Monkeystyle

Just wanted to pipe in the we have used Jetpets, granted we haven't left yet, but they have been fantastic and even delivered the travel cages so that the cats would be less suspicious of them and have time to get used to them... that said, it's a little less than $2k per cat, so if anyone wants a cat or two, I'll happily leave them here!!

Well said. I find that British people like to put the UK down because it helps validate their decision to live here, rather than celebrating both countries. Most people who do that do tend to come from an area that they dont want to go back to, or have an Australian partner who would not move, so they don't really have the choice anyway... viva la choix! (and ok, that''s probably terrible French, but I'm sure it will get better with France on our door-step when we move!).

Hi, we are moving back, and I'm technically Australian too! If you can choose to be an Aussie (which most of you have done for at least a while), then you can certainly choose to move to the UK and consider yourself English. I've lived in both countries, throughout my 20's and early 30's in the UK and 15 years in Aus. My wife is English and we both miss many things, seasons, sophisticated culture, old friends, big family... and we get to go back and live in the UK and see it "afresh", nothing like leaving somewhere to have a fresh appreciation for it. We'll be living in the Home Counties in time for the school year to start in September. It's worth going back a lot (!) before you make the decision though. Both countries are wonderful, but people make the mistake of moving from great areas here to frankly difficult areas there - friends of mine are constantly comparing the Manly to Manchester. That's like comparing Kensington to Sunderland... just too different. Here's what I love about the UK (the list is equally long for Australia too!): the endless meg-city nature of London right in the centre of the world, country walks, long grass without snakes and spiders, weekends in Paris, endless places to visit within a few hours, history history history, market towns, farm produce, TV, real seasons, a 6 week lead-up to Christmas, fireworks on guy Fawkes night and old friends and family who knew you when you were too young to be pretending to be anything other than who you are deep down... Good luck with your decisions and remember, you can always come back. But don't underestimate just how expensive the whole endeavour is!