Bumblebee

I always had the 'it takes 2 years to be settled' in my mind, so when I found myself not happy this made me try harder - we then moved interstate after our first 2 years so I then told myself that was like starting again so would give it another 2 years, then we moved closer the city (we were in Melbourne too) and really I was trying and trying and trying and before I knew it 10 years had gone by!  If 7 months is enough for you and you KNOW you feel that way then go with it is my advice!  Especially if you both feel the same way. If you stay and one of you ends up wanting to go home and the other loves it, well that's a dreadful space to be in.  I'm home now with the kids and honestly loving it. Maybe all you needed was 7 months to then be able to appreciate the UK and it'll feel different in a good way when you come back, commute and all! (or you could move somewhere different here?). Good luck!

I did my TOR the other day, shipping went in Jan so was worried about being late! It said it would take 2 weeks and if any later to contact them. 

I got my reference number a few hours if that after applying! Super quick.

I've had two children in Australia away from any family and I will truly always regret it. When I think of the loneliness of having no one to share such a wonderful experience like having a baby, no one to visit, and just not being able to share my baby with the people I love it brings tears.  I've just moved back after 10+ years and only a week in its lovely being with family and seeing the kids with everyone. Family is so important. Belonging is so.important. if you can't imagine having kids without family don't. Don't contemplate it. I thought it would be OK, that people would visit etc etc but it's simply not the same.

I've taken back what I could for ease and also I know I'll have no money now I'm here. I'm living with family for a few years so didn't bring any big furniture but figured the cost of replacing all the little things like kitchen stuff etc really adds up so shipped as much as I could. 

Good luck with the move. I've just arrived back 

Got it sorted, so simple, he only wanted the photo card part, took  new photo and asked for the address. Didn't need anything particular but he did see the Aussie bank account statement with UK address on. 

Should take 8-10 days he said. One less thing to sort...tick! 

On 13/01/2019 at 13:39, LKC said:

We went into a post office and the very nice lady in there helped us out. There was a machine that took our photos and had a thing to sign that captured your signature. The licenses were back within the week. Only some post offices do this service though, so check before you go. It cost £4.50 extra, and as we did it the day after we arrived, jet-lagged and confused, we decided it was worth the extra few pounds. Here is the information https://www.postoffice.co.uk/uk-driving-licence-photocard-renewal

ETA: Don't worry about getting into trouble, as above. We didn't notify them because they didn't want an overseas address, and we didn't have a UK one.

Can I ask what you took with you? Just passports? Thanks

Hi all,

Just got back and need to renew my driver licence. I never  told them I'd left (10+ years ago!) and it says you can be fined for not telling then you've change address. 

Am I going to get in trouble?

Do I just do the online application to renew? What have others done?

I don't know my NI number but of course have passport, and it says they can just use my passport photo.

Thanks

Yes, that's what the staff told me to do they really are very helpful.

so now its all submitted they'll send a PDF of the inventory list for me to use for TOR. OK, next step....

This really is a rollercoaster, can't wait to be sitting on that plane !

1 hour ago, Amber Snowball said:

Oh wow. I genuinely don’t remember having to do an extra customs form. I did the TOR and sure that was it! Did Sevenseas give it to you?

Yes, its on the online account when you complete all inventory and documents, on the same page you add passport photo etc. Eeek! I'll call this morning

Hi everyone, 

My movecube got collected today - woohoo! So I'm just urgently completing the outstanding documents and the customs questions are confusing. I will call in the morning but wondered if others can help...

It asks:

Which countries did you visit? Is that literally visited Australia from 2008 to 2019? 

It then asks the dates you left And return to the UK - surely that's the same answer? 

It then asks does the contents of your shipment originate from the UK? If yes it asks how they wrre shipped - Well of course some items do but I can only vaguely remember the company we used and definitely don't have an inventory that it asks for, it was nearly 11 years ago.

The supplementary customs info asks to list all items obtsibed outside the UK/EU. Would I literally list all those things in my shipping, every little item?

Am starting to worry, Ive got to empty the unit tomorrow so cleaners can come in and  now worried this will take forever and I won't get it done! I had thought TOR would be through the UK website, but looks like I need to list everything again here

thanks

Hi, does anyone have any advice or experience getting child support assessment from UK to Australia, I know they are reciprocal and I contact UK CSA who will then work with Australia CSA. 

