LinziM

I was in Australia for 20 years, came back January 2012 with my 2nd (British) husband. He fully supported the move back, but didn't settle and went back to Oz. Both my adult daughters are there, but I have all my other family here in the UK. I am lucky enough to live on the coast in beautiful Saundersfoot and I appreciate living here every day. Even driving to work, the views, the hedges going from daffodils to bluebells & blossom. I see my parents and my sister every week, my school and old friends from time to time. You can't beat a good chat and reminisce with someone who knew you before you wore a bra! As to Britain being awful, yes of course there are issues and I wouldn't want to live in a city. But it's home and where I belong. I'm not earning anywhere near what I was in Perth, but I've bought a house and I manage. I will be going out there for Xmas this year, first time back and it will be 4 years. It will be interesting to see how that feels, but apart from missing the girls occasionally - they're adults and we were all working fulltime, didn't live close and only got together on high days and holidays anyway, I haven't missed Australia at all. Not even on those miserable grey rainy days.

i made the decision to return after 22 years (here 18 months and very happy to be back). First thing is to apply for your UK Passport. I had a copy of my NI number and NHS number from before I left, but the local GP practice wasn't worried, just wanted to know I was born in UK and took my name and date of birth, that was enough. I did get a written reference from my employer in Oz before i left (don't know if that helped me get my present job). There are several online employment sites available, register with them all. I moved to a rural area, Pembrokeshire, but got my present job because I was in the right place at the right time. There are jobs, but I did put a lot of time in during the 'trying to find a job period', at least an hour a day on average filling out very complicated online application forms - nothing like my experience in Oz. Good luck and keep us posted...........

This is a last update as we are now well settled back in the UK. After 22 years in Oz, I was very much wanting to go home, but worried by the posts from people on PIO who had regretted the move. Luckily, hubby and I are very happy. He is still working part time for his previous employer (online) and I am working in a real estate office. We have bought a beautiful house and spent a few months making it our own. We have had visits from hubbys brother and other Australian friends The only thing I miss is my daughter. When we made the decision to come back, she was happily married and affluent. She is now a single parent and although she is not poor, the expected annual visit will not be happening. She is a wedding photographer and planned to come and stay for a month each Australian winter when she is not shooting weddings. This has been a blow, both her personal unhappiness (although she is over it now and a year down the track has a new man) and the fact we may not be seeing her and my two grandsons as often as planned. She didn't live near us in Oz, so we were used to only seeing her on high days and holidays. Otherwise, I feel no pull back to Oz. My family are all here apart from my daughter and it has been great to see them without everyone trying not to cry because we are off to the other side of the world - again. I am having Christmas lunch with all the family at my home and it will be the first time in 23 years - fantastic. It's autumn here now and I just love the countryside and the colours, having to wear hat, scarf, gloves and boots. But the air is so fresh and the people are so friendly. Our postman, Russell, stops for a chat. The lady from the charity shop in the nearest village waves to you. I can take quilting and knitting workshops and I have the time to do some craft. I was always exhausted with work or it was way too hot. And I can pop in and have coffee with mom and dad and not just turn up for a few days a year and then for the funeral. It sounds silly when you write it down, but these things mean a lot to me. I was happy most of the time in Oz, or should I say content. I always missed the UK and my family, but you put up with it, don't you? But I always think of the 80/20 rule. If you're OK 80% of the time, then you can put up with the 20% not so good times. But to those people who are very unhappy, don't be frightened. Think hard, plan well, save some money and then go for it and good luck.

