jim bugg

RH Insurance are pretty good with personal imports and modified cars, i insure my '78 US import camper with them. As has been said, are the parts interchangeable with any vauxhalls? if not you could be setting yourself up for hassle. Also if its a big engine car, it will be crippling on fuel in the UK, it seems there is pretty much nowhere that doesnt have traffic jams anymore. and the road tax is a killer if its got high emissions, from memory over 279CO's is now £500 per year. Even my 2.5 BMW is now £280 per year.

I have a painted coconut i bought back from belize in the 90's, free to a good home sadly, as that too is a no go!! here is the list i got from oz customs site: Household Items (Indoor) Artefacts / Furnishings / Ornaments / Souvenirs Including, but not limited to: Animal products e.g. bone, antlers, feathers, animal hair and hide Dried plant products e.g. banana products, photo albums, hats, bags, mats, baskets Wooden spears, bows and arrows Beads, necklaces Carpets, mats, rugs Commercially manufactured musical instruments e.g. pianos, clarinets, oboes, violins, guitars Non-commercially manufactured musical instruments e.g. rawhide drums, rainmakers, maracas, pan pipes Other plant products including bark, seeds, potpourri, dried flower arrangements, sphagnum moss, natural stems Pillows, including Thai pillows Sand, seeds or soil used as a filling Fossils, rocks, sand, shells, soil, stones Statues made of clay or compressed sand Festive decorations, Including, but not limited to: Blown eggs Christmas trees, real or artificial Conifer items, pine cones Dried holly, sphagnum moss, vines, wreaths, pine cones Seed pods, straw Wooden, Items including, but not limited to: Antique furniture Baskets e.g. cane / wicker laundry baskets Brushes, jewellery boxes Carvings, statues made of wood, totem poles, bamboo products e.g. wind chimes Furniture e.g. bamboo, banana leaf, cane, rattan, timber, water hyacinth, wicker, willow or furniture parts Picture frames Kitchen, All food and pantry items including, but not limited to: Dried / dehydrated food item e.g. herbs, teas, rice etc Pre-packaged food e.g. snacks, protein powders, supplements etc All fresh foods e.g. potatoes, onions, garlic etc Kitchenware, Items including, but not limited to: Flat packed, prefabricated kitchens Food containers, Kitchen utensils Large appliances e.g. refrigerators, freezers, etc Small appliances e.g. breadmakers, food processors, toasters, etc Wooden items e.g. bowls, place mats, coasters, utensils, cutting boards, knife blocks etc General, Items including, but not limited to: Brooms, dustpan and brushes Vacuum cleaners and bags Waste bins Animal equipment, Including, but not limited to: Animal beds, bedding and baskets Animal grooming equipment, leads and/or restraints, saddlery and other tack Fish tanks and equipment, fish food, aquarium rocks Pet food, naturopathic supplements, medicines, bowls, mats, utensils and storage containers Pet-wear, toys and rawhide chews Portable and electronic fencing Clothing, Including, but not limited to: Farm / outdoor clothes Footwear e.g. gumboots, footwear with wooden components Hats made of straw or other plant material Household Items (Outdoor) Garden equipment, garden furniture and tools, Including, but not limited to: Any plant material Barbeque / grill Fertilizer, garden seeds Fountains, statues etc Garden tools and implements Lawn mowers, ride-on mowers and catchers Outdoor tables and chairs Plant pots Sheds Used tools Waste bins Wheel barrows Whipper snippers, weed eater Wine barrels Farm goods, vehicles and motorized equipment, Including but not limited to: ATVs, quad bikes, motorcycles Carts, horse floats Farm equipment Jet skis, motorboats, outboard motors (all must be dry) Non-machinery and non-fuel operated items used in and around farms Tyres Wooden items, Including, but not limited to: Dowel Logs, sawn timber Plywood and veneer Sawdust, wood pieces, wood shavings Timber mouldings Sporting Equipment / Camping Equipment / Toys Sporting goods and playground equipment, Including, but not limited to: Bicycles, tricycles, scooters etc Cubby houses, sand boxes / sandpits etc Hockey sticks, cricket sets, racquets, pool cues, golf clubs, shuttlecocks etc Sand-filled weights, punching bags Seesaws, slippery dips / slides, swings, trampolines etc Sporting footwear e.g. football, cricket or golf shoes Fishing equipment / fishing tackle e.g. feather fish flies, lines, rods and tackle boxes Kayaks Wetsuits and diving equipment NOTE: Sporting goods or equipment that has been in contact with fresh water must be dry on arrival. Camping equipment, Including, but not limited to: Back packs / day packs Boots, climbing implements etc Picnic basket, cooler box / esky etc Picnic rugs, ground sheets etc Tents, tent poles, tent pegs Toys, Including, but not limited to: Toys filled with sand, soil, seed and/or water Toys with wooden components, including rocking horses, skateboards etc Miscellaneous Goods, Including: Goods not legibly described or without adequate description e.g. labelled ‘PBO’, ‘stuff’, ‘gear’ or ‘equipment’ Goods that have not been itemized

