JohnandEirian
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Everything posted by JohnandEirian
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Isn't it just sooooo exciting? We've been supporting & learning from each other for over 15 months now....almost close buddies....and it's all happening for our gang right now. For those on rung 1 , you'll gain so many friends before too long! Just watched a pod of 10 dolphins from our balcony just one hour ago. Magical! Couldn't belie our eyes. Good luck. John & Eirian
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Well, we have arrived. The eagle has landed! Almost exactly 21 months after first dreaming the dream we touched down at Sydney airport with 13 (yes, thirteen!) suitcases courtesy of Singapore Airlines. Collected our pre-bought car today and move into our apartment in Fairlight, NSW on Tuesday with completion on Monday. Now the wait for our container to arrive at the end of October. Staying with our daughter across the bay in Manly until then. But even hiring furniture at reasonable cost is easy here, with next day delivery! The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity, even though we had so much notice of the work to be done. Don't underestimate it.... make your decisions on what you're taking and start getting rid of unwanted furniture especially (auctions, private sales, ebay, etc) right NOW!! Time really accelerates towards the end, so don't be disheartened if you're at the start of the road. Good luck all. We'll keep you posted on "things to do (and not do!)" once you get here. John & Eirian
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Yes, when we first looked at the queue calculator in Jan 2011 we thought, foolishly, that we'd be settled in Sydney that same year! John & Eirian
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Too true, Angie. If anyone gets a CO called Rozelle Surman, they're really really lucky. She was truly fantastic and friendly too. Every mail from me asking silly questions was replied to before I woke the next morning. Caring , or wot? John & Eirian
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Va Va Voooom! That's the spirit, Val. Enjoy your hol and make them wait! John & Eirian
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Absolutely brilliant, Angie. You've been so patient and such a great contributor to this forum. Isn't it odd the way you're pleased to pay the second VAC? I think all will be plain sailing (or flying) from here on in. Good luck. John & Eirian
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The good thing about Singapore Airlines is that they double your baggage allowance if you're emigrating with an unstamped permanent visa in your passport. Else, a letterfrom the Australian high Commission. that's why we booked with them too. John & Eirian
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Brilliant news! Sorry to have taken so long to congratulate you, but we're spending all our time at the mo going to tip, Red Cross, etc... and also selling off / giving away half our stuff, including our stash of spirits and liquers never opened!. We're taking a chance on the wine, as duty is roughly 50% + GST. Container guys from Doree Bonner come to pack on 3-5 September and our flights are booked for 12 Sept. Contracts on our house are to be exchanged early next week and completion is planned for 10 or 11 Sept.! Fingers crossed! That's what I call cutting it fine We've been unbelievably lucky to get to here without any problems whatsoever along the way, especially after reading about the grief many of you have suffered. Can hardly contain our excitement now. Hope all goes well for you all from here on in. See you all in Sydney soon! John & Eirian
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No, Moira. They are happy with an Australian personal cheque or a Bankers letter (draft) only. We established this with DIAC when we paid our 2nd VAC. John & Eirian
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Congratulations, Val. It won't be long now, I promise!! We've successfully transferred £400,000 into our Oz bank account using Hargreaves Lansdown who have always dealt with our investments. As long as the money is in your current account, there should be no limit on transferring money to your FX firm using your debit card. Ring your bank to be certain of this. Good luck with emptying your house, etc. It's a nightmare after so many years, but exhilerating at the same time. John & Eirian
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Why do you need to change your contact address at all? Maybe I'm missing something? If unsure about your permanent, long-term location, I'd say just "pretend" you're living in the UK with a temporary holiday in Oz. John & Eirian
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Now that's what I call military precision... truly brilliant. Of course, it had to work out, didn't it! John & Eirian
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Great news, indeed, Kev & Kim. We can only add EYE O O to your excitement. You really got your skates on, didn't you! Hope all goes smoothly. We've just booked our container for 5 Sep and our flights for 13th. Suddenly, there seems to be an awful lot left to do in a month! John & Eirian
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Sounds like everyone is going to Sydney in October, doesn't it? What a party we're going to have all along the Northern beaches! John & Eirian
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Ha ha! I thought I was the only one that happened to! Separate question for you........which home swap sites have you used? Or have I misunderstood one of your previous replies? Anyone out there want a house near Bath for a couple of months, swapping for one in or around Sydney? Maybe this is the wrong thread? Try http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/moving-back-uk/ Good luck. John & Eirian
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Yes, we're getting more excited by the day now. The middle/end of September just can't come quick enough. Sounds like there will be another get-together before Xmas. Mike & Sue and Fiz are already up for it, I know. Please tell Rachel to give her parents to contact us directly if they want to chat over any problems/issues. See ya later! John & Eirian
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Oops, sorry! I hadn't read the rest of the responses to your mail, Vava. It seems very harsh indeed to ask you to re-start the process. Maybe try ringing Perth and asking to speak to one of the CO supervisors? They prefer a direct approach from our experiences. Good luck. John & Eirian
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Spot on! John & Eirian
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Heartfelt congrats, Mike & Sue. You must stay on this forum after your departure, as you've been a huge source of reliable and detailed information over the last year or so for many of us. We must meet up with the Sydneysiders gang this Spring, like you did last Xmas ... again courtesy of Marian? We're hoping to go for good mid September, having been very lucky with house sale, etc. In fact, we've already bought an apartment, car, etc, and got our Medicare cards, Senior Citizen cards, Tax file numbers, et al. Anything we're missing?! Gud on ya mites! John & Eirian
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We had our medicals done 7-8 months before getting a CO, Moira. No, we posted off our visa applications to Perth. You only need a HAP number if the medicals are done electronically. We had ours done in Cardiff and these were then posted by the hospital to DIAC Sydney. Many others have done the same. John & Eirian
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Congratulations, Kim. At last .. the final straight! Good luck for your visa VERY soon. John & Eirian
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Does CO stand for "Come on?" From what several other mails report, perhaps it does! John & Eirian
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Do it, Michelle. I'm sure our dealing with both 8 months before we got our CO speeded up the final visa offer enormously. Good luck. John & Eirian PS meanwhile GBP v AUD exchange rates continue to tumble (now 1.52 to the £), so every day costs! The "experts" see no end to the flood/drought?!
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Awwwwwww , our hearts go out to you, Val & Matt. If over a year since your acknowledgement date, you're almost there. For us, we got our CO within 14 months, and after that, all hell broke loose.... we got out visa offer about 4 weeks later, only largely because we had a delay with getting our second VAC paid over with their silly system.... see elsewhere re this topic! The last few weeks speed by so fast, once you know that you've got it... got it! I'd advise you to get your medicals and police checks done right now. Good luck and bon courage! John & Eirian
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Is credit card an option? Our letter didn't suggest it is! Straight choice between personal cheque or ban cheque, it said. Why do they make this so difficult? Regards. John & Eirian