All going well for us! We have bought a lovely barn conversion in Pembrokeshire in April and now happily settled. Lovely to have the family nearby. We've had a few weekends away to visit some of the wonderful places here, last one was to Kenilworth in Warwickshire, where we joined English Heritage. So many lovely places to visit. My OH has mastered the ride on mower, I am using the petrol strimmer like a pro - I was rather afraid of it at first - but it's necessary here as everything grows like Jack's beanstalk. Not missing Australia at all, I do miss my daughter, but she is coming for a long holiday next year. We both worked full time, so I didn't see her that often anyway............ I am looking for part time work, but not too hard. It's going to take a couple of months to tame the garden and get the house up to a standard. Hopefully by then something will turn up. We are both very happy and settled. Considering OH had not lived in the UK for 30 years and me 22 years, it's amazing that we have just settled so quickly and love it here. Linzi

We have just claimed for damage to an expensive marble dining table and wanted to recommend Letton Percival for their prompt attention and for paying our claim. Rather than just a random amount of insurance, I wrote a list of our stuff with values (not every single thing, but two A4 typed sheets with all our major stuff listed individually and an amount to cover cooking implement/bedding/glasses/clothes etc) and this really speeded things up. When asking for a quote, I sent the list and had them agree the values by stamping and dating as part of the contract for shipping insurance. Without this we may have had to have a loss adjuster visit us and we would also have had to provide estimates from various suppliers to replace any items lost or damaged. Although it takes time to do this, I strongly recommend everyone does the same. We insured our table for AUD2,000 which meant I was able to claim this amount, otherwise if you were able to replace the item for AUD1,000 that's all you get (from what I was told by the insurer). Seems a bit open to abuse to me, although I stress Letton Percival were fine with me. Linzi

Croeso y Cymru Linzi, what a lovely part of the world you have chosen to live in. The Pembrokeshire coastline is really beautiful, all year round and whatever the weather. We love it too.:cool: Thanks, we can't believe our luck in finding ourselves in such a beautiful place!

We have just come back from 22 years in Perth. After taking note on PIO that our Australian TV would work here, we bought is back. It is in full working order, but we can't retune it to the English channels (tried everything). The TV package cost $4,500 in 2009 and I have the original receipt. We are a mature couple and all items are as new. We've given up and gone out and bought new stuff. Offers around £400 for the lot to anyone going out to Australia. The printer is in full working order, but we can't get cartridges here. Hewlett Packard advised us that we would have to order them from Australia. Obviously, we have gone out and bought a new one. We are in Pembrokeshire, near Haverfordwest. Linzi

We have finally found and moved into our lovely home near Wolfscastle in Pembrokeshire. After 22 years in Perth WA, I expected a massive culture shock. Still waiting for that, but of course we have come back to one of the nicest areas of the UK. The things that I have really noticed are: We now have no mortgage. The living costs here are much less here than in Perth. Everywhere is so green it hurts your eyes. There are so many places to visit - we have started making a list. The beaches here are beautiful, clean and interesting. We have already walked some of the Pembrokeshire coast path - the views are spectacular. The British pubs and pub grub are unbeatable The drivers can drive, merge and are incredible courteous, especially on narrow country roads 'after you, no after you'. This is in direct contrast to my daily commute in Perth where it's 'die bitch, my cars bigger than yours'. Its been great to spend time with my family and arrange some get togethers with old mates. People rave about the sun in Australia, but Perth has cold, wet winters and very hot summers. I quite like being able to turn my face to the sun here and enjoy the warmth, rather than wearing a long sleeved top, hat and sunblock like I used to in Perth. The stats on skin cancer are frightening and yes, everyone thinks it won't happen to them but I have 2 Australian girlfriends in their fifties who have had extensive facial plastic surgery following skin cancer. I feel that I have come back after what feels like a very extended holiday and I am glad to be home! Please note that I enjoyed my time in Perth, but I was 'over it' and felt homesick even after all these years. This was not helped by watching my parents get older and a bit frail. I didn't think about this when I left in my thirties, who does? If anyone would like some more info about living in Perth, please message me. Linzi

