miw54

We want to send an old fashioned trunk (120cm x 60 x 60) over to the UK from Sydney and will fill it with memorabilia such as pictures, photo albums and a few other collectibles. It is far too heavy to take on the airplane with us (approx 60Kg) so are thinking of shipping it. However, not sure who to contact for shipping just one item. Has anyone here done this ? Any ideas/advice welcome. Many thanks

Hi, do you have a car for sale too ? Thanks

Haha - well we have had ribbing from some of our own relatives and friends who imply that housesitting is for cheapskates, but actually it is a very smart way of travelling around. I have to admit there is no way we could afford to have travelled the two countries like we have if we had to pay between $100 and $200 per night which we have often had to do. The houseowners are so grateful and we have received lovely gifts from Israel, Budapest, Hungary, Russia, NZ, Spain etc from those who have been able to travel in the knowledge that their home and pets are safe. We've really enjoyed doing it. Something that benefits everyone cant be bad!! Incidentally, we do have our own home too but, in reality, one could make it a full time occupation and live totally rent or mortgage free - very smart I reckon

Hi We have done this a few times in Oz and the U.K. when travelling around. We do a service and in return get accommodation rent free. We have made lovely friends along the way and we keep getting asked back to the same houses. We love animals but don't have any of our own at the moment as we flip backwards and forwards between Oz and the U.K. Therefore it gives us a chance to enjoy the pets too. We have looked after cats, chickens bunnies and occasionally dogs. It's great and everyone is happy

Hi This is what we use: http://www.housesittersuk.co.uk Hope it helps.

Hi Join UK Housesitters. We did and have done house sits in both the UK and Oz. It's only £15 per year. Well worth it as you are sent new listings everyday. Plenty down south too.

Hi Can anyone advise on what happens if someone over 65 who already is drawing his superannuation as an income stream then returns to live permanently in the UK ? This question is in respect of an elderly relative who has been out there for 50 years but has been diagnosed with dementia. His family want him to return to the UK so that they can support him. Would his super be easily transferred to the UK ? Thank you.

Hello You could try housesitting. We did that on two occasions and it was great. You have to like animals - we looked after cats (as I adore them) mainly but also dogs and chickens. However, it enabled us to travel to different places and meet some nice people too.

At least today the voices of the kingdom are united - come on Wales, get in !! :ssign19:

I think the media are just not giving space to those who have a positive outlook and who can see the great business opportunities that leaving the EU could present. The ranting and raving is much more newsworthy obviously. I, too, heard and read much more positive views from the business community prior to voting and it is very inspiring when you do listen to what they have to say. I know there is rumour that Article 50 may not be invoked. I can't see how this will happen unless the EU will agree to some preliminary discussions. However, in true dictatorial and uncompromising style ( the reason many voted to leave), they are determined to prevent this. Mr Juncker et al still haven't realised that they are ultimately responsible for the British outcome and the unrest that was already evident within other countries.

Will Old Blighty be saved by women ? A bit hard on the blokes. However, it could be looking that way and it's surprising what can be sorted by a cup of tea and cake.

Thank you for your lofty view from 16000 miles away. Or are you another of these lucky folk who have acquired a huge crystal ball from somewhere ??

The troubles arising in Turkey and Europe are nothing to do with Brexit. The people of Britain were asked to make a choice. After great consideration of all the issues, the majority chose to vote leave - nothing to do with the ambitions of Bojo or Farage. One way or the other, a great proportion of the population were going to be disappointed, but we were all given the opportunity to vote and, in doing so, had to face the prospect that the outcome might not be the one we wanted. It could have gone either way. This is democracy in action. We have a result and, like it or not, we have to move forwards.

Just got up and saw the headlines. Surprised but pleased. No doubt there will be lots of doom -mongering as well, but I think some severely underestimate the spirit of the British people. There are many visionaries, innovators and entrepeneurs who, without the shackles of EU dictates and bureaucracy, will flourish and thrive. Britain has the benefit of many highly skilled, highly trained and hard working individuals whose numbers can now be increased by others from anywhere in the world who have qualities that are needed, rather than just being added to by anyone who is free to come here simply because they are European. The prospects for business are very positive. The UK is surrounded by waters and blessed with swathes of arable land. It will be great to see this used solely for farming instead of being sold to developers and covered with concrete to provide housing for the uncontrollable, ever increasing population. Also, wont it be nice to eventually see supermarket shelves loaded with fresh, home grown, high quality produce instead of the pre-packaged, chemically and heat treated, tasteless specimens that we buy from Europe. There will be initial chaos as expected and some hard work ahead but if the people of Britain pull together, shoulder to shoulder and support their country then it is onwards and upwards. The world is watching.

No -truly, I have changed my mind several times - even this week, but admit I only comment on here when I see the leave voters being harangued. I started off as a Remain, but as time has gone on I have leaned more to leave with a few wobbles along the way. Whichever way the vote goes, there are great risks and it is about deciding which are the least dire. No-one really knows what will happen either way but I have great fears of the way the EU is going financially and politically and it is the issues around these factors that affect my decision.

