lauracoldwell

Hi Melza, Thank you, I will keep PIO posted. A special thank you to you also. You have always given me such useful and valued input, your so positive and that really comes through in your posts. Your comments and advise have been priceless so THANK YOU xxx

Thank You Stacey. Good luck to you too x x x

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them-Walt Disney So in 23 days Mark and I will be boarding a plane to Adelaide. I never thought that this day would come but, after all our hard work, challenging times (with each other aswell) and also living in a caravan for 18 months (these were the challenging times ha) we are finally doing it. It has taken years to get to this stage starting from when I decided to train to be a nurse BUT we have got here. At times we felt like giving up but right now, at this point I am so glad that we didnt. I wanted to say that for all of you who are going through the awful process and for all those gone through it, bear with it. Things will work out in the end. And I 100% believe in what Walt Disney said. Lots of love. xxx

Hi Jess. I have recently shipped some things with seven seas. They gave me a good price and came on time/picked up ect. Our stuff has not yet got to Adelaide but it is on its way. We too shipped just small things such as CD's, bedding and pictures. x

Hey guys, you are all right with making the most of things ect... Its hard when you are sooo excited though. My mum works away so I dont get to see her no my sister much and they are coming out for a few months in October so when I am there ill see them more ha ha. I tell you something though, I may just die without my best friend. She is in Australia at the moment with her sister and I miss her to bits and its only been 2 weeks. I am SO glad Skype has been invented. xx

As I write this we have 124 days, 09 hours and 52 minutes (T-ZONE iphone app:wink:) until we fly from LHR airport. So far, since Christmas time has flown. It is now starting to drag a bit and i JUST WANT TO GET THERE. How was it for people that have been there, done it and for people that are on a countdown like me? I am hoping it goes fast with sorting the dogs and shipping but it really feels like time is slowing down. I need some sun :cool: xx

Ha ha i tried to resist too Rupert. Just click on reply and in the top RH side there is like 2 globes, a pic frame, a film and a speech bubble. Click the frame. x

And the tail. Awwww they are desperately cute. x

Jodie, I can see the Cavaier especially in the top pic now you have said it x

Ahhh i love the photos of Archie. He is soooo cute x

Awww there are some really cute dogs on this thread. You can that they all have there own little personalities, a bit like people. I right love my dogs..Honestly I think taking them with us will not be a decision we regret. They are our family. Morrissey, our girl is not too happy at the moment and she went to be spayed yesterday. I am getting evils from across the room as we speak. x

Ha ha OK so it not an Aston Martin or a BMW but my Nissan Micra is A-mazing. I love it. Its so reliable and unlike other small cars it doesnt hate long journeys. Its for sale for anyone wanting to MBTUK too :wink: x

Hi Lou, I can only give you my experience of things. I front end loaded my application and my visa was approved within 2 weeks. However just after booking, our CO was allocated so we had a CO the day before the medicals. I also booked my flights just after my SS came through. Its up to you and you have to do whatever you think. I know you can never anticipate health problems and even though me and my husband are healthy I am classed as overweight and so i wanted to do them ASAP (as soon as I got the TRN number) just incase we encountered any problems. They way I looked at it was that we had come so far we were going to have to do them anyway. If you want a grant ASAP i think it makes sense just to do them. Again thats just my opinion and experience. Good Luck xx

What an amazing outcome to a heartbreaking story. Congratulations. She is VERY cute xx

This is great news. Much better than pitching a tent on the beach x

Hello Nic F, Thanks for that were they quite quick in getting the cheque to you?? So ill be owed all my tax back between April and August if i earn under my allowance? That would be around 2k. That cant be right can it? x

I have a 9k tax free allowance and by August I will have probably earned around 8k. Its a shame I may have to wait until the following tax year though They take around 450 from me a month x

Hello , I am hoping that someone on here may be able to help me. As you know with tax in the UK you dont get taxed on the first X anount of pounds you earn but they spread this over the 12 month period. If we are leaving in August am I correct in thinking we will be owed a rebate if we have earned under our tax free allowance? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you xx

Morning Positive pixe. I bet you are having the time of your life on your trip I travelled around in 05 and 07 and fell in love with Darwin however, my head told me it is too humid to settle there on a perm basis. So i did a check on coles and worked out for the first few weeks we could live off about $40 per week for food which is good. Also the dog food looks not a bad price. They are used to the best food here but they will have to make sacrifices like me and Mark haha :biggrin:. Glenelg looks amazing but we have also been looking at the Morphett Vale area, I would love to live by the sea BUT prices in Morphett Vale are significantly lower but it would only be a short term compromise. When you do settle I would love to meet up for a coffee and to hear all about your travels? x

Hello positive pixie, Thanks for your reply its good to hear from someone that lives in Adelaide that we will manage.:cute: Me and Mark have our heads firmly screwed on and understand that we will probably have to do without for a few months having ''stuff'' doesnt overly concern me as long as i can afford a bottle of wine to sit out and drink when the hot weather comes I am happy haha. The reason I took the job is the weekly pay, i just think that you can budget so much better and save easier too. You'll have to give me some good places to go shopping. when I was last in Aus I was shopping at Coles but I think that even since 07 the prices have shot up? x

Hello, we are staying with our friends in the Barossa Valley for 4 weeks and then we are headed to Glenelg I know its so hard to choose somewhere. where are you looking at? x

Ah Melza, what a lovely reply :wubclub: Thank you. xxx

Thanks for your replies everyone its good to know ill be ok x

Hey dusty road, No EVERYTHING is paid for but I am starting work after 3/4 week as ill have to wait for my nursing reg to come through (just realised i still owe them about $300 actually) Me and Mark are simple folk, as I say we have been living in a caravan in minus temps with water been frozen for weeks on end and we have even coped without an electric blanket :wink: we just got some hot water bottles from the £ shop instead which worked a treat... I reckon a rent, maybe a car and a cupboard full of beans and we will be fine (engages wishful thinking) xxx

Ha ha I think thats the BEST drunk idea ever... Id tell you to save me a spot but Perth is a long way from Adelaide x