Pat Checkley

Hi everyone Thank you so much for all your suggestions and recommendations on my lengthy message last week. There is a lot to consider of course, when returning to the place you once called home, after 14 years and we are under no illusion that things will have changed (some drastically) during our absence. But this is the way of it and as long as our good health continues, we will endeavour to return within the next few months. We've chosen SA over WA, where we used to live, because we really feel that South Australia would be a great place to retire to. Perhaps this is because we have heard many good things about SA and the fact that we wouldn't be alone, as there are lots of retirees there. Western Australia is really lovely and was everything we wanted at the time. We both had good jobs and made some great friends, with whom we've kept in touch over the years. However; SA is where we are now planning to head, not least to be a little nearer to our daughter who lives in Victoria. I think we've got all the pre-requisites for coming back to Australia as Aussie Citizens, but fourteen years on, we were a little concerned about the 'basic stuff' like how long it takes to be back on Medicare's books, and how long it takes to be assessed for the Senior State Pension by Centrelink etc. I know that our UK pension would never be increased, and that we would need to receive a 'top-up' of the Aussie Senior Pension, and we still do have an account with Westpac (very little in it at the moment though...) which we would use to transfer our money etc. I guess it's really just a case of getting a bit of moral support from people who've probably done this very thing, for various reasons. As some of you said, it's not a great idea to rent sight-unseen, and we agree with that so we would probably be looking for a short term holiday let, whilst checking out rental properties until we buy. Someone on here, mentioned that the sale of our property here in the UK should bring in a decent amount to be able to buy a good property in SA, and whilst we agree with this completely, in our case, fourteen years of living in the UK has sucked up a lot of our savings as we had to supplement our UK pension. So we think we would have enough funds to buy a place outright, but it wouldn't be a massively 'substantial' property, but one which would provide us with a couple of bedrooms, a nice outside area, on a decent block. I don't think we are under any illusions about how difficult it might be for us to start from scratch again, at our ages, but we just believe that we can do it as we have the Faith in ourselves, and that's what matters really. It's a good feeling to be on this website, and know that you guys are out there, helping in your own unique ways, so thanks again. Got some valuations organised for our place, in the next couple of weeks. Will be back on here with updates. In the meantime, stay safe, and happy and keep smiling. Pat xxxxxx

Hi folks, After fourteen years in the UK, we are planning to return to Australia within the next 3/4 months and if it's ok, we are hoping that you guys can update us on a lot of stuff please? We never intended to be back in the UK for more than a year at the most, but Life threw a lot of stuff at me (in particular) and I had to deal with it. Cancer twice. Chemotherapy and years of attending Specialists and Departments and Consultants. I'm now ok and pretty optimistic about my future. My wonderful hubby Rodge has been supportive despite his own sudden heart problems which ended up with him having a Pacemaker. Bless. And all this began when we flew back to the UK in 2008 to effectively take care of my father-in-law after mum passed in the October. It was to have been a year only, but dad - who was 90 at the time - lived for another three years, and we couldn't leave him because he was lost. Dad died in April 2011 just as I was being diagnosed with kidney cancer and so that was that. I had the kidney removed, and, following treatment and in 2016, I received my 5 year cancer-free letter from, the Urologist, which was fab. But I was in the Oncology Ward at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital at the time, undergoing treatment for bowel cancer and following that I had a lot of chemotherapy. You couldn't make it up. But at the time I had to laugh because it was hilarious. And ironic. Nearly five years on, I'm (touch wood) great. Wear a stoma and happy to be here! So, throughout these years, we've been trying to get back to Australia and this time, want to come to SA because life is too short and we've heard fab stories about SA and just want to go there and see if the remnants of our funds can buy us a wee place in the country, with a bit of a garden. We are now in our late 70's and have never given up hope of returning to the only country who believed in us both when, in 1998, we set off for Australia with little more than £6000 to our names. Australia gave us a chance to work and in return we enjoyed a lifestyle which we have always remembered, and always will. Our Aussie Passports are good until 2024 and although we have our old Medicare Cards, would our original membership numbers still be good if we were to re-apply? Plus, we realise that we need to transport our British Age Pensions, but does anyone know how long it takes to be assessed by Centrelink for the 'top-up' (if that exists now?). I'm sorry to have to ask you these questions but it's been a hard slog for the last 14 years. Our Aussie Passports are good to 2024 but hey......we just want to come Home as soon as we can. So, my question is this - can we just fly back - this time to SA - being fully vaxxed and boosted (as we are) without having to do quarantine? Because for one thing, this is expensive and for another, I am claustrophobic so being on a second or third floor of some hotel would not be good for me. Rodge is looking at short term rentals, which would allow us to rent somewhere whilst looking for a property to buy. This is the only way we can think of getting back and residing somewhere, unless anyone has any ideas? We have a lot of Referees who are willing to speak for us. Just want to come home. Thank you for reading. Pat (& Roger) xxxx