipped past me that you had got it, and I had to check the tracker. I am so sorry to hear about your Dad, we were in a similar situation only a while ago and I know you don't feel like it, but having waited so long, such a milestone cannot go without some small celebration. I really hope you have good luck with selling the house - we had an agent who told us to ask above a realistic selling price to "test the market" and give ourselves room to drop substantially, but it worries me that overpricing just deters any possible buyers. Wishing you all the best Gill
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We've got a Case Officer !!! Yey! Our daughter phoned and woke us at 6.30am today to say she had received an email from Immigration and we are now up and running! We've only had a year to get ourselves organised and we have just realised how much more there still is to do!! Steve, would you do the honours on the tracker please - will keep you updated! Granddaughter now featuring on TV advert for Good Friday Appeal in Victoria, and just heard that she, and 79 other former patients will appear on a specially customised tram that will be used around Melbourne for the next twelve months, to celebrate the 80th year of the appeal. Off to start some paperwork now. Yippee!! Gill
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HI Wilma The baggage allowances for Emirates are normal - you can also try asking them for a bit extra, I think they consider requests made after booking so worth a try! Good Luck! Gill
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Hi Wilma, Hope you mean flights, not fights! We would recommend Emirates, although I don't know if they fly from Scotland - but they do have huge luggage allowances, much bigger than normal eg: 30kg for Econ, 40kg Business. They are not the cheapest though but we use them all the time from Gatwick. Congratulations on getting your Visas, great news - hope we won't be too long behind you! Good Luck with everything. Best Wishes Gill
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Hi folks Its two weeks since we returned to the UK after spending some time with our family in Victoria for the birth of our grandson Raef. All good in that department. Yesterday, the Good Friday Appeal starting issuing information about this year's campaign, and some of you will know from another forum I used to post on, that our granddaughter Scarlett had been asked to the "poster girl" for the appeal this year. Hopefully the attached link does not breach any forum rules - I apologise in advance if it does and welcome any PMs from anyone interested. Our daughter, Sam, also participated in a phone interview with 3AW Radio in Melbourne regarding the appeal and that can be found on the radio website, the Neil Mitchell show of 10th March 2011. (Her interview is 1.15mins into the show finishing at 1.23mins) At the risk of boring you all with my family's news, our granddaughter is becoming very famous in Australia (fame we would much rather she had come by a different way) and she is the reason we are waiting for our case officer any day now we hope. Congratulations to everyone who has got their CO, or Visa recently, I have been following the news whilst in Australia but not been posting for a while. Best wishes to all Gill Risky transplant saves little Scarlett | Herald Sun
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Good Luck Matt and Lady Matt - hope its not too wet in Brissy when you arrive. Very best wishes. Gill & David :jiggy:
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Just want to say -:xmas3: HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE - Hoping everyone has a fantastic Christmas whether its Down Under or here in chilly Blighty, :snow:and wishing everybody a Happy, healthy and successful New Year. With best wishes to all Gill & David :anisanta:
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Here Here!:jiggy:
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It was from the organisation that provides holidays etc., including financial to the over 50's - not spam. I just thought that a strengthening £ would be good news against any currency but perhaps I am being naive:unsure: Gill
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Hi everyone, Below is a quote from a financial e mail I received every day - got this one last week and posted it on another site. Here's hoping it comes true very soon. "The pound could be set to surge back to heights last seen during the 2008 banking bailouts as rate increases loom, according to City forecasts issued after the Bank of England's latest policy decision. Sterling may reach $1.82 against the dollar by the end of next year compared with $1.57 yesterday, amid stronger economic growth, Coalition budget cuts and the prospect of rising interest rates, Barclays Capital said in its annual Global Outlook, the Times reports." Note@ $ quoted is US$ not AUD$." Gill
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Congratulations !!! Excellent news!!G
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Congratulations! Hope it all goes really smoothly for you. Excellent news to hear another person is on their way! Best wishes Gill :laugh:
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Lordy - even taking £40 in train fares into consideration, Knightsbridge is till much cheaper. Will definitely keep this in mind when the time comes (hopefully first quarter next year!) Many thanks Les, really appreciate this.
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Thank you for this encouraging info. I feel that if I can prove I am reasonably fit and agile, my weight might be less of a problem - I am actually a size 18 which, as you say at our age, is not unusual at all but it does still worry me. It is vital to us to pass and get our visas because we need to be there to help our daughter and her partner with their daughter - she had a heart transplant at 7 months of age and is now (thankfully) a little dynamo, but they are expecting our new baby grandson in January and both children will be under fairly constant supervision by the Royal Children's Hospital for the rest of their childhood. As they have no other family in Oz, we are going to be really needed to help support them - something we can't wait to do!! So I shall continue to try and lose some of that weight before the medicals, Slimming World here I come ......again! From what Les Avalook has said, it seems to make sense to shop around a bit for the medicals, Spirewood would be the nearest for us and probably the most convenient, but going to London would not be a problem - used to do it when I worked - so might give the Knightbridge clinic some consideration as well. Do prices differ very much.? I assumed they all charged a standard rate. I am so glad I found this site, it's a great resource and constantly calms some of our nerves about the whole business. Many thanks to everyone