deryans

we're a little more on " financial steroids" to be honest, so a family of 5 , two teens and 1 10 year old! No gas, but oil central heating, approx 300 odd per annum (cheaper to fill in summer), Elect is 300 per Qtr, so 100 per month, we also have open wood fire and we collect wood/choppings from the local forest - lots of tree-surgeons round here so no scarcity of logs either way, just space to dry them out before winter Internet (BT Openreach fibre, landline , Sports, TV and entertainment (not SKY won't touch it) + x4 mobiles on plans , 1 unlimited (me) and others for wife and kids) about 150-160 per month Council tax is 181 per month where we are I think, my wife pays it.... x2 cars, 1 landcrusier and 1 small station-car, tax is 300 for the diesel and 75 for the other ford thing Fuel is expensive, but we spend less than 300 a month total, probably 60 on the ford thing and 180 on the cruiser (great on motorway, shocking round town) Food, hmmm, you can go to town here, there is so much variety we have M&S, Waitrose, Morrisons and Sainsburys all with in easy reach (15-20 min drive), and huge range of choice, and it can be expensive if you don't watch it, we do x3 big shops per month at about 130-150 per shop, so that's say 400 (includes all the non-food expensive items - dishwasher, cleaner etc) and about 3-4 occasional shops in-between (milk, bread, spontaneous etc) which come to around another 200, so we're close to 600 per month for a family of 5, 2 boys 1 girl so you're close with the 100 per week. 40 per month seems high for water, I think ours is about 270-280 per 6 months ? Beer is 4.05 at my local, Harveys Best, 4%, deliciousness in a glass, and not too strong, but my other good colleague in surrey paid over 5 at his !! Travel up to london on a season is about 450 per month or 95 per week... 55min to London Bridge (yeah right..... )

Our aussie boxer-airdate cross (yes, try and picture that ) loves it here, she's grown a wolf mane and just looks like a DoooooooooG!!!! huge brown beige wolf thing...

To be clear, the current marryatville school principal and deputy are superb, they came from the northern suburbs in Adelaide (so has experience) and exhibits excellent leadership and judgment, unfortunately the previous head teacher/principal was incompetent on so many levels, she returned to NSW in 2015 due staff revolt, pending DECD discipline review and an undelivered letter to the minister written by yours truly. I saw no point, as she'd left. Sadly damage had already been done, we were fatigued, we had already decided to leave and a slight regret is not being able to work with the current principal for the betterment of all students.

We moved back in 2015, family of 5, sydney for 10 years, asia for 1 year and ad-delayed for just under 4 years, kids aged 8, 11 and 13 when they moved, Kids settled in well, they do complain about the weather but generally the largest one item they comment on is UK diet, i.e other kids diet and food = not healthy, so I guess we did at least one thing right as parents. We're pretty rural on a farm, living in or pretty much near ashdown forest in sussex (winnie the pooh land - its gorgeous here!), nearest village is 3 miles, nearest large town is 10+ miles, nearest station to london is only 1 mile, nearest pub is 2 miles , I work from home 1-2 days a week, broadband and nature of my work makes it possible. Started a business last year, now have 3-4 consultants working for me, people problems my bane!!!! Are we happy we made the move, I can only speak for myself and the plan I had set out to educate my children, broaden their horizons and show them or at least put them in a place in life that has options, I think we've done quite a good job of moving back, we see relatives not as much as we thought we'd see, but have found the community here extremely open and welcoming, my wife (aussie) is chair of the PTA, we are considerably more involved in the local community than in adelaide which we found quite secretive and cliquey. The kids love it here, my 15 year old daughter was in adelaide for this christmas past , as it was a holiday treat prior to her GCSe's, she loved catching up with her friends in adelaide, but came to me last week and said she prefers it here in the UK, as she thought adelaide was run-down, a little quiet, just a bit decrepit and not much variety and interest. Mind you, I've ensured that we have lived a life five times over since we arrived in the UK, she had her 13th birthday dinner in the Eiffel Tower, my 50th in Crete, she in her own words has been to over 8 countries (including Egypt ) since we arrived back 2.5 years ago and we are going to the french alps in march for our first family ski holiday. The boys (one of whom is autistic and was excluded and disgracefully discriminated by the principal at marryatville school in adelaide) has improved , matured and come on in leaps and bounds, well above average in many subjects, good physique sports and maturing in such a wonderful way the school have (as have we) been very involved in ensuring the framework is present and now he is completely independent at school requiring no support, all this in less than 24 months!!!, the youngest is keen to read as much denis the menace and dig escape tunnels from his local village school. I took them (under constant nagging) to thorpe park last summer, where upon my daughter (aussie) declared it to be a chav zoo........ hmmmm, no comment. we love it here, London is just as I left it 17 years ago, still have friends there, always something to catchup with or do, Europe is close, Chunnel holiday to bordeaux and cognac last summer, greece and spain the summers before, plenty to do for the kids, calais easy on the way out, nightmare on the way in (immigration issues), Gatwick is 40 mins door to checkin for us, so last april we got the family to venice for 479 flights + 650 5 days apartment, not bad for a family of 5 !!! Are we doing more or less than we'd have done in adelaide as kids, probably not in terms of weekly day-to-day activities, Piano, Horse riding, bike riding, swimming, football, cricket , martial arts, usual stuff, we don't push the kids to pack it all in at all costs (as we saw in adelaide) because we wanted a broader, more general view on their education and life activities. If you have a view to get the most out of life for your family, and you want to shake that particular opportunity tree, then maybe adelaide is not the place for you it certainly was not for me. If you want to retire and watch the kids leave as soon as they have a chance, - mind you , they'll always leave so that's perhaps not a valid argument, but I'd like to hope they's at least stick around europe for a few years whilst they make their way in life - equipped with the experiences I've tried to expose them to. The general work market here is vastly more vibrant than adelayed , including renumeration at an appropriate level for skills and experience, ad-delayed always had that cheap "we're going to pay you less than you would earn elsewhere - because it's so great here......" not a way to attract and retain the skills needed to build the place. Eu passport also means cheaper Uni fees , and I do agree Brexit is a cluster&*&*&* ck