I think Remain will win (or should I say, the scaremongerers will win). Unfortunately the intelligent and very credible reasons for leaving have been overshadowed by the Remain campaign focussing on immigration as the sole issue that leavers are campaigning about. Complete rubbish but when people associate the leave campaign with 'Nigel Farage's vision' (the worst person to have on the leave side) and linking leave voters to far right thinking, racism and xenophobia then, understandably, many good people will want to disassociate themselves from this. Remainers do a lot of dire warnings about leaving but clearly have not considered the equally dire consequences of remaining in the EU if it does not undertake major reforms. The idea that the UK will lead any reforms is laughable. We clearly have had no influence thus far and Mr Juncker has made his view of the U.K. abundantly clear. There is no respect for this country there and I am sure he can't wait to make an example of us. I have to admit that I have swung my decision several times but stopped listening to the hype of both campaigns and now know how I will vote having discussed all the wider issues with my family, friends and colleagues......oh yes, and we are well educated and don't fall into the lower socio-economic groups as many Remainers would have people believe of those who wish to vote leave. Whatever the outcome, there is going to be close to half the population of the U.K. feeling disappointed, so let's hope whoever loses can accept the very slight majority vote and in true Brit style pull together once again. I will be sooooo glad when the referendum is over and people can just move on.

I do suspect too that this poor lady may inadvertently become the saviour of the Remain campaign - this terrible incident may well swing the undecided. Although the Vote Leave voters would condemn this murder and completely disassociate it from their campaign, one does wonder if the whole hype around it may have somehow played a small part in that deranged man's actions. I guess we will eventually find out. Personally I feel really angry with David Cameron for calling this referendum if he was so viciously opposed to the option of leaving the EU. It has caused so much upset and argument between even the best of friends and closest of families, not to mention the embarrassing public scrapping of those leading the campaigns. Why didn't Cameron just have the balls to stand up and fight for a better deal for the UK with Brussels in the first place. He is such a loser and if we do remain in the EU I have no confidence in him having a say in anything.

Hi It was meant to be a bit tongue in cheek really. That said, we have travelled extensively around Europe and India. Love Spain as we have relatives there and have spent more time there than anywhere else apart from Oz but could not live there permanently. I still regard Australia and UK as my homes from home and have remained a thoroughly committed ping pong pom. I have to say that emigrating to Oz was one of the best things we ever did and by doing so it really made us appreciate how great it is in the UK. Love both countries

In Manchester, England. My son lives there, near the Uni and says it is dreadful - looks like Calais. However, the occupants are mainly Lithuanians and other Eastern Europeans. It has also been a feature in newspapers and on TV.

Well said. This is exactly what I think. Although I'm voting out I think the winning vote will be to remain but only by a slight percentage. I just hope that the concerns of the huge percentage that are voting to leave are heard and that something changes as a result. I'm not holding my breath though. Cameron and Osborne are very poor negotiators and won't have any influence in the EU. There needs to be a big shake up in Westminster.

People are also being targeted aggressively by Remain campaigners too who are equally putting on pressure with scaremongering stories of what will happen in the event of a Brexit, when the truth is that no-one knows for sure either way. However, I think to label genuine concerns about the impact of uncontrolled immigration as 'xenophobia' is typical of the Remain camp and grossly unfair to those who are already experiencing the downside of the increasing numbers that are entering the UK. Unless you know what it is like to be unable to get a job unless you are willing to take very low pay, unless you walk down a main street in your city and see the tents occupied by EU nationals who can't get work here but completely disregard the requirement to leave after 6 months, unless you are constantly harassed by EU beggars as you try to do your shopping, unless you are one of the hundreds of thousands of both British born and British nationals who are struggling to get housing, unless you are a person who cannot get medical appointments or medical treatment because the NHS is heaving under the demand, then you cannot really understand the issues. There is also the added concerns of the influx of foreign criminals who, even when caught and convicted, cannot currently be easily deported as Brussels prevents this from taking place. Most people I know who are voting to leave are not xenophobic. The UK is probably the most welcoming and tolerant country in the world where migrants who are able to settle and contribute to the country are truly valued. Diversity and multiculturalism are accepted and encouraged. The issue about immigration is not about hate or fear of the people from other countries, it is all about management and control which will ultimately benefit both the immigrants and the indigenous population. It is worth remembering that when David Cameron tried to negotiate a deal for the UK to help control migration he was virtually sent packing. This spoke volumes to me as it demonstrated just how little impact the UK has as a voice in the EU. The UK may have a place at the table but not a voice. In reality, the EU only wants the UK for its monetary contribution and not for its views. The president of France described the UK as a 'constantly crying child', leaders within the EU have pointed out that the UK will be 'punished' regardless of whether it leaves or stays due to the upset already caused by the referendum. This is because many people in other countries are closely watching what happens as they, too, are not happy with being in the EU and may well start demanding to leave. It is these things that have swung my vote from Remain to Leave as I believe the UK influence will become less and less within the EU. It is basically becoming a dictatorship. Whatever the outcome of the referendum, it is not going to be an easy ride but individuals should be allowed to make up their own minds without having derogatory comments aimed at them.