I think this thread should be somewhere else tbh, do you really think that those who are wanting to return home are going to change their minds because of this? Seriously? You have no idea! When you want to go home, you go home, regardless. Of course finance plays a big part in life, I am not disputing that at all and I am sure those wanting to go home will do the relevant homework, but being happy plays a much bigger part for some people So please take this doom and gloom elsewhere, if anything, threads like this can put people's back's up! Not only that, but why does everyone think Australia is immune. We have recently watched the dollar bounce wildly around in response to the issues in the rest of the world. Fingers crossed nothing bad happens before our settlement at the end of the year. Severe problems in the rest of the world will no doubt seriously affect the standard of living here. Some big mining projects here that have been talked about for years just aren't happening. I'm flying home next month after 20+ years here. We have money to support ourselves for some time, but no jobs as not sure exactly where we will end up! We have thought about and planned this for well over a year and we are really looking forward to getting back. We know it won't all be 'peaches and cream' but we also know it's right for us. Yes, the sun shines, but that's not everything. Yesterday, it was like living in a war zone in my home, will low level helicopters flying overhead all day. Turns out there were shark sightings up and down the coast and the beaches were closed. It's so hot you can't breathe and after half an hour you're burnt. Yes, it's cold in the UK in winter, but the houses are built for it. I have been much colder here in winter as the houses have no double glazing or central heating and are expensive to heat. Oh and it's rained in Perth for months. We have joked that someone up there is preparing us for our return. We have already booked two weeks in Spain for September and intend to make sure we see the sun in Europe if it doesn't oblige us in the UK. Of course we have some worries about our future, but then again there is no certainty in any job and anyway, if your health fails, what good is a fantastic job?

I lived reasonably happily in Perth for 20 years, Didn't choose to come here, but made the best of it. Like most people whose thoughts I have read over the last year, once I began to have doubts, I turned to this site. It was a huge relief to realise I wasn't alone - there are a considerable number of people who find that Oz is not for them, whether they've been here for a few months or half a lifetime. I am going home in four weeks and I am so excited. I almost feel like I am being let out of prison, although if you had said this to me a few years ago, I would have laughed. I thought my homesickness was just something to put up with, a side effect of the wonderful medication of having the chance to live here! There are people who think I am completely mad, but not the ones who know me and care. My parents, who are in their mid eighties, are overjoyed. They happily waved me off years ago, both of us not knowing the cost. My sister and I, who are typically English, can't look at each other when I leave once again from a brief holiday, but we both can attest to the pain and I bloody can't wait to be able to call her neighbour as well as sister. OK, I am rambling, sorry but I needed to say this......................thank you for listening Linzi

Hello Catmanmp3, I've lived in Perth for 20 years (and going home in four weeks, can't wait!) If you tell me how old you are, what sort of social life you enjoy, I may be able to help point you in the right direction. Will you be Perth based or fly in/fly out? Linzi

Ok..........we've sold the convertible Roll up, roll up! the Ford Escape is a great car - 3litre V6 engine but still economical, already has assisting brake fitted and heavy duty towbar, ready to tow trailer tent or small caravan. View anytime, pick up 13th January as we fly out 15th. Steve has had it from new and it's always been garaged and serviced by Ford. Ok, the Ford Escape has gone as well..............could the administrator please close this thread, thanks

Ok..........we've sold the convertible Roll up, roll up! the Ford Escape is a great car - 3litre V6 engine but still economical, already has assisting brake fitted and heavy duty towbar, ready to tow trailer tent or small caravan. View anytime, pick up 13th January as we fly out 15th. Steve has had it from new and it's always been garaged and serviced by Ford.

