valandmatt
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Everything posted by valandmatt
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We survived! Yes the shippers were so lovely and so efficient - so much so that one of them packed the lead from my laptop - my fault for leaving it (i had unplugged it and then got distracted and left it) but easily found only four boxes opened!! That was the worst tragedy! We have now "moved in" with Matthew's sister and the only thing left to do now are the teary goodbyes - emotions, can't control them once one person starts I can't stop! But at the same time we're so excited. Nutmeg - our flight is on Sunday 23rd Sept arriving Tuesday - so not long at all. Daughter texted to say that weather is 35 degrees and good summer predicted! We did camping when we were out last, and absolutely loved it! Byron Bay is a good place to start! And yes - escorted night time trips to the loo definitely required! Creepy crawlies I expected, but not the frogs! So many of them!!!!! Val x
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Hi everyone, well the shippers arrive tomorrow to pack up all our wordly goods! Have been just a tad busy last few days, late night tonight and early start tomorrow, but by this time tomorrow it will all be over and I shall open a particularly nice bottle of champers I've been saving for such occasion! Well its not going in the container that's for sure! Mmmmm! I can taste it now.......roll on tomorrow night!
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Hi John and Eirian, wonderful to hear you've arrived! Totally agree with "its never too soon to start de-cluttering" Keep in touch. Val x
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Hi Angie, I can't put into words how we felt those last few days, "were we, weren't we", anyway its done now, so ONWARD AND QUITE LITERALLY UPWARDS!!!! Needless to say we are now running around like headless chickens, but with purpose now! All the planning in the world and its come down to getting it all done in a few days! But we don't care and we're smiling again - great big fat grins! And as the grandchildren said earlier today "11 more sleeps" YAY! Now to the much more serious business of the "Moreton Bay Meet-up"! You can definitely count us in of course - absolutely brilliant - and the more the merrier! So looking forward to it! :wink: (I couldn't find a smiley holding a wine glass) CHEERS AND GOOD LUCK, EVERYONE! Val x
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Hi all, well I'm very pleased to say that we have exchanged contracts on the sale of our house today - to say it "went down to the wire" is an understatement, as we had decided (through sheer frustration with the whole process - plus the shenanigans of the buyers) that we would withdraw today if it didn't happen by close of business, and rent it out for a year or so. So shippers booked for the 19th and flights 23rd September. :biggrin:
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Hi all, quick update - we didn't exchange on the house yesterday - pretty annoyed :mad: - something to do with not paying the deposit monies in full - I don't know - anyway, didn't seem like there wasn't anything we could do, so went out for the day to take our minds off it - had a lovely day at Chartwell House in Kent - home of Sir Winston Churchill - interesting house and gorgeous gardens with beautiful views over the Kent Weald. Think I'm all cultured out now! :wacko: When we got home there was a message from the Estate Agents to say that all deposit monies now confirmed and exchange set for Monday - watch this space! Excuse me if I don't get too excited....:nah: Val x
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Its a deal!!! Looking forward to it already! We hope to go with Singapore too, but we will not get the extra allowance, but I think we can try for an extra 10k! Yesterday I sent some of our excess with Parcel Monkey (9k for £50.00) so lets see if it gets there o.k. Today is anticipation Friday!!!!!! Will let you know the outcome. Val x
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Oh Wow! You must feel that you are really on your way now. When is your flight? I must say very good timing, everything is falling into place with precision timing! We also do not feel particularly sad about leaving our house, my theory being that it never had the same feeling after the "kids" flew the nest! So even if we weren't going to Oz, we would be looking to downsize anyway. Enjoy your wine - sounds like you've earned it! How about meeting for a drink "on the other side"? Val x
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Thanks for that Ian, that's very interesting to know. I think we will have the room, but thought what with "bird flu" and various other diseases these sorts of items would have been a definite no-no. I think we'll go for it then. I've been going through my kitchen cupboards this morning and wondered if you or anyone had shipped any food such as tins of tuna, soups that sort of thing or OXO cubes or bisto, anything unopened and commercially packaged.???? I made a huge cake this morning and used up any partial packets of ingredients! Can't wait for it to cool down enough for a taste!!! Val x
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Thanks Angie, I know you're right, but its just a bit hard to believe at the moment! I just keep trying to imagine the feeling when we do eventually get on that plane! Val x
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Thanks Fran, everyone has been so supportive, and reminded me to keep my "eyes on the prize"! Val x
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You've said it exactly - just what we thought too! Leaving nothing behind, especially many garden items which we can't take for quarantine reasons. I've got some lovely garden pots and a bird bath which the birds love, we get all unusual types on it as well - we're now going to have another car boot and what doesn't sell we'll give away - I'd rather smash them or take them to the dump - what do they say about a woman scorned....????? Love the kipper idea too - unfortunately we don't have a boiler - I don't think I could really do it, but I love the thought anyway! Val x
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Well Pam, childbirth - ha ha! that's certainly one way of looking at it I hadn't thought of!!! Nice one!!
