Blue Manna

The siblings never had a lot of money and don't really holiday anywhere. But I thought their kids would have taken the opportunity when they were younger. It's not uncommon for kids to do gap years in Australia, and my mum would have been a convenient base. But no. They didn't even tour Europe. Maybe they're just unadventurous people.

When you get free accommodation, car hire and meals provided? I would have thought it was pretty close actually.

None of my mum's siblings or their kids have visited her in the 55 years since she's lived in Australia. I find it hard to believe as they would have had a really cheap holiday that would have been far superior to anything they have ever had. They would only have needed to pay for the flights. It's a long flight I know, but even so.

Without residency you won't get access to the NHS, plus there are many other things that residency gives you. You won't get residency without right to abode. Hence that is why residency is stronger. But of course having both residency and a British passport is even better.

I tend to agree. If we didn't visit I don't think my siblings would see each other. We see them all and we bring them together.

Residency is much more important.

Being a UK citizen doesn't count for much. You have to be resident and prove you are resident. Do that and most things will be easy. Agree it would have been easier if you obtained your UK passport in Australia and entered on it. You are effectively a tourist.

Has labour said they will follow through, as I doubt the Tories will be in long enough to carry this out?

What's the excess if you don't mind me asking?

There's a Disney in Hong Kong.

Some do. It's not exactly Southall or Bradford, but you do get areas on the northern coast where you do get a higher density of poms

Seriously, if Australia don't want you with engineering degrees, you don't want Australia. Australia is screaming for engineers! Migration guys, how do these guys get to Australia?

I messed up and did an online check in to leave Australia on my UK passport and it didn't go through and got quite complicated. They have those horrible auto checking things in Perth airport and they wouldn't let me through, even when I used the Australian one. Too ages to get a person to help.

You obviously weren't in WA last summer then. The damned things could have carried us away.

I'm not familiar with Adelaide weather. But I know on the west coast I've seen it rain so hard I've had to stop the car as visibility was zero. How old are the kids? Ours used to grow out of that stuff so fast anyway. Thermals I'd probably give a miss. Layers would be more useful than thick winter coats.

I once read something about a migrant bringing Union jack doormats and the like, and they were adamant they were going to retain their Britishness despite moving to Australia. I always wonder how they got on.

Same

I've often thought I could get dressed in the dark and still be the best dressed person on the street in most Australian cities. The only thing I would say is that if they wanted to hit you with a glass bottle they would have. Australians tend to be quiet sporty. Still, I would think this is unacceptable.

Did you find those app things on the tables in pubs and restaurants that you can scan on your phone and then just order from the website? I found them excellent and much easier than going up to the bar. That was WA, but I would have thought east coast would have them?

Tbh I've never understood why Australia insists on it. I've always wondered whether other countries are more like the UK, or more like Australia.

I know they did that during COVID. Good to know it still works.

25 years married to me mate? She deserves a bloody Victoria cross, order of Australia, and an MBE.

I would be surprised if they let you on the plane to Australia without an Australian passport.

We'll probably have to go down that route eventually. It's a shame the government won't acknowledge our 25 years together, concede you get less for murder and just give my wife citizenship without going through all the hoops and halabaloo of applying for a visa. But I guess they have to give the foreign office staff something to keep them busy or they start plotting revolutions in far off lands or some such thing.

If you were going to spend 3 months in SW WA, which 3 months would you spend? I'm toying with Oct,Nov,Dec, or Jan,Feb,mar? I know winter is quiet special down there, but I'd prefer the summer months.