Hi Emma Stay strong. I have had a 'very interesting' life. Looking back, I realise that although things happened in my life that were painful, I wouldn't be the strong, independant and now happily married woman I am today, without the sh*t I went through. Wishing you all the best Linzi

Hi Linzi, We are enjoying Perth so far, but we have haemorrhaged money in the last 3 weeks, 2 cars, odds and sods, a fridge and then finally getting a rental!. I started work 4 days after arriving, and its right in the middle of a particularly busy time so it has been a couple of 6 day weeks for me, but we have found plenty of things to do to keep the kids entertained. Have you simply had enough and fancy a return to the green green grass then? How has your time in Aus been, good i hope? Chris Hi Chris I've been here 22 yrs, came out with first husband when he was offered a job here and then stuck here when marriage ended two years later. Made the most of it, worked hard, bought a house and enjoyed my time here, but as the girls grew up and I had the money to go back home every couple of years - well, it was harder and harder to leave. When all is said and done, you're still a foreigner here - another bloody Pom. And there are no words to describe not seeing your much loved sister for ten years when my girls were young and there was no money. Now I have the choice to go home and feel fortunate. My lovely (newish) second husband is from Manchester and happy to go home as well. We hope to find a stone and slate cottage somewhere near my family and enjoy semi-retirement by exploring the UK and Europe over the next few years before we get too old! Linzi

I have pm'd you, but haven't heard anything. Is the car still for sale?

Good luck with the move back to Wales, We have just moved to Perth from South Wales (3 weeks in), and although Wales is far from sunny, it still retains a particular charm, in my eyes anyway! Chris Hi Chris Thanks for your good wishes. How are you finding Perth?

I lived in Padbury for 12 years and loved it there. Near to a large shopping centre/cinema/cafes - Whitfords. Five minutes drive to the beach and ten to the Marina. Near a railway station. In peak time the trains arrive every five minutes. I worked in the city for ten years, took me about 30-35 minutes door to door. The houses are older there, but you get the convenience of being near to everything. If you want new or near new, you would have to go out further from the city. My daughter just bought her first house in Butler, she loves the house but it is well over an hour into the city, drive to northern most station (currently Clarkson) and train into the city. Are you buying or renting? Do you have a budget? You can pm (that's private message) me if you like or just ask questions on this forum. I am happy to answer any queries. I've been here over 20 years and know Perth well.

There are plenty of people who can help. Where are you in Australia and I'll see if I can get some information for you...................

when you moving to back wales if not until march very interested in the explorer It looks like January at the moment, but not definite. I will let you know when it's a firm date. We are relying on settlement of our house before we book tickets home. Linzi

Hi Kitesurfer I will pm you later today. Linzi

Hi guys Im heading back to Kent, UK very very soon and had one quote from a removals firm initially. They have quoted me a 40ft container which will cost me $10,000. Does this sound reasonable as I think its very expensive? Could anyone recommend anything else? Im happy to pack the house myself (although will need the boxes etc) or shall i try and sell some furniture? God, I was expecting between $6,000 and $8,000 so to hear $10,000 Im really shocked. Please please please help Michelle Hi Michelle, We are returning to UK next month and we have a 20ft sole use container for $7k professionally packed with Wridgways. It would be cheaper to have half a 40ft container if you want to cut down on costs further. We are taking a full house with us..............are you sure you need 40ft?? It also pays to shop around. We asked Wridgways to match our best quote, which they did. I thought they seemed the most professional company and gave good advice. Linzi

I have just seen a fab job advertised in edinburgh and would love to apply for it but if I was to apply and be successful and it was to start with in the next coupleof months I would have next to no money to go back with! My heart is telling me to go for it but my head is saying don't be silly! What should I do??? Have you any family who could help you out financially either here or there until you get settled? The fact that you are looking for jobs means you want to go back. It might be the door opening on a new future, so go for it if you can. If you just can't atm, put all your efforts into getting enough money together in the next 3 months so that you can start applying after Xmas.

Hi Northernbird Avan already sold a few months ago.........

Steve and I are headed home to sunny Wales after 20+ years. 2 cars for sale 2009 Ford Focus coupe cabriolet hard top convertible 28000kms serviced regularly, garaged $27,000 2005 (Nov) Ford Escape auto 4wd with tow pack, cruise control, mudflaps, 72000kms serviced regularly, garaged $15,000