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Hi Angie, we haven't booked our flights yet - waiting to exchange contracts on the house first. Still unsure if it will happen or not. Talk about a stressful week - last Tuesday our buyers pulled out, just as we were travelling down to Cornwall. Obviously we were devastated, but thought, well, it wouldn't stop us leaving for Oz by the end of Sept as planned. So by Wednesday we had got used to the idea the house was back on the market again, and we planned to book our flights when we got home. But then we got a call from the Estate Agents to say that the buyers would proceed for £20,000 less! How despicable and underhand is that!!! So we told them to "shove it where the sun doesn't shine" - we were so angry and upset. And all the time we were trying to enjoy our holiday! The next day they said they would proceed for £10,000 less. We had to do a lot of soul searching and weigh up the pros and cons, (they are cash buyers etc, etc) and eventually agreed to their "blackmail". It's completely taken our excitement away and we now feel very deflated. We still want to go to Oz just as much, probably even more so now. Just hoping to put this down in words would be therapeutic. I think we feel so bad because we fell into their trap, they knew our circumstances and had us over a barrel - we just want to start our new life with all the loose ends tied up. I'm sure we'll bounce back, but we're holding our breath until we (hopefully) exchange contracts on Friday - so fingers and everything else crossed for us! Val x
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Hi Angie, many, many congratulations! Sorry for belated post, been away for a few days! Doesn't it feel good! Val x
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Hi Tab, you pretty much summed it all up in your post, the highs and lows, the tears and laughter! It is a huge leap of faith! My husband took a little more time to decide on the move. His Mum is still going strong at 86 and leaving her is our main concern! But he has promised to come back to the UK each year for a holiday to see her. Whether we both come back or not, we'll decide nearer the time. She has said she will not visit us in Oz. But making the decision to emigrate is one thing, and actually doing it as the cost is really quite high is something else. Applying for the CPV pretty much means we are all of "a certain age", basically everything we've worked for all our lives is now coming to fruition - and normally we would be settling back to enjoy a comfortable retirement. But instead we've chucked everything on its head and are heading off to live in Oz in the next few weeks - crazy or what!! So, all the perks we are just beginning to collect on in the UK, i.e. free prescriptions, heating allowance, bus pass, and various other concessions, we will now have to wait for in Oz a few more years! Plus, we all wish the exchange rate was a lot better. And that's where PIO comes into its own - like you we've read everything we can about Oz, but nothing beats people's real expereinces, and that's what keeps us all going, the reassurances are hugely appreciated. We are like a huge family, and do feel like we know each other somewhat, (I hope we do get to meet some of you!) And as we leap off the edge of the UK, thanks to PIO its not into the unknown as we land in OZ! Best of luck. Val x
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Hi Val. We've just had our letter requesting the final VAC payment. I hope you don't mind me asking but which address was your bank cheque sent to - the Locked bag address or Wellington Central? Thanks, Angie Hi Angie, that's great news! We sent everything to the Locked Bag 7 address - PCC's, Form 80 and the Bank cheque. I got daughter to address the envelope with the Bank Cheque in to include CO's name and position number (found at the end of any correspondence she'd sent) and our File Number as well as on the back of the cheque - that baby was not going to get lost! Oh yes, and it was sent in a Platinum Express Envelope. Hope this helps. So excited for you! Val x
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Thanks Summerdaisy, its been a mad week - definitely a rollercoaster! We're heading for Redland Bay initially, to stay with our daughter. I expect we'll house hunt in a radius around there, so not so far away from you (I had to look Hemmant up on the map!) well, in Ozzie terms anyway, just down the road! I hope its not too long before you're reunited with your family. All the best, Val x
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Good morning everyone! Thank you all so much for your good wishes and congratulations! As you can tell, a couple or three glasses of champers and I'm not in control of my emotions and I'm afraid I got a bit carried away last night! But, well, I just wanted to share the joy! We're going to have a very busy time for the next few weeks as we hope to arrive Brisbane last week September, staying with daughter until we find a house to buy, and which would be perfect timing as our Son and family are visiting from Sydney so we'll all be together to celebrate our arrival! I think our feet are not going to touch the ground for some time - but more than makes up for all these months of inactivity - BRING IT ON! Val x
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CAN'T BELIEVE IT YET, BUT..........VISA GRANTED TODAY..........EXACTLY FOUR WEEKS FROM ALLOCATION OF CASE OFFICER! Just out for the day in the Cotswolds and looked at my phone to check the time and there it was - the email we've been waiting so long for! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! The celebrations have begun....... I love you all.....especially our CO - you gorgeous girl!!!