we have been looking closely at this recently, all be it for brisbane, and have come up with a plan that looks like it may work for us ( constructive help on our plan is welcome ;-)) We are used to loosing our stuff for up to 2 weeks on previous moves (work related removals contract), so have gone for a similar approach. Day 1 Pack stuff to go in the container, move in with family close by while we clean and sort house (rented) for handing back. we are intending to travel round for a few weeks seeing friends and family round the country before we leave, spending the last 2 weeks with both sets of parents after approx 5 weeks, fly out to oz and take on a holiday let for a month while we secure a longer term rental, aimng to take on a rental toward the end of the month once we have made a final decision on area. that should bring us up to around 10 weeks, so we will just charity shop/ camping shop for the last bit. we have been told by our mover that we should expect 8-10 weeks if we time the shipping right. There is some stuff we arent taking as its near the end of its life, so that stuff we can replace on securing the rental. do folks think this plan will hold up or not?? we are expecting the usual curveballs, and probably to hit plan z before we even get on a palne, but we have to start somewhere!

So will panasonic still work fine with a freeview type set top box?

Good to know, if i cant get airline work when we get over, then the truck licence may come in handy after all!!

If you get in touch with most of the firms that advertise on here, im sure they would be able to sort shipping for you, if you drive your stuff to their depot. We have had 3 of the main shipping firms round in the last few weeks, and they all said dropping stuff at the depot can be catered for with prior arrangement. (im taking my camper in a box, so it may be easy to load at the depot, than in our street!)

We have now driven most of the east coast of Oz in a camper, and loved it. We also have a kombi that we are shipping over when we move this year. Big things we have learnt: Campsites in oz are nearly always far better than in the uk Cleanliness and upkeep have on the whole been better than we are used to in uk Dont bother with carrying a shower and toilet, its just an expensive store cupboard! Booking sites in advance has only been an issue in school holidays, public holidays, and grand prix week in Melbourne! Book the camper early has always got us a good deal. Go the opposite way to everyone else for a good deal too! ie start in Cairns and finish in Melbourne, as you then save on the one way hire as you are bringing a previous rental back to base, it may even be worth finding a good deal, and ask about doing a van swap in sydney to save the company relocation fees. Also, all the sites we went to had gas barbies, so armed with a $15 bar be mate, look at coles, you dont even have to have a cooker. A few sites we remember: Main beach touring site in Surfers is nice, across fro the beach, and a nice walk into surfers, maybe 1.5 miles Lane cove in Sydney, National park site, 5 minute walk from the station, our first meeting with posums was there at the barbe Kiama had a nice site, cant remember the name, just south of Sydney A few places off the main road to see: Hyams beach at Jervis bay, South of woolongong, unless you go know you'll drive by on the main road, lovely place with the most gorgeous beach. Cape otway light house, down on the great ocean road - on the road in look out for koalas We have booked with Mauri, Britz, and motorhome bookers, it really is a case of comparing prices to what suits.

Excellent news, that was what i was half expecting, but reading all the posts about scrubbing tools, and the like, i had a moment of fear when i was thinknig about the parts that get hot ie brake drums on my bus. The structure,being a claifornia import is very good, the only bad patch has been cut out and replaced over the winter. All the underside in sealed in waxoyl, and i try to deal with any issues as i see them. Do iron lady do vehicle inspections prior to shipment at all? i have bug bombs (as used on aircraft for fumigation) that i can pop off a few prior to shipment, and all the interior is prepared wood from VW back in the 70's. its all getting exciting now, that in less than a year we should be driving in QLD!!

Hi all, Portlaunay - did you import in the end, we are planning to take our '78 westy, that we imported from california 6 yeas ago, so definately part of the family Iron chef - will customs get upset with rusty brake drums, and the normal underside corrosion on a 40 year old van?? thats my only concern, as my van is in good nick, but do ineed a show standard underside??

2 adults and 2 children are now $7000, the costs went right up in September I think it was

We had that unwelcome bill recently too, iff only we had been in a position to move over this time last year before they put all the prices up. But it will maybe make for less folks applying when you are in a position to apply, so increase your chnaces of success.

we flew royal brunei last year, and they are fine, plenty of leg room for me (6") and plane was clean and tidy, although we had inflight entertainment issues on my daughters seat, but she didnt really care as she had books and coloring stuff! be wary on your food choice though, as the chicken in random white tasteless sauce wasnt a good option:sad: but £1780 for 3 was good!!