Wondering how quickly an assessment is made. Is the process pretty straightforward? 

Thanks

3 hours ago, Ozzie said:

currently watching 'Batteries Not Included', anyone remember that! What rock and roll lifestyles we lead!

Love it! A classic. I agree - how NYE changes with kids lol! I spent the evening packing for my move back!

Happy new year everyone!

Moving back in 10days! Anyone else heading back soon? Shipping goes this week then its clean clean clean to get unit ready to give back. 

On 25/12/2018 at 18:01, Quoll said:

Never think of a move forward (you can never go back to what you had) as failure.

Oh I LOVE this! Its so true. Its not going back at all. Yes back to a place but its not time travel - its not going back to what any of us had before. And I'm hoping that's the beauty of returning - its a NEW adventure, not returning to the past.

Eeeeek! The shipping gets taken in just over a week and THIS is what my packing area looks like! Please tell me that's normal and it'll all be OK !! 

I haven't logged any inventory online yet either but have all the contents listed ready to enter.

23 hours ago, Ferrets said:

You should still have renewal docs on email from Allianz that show the level they would insure you at becuase of no claims, they can't take those back 

I think there is a summary page on my insurance renewal that says - I'll just bring that

Ooh glad I read this. Wouldn't have thought to take proof back! 

15 hours ago, LKC said:

We (OH, two kids aged 9 and 11 as they were, and I) moved back to the UK a little over a year ago, after 9 years in Sydney. We moved to a part of the UK that we'd not lived in before, so we had no family or friends to help with settling in. It has actually been fine. They both settled really easily and well at school, made loads of friends, and eldest has recently transitioned to high school without any problems at all. The teachers were all very supportive of helping them cover any extra bits of schoolwork they were missing, and the help for eldest (who has Asperger's) has been exceptional. Sadly, my marriage hasn't survived and OH and I are now separated, but even that has been made easier by being in the place we love. I shudder to think about what could have happened if we'd separated whilst still living in Australia.

There are ups and downs, as with any move, but I absolutely wouldn't change what we did in moving back for a second. Australia seems like a very distant dream now, and although I am glad we had the experience of living there, I am so very happy to be home!

Hi LKC, sorry to hear about your split, glad your where you are for it, yes being here in oz going through this is not great! Will be home thank goodness, its been a tough two years. 

I've heard the schools are great at catching kids up, I'm looking forward to being back in the UK system. Haven't looked at schools yet as not sure where well be living. Did your kids start school straight away? 

12 minutes ago, Ozzie said:

Regarding shipping taking three months - pack their favourites in your luggage. Sure they're a little older, but we packed a laptop and as many of our child's favourite DVD's/teddies/books as we could. Helped with familiarity in an unfamiliar situation waiting for personal items to arrive. Also, not sure how much you're bringing back but do check out movecube as an alternate to a full/half container. Don't use the 'online calculator' on movecube - it's just not accurate. We fit a huge amount in our large movecube and the rest took in a series of carry-on/in hold.

I'm sure you have / will but talk talk talk to your kids. Never stop the two way communication. Ask them questions, get them interested - point out maps, who you'll be seeing, what new adventures you'll have. Don't discount their feelings or memories of here, but get them looking forward, not back. Listen to their excitement and fears.

I'm not meaning to pry - but presuming you do have approval to remove your kids from Australia? I noticed you said just you and the kids... I don't want to bring up upsetting memories, just checking you have this in place?

And whatever you do, see if you can apply for citizenship before you leave. You just never never know.....

Thanks Ozzie, yes consent order and citizenship all done. Marriage ended early this year and he wants to stay here (we're both from UK). 

Interesting you're the second person to say that about movecube, holding more, hope so as medium looks small measured with masking tape, just packing now. SUCH a big undertaking alone, I'm exhausted! 

You're quote in your signature gives me hope too - definitely starting from scratch - Eeek!

Hi, 

I'm returning to the UK after 10+ years, just me and my two kids. So I'm returning but its new for them 10 and 4). They've visited with me every few years so kind of know what's coming but for the three of us it'll all be new. And permanent.

Just wondering about other peoples experiences, can anyone share what they've been through, how the kids coped, any tips to help transition. Our shipping will take 3months so settling tips on arrival welcome! (We'll be living with family then moving in with my mum more permanently a few months after arriving).

