blobby1000 Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 How long have people waited to leave Australia after making the decision to return to the UK? Did you have any changes of mind along the way? Did you change your plans in the time between deciding and leaving? When you left did you feel at peace with the decision or were their doubts? How did leaving Australia compare to leaving UK? Lots of questions! We decided in March 2012 we had had enough and we will be departing on 20th December. We have had numerous changes of plan in terms of departure date but not changed our minds. The last few months seem to have been full of self justification for going, a dramatic loathing of everything we experience on a daily basis (ie concentrating solely on the negative stuff) and its generally been a fairly exhausting period of time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 How long have people waited to leave Australia after making the decision to return to the UK? Did you have any changes of mind along the way? Did you change your plans in the time between deciding and leaving? When you left did you feel at peace with the decision or were their doubts? How did leaving Australia compare to leaving UK? Lots of questions! We decided in March 2012 we had had enough and we will be departing on 20th December. We have had numerous changes of plan in terms of departure date but not changed our minds. Interesting thread blobby. I hope you get some good replies. I can't really add to it as we're not going back for a few years yet but I'd like to see what others' experiences are The last few months seem to have been full of self justification for going, a dramatic loathing of everything we experience on a daily basis (ie concentrating solely on the negative stuff) and its generally been a fairly exhausting period of time! That sort of shows tbh. I'd try not to overdo it too much, deciding that you don't like it here and want to go back is fair enough but don't let it ruin your last few weeks/months of life here. From reading your posts I think a lot of what you don't like is niggly and work-related sort of stuff - driving, standards in your industry, lack of friendships etc - and none of that matters if you're leaving anyway. You don't sound like someone who hates some of the natural beauty of this place or some of the easy lifestyle. So I'd say try and make the most of it and don't let the niggles wind you up, they don't matter now. I have a few niggles with this place, but, y'know, as I was walking to the station to get the train this morning on a beautiful spring day through leafy streets where the big old (non-native!) trees are just springing into bud and flowers are everywhere, people on the streets on my walk down there smiling and saying hello, the bloke in the paper shop and the girl in the coffee shop being friendly and chatty and the train turning up on time and being uncrowded........it's really not so bad a place to live. Sure it's often "too easy" but that's OK if you're here for a holiday, even an extended holiday, or are winding down. It's even pretty pleasant I believe you live in a really nice seaside town? So what if you haven't settled in, you don't have to any more. Just enjoy it for what it is Good luck :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 A couple of people who I know who moved back (for various reasons), spent the time trying to be more positive - made a bucket list of things to do before returning and actually enjoyed the last few months of their time in Aus and actually went home with some quite positive memories of their time rather than a feeling of resentment and loathing. See the last few months as a holiday and do the things you perhpas planned to before you return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseBrown1972 Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 We're leaving in about 2-3 years, we wnat to go back financially secure but it will be earlier if a job comes up for my hubby. An old boss and good friend is building up a business and when he is ready he wants my hubby on board, he thinks 12 to 18 months but we would go instantly if it happened sooner. Other than that we 're trying to balance out saving like crazy and living here, the plan is too see a few places before we go. If I'm honest I do hate it here but now I know there's an end in sight I am making the most of it, I doubt I'll change my mind I'm just trying to make my days more pleasant. Must be doing something right as the time is flying, I have an appointment every 6 weeks and I just had my 4th since we made the decision and it felt like it was 5 minutes ago. That said I have days were I could gladly just get on a plane! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leanne1287 Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 We made the decision to move back just before Xmas last year handed in our notice's started putting things in place. Then hit a wall when we couldnt get a loan to pay off our cars loans. Wanted to pay from the Uk hubby had a job to go back to. Now were stuck here for another five years/ three if we can pay them off sooner. Best advice I give any one wanting to head out here is buy second hand don't buy new, if after 2 years you know Oz isn't for you you haven't made it difficult for yourselfs to get back. Oz is a great place but not where we want to be. It took us five years to get out here and is gonna take us longer to get back. I find every day harder and harder to get through, just want to be back in Wales cold wet but surrounded by my loving family and friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 We made the decision to move back just before Xmas last year handed in our notice's started putting things in place. Then hit a wall when we couldnt get a loan to pay off our cars loans.Wanted to pay from the Uk hubby had a job to go back to. Now were stuck here for another five years/ three if we can pay them off sooner. Best advice I give any one wanting to head out here is buy second hand don't buy new, if after 2 years you know Oz isn't for you you haven't made it difficult for yourselfs to get back. Oz is a great place but not where we want to be. It took us five years to get out here and is gonna take us longer to get back. I find every day harder and harder to get through, just want to be back in Wales cold wet but surrounded by my loving family and friends. Why don't you pay off from the UK? I wouldn't stay because of a car loan and especially as you want to replace a loan with a loan... :mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blobby1000 Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 If you default and leave they will come after you. When they catch you, agree to a repayment plan. BINGO a loan is granted AND you are home. Its not like you planned it like this, but in the end, they get their car back, they get their money back and you get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freckleface Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 How long have people waited to leave Australia after making the decision to return to the UK? Did you have any changes of mind along the way? Did you change your plans in the time between deciding and leaving? When you left did you feel at peace with the decision or were their doubts? How did leaving Australia compare to leaving UK? Lots of questions! We decided in March 2012 we had had enough and we will be departing on 20th December. We have had numerous changes of plan in terms of departure date but not changed our minds. The last few months seem to have been full of self justification for going, a dramatic loathing of everything we experience on a daily basis (ie concentrating solely on the negative stuff) and its generally been a fairly exhausting period of time! I don't have any insights but wanted to say I really hope you and your family enjoy the remainder of your time here and that you find the happiness you are looking for when you get back to the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exiled in Wales Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Blobby - I'm sorry it hasn't worked out for you and your family & I appreciated your honesty on the "reasons to leave" thread. I agree entirely with Northshorepoms post - if you are going home in December don't concentrate on the negatives but have the last couple of months as "the end of a long holiday". I'm sure if you all concentrate on what you have learnt and how you have grown as people it won't look so bad. I wish you luck with whatever happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine111 Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 How long have people waited to leave Australia after making the decision to return to the UK? Did you have any changes of mind along the way? Did you change your plans in the time between deciding and leaving? When you left did you feel at peace with the decision or were their doubts? How did leaving Australia compare to leaving UK? Lots of questions! We decided in March 2012 we had had enough and we will be departing on 20th December. We have had numerous changes of plan in terms of departure date but not changed our minds. The last few months seem to have been full of self justification for going, a dramatic loathing of everything we experience on a daily basis (ie concentrating solely on the negative stuff) and its generally been a fairly exhausting period of time! Decided in Dec 2010 that we wanted to return, & took till Aug 2011, to actually do it. Was desperate by that point but we had a house to renovate & sell & that is what took the time. When you've made the decison it is hard because you just want to go. Lots of doubts before we went, because we had the kids & wanted what was best for them. Read everything about the Uk, papers, forums & nothing that made me feel any better. So much more negativity about returning, all in my opinion unjustified. Doubted ourselves right up until we left. Felt at peace with the decision when we arrived back, just felt right, if that makes sense. Takes time, is a rollercoaster, especially the first year. We are entering year 2 & things are starting to come together. Patience is key. Exchange is good & with the internet, you can find out everything you need to know, so as to plan the move well (we had secured a rental & sons school all from Oz & found out everything we needed to know, about the knew area we were moving too e.g. what it had to offer us) I think it is alot less riskier now with the internet, which has made things easier, for finding information. Should imagine as a ten pound pom it would have been a huge decision to even think about returning, let alone doing it, because there would have been no way of knowing what you were going back to, let alone being able to "look before you leap!" (not forgetting the exchange wouldnt have worked in your favour) Good luck with your move. Trust your gut feeling is all I can say, no matter what people around you are saying... (lesson we learnt, no one had a good word to say about us returning whilst still in Oz) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Somgirl Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Decided in Dec 2010 that we wanted to return, & took till Aug 2011, to actually do it. Was desperate by that point but we had a house to renovate & sell & that is what took the time. When you've made the decison it is hard because you just want to go. Lots of doubts before we went, because we had the kids & wanted what was best for them. Read everything about the Uk, papers, forums & nothing that made me feel any better. So much more negativity about returning, all in my opinion unjustified. Doubted ourselves right up until we left. Felt at peace with the decision when we arrived back, just felt right, if that makes sense. Takes time, is a rollercoaster, especially the first year. We are entering year 2 & things are starting to come together. Patience is key. Exchange is good & with the internet, you can find out everything you need to know, so as to plan the move well (we had secured a rental & sons school all from Oz & found out everything we needed to know, about the knew area we were moving too e.g. what it had to offer us) I think it is alot less riskier now with the internet, which has made things easier, for finding information. Should imagine as a ten pound pom it would have been a huge decision to even think about returning, let alone doing it, because there would have been no way of knowing what you were going back to, let alone being able to "look before you leap!" (not forgetting the exchange wouldnt have worked in your favour) Good luck with your move. Trust your gut feeling is all I can say, no matter what people around you are saying... (lesson we learnt, no one had a good word to say about us returning whilst still in Oz) How long did you live in Oz? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine111 Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 How long did you live in Oz? Away from Uk 10 yrs, last 6 yrs in Perth. Arrived in Perth as a couple x1 dog & left there family of x4 with x1 dog, our situation changed & so did our outlook & what we wanted for the future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landv Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Decided in Dec 2010 that we wanted to return, & took till Aug 2011, to actually do it. Was desperate by that point but we had a house to renovate & sell & that is what took the time. When you've made the decison it is hard because you just want to go. Lots of doubts before we went, because we had the kids & wanted what was best for them. Read everything about the Uk, papers, forums & nothing that made me feel any better. So much more negativity about returning, all in my opinion unjustified. Doubted ourselves right up until we left. Felt at peace with the decision when we arrived back, just felt right, if that makes sense. Takes time, is a rollercoaster, especially the first year. We are entering year 2 & things are starting to come together. Patience is key. Exchange is good & with the internet, you can find out everything you need to know, so as to plan the move well (we had secured a rental & sons school all from Oz & found out everything we needed to know, about the knew area we were moving too e.g. what it had to offer us) I think it is alot less riskier now with the internet, which has made things easier, for finding information. Should imagine as a ten pound pom it would have been a huge decision to even think about returning, let alone doing it, because there would have been no way of