No to gas fuel containers of any kind. You will have to empty the soldering iron of all fuel, i.e. run it dry.

we went private but at a "public" hospital in sydney, did it for all three (now 9, 13, 15), same midwife for all, same obstetrician for all, more pricey sure, if I had our time again I think my wife would probably have gone public, but needed C section after 1st so hmmmmmm

as long as you have a valid reason for studying, i.e. a course attendance, and you have loads of cash, mostly as an upfront payment to the university, then you'll have no problem studying in adelaide, however, don't expect a job at the end of it.

We moved back to the UK in 2015, kids aged 8, 12 and 14 then. (sydney for 11 years, adelaide for 4) In terms of aussie-in-laws there were totally against us moving away from adelaide, they're just a different generation, yet on balance Kids have thrived here - achieving way more than would have been possible in adelaide, my aussie wife is incredibly involved with the school as a PTA and Volunteer, we're semi-rural, east sussex, 20-30 mins from nearest shop so quiet enough, we moved back in my late 40's and I've had absolutely no issue getting work, 6 days I think it took me in the city to get a contract gig, since then I've started a professional services firm with two colleagues, grown with a number of clients up in london and I work from home 2 days a week (even worked from france on holiday), sometimes 3, so I can ride my bike along with now 9 year old to school and take my 13 year old to martial arts twice a week. Since we've been back the kids have been all over east sussex and kent, Spain, France x3, Ireland, Italy x2, Greece, Egypt and Belgium, Kids are learning to horse ride, water & snow ski, shoot , and just about anything else they put their mind to, and all in different and varied countries. London is a cracking city and it's been a while since I managed a Thursday evening pint or three (it's the new Friday) but last week had a very pleasant few sherbets in the cannon street area after work, and still home before 2100. I don't think the UK is falling apart at all, it goes without saying that brexit is a dogs breakfast and adds unnecessary uncertainty and cost, it will be uncomfortable there is no doubt about that, but the opportunities in the market here in the UK and indeed europe outstrips what could ever be mustered by Oz, there just simply is no volume in oz Our quality of life has certainly improved, would I say it's massively better or different ? Probably not significantly other than financially, but rural living with easy access to different cultures and countries and a steady stream of lucrative work is too attractive and whilst our time in adelaide now seems distant, I am grateful for our time there as it was wake up call to get on with life and make the change instead of waiting around for something to happen whilst trying to keep the in-laws happy.

Wonderful update, sounds super, I can understand the animal shipping cost!, we brought our dog over on emirates - all worth it as she is my daughters familiar and I took our dog to our local pub last friday afternoon where she was very popular!

B17 over the house ay 500 agl a fortnight ago on the way to Biggin Hill, and back from Shoreham/Eastbourne, lovely sight, we're about 10 miles east of LGW so the lower limit for controlled is 1000ft, the farm we live on is definite VRP (visual reporting point) for the army squaddies in their chinnoks on the way to/from the training base south of us, it can't get any better for my 9 year old!!!!!

Snifter is quite on the mark with this advice, we're a similar couple, anglo-Irish and Anglo-Aussie, Oz for 14 odd years and now back in UK, east sussex to be precise. 4 years is a long time to commit and wait for citizenship, likewise does citizenship give you anything more than a PR in terms of rights of travel, it is a choice that removes or diminishes all other options for you at this stage. We loved Oz, lived our time there, kids have Eu-Oz passports (don't talk about brexit!!) , in other words options are there, and that is what you must try and maintain as life changes hugely when kids come along. Our kids are loving europe, two years back in June and they've thrived. I particularly like the university fees.

Leytonstone is not that far out at all, if it's just the two of you, I'd definitely do a few of these: Have a drink in the Bar at the top of the Shard at London Bridge, go for a snack or two at Borough Market nearby - Pint of Harveys at he Market Porter - it really is good, you can walk off the calories by walking along the southbank from southwark cathedral towards the tate, across the millennium bridge to St Paul's , hang a left and walk towards the strand, along fleet street, just behind he Punch Inn (which is rubbish) there is St Brides, aka the wedding cake church well worth a look, , its about a further 15-20 min walk along the strand past the royal courts of justice - also worth a look inside - by now you should be thirsty enough to pop into the american bar at the savoy just before charing X (apparently it's been revamped so I can't say its the same superb art deco) after that you should really try the National Gallery on trafalgar, it's busy but not crazy and since the tourists always flock to the picasso or other famous, you'll be left in relative peace to take in the other paintings, it's a super gallery and most of what I've said here is free. The Gerkin also has a bar at he top, (just off grace church if you are walking across from london bridge) and the leaden hall market nearby as been used harry potter, just across the street in st michaels lane is the Jamaican Wine house - one of the oldest coffee houses dating from the 1600's, If you are inclined, I can definitely recommend the Pink Floyd exhibition at the V&A, it is something else, well worth the 25gbp We too went to Harrods, and it's changed quite a bit, I joked to my wife that maybe they should change the name to Harab's .... bit tacky and less impressive.

Quoll and Snifter are both quite accurate with their responses. I would not put too much credence on what myschool and or any commercial media rankings on schools using the NAPLAN results. I worked on NAPLAN for a time, specifically introducing digital adaptive assessments in conjunction with ACARA and worked with a team of pedagogists at the dept of education. NAPLAN is a educational delivery snapshot/benchmark of the childs performance at a point in time based on the capabilities of the school, that is to say, it's more important to the school than it is to the child, each individual child will perform differently in their cohort based on age, abilities and so forth. These can change from month to month. Quoll is spot on when he/she says the cohort and peer group is one of most important factors in determining a childs outcome, however good kids are good kids and they will overcome wherever they are. There are some parents who get their kids to study for NAPLAN, which is kind of missing the point, how can you accurately determine a benchmark if you try and game the game.

out on an Aussie, in on a UK, if it's biometric and you're not travelling as a family, go to the beam-me-up scotties and have it scanned, that's what I did and a very nice young man from the HO said welcome to the UK sir.... suits you

maps.me does this globally and offline also, it also has an offline search feature........

Lol

Not sure if you read it through, it would seem that it is the current Premier of South Australia: Jay Weatherill that is saying the state is appalling and is the butt of jokes amongst the eastern states (and overseas too) ?

I'd happily live in the Maldives if I could get work comparable to what I earn now

Not Adelaide then, a wise choice, a wise choice indeed. I wish you luck, Brissie has a reasonable IT/Program/Project manager market, obviously in terms of size you're looking SYD, MLB BRB an the rest don't really factor

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/jobs/premier-admits-sa-has-appalling-reputation-for-unemployment-will-double-down-on-plans-to-create-new-jobs/news-story/4e730f1a9848d2c622e401e08ba316aa Nation’s worst: SA jobless rate up again Jobs department faces huge cut Caleb Bond: Worried about your childrens’ future? You should be PREMIER Jay Weatherill has admitted South Australia has an “appalling” reputation across the country, but says he will “double down” on current strategies in the hope of creating new jobs. With the state’s jobless rate now at 7.3 per cent and leading the nation by a clear margin, Mr Weatherill on Tuesday warned even more people will “cascade” into the unemployed queue when Holden closes in October while hinting the State Budget will lift debt to fund new infrastructure. Mr Weatherill said the economy built by former premier Sir Thomas Playford was “unwinding” and would end “in a very sharp and sudden fashion” when Holden shuts in late October. “The truth is that SA’s reputation around the nation is appalling,” Mr Weatherill told an industry lunch. “You would hear it, anyone who travels interstate, that we’re the butt of jokes.......

are you sure it's not Elizabeth (last week) in the northern suburbs of Adelaide

Obviously we can't speak for others, and in reality young children are not generally compatible with say the louvre or even Foodland. We've almost done it backwards, in the sense that we grew and nurtured our family for over a decade in Sydney, watched them grow, had the usual trials and challenges, overcame many and then decided to move back to the UK in 2015 after a brief if not disappointing and uneventful 3-4 year period in Adelaide. Since then, and I'm not suggesting this is easy (or cheap) by any means, but a effort, timing , planning and kids now a little older make it easier for us to travel frequently to Europe, and indeed further afield. We've really taken the opportunity to travel, Spain, Greece , Italy, France multiple times, Belgium North Africa, Ireland, Scotland. Our kIds perfectly happy for that 2 hour window and we all know expires with a vengeance, but hey, life is a journey and variety is the key, in Paris we went easter egg shopping on paris-saint-germain, in Crete Dad dragged them to major battlefields (including Amari !!!), in France we did same, Normandy and D-Day beaches was something I really wanted my boys to see, 13 year old knew as much if not more than most at Luxor about the middle kingdom, youngest practicing his arabic was a huge hit, also the Bosch Exhibition at the palazzo ducale in venice,or the V&A in London, although parents less comfortable with our 9 year old dashing around the glass museum . It's so delightful to watch them open their minds and take it all in, you kind of have to go and grab it for a moment as it may not last forever. I was secretly delighted when my Aussie wife said to me last week...... "I think we should leave something for the kids to discover themselves........" Life is short. Our kids are difficult wherever they are, so why not travel and impose them on some poor unsuspecting border control person somewhere in the world. My mates I left here over 20 years ago have also been a great help on getting us back up to speed on what/where/when/why to do, so its not all us figuring this out by ourselves.

Thanks mate, it was, not all doom and gloom - just the last 3 years odd in ad-dull-ade, cooked up three beautiful kids in Syd, who are now in the system in the UK so onwards and upwards for them, I intend my family to make a positive kind and cracking contribution to the UK while we are here. We also have had to experience the work and associated stress of having a child with a disability, something which I must stress has been a blessing in disguise for us. We are certainly better of for having the experience, even though that mountain looked insurmountable in adelaide. It proved to be not. I'm not saying I'm more knowledgeable than anyone else on here, just seen alot, did a lot and took lots of risks, so far so good, life is for living and if your idea of fun is a grey nomad and on the road at humpty doo or daily waters, then good on ya, enjoy, explore. Oddly it's the little things, What I do remember is a green luminous tree snake at lawn hill, gregorys river , a bower bird that collected VB bottle tops and green glass, and getting the GPS out by 1/2 a second for borroloola (borrow a ruler) and ending up shooting an approach to mcarthur river mine instead, (15 knot mile error). Mcarthur river is interesting, it's zinc from memory, and they transport it in slurry the jetty on the coast some miles north. It looks like what I imagine the moon would look like. Desolate.

Lots of middle class racism where we were in Adelaide, old school place, pretty stagnant. As someone once said, they don't discriminate in Adelaide, they are equally biased against all races....

what people seem forget is that competence , foresight and planning is what matters. You could have the best visionary leadership in the world, but if your public service is unable to deliver, depending on how much cash you have you're stuffed. Now, if you have both poor leadership and an incompetent public service, then you're in serious trouble .. and finally if you are unlucky enough to have poor leadership, incompetence in public service and a poor and challenging economy then you're .........basically SA for the last 15 years....