marmitegirl

Yes, we had the same...everyone thought we were mad but I'm still glad to be "home." I realise the situation will take time to improve. Rumours are the restrictions will be lifted by Easter so it should be better by the time you arrive.....but I've quickly learnt to take the media reports and government advice with a pinch of salt. U turns a plenty, "leaks" to the press etc. things change so quickly you can't plan or predict much anymore.

Just to add that my travel experience was good and as others have said it has taken 6 weeks to settle but I settled in much quicker returning "home" than moving to Oz despite the restrictions in place. It has been hard but I'm still glad I moved, ideally I would have waited until Easter/Summer but I'd already postponed once and for family and work reasons I couldn't wait any longer. Also, I shipped a moving cube which has been "stuck" in Hong Kong for the past month with no idea when it will be shipped on so I'll be waiting for that for a while yet. Just in case you want to ship things back be prepared for it to take more than the estimated time.

Hi, I just posted this a reply on another thread....some of it might be relevant to you.... In my opinion, as long as you are Brit Citizens I think you'll be fine to get back in the country at the boarder - as long as: 1. You provide a negative covid test (I believe they are now being strict and checking all arrivals now, although you'll by given a £500 fine if you don't provide it) 2. Flights are going ahead as scheduled ( I saw that Emirates cancelled flights to/from Oz but these have been re-instated - not sure what that was about?!?) 3. Self -isolate for 10 days on arrival as travel corridors have been suspended. I believe you can do this at home or home a family members home. There are rumours of starting oz-style hotel quarantine for all arrivals but I can't see this being enforced for a few weeks at least as it would take a huge amount of organisation. Although they closed the schools overnight so not much notice for anyone in that case. So I'd say just be prepared for the possibility of having to hotel quarantine (for only 10 days though if you test negative). I don't think they'll ever ban all flights or stop citizens from entering. Even Oz hasn't done that and their level of general restrictions were much harsher than here. Sorry if I've got any facts wrong, it's hard to keep up with the rules as they keep changing and media reports are not always as accurate as they should be so add to the confusion. Don't get me wrong the situation in the UK is not good, Oz is much "safer". However, the perception of the UK situation in Oz is perhaps not entirely realistic. You get the impression that everyone has covid and we are all in constant fear and dropping like flies. In my experience, it's just not like that at all (although I'm living in a semi-rural area). Life is still going on and we are coping (admitted some areas are better than others), there is light at the end of the tunnel but I have no doubt covid is here to stay and we just have to be prepared to live with these constantly changing restrictions in the UK just like in Oz. Fingers crossed for you, I know how stressful it is. I was checking airline, covid stats and government websites daily in the weeks before we left and was worried about being stranded en route. Fingers crossed that the covid situation improves in Oz, the UK and globally!

Hi Roy In my opinion, as long as you are Brit Citizens I think you'll be fine to get back in the country at the boarder - as long as: 1. You provide a negative covid test (I believe they are now being strict and checking all arrivals now, although you'll by given a £500 fine if you don't provide it) 2. Flights are going ahead as scheduled ( I saw that Emirates cancelled flights to/from Oz but these have been re-instated - not sure what that was about?!?) 3. Self -isolate for 10 days on arrival as travel corridors have been suspended. I believe you can do this at home or home a family members home. There are rumours of starting oz-style hotel quarantine for all arrivals but I can't see this being enforced for a few weeks at least as it would take a huge amount of organisation. Although they closed the schools overnight so not much notice for anyone in that case. So I'd say just be prepared for the possibility of having to hotel quarantine (for only 10 days though if you test negative). I don't think they'll ever ban all flights or stop citizens from entering. Even Oz hasn't done that and their level of general restrictions were much harsher than here. Sorry if I've got any facts wrong, it's hard to keep up with the rules as they keep changing and media reports are not always as accurate as they should be so add to the confusion. Don't get me wrong the situation in the UK is not good, Oz is much "safer". However, the perception of the UK situation in Oz is perhaps not entirely realistic. You get the impression that everyone has covid and we are all in constant fear and dropping like flies. In my experience, it's just not like that at all (although I'm living in a semi-rural area). Life is still going on and we are coping (admitted some areas are better than others), there is light at the end of the tunnel but I have no doubt covid is here to stay and we just have to be prepared to live with these constantly changing restrictions in the UK just like in Oz. Fingers crossed for you, I know how stressful it is. I was checking airline, covid stats and government websites daily in the weeks before we left and was worried about being stranded en route. Fingers crossed that the covid situation improves in Oz, the UK and globally!

Hi, move went ok in the end! Lots of stress but we've been back nearly 2 months and apart from the lockdown and kids not being in school it's been just as I'd expected/hoped. Yes, the UK has changed people have moved on etc but I was prepared for this and wasn't expecting it to be perfect. Lockdown is what it is, nothing we can do about it and has put a bit of a dampener on things but we're just getting on with it as best we can. Obviously when we moved we had half expected further lockdowns so were mentally prepared. Getting used to the cold and wet weather was a bit of a shocker and it being so cold has meant being stuck inside is not really much of a problem when you don't want to go out in the cold/wet/dark. Moving countries, houses etc during a pandemic isn't easy and I hadn't expected things to take so much longer than they usually do and our goods being shipped are stuck in Hong Kong and not going anywhere in a hurry. I couldn't get travel insurance in the end - I tried so many providers and they are just not selling it while travel is banned. Good luck with the move, keep trying for the exemption. I had to provide LOTS of evidence: dec type statement, job contract, house rental agreement, flight tickets, kids offered a place in school, deposit paid for shipping of goods. I got the exemption about 6 hours after I applied so processing was very speedy back in October.

