TazG

Its been a while since I last posted.... I am now 37 days out from moving home. I have a small move cube coming this Friday which I am managing to fit 24 boxes and a mountain bike in. TOR approval has been received and it looks like we may have been approved for a rental too. Just waiting to hear back if the owner is happy for us to move in 3 weeks later than they wanted but pay rent for those 3 weeks. Its all coming together nicely :)

36 days!!! but that's just for a look see to check out if the kids will be happy us moving there in November. I can't believe how fast it is coming up now!

After 30 yrs in Australia I feel the same way! I have never settled. It is your life... don't waste what is left of it only to die with regrets. It might not work out back home... who cares! at least you know that you tried. On the other hand... you may find that it is everything that you have been yearning for and more. You don't know unless you try. I am packing up later this year and finally making the move but taking my teenagers with me. I honestly don't know who is more excited... them or me. xx

This is great to hear!! I have heard nothing much positive regarding the weather and why we would be mad to leave Australian sun to go back to dreary wet Scotland. I'd rather being cooler and walking in the drizzle any day over 40 degree heat!

On the flip side.... how is it work wise if you return to the UK?

Hi LKC I am going to North Ayrshire, then Aviemore, then over to Edinburgh. Have so much to do in only 16 days!! So many friends and a family to see, a wedding to attend also. I can't wait!

Yep all 3 are British citizens and have UK and Aussie passports

We don't have any orders in place at present. He has seen the girls once in two years and the boy twice. He is wrapped up in his new life with his new partner. If he were to pursue it via the courts it would be a massive waste of time and money for him. The girls will be both over 16yrs old and the boy will be 14yrs old. Under the Hague Convention the only one he can try and bring back is the boy, but he doesn't want to look after him and a Judge would not likely side with him as he has not exercised any parental responsibility for years and removing the boy from his sisters and mother would not be just.

Thanks Toots!! I am beyond excited!!!! I get teary thinking about it! I have dreamed about this for so damn long now.

I go home to Scotland in 77 days. It has been 11,062 days since I left Scotland and was brought to Australia by my parents. 11,062 days I have longed to be back on Scottish soil. I am the same as you, I hate the heat. I am over it! This summer especially has been insufferable for me. My children all want to go to live in Scotland and so does my partner. We are planning on moving later this year after my eldest has graduated grade 12. My dad passed away in 2006 but always wanted to go home. He never settled here. I don't want to die with those feelings inside me also. The yearning never goes away. I call it displacement. My eldest wants to go to Uni also, I heard from a lady on FB that her daughter moved over and was accepted as a resident after a year of being back in the country. We are hoping that happens for my daughter also. She is going to have a gap year then apply. My other two will slot into 2nd and 3rd year. My only issue with it all is their father and I are divorced. he has not seen the kids in over a year... he sends them a text once a month. I hope he can see the move as something positive for them and not try to stop me. We are going to be spending 3 weeks there at Easter. Its not really going to give us full understanding of how life will be, but it will give us some idea. Then we will know if the move back is on or not.

I wonder if it is worth shipping any household items at all... The estimated transit times for movecube are pretty much 3 months. I think that within 3 months of being back home we would get sick of waiting and just buy new stuff. What have others done? did you take much furniture? or just personal items in boxes?

I have lived in Australia since 1988 and was only 14 when I came here so never actually got an NI number...

so if I move back next year aged 44 i will need to work for 20 years and top up 15yrs worth of contributions to get a full pension?

Good on you for following your heart!! I am sorry to hear about your husband passing though. I am similar to you... Born Scotland, lived in Australia since I was 14. I have never felt as though I belong and I detest the heat. I have never been home. I have a trip booked for easter next year and all going well intend on moving back in September next year. I know in my heart that as soon as my feet hit Scottish soil I will be home and feel peace within myself again.

I grew up in several places.... East Kilbride, Lennoxtown, Lenzie and North Ayrshire before moving to Australia. I love being by the sea but I miss the hills. I want my daughter to study nursing at Stirling University and I will likely get work in Glasgow. So who knows where we will end up.