Plan 104

Hi all, I have been writing a blog for a few months now, not updating it as much as I should but trying to capture our journey since deciding to move and actually getting here. Thought it might be useful for people who are doing the same thing. www.plan104.blogspot.com

Hi, We have been here for a few months now from the Uk and paying through the nose for Oversea's visitors health cover since we have been here. Because we are from the UK we have medicare but can we take out now normal health cover i.e not a special overseas visitor one as they are all double the price? Any help would be great.

Thanks for all the nice comments guys, It has been a great experience so far but fingers crossed the adventure has only just begun and we have a lot more to experience whilst we are here!!

We have been writing a blog and we thought we should share out thoughts on the moving process on here as well as you will read below its all going pretty well!!.... Who would have thought it? We have only gone and actually done it!! Yes thats right we are now proud residents of Perth, WA. From a practical point of view it has all been relatively straight forward. The relocation company took care of so much that actually all we had to do was pack our suitcases and semi pack the house. The removal company came in and literally within hours had emptied the house. Pretty remarkable. The hardest part of the whole moving process was by far the week leading up to leaving. Saying goodbye to friend, relatives, workmates and everybody in between was heartbreaking. Tears flowed on a daily basis and the reality of moving to the other side of the world was becoming more real by the day But on the 23rd Aug 2011 we left Birmingham international on Flight EK25 for Perth via Dubai. The flight was pretty long and arduous but 20 hours later in the early hours of the 25th Aug we landed in Perth International. Customs as ever was quick and painless and with a driver waiting we were whisked to our apartments on Mounts Bay road near the city within half an hour of hitting the tarmac. So what do you do the first morning you wake up the other side of the world? Well we went for the practical approach - bank accounts, mobile phones, grocey shopping all during a bit of a daze but again relatively painless. Brits moving to Oz now is a well trodden road so everywhere we turned it was all quite straight forward. Armed with a UK passport we were able to become real people within hours. We had set up NAB accounts in the UK so that was a short stop in the branch to show our i.d. Mobile phone was a bit more complicated but a very good deal on a pay as you go deal sorted that out. Applied for TFN number on the first day as you have to be in Australia to apply for that (which reminds me mine hasn't come through yet. Need to chase that up) The quickest decision i think i for one have ever made was signing the lease on a flat within 3 days of being in Australia. We had already decided we wanted something in a good 'sociable' location with a short commute to work but being British the beach was also a pull (well lets face it after living in landlocked Birmingham for the past few years who could blame us for wanting a bit of sea air!!) so we landed on an apartment in 'Claremont' although a pretty affluent suburb with rent prices to match we got a pretty good deal. The shopping centre downstairs was also a big pull!! (though a running joke with a few people we have met that if you walk through the shopping centre in Claremont you either have to be wearing designer labels from head to foot or your gym clothes. Needless to say my denim shorts and topshop vests have got some strange looks already!) Living in Perth has got too many advantages to mention. The weather of course it top of the list (though after getting caught in a dress and slip on shoes in a downpour on Friday night i can vouch for the fact it does rain here!!) though waking up on a sunday morning going for a swim outdoors, then breakfast in a cafe on the terrace in the sunshine when its still winter is not bad at all. The way of life here is everything that you think it will be - relaxed, informal and focused on the outdoors. People say hello as you pass them on the street - even when you have never laid eyes on them in your life, people chat to you on the train (and they aren't even drunk!!..well ok some are) there are opportunities every way you turn to make friends and build up a social network again (and anyone who says there isn't obviously is just not trying!!) We have already met several people we get on with, some Brits, some Aussie all of which will think will become great friends. We are already looking forward to summer where the weather is even better than it is now and we can really take advantage of the free BBQ's in the park and even more looking forward to the container arriving with the bikes on so we can get fit whilst exploring this amazing city. So after a few weeks in Perth would we recommend it - hell yes. Does it feel that we have given up everything to move to the other side of the world - not at all. Are we missing friends and family - Well yes of course. That was always the hardest bit but a good internet connection and the wonders of Skype have made that so much easier. Is the cost of living higher? - Yes it is without a doubt however not as bad as people might have you think. Rent/houses are more expensive. Grocery's are a bit more (but equivalent to shopping at waitrose i guess rather than asda) eating/drinking out is more, buying a car is a hell of a lot more, but so many things are less or the same - train travel, petrol, keeping fit (i.e its almost free as you don't need a gym membership etc), entertainment (i would take sitting on the beach with a BBQ and bottle of wine watching the sunset over a night out in the pub any day) The fact that wages are better here i think we are just as well off if not slightly better being here than in the UK never mind the quality of life we are already feeling the benefit of.