Just interested if you managed to get travel insurance and who you went with? I can't get it as no one is selling :-(

Flying with Singapore. Usually we go Emirates but wanted to avoid quarantine the other end. Not that we'll be doing much now we're headed into the last few days of lockdown but just wanted the option of being able going out to the shops if needed/emergency in case food delivery slots were hard to come by. But apparently there is plenty of availability as supermarkets have upped their game due to demand. UAE has just been added to the travel corridor list so no official quarantine via that route either now. With jet lag, cold short winter days and a new house to organise we're planning on a self-imposed quarantine anyway . No idea if the flights will be full or not, was half expecting ours to be cancelled or get bumped but it seems schedules are going ahead as usual. How about you?

Hi Niti I'm going through exactly the same as you at the moment, we're flying in 2 weeks!! Just wondered if you had travel insurance?? If so through who? I can't get any as no Australian providers are allowed to sell it at the moment. I've called a few and they all say no, they can't sell it. Also, having my sevenseas move cube picked up soon. I haven't applied for my TOR yet (must get onto that!!), when do you have to provide your TOR to the shipping company? Thanks and good luck with the move

Exactly...basically provider says Due to the latest advisory from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) banning travel to all destinations, we are not currently offering travel insurance to new customers.

So we're not the only ones then!! Everyone thinks we're mad to be going especially now but I agree with what you say. Good luck with the move

Thanks for all the great info. Sorry should have been more clear re mobile, I'm wanting to use my aus number in the UK to get bank codes etc. All previous plans have disappeared as I guess there is no demand to use aus phone overseas anymore!! Looks like I can't do it cheaply anymore and may have to pay a fortune for roaming I'm moving semi-rural in South of UK, got a job, schools etc. lined up, ill family member (non-Covid related) swayed the decision as I already postponed once. It's been a tough decision and I'm still torn. Not sure if flights into the UK will be cancelled anyway as few will be coming out.!? Going via Singapore and heard medical expenses are high, not keen to go without travel insurance but there seems to be no options as an aus resident. Cover more would only cover with a return ticket but policy wouldn't be valid anyway as virtually all (if not all) countries are currently classified as "do not travel". Not sure what people who've been leaving aus are supposed to do?

Our problem is that if we don't get back by the start of the new term in Jan the school can't/won't hold the places which I totally understand. We are moving semi rural and places are in demand more than ever. So waiting to go around Easter and the next (summer) term means probably not having a local school which would be a big problem. We did a big "last" aussie holiday in the Sept/Oct holidays - was expensive but great and I seemed to enjoy it knowing it would be the last one for a long while

Just posted on another thread about moving back to the UK, supposed to be going at the end of November if flights not cancelled. While I realise it is possibly the worst time ever to go back we are still going ahead with the move which we have already postponed once. I'm having issues with: Travel Insurance - no one is selling it in Australia for Aus residents...what to do?!? The one provider I found who is selling is only for return trips and we have one-way flights. Mobile - where have all the providers gone that let you have a cheap plan that works in UK but long top up time, everything I can find now seems to be monthly or pre-paid with 6-month top up which is $180? Any advice? Private Health - best to cancel? or pause? or keep paying a cheap policy to avoid medicare levi surcharge - is this even legal? TOR - Not sure when this needs to be done? I understood from shipping company that although I complete it, they need the ref/approval number before it clears UK customs so it can be done in the 3 months while goods are shipped? Super stressed trying to get it all done in time on top of the pandemic stuff so any help would be greatly appreciated thanks!!

Hopefully your husband can take some comfort in knowing he is in a safe place and lucky to be where he is...that's what I keep thinking and will have that mindset if we have to postpone again. Our aim is to get back for the start of school in January...assuming schools will still be open , if not, will try to enjoy the summer and remind myself we'll get there next year when the situation has improved (fingers crossed)

Going through the exact same situation at the moment.......although we already have the travel exemption, flights booked for end of Nov (but now expecting them to be cancelled as airlines reduce schedules to UK again), shipping booked, enrolled kids in school starting in Jan. We actually originally intended to go in June but put it off due to uncertainty about the whole pandemic. So I re-booked everything once already and not keen to re-schedule it all again as it's been extremely stressful!! The additional pull on top of the usual is that I have an ill family member in the UK (non-COVID related) who may not be around once things have cleared up (which may be a long time yet!) and travel to/from Aus opens up again so we decided to go for it again. But now obviously putting us all at risk health wise is making me think twice. Although I don't have paid work here but have a job lined up in the UK, so not so much of a need to stay as I wouldn't be giving up much really. It's a tough decision and I'm torn, as I like your husband, was determined to go and felt I just had to. It's just so hard to know what is for the best, the thought of postponing again is just depressing. But it may be taken out of my hands if flights dry up again and then I think I'll never get back. But like someone said, we are so lucky in Aus and there are worse places to be, I'd just rather be "home."