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Hi Angie, best of luck with Form 80! I couldn't really see the point in that other than to kill more time. Most of the info was on the original application form and as for "list all jobs since school" - well, that was a guessing game! I suppose its to make sure you are who you say you are, but blimey, if they're not sure of that by now........ Anyhow, enjoy your Bank Holiday, looking for old P60's and trying to remember where you've been on holiday in the last 10 years - old photo's are a good memory jogger - and you can reminisce at the same time! Best of luck! Val x p.s. Just checked Auspost tracker and the bank cheque is received and signed for - phew! Might be booking flights next week............fingers crossed! Sooo excited!
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Hi everyone - after the frightful week we've had - today is a good day! Today, my daughter has posted bank draft to PVC and so we wait (should be used to this by now). Its my birthday next Tuesday, wouldn't it be a wonderful prezzie if our Visa was granted on that day (yeah, I know probably too quick for DIAC!) but if it was in the same week as my birthday that would be soooo good! On Monday of this week, I didn't think I'd be saying the above, as the funds which we "sent" to our son's account by a FX company the week previously, had not been received! Suffice to say sleepless nights and many phone calls later, the funds came back to the UK (huge relief) and so we then changed the recipient to our daughter, and the funds were in her account by the following day. We have no explanation as to what went wrong, the details were checked and all o.k. The only difference seems to be that there were four "intermediary" banks involved in the transaction and somewhere along the way, it got "lost". Extremely worrying and also very aware of the 28 days ticking down (yes, probably could have got an extension in the circumstances???) Anyway, we seem to have got back on track, so here's hoping we get to crack open the champagne in a double celebration! Val x
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Hi Jane and Clive, your new life sounds wonderful and pretty much parallel to what I imagine ours to be very soon. We're at that "last hurdle" paying the 2nd visa charge (worrying about the big chunk now missing from our retirement pot) but to read your post has boosted our morale enormously. Our house purchasers are very keen to hurry things along and so its a question of what will happen first Visa or "homeless" :biggrin: I also have designs on taking up bike riding after "achem" 40+ years (o.k. 49 years) much to my husband's pessimism - he doesn't think i'll do it - but you've proved it possible. Thanks, Val and Matt p.s. I'd love to see your photos?
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We have received our letter requesting the 2nd VAC last week and the only two options they give are to pay by Credit Card or Bank Cheque/Draft. In big bold letters it specifies "PLEASE DO NOT PAY BY PERSONAL CHEQUE OR BY CASH". We have transferred the monies to our son's bank and he will have the Bank Draft made up and then post it to Perth. Val x
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Hi all, hope you're all enjoying the Olympics! I have a question....... we have been asked for the 2nd visa payment (YAY!!) and have made arrangements with a FX company to buy AUD in the correct amount for this. When it came to transferring the POUNDS from our bank account to FX bank account I had a limit of £25,000 in 24 hours, so did this in two transactions - all o.k. Now I'm thinking, what happens when we are ready to transfer our house sale proceeds which will be a considerably larger amount of money? Obviously impossible to do this in £25,000 "batches" each day, so how does this work? If you have transferred large sums, how did you do this? I only thought of this potential problem in the night, so haven't had a chance to speak to anyone (at bank or FX company) yet, but was wondering if anyone could throw light on this so I don't worry about it until Monday. All help gratefully accepted!! Val x