The only way to know for sure is to try it - perhaps for a year or two as suggested by starlight7. We did this. Have to admit, we have now become ping pong poems because we love being in both countries but are free to do this as our children are independent adults doing their own thing too. It's not easy when you have little ones I know and even harder when one member of a couple is less settled than the other. Why don't you rent out your house in Melbourne so it can continue paying the mortgage ? That way, you don't completely burn your boats. You also have managed to get work easily so far and you can do it again. Whatever you do, good luck.

.....and the vote to remain is to continue with the ongoing and increasing chaos of the EU, the failing economies of many of its members, the inability of its leaders to address the migration crisis, the likelihood of other failing and poorer nations joining and the move towards greater political union etc etc.. Yes, we do know the future if we remain. If we leave there is a chance for the UK to escape the woes of Europe and decide our own destiny. Worth considering too, is that there are other EU members e.g. the Netherlands, France, Sweden who are closely watching what happens as their people too, would really like to leave. It will be a brave new world we enter if we leave but much better to face that challenge and grow than meekly accept the alternative simply for fear of the unknown. What we do know is that we are a strong, surviving nation and there is no reason, if everyone pulls together, that we can't advance way beyond the confines of being in the EU. "better to regret doing something than to regret not doing it"

I came across this which might help those who are unsure. It's a bit long but worth reading: On June 23rd we have the chance to vote to return the decision making for our country's future to the British people and not some foreign politician that you have not chosen to represent you ?.. People want to know the facts. Here are some: "You are not voting to leave the EEA or WTO, meaning all of the UK's trade and benefit agreements will remain unchanged should we leave, until such a time that the UK decides to renegotiate them for any reason. You are not voting to leave NATO, meaning our security agreements remain unchanged. Should we receive an act of hostility from a non-NATO member, then NATO countries are obliged to come to our assistance. This does not change. You are not voting to leave the UN, G8 or G20, meaning Britain will have the same voice on the world stage as it does today. You are not voting to leave Europe!! The UK will still, geographically, be part of Europe. Non-political organisations aligned to Europe will still extend membership to the UK (I.e. sports governing bodies, and so on). You are not voting to stop recognising Interpol, Europol and neither are you voting for SIS / MI6 to stop dealing with other intelligence services in the fight against terrorism and global, organised crime. You are not voting against being able to travel to Europe, contrary to the belief of some fools recently on TV. The UK has always maintained stricter border and passport controls than many EU members. This will not change. You will still use a passport to go on holiday and you will still be allowed entry to countries in Europe. You may even get chance to skip queues by using the non--EU queues at the airport (the only point so far that is my opinion, and not necessarily a fact). The UK economy will benefit to the tune of £billions in the first year after we leave. Medical and science research will not simply stop. The UK pays into the EU to then get money back in the form of funding. The UK will now be in control of this money and can choose to fund whatever UK based medical, science, art or other research it chooses. Farming will not lose money because of EU funding being cut. The UK negotiated a rebate of some monies that the UK pays to the EU, in order to subsidise UK farmers. Instead of asking for our money back, we can give it straight to farmers. No change there. You are not voting against human rights. The EU Convention on, and European Court of Human Rights are not part of the EU. Until parliament passes a new bill of rights for the UK, these will still apply, as will precedents already passed down to UK courts from Brussels. You are not voting to kick anyone out of the UK or block access to anyone. Neither are you voting to stop recruiting valuable European workers into things like the NHS. Like my other point about passports for travel, the UK is already outside of the Schengen zone and so migrant workers must enter the UK with a valid passport before and after June 23rd. That will not change. British borders maintain full control of who comes and goes. Should someone have the skills to apply to work in the NHS, then they will still be permitted travel and given an opportunity to apply for a job. Worst case, points based assessment, like the US, Canada and Australia use, will come into effect. The UK is likely to negotiate freedom of labour movement though, in exchange for freedom of goods movement. You are not voting to move jobs nor production out of the UK! The EU actually helped fund the move of Ford Transit production from the UK to Turkey... Yes, the EU helped give UK jobs to people in Turkey by giving Ford a loan of £80m with very generous terms! What you are voting for is UK sovereignty. You are voting to stay in or leave a political union of leaders and representatives that you British people did not elect. You are voting against a commission of unelected, elite men that nobody at all voted for and yet they make decisions on our behalf. You are simply voting to bring sovereignty back to Westminster, and that is all. If you worry about that because you don't like the Conservative government, look at the reality. Their majority in parliament is very slim. They have been blocked on big decisions already. You are therefore not giving sovereignty to David Cameron, but to the UK House of elected representatives. Do not be fooled by the fear campaigns that are simply run by the wealthy, who need EU money to thrive! Think about the future, and your family's future." Hope this helps :unsure: