BooBooBear

Sure you can. Especially nowadays. Loads of ones at Bunnings for under $200. Mine is quite a few years old and cost I think about $800. This was some years ago. But its good and big and powerful and works extremely well still. I never used one in the UK. Or indeed for the first 20 years I lived in Oz. But I needed one as soon as I moved near the beach. Never experienced mould before until lived near beach. My friend lives in The Southern Highlands in NSW. Bloody cold there. Snows too. She has a double brick house with double glazing, central heating and an open fire. Too cold for me down there.

What night was that? Don't have aircon, but don't remember sweltering through the night recently. And had the heater on all day today.

Have a "Delonghi Ariadry" dehumidifier. A lifesaver.

We had the same problem. Now cured. Or at least we are managing it. First we washed away the mould from walls and ceiling with hot water, washing-up liquid and tea-tree oil. Took a few goes but got there. Now maintain with a cleaning product called "Thieves Household Cleaner" from a company called Young Living Essential Oils. All natural stuff so not breathing in horrible bleach. Also hired a carpet shampoo machine from Bunnings for deep cleaning of carpets. And either washed it out of clothes or threw badly impregnated clothes away. But the best and really only way to keep things under control, is running a Dehumidifier during the day whilst we are out. The machine cost $800 from Bunnings and is the best money ever spent. Very cheap to run. And you should see how much water we pull out each day. Amazing. Of course, keeping windows open where possible and letting sun in during summer helps too. It is a battle. But certainly one you can win.

Granny Flats and cabins are very very popular in Sydney. http://www.backyardcabins.com.au/

Upon first moving to Sydney, I brought my entire house furniture from Fantastic Furniture. They have some great packages. They are in Perth too. I also picked up some great bargains for free from a website called Trash Nothing. Also known as Freecycle. I have a gorgeous settee that everyone compliments me on. Looks expensive. But got it for free off Trash Nothing, as the people giving it away were upgrading. Places like Kmart and Target have some decent cheap furniture too. As does Ikea. If you do want to purchase from Harvey Norman, they often offer five years interest free deals, buy now and pay off in installments over five years. Plus if you pay it off within five years, of course no interest to pay. They call it Hire Purchase in the UK. Not called that here but same principle I think.

All of the places I suggested are stunningly beautiful. The Blue Mountains are beautiful. Especially Leura township and surrounds. Bushwalking, valleys and waterfalls on your doorstep. Church Point is situated surround by National Park on the edge of Pittwater, and the views are breathtaking. Paddleboarding at sunrise with dolphins jumping all around - is a great way to start your day before driving into the office. Macmasters Beach is lovely. Kangaroo Valley has gorgeous countryside, the views are stunning. And the Southern Highlands area is very much quaintly British. If you miss the British countryside, then you will feel at home around Bowral. Scotland Island and Berowra Waters are delightful. Not as convenient as the other places sure, but lovely places to live just the same.

I am unfamiliar with this area. Well never actually heard of Reigate. Why do you love it so much? I have lived in many different Sydney suburbs. So if you can tell me what Reigate is like, I may be able to advise further. But depending on your income and circumstances, and given your husband can work from home, I would suggest some lovely suitable commuting areas like: Leura - Blue Mountains Church Point - Upper Northern Beaches Macmasters Beach - Central Coast Kangaroo Valley – Southern Highlands Scotland Island - Upper Northern Beaches (boat access only) Berowra Waters - Upper North Shore (boat access only) All these places are commutable. But they also have a good community, who are welcoming to newcomers. And all of them are utterly lovely places to live in or near Sydney.

If you can afford it, Jilliby in the Dooralong Valley, is a lovely rural area near the Central Coast. Only 103km to Sydney CBD. And 30mins to the beach.

My opinion only of course, but living in central Gosford would be the pits. But the areas surrounding it can be nice and even stunningly beautiful. Places like : Pearl Beach, Kincumber, Avoca Beach, Mcmasters Beach, Hardys Bay, Pretty Beach, Killcare Heights and Picketts Valley, to name but a few. And all an easy drive to Sydney or to Sydney from Gosford train station.

Richmond seems nice for the casual visitor. I drive through there on way to and from the Blue Mountains. I have not lived there, so cannot say for sure about really how nice it is on a day to day basis. There are quite a few young single mums in the areas and limited job prospects. And Sydney is renowned for its snobbery on where you live. So I think living out west tends to get a bad rap for that reason. If your family love living there, then better to trust their judgement than some random stranger on a website.

Hello. I don't know much about Sydney schools. Most people I know with kids send them to private schools like Knox (boys) and Abbotsleigh (girls). But I use to live on the Northern Beaches. Wonderful area. Well some of it is wonderful. Of course this is my opinion only. But Dee Why is horrible and Avalon is gorgeous. What is your renting budget per week?

A lot of new arrivals struggle because they do feel isolated and miss family support back home. It can make you feel terribly homesick and unhappy. So I think if you get emotional support from other mums it will be excellent. You will make new friends in no time. There seems to be a lot of mums in Manly. And by the look of that boot camp, you will get super fit and healthy in the process. Even walking along the promenade in the Manly sunshine will help chase any sorrows. It is a very pretty area. I think location is vitally important for mental health issues. I get quite down in the city in places like Chinatown. All hussle and bussle, homeless people begging and car horns blaring. But I feel my spirits lift when I am by the sea in a pretty location. I go to Manly quite often for lunch.

