I Love Oz

Congrats are you having a celebratory drink tonight? we are heading to mandurah in September to activate out visas, getting excited now, good luck with the next steps

I totally agree with the others, delete, block and forget about ​get well soon x

We used go Matilda they were very good

Thanks, I saw someone else do it so copied them to see if i could get more responses from both sites, here it is Hi all We got our visas in Dec 2012 and have booked flights for sept to activate it and do a reccie trip. we are going for 3 weeks and will be staying in mandurah as we have a regional visa so cannot stay in central Perth. I could stay with my family in Joondalup but we won't be able to live there so wanted to do a more realistic trip. we plan on trying to email companies a few months before we go out to try and make some contacts maybe see if anyone will be willing to meet up with my husband to discuss any work opportunities or even better an interview. has anyone else done similar to this, when you did your reccie trip did you manage to speak to anyone in regards to work? Did you get offered a job? As well as looking at work we will be renting a house instead of staying with family so we can get a feel for what it's like to live here, doing the normal things like food shopping and cleaning instead of having someone cook and clean for you. We also plan on looking around different areas we are allowed to stay within our visa requirements. Did anyone look round schools if they have children? Our daughter will be two this year and we have to start thinking ahead. any advice would be welcome thanks christine

Also posted on Perth Poms any advice would be welcome http://www.perthpoms.com/forum/news-gossip/11404-reccie-activation-trip-sept.html#post61098 Thanks, Christine

Thanks again for your replies, anyone who would be free to meet up in sept for a chat would appreciate it, me and my husband and daughter will be coming (she will be 21 mo when we come) A few months before we come plan to email some companies to see what works like if they would like cv or to meet up when were out there and try and make some contacts re work, any tips would be welcome, my hubby is a site manager (residential not civil construction)

Thanks for all the advice guys, we are not planning on selling the house due to house prices atm so will be renting it so at least we will have some security here. I am over thinking it but can help it, that's why I've not been on here for a bit just wanted to push it to the back of my mind until sept is here. glad it's not just us who felt underwhelmed when the visa came, this is why this PIO helps so much when people can relate and have already been through the same things and on the other hand you can have family members who just don't get it! I don't want to ever have to say what if.....

We are also doing a reccie trip in sept and I hope we can make the decision on this trip like you did, 3 weeks won't be long enough as it won't be like living there and working but at least you know now before you made the move so your lucky really good luck

Hi adonna, thanks i think that is what I am going to try and do, like you said takes the pressure off and I want to start coming back on PIO more often i mean where else would someone ask how the get their goat to oz and try and sound serious, ha ha fun times on here when you get a wind up on

Thanks I just think I'm worrying as we both have to want to same thing and what if we don't? I guess only time will tell

haha says it all them mind made up

I think this trip should help, yes I have been perth twice and our last trip we also visited Sydney, I know what you mean about Perth being slow but we have been drawn there for some reason apart from some of my family living there. I'd say I'm 70/30 at the moment, I am just probably having the same worries everyone has but like I said I think the trip out there will help, I also think its that fact it's so much different talking about it like should we give oz a go to getting the visa and having to make that life changing decision. How did you feel when you got your visa and then had to book flights? Did lots of doubts start creeping in? I also think this is why I havent been on here for a while to post or to read any posts as i didn't want to start over thinking things again and just thought will just wait till sept and see what happens.

yeah very true at least we have a plan b, I'm not worrying about it or trying to think about how much money we may have wasted, I just want to know where we will be now, from thinking about it to our first trip out there to applying for the visa it is a long time and I know a lot can change in a few years. Tbh I'm not 100% myself but it just the not knowing where we will end up, roll on sept thanks for response

Hi guys Not been on here for a while because after we got our visas in December we both didn't get the excitement i thought we would, we have both had a lot going on which I won't bore you all with. so anyway we are booked to come over to Perth in September for 3 weeks to activate our visa and do a reccie. My husband says he is 50/50 on if he wants to go now so I am trying not to stress or worry and have just come to the conclusion of what will be will be. I said we should just go on this trip with an open mind and make our minds up as soon as the trip is coming to an end as we might get back home and think oh well we will just stay here. plan b is to move away from the area we live in now and get a bigger house has anyone else been in this situation where now they have their visa they just don't know what to do for the best. I do believe we have done this for a reason though so that's why I'm am trying not to stress, I just want to know where my life is heading now now ​C x

Yes benoli posted it on here yesterday, just read it tonight. It was a lovely poem, all you comments gave me comfort that I'm not alone even though I feel it. Great bunch of people on here, so thanks again to everyone xx

Thank you so much for all your kind words, it really does help when other people know what you are going through, when you feel a fool for crying at work, I know it will get easier but for now I just want one last hug. I will scan a pic on tomoz, please feel free to add your own pictures and stories, this is sammys story...... It was 16 years ago around Halloween after pestering my dad for years to get a dog, he finally gave in. We went to a flat in manchester after seeing an ad for a Labrador. I walked in and this little black puppy with white socks came running over to me, she was a collie cross, not a Labrador that I had wanted but when I saw her i fell in love, paid the £30 (well my dad did) and took her home. She was covered in fleas but i didn't care I'd finally got my wish. I named Sammy after my dads friends dog who I had spent a lot of time with and had to be put to sleep so the name lived on in my dog. We had woods nearby, she loved swimming in the lake and running up and down the hill, chasing balls and birds and cats. She loved our big garden and the nearby fields, I am so glad we were able to give you a loving home. I always remember the fun times we had and you were my best friend, I will never forget you. I hope to see you in heaven someday and hope you are up there with my dad and you are having lots of fun together and are no longer in pain. RIP Sammy xxx

Just wanted to dedicate a post to Sammy the dog who went to sleep today at 4.10pm aged 16 years old.... A valued family member, I will never forget you and the 16 great years we spent together. I can't see properly for all the tears, you will always be in my heart, Sammy thanks for being my best friend, sleep tight.....

Great post gaz, they do say everything happens for a reason and your new job has given you more time with the wife and this will lead to more time with you little one in April, all the best

Me too, I also blame baby brain :biggrin:

Started about an hour ago in Manchester supposed to get heavier later so will see if I sticks, might wake up with ground covered, nice to look at, not so nice to drive to work in

Ah right i get it now, thought it sounded too good to be true having both! I wouldn't want to take the risk of not getting a bassinet so will probably just book a seat. i know the amount of things you have to carry and to top it off a bulky car seat, sounds like a nightmare!

Congrats Laura, best of luck to you x

Thanks I will have a look at that option too, took me a few seconds to figure out FWIW meant ha. So you can still use bassinet and book a seat, that's good to know, i thought they would only let you use them if they didnt have a seat. I know they show dimensions but it won't really help as I don't know how big she will be or what she will weigh in 8months time.

Thanks, was wondered why I couldn't find it, the only thing is the sooner we book the flights the better price we will get, il be probably be searching flights all weekend, for such a little girl she sure is bumping the prices up

Thats good, thanks was just about to ask that, I don't want to take one if we can even use it over there. We did go with Singapore last time but had to stop in Munich so it puts me off having the extra stop but will see if much difference in price, looks like Singapore or Qatar due to not needing car seat as you do with emirates, thanks again