We flew london heathrow to melbourne last year, and we got 3 rtn flights on royal brunei for less than half the quotes for singapore, quantas and emirates. We have flown singapore before, and the RB planes were older, but i had more legroom on RB, so it was actually more comfortable. 2 stops was ok, but not much at brunei airport to do. i would be tempted to do RB again, but do prefer one stop and a night in singapore, so maybe not!!

We also got invite on the 2nd, fingers crossed for a CO soon!! Then the fun of finding jobs!! anyone need an aircraft technician and an accountant??

do you have any friends that want a house that you trust enough to look after it? even if you rent it at a price that just covers the mortgage, until such time as market picks up, they get a cheap house, that they just keep ticking over, you hopefully make your money in the future! you may cop the odd bill for boiler etc, but in the long term is that smaller than your loss right now? Sounds like major pitfalls whichever route you take, with potential to loose both ways!

Hi, are you in the aviation business? im in the process of gaining my B1.1 license prior to moving out, so interested in any toptipsforwhere to go looking for airline jobs, we are thinkingabout brisabne area, but would consider other east coast areas. cheers, jim

Thankyou for the reply, we were hopeful for a few minutes that it wouldnt be required!!

Our daughter was slightly older, but grobags are the way forward, let them run around lots in the airport, it comes hard seeming like a knightmare parent, but any folks on the plane will be grateful! our daughter liked stickers when we flew, so got some of those so she had new ones to keep her occupied, kept her tv off until we had exhausted all other options to keep her amused. The flight attendants were happy for us to walk around the plane, so we did lots of laps to the door areas, going the long route, and rather than calling for a drink, go and ask for it, by the timeyou have your shoes on and theirs, thats another few minutes gone. Its also good for you to get walking to avoid DVT obviously. we flewout with Royal Brunei to melbourne, and they were brilliant, so places said they were a budgetairline,which they may well be, but we had more leg room, and equally as nice experience as when we have flown on singapore. Only downside was 2 stops, but both airports were clean and comfortable. Good luck, we hope to be heading out for good also in 2014, just need to time our visa application right!!

hi,where did you cut/paste, the information from? both myself and my wife have completed in excessof 2 years higher education all taught in english, and have been told, one or other of us have to do the ielts test, depending on which one of us we put as primary (both our occupations are on the list, aircraft engineer + ACCA accountant). we fulfil both the highlighted criteria, so im confused as to why we would be told to do ielts, or will the ielts give us extra points that wont be awarded for the education we have already carried out?? confused, but hopeful!!

Hi, i would seriously consider a holiday, or extended period back in the uk before you ship everything back. My wife and i had been living in Ireland for 5 years until last year, and moving back across that small stretch of water, has been the deciding factor on us deciding to emigrate when i finish my current contract. The UK has changed an awful lot in the last 5 years, and really not for the better. Most folks seem to have less spare cash, work even more than they did before, and thats without the massive influx of folks from the EU and further afield. Just the thoughts of someone surprised at the unexpected changes! Good luck either way.

jervis bay, and hyams are definately worth a look, i would advise planning no more than 100 miles a day, or you end up feeling like a driving holiday, we found a lovely site right next to the beach in eden, nice facilities too. dont get tied up with the facilities in the camper, as all the sites we have stayed in on our trips have had a camp kitchen and bar be's so cooking has all been done away from the camper, its a good way to meet folks and have a chat over beers too. we booked through motorhome bookers last year, and they were the most competitive for the package, and did an early bird discount. another thing to consider, is wefound alot of companies give a discount around $200 if you pick up away from sydney, and drop off in sydney.

we got a gleeming deal when we did our fact finding trip last year through ebookers.com they have a good graph of prices on their site too, so you can see easily if its cheaper to fly a few days earlier etc.

You could suggest donations towards a specific item, if folks feel they would like to, that ytou could all hopefully enjoy one day when they come to visit you in your new home! such as a barbeque, or something you know your likely to buy and use or, ask for folks to order gifts through one of the stores that does free delivery to oz, if they feel they want to!

Do you know if its the same price for the skills assessment regardless of weather or not you hold an EASA part 66 license? Maybe i need to push harde for sponsorship to cover the cost of the skils assessment, any ideas if this is a common path? if experienced aircraft engineers both licensed and unlicensed are in demand, there must be an encouraging way to get through the red tape.

Thankyou for that good lead, i have just found another thread on the licensing side and it doesnt look as simple as first described, so may need to have a rethink!!