Most UK registry offices require a notice, usually about 28 - 30 days. You go along, fill out the paperwork, show your birth certificate, pay the fee and book a date. Somebody may be able to do this on your behalf by proxy? You would need to check this. Then return 28 - 30 days later to marry in your allocated spot. Bit clinical. Not very romantic. Some places require you to live in the area for some or all of those 30 days. Some don't. You will need to find out what the rules are in your borough. Maybe this suggestion is a bit radical; but I would do it. Get married in somewhere like Bali of Fiji by yourselves. Bit of romance or luxury. Both are close to Australia with cheap flights. A non-religious ceremony on the beach or near a tropical waterfall. Lovely memories for you both. You could combine it with a short holiday in either country. Then when you return to the UK, have another wedding at a registry office to keep the family happy. A friend recently had five weddings to please herself and fiance, and to keep the family and friends happy. One in India. One in France. One in Wales. One in Canada. One in Australia which I went to. The Australian one was on the beach. Very casual. More like a blessing really. Had a BBQ afterwards. There was also one at a winery and in a stately home I think. It was all too confusing for me. Yes it is completely over the top. But she is rich and so are her relations. So none of my business what she does with her money. Still everyone was happy and felt satisfied in the end.

I don't agree. I am a member of over ten forums. Combination of here and overseas. And I have never experienced such personal attacks on my character. Ever. And from long standing members too. That is the sort of crap I would expect from a troll. People calling me a selfish miserable drama queen, with ridiculous views, who needs to get a grip. And all this it seems just because I dislike the UK and don't want to return with my husband. I did however get a PM, that warned me that people on here could be argumentative, especially the UK fans. What a scary welcome to the forum that was.

NZ is a lovely country to work, travel and live in. Do you have a WHV for there?

If this is the case, maybe the applicant can "play dumb" Say the didn't realise the country was so big when they arrived, and they really want to see XXXXXX area before they leave, as so many tourists had recommended it. I also wonder if where you apply makes a difference. I have been told by various people that immigration in Sydney are bureaucratic, stressed, busy, harsh and military. Whilst immigration officers and offices in Brisbane, Darwin and Cairns are more laid back and friendlier.

I am not making "accusations". Simply telling it as I see and feel it. I am in the area a lot. I see and hear things. And I have Aussie friends who have lived there for years who tell me things still aren't right. Nothing you can put your finger on. But a sort of menace brewing under the surface. The racial problems they had there have not simply disappeared. Gone into hibernation more like. Otherwise of course it is God's Own Country. Best place in Australia to live apparently. So some tell me.

Seeming miserable and being miserable are two different things. I didn't say they were miserable. I said they seemed it. Obviously I was not talking about the whole of the UK. I was talking about our immediate family and location. Why and how were my statements ridiculous? More like most peoples "advice" was way-off topic, useless and ridiculous. (i.e.) Telling me I was a drama queen who needed to get a grip. Yeah very helpful thanks. My god. It was a simple question: Has anyone been in a long distance relationship

Sounds very exciting. All you can do is try. Better to try and be knocked back. Then to never have tried at all. Are you eligible for a second HWV: https://www.travellers.com.au/WorkInOz/2ndYearVisaExtensions/tabid/142/Default.aspx I don't know if the rules have changed. But back in the day, as long as you showed sufficient funds and an outward flight booking, it was fairly easy to get a 3 - 6 month tourist visa after a WHV one. The main point to keep in mind is having proof of sufficient funds. Either here or overseas in an emergency fund that can be wired to you. Also proof of an onward ticket would also work extremely well in your favour. Immigration just want to make sure you won't get stuck here with no means of support. Obviously something like $350.00 in the bank is not going to last long. And you are likely to be rejected. But showing $3,500 would be most favorable I should think.

Matt. I have replied to your PM. You are so lucky with that location. I am really feeling quite envious.... Hope you enjoy the beaches as much as I do. :smile:

I was being facetious. No. Still lots of racial tension down there. Could boil over at any time.

REMINDER My original questions were: 1) Is anyone in, or has been in, a long distance relationship? 2) Just wondering if anyone has been in a similar long distant relationship situation? And made it work? Had a couple of good answers here and an excellent one by PM. Thank you for them. But seems most people feel the need to tell me: My views about the UK are wrong or ridiculous I am being selfish I am being petulant I am being a drama queen I am being miserable I am dismissive I am unwilling to compromise I need to get a grip I am inconsiderate I would be better to chuck my relationship away My marriage is not as strong as I think it is WTF! I didn’t ask you what you thought of me. I simply asked if anyone had been in a long distance relationship.

Yes it is. To me it is. I am thinking many things about these answers. And they are not overly polite.

I'm a bit bemused by some of the answers here. So I suppose we are even on that point. I think 12 months is a long time to live somewhere that you detest.