I'm also feeling the ups and downs - it is both exciting and genuinely terrifying making such a leap. I know when I get there it'll feel right but Australia seems like Neverland to me, when I'm in the UK I know its right but when you're in Oz it makes you forget! 

Packing in earnest now and apart from stressing my stuff won't fit (I'll map out the space to know for sure before), I'm worried my packing won't be good enough. 

Books - did you put them straight I to the box or layer with some paper?

Ornaments - I've bubble wrapped everything, would the go in one box all together or spread out? I've got some heavy salt lamps in the same box as tea light holders and thinner glass. 

Any packing advice greatly appreciated, I've got a medium move cube coming. 

Also TOR doesn't need to be back until the shipment lands so am I OK to just wait till I have full inventory when boxes complete or should I do before? 

Thanks! 

We've live on the gold coast and Melbourne, Ive enjoyed both and have really liked Melbourne, grat fir kids, I'll be sad to leave but despite it being a great place to live it will never offer those things I want for my kids, and me!  I think if you focus on those things you hold dear when making your decisions you hopefully won't waste years and years trying to settle when in the end what you are looking for just isn't here.

We've live on the gold coast and Melbourne, Ive enjoyed both and have really liked Melbourne, grat fir kids, I'll be sad to leave but despite it being a great place to live it will never offer those things I want for my kids, and me!  I think if you focus on those things you hold dear when making your decisions you hopefully won't waste years and years trying to settle when in the end what you are looking for just isn't here.

On 17/11/2018 at 11:43, EvieV said:

We decided to move back 5 months ago. Sold the house in 9 days and that has been the hardest part so far - getting the house ready, tarting it up, decluttering, organising shippers, pet transport etc. Now we're just waiting for settlement & for the children to finish school. We leave on 30th Dec, 6 months from having made the decision.

Safe travels! Not long now

On 04/12/2018 at 16:13, juliaoz01 said:

So we moved to Perth from the north east England back in April. We had lived in Sydney in 2004 for a year in our twenties as backpackers and just loved it. Since then we have been back about 6 times. We love the east coast but have found housing very expensive and work (welding anyway) not particularly well paid. So, we settled on Perth as housing is cheaper, work is better paid and there’s more opportunities and the climate is better. However, we both are very miserable here. We always wanted to move here for a ‘better’ quality of life but that’s just not happening. My partner has managed to get work ok but the days are very long and we hardly see him. When we do he’s knackered. He is getting more and more depressed as he doesn’t get to spend the time he wants with our four year old son. I am pregnant with twins and due pretty much any time now. It has been really hard to meet people, and the acquaintances we have formed all tend to be from the UK or New Zealand. Australians either can’t understand us which is fair enough, or just don’t get us. Especially at work my partner has found it hard just getting along with people which is very unusual. 

We also have 3 dogs and aside from the beach there’s just nowhere to take them. They have to either be on a lead or arent allowed. The beaches are nice but finding one without huge rips and that are dangerous is hard work.

I feel like such a whinger but worst of all I feel like a fraud. We spent the last 14 years desperate to get back here, but I think we aren’t the people we were then and Australia isn’t the country to fulfill the dreams we had in our twenties. But we left England because we weren’t happy and thought life here would be that much better. But the isolation, the work and the amount of rules and regulations they have here for everything is just making things so much harder. Aside from the weather, I don’t know if I want our children growing up here as there are so many social issues. I know 9 months isn’t a long time but we have that feeling of dread in the pit of our stomach all the time and it’s just eating away at us. Is this normal and/or has anyone else moved out here just to feel like they’ve made a big mistake?

I think we can have ideas of what it'll be like before we arrive, when we are dreaming, and then the reality is very different! Like you say you are different people to back then, I think kids change everything too.

I'd go home. Esp if you are both feeling the same way about it. I stuck it out for 8-9 years trying to make it work and now I'm moving back alone with two kids. 

I agree with you, we too came for opportunity and a 'better' life but that didn't happen, what is 'better' anyway? The kids have no family here, I have no support and the reality is it was better, in my case, for one person only. There are heaps of problems in Australia and we have no reason to be here. Even if UK's not great at least its ours! 

Good luck with your decision. Go with your gut, the head gets in the way. Don't worry about what other people think either, time is relative and when you are unhappy 9months can feel like 9years!