Norfolkborn

thankyou for all your comments. johndoe you certainly gave me something to think about! I won't be making any hasty decisions, I think you are right, I just need to let the dust settle before I do anything! thanks for sharing your story with me.

I think if I'm honest, my father dying and then my brother in law a year later started me thinking about returning. and yes being alone has probably influenced the thinking more in that direction. i an close to my kids, and grandkids, but they're growing up fast and won't need me as much as they get older, but it's gut-wrenching to think of not being able to see them. 6 months here and 6 months in the U.K. would be the perfect solution but I just don't think that is financially viable for me right now. thanks for your comments, I don't have an easy choice do I?

I have been in Australia for almost 30 years, moving here with my young children who are now both adults and I have 3 young grandsons, 8, 6 and 5. i came here with their father, we divorced and I later remarried an Australian, which unfortunately had also recently ended. My family, ageing mother, brothers, sisters, and fairly large extended family are all in the UK. Even though I have been here for 30 years, we are still very close and have regular visits back and forth. As I've got older I feel a strong need to return to my family in the U.K., but also torn by the prospect of leaving my children and grandchildren who are very entrenched in the Aussie way of life! I am feeling more and more socially isolated, whilst I have good friends here, I have no-one that I am really close to. I haven't even discussed with my kids the possibility of me leaving Australia for good, and there are also financial issues to deal with, such as pensions, would I get a job in the U.K. at the ripe old age of 60!! any advice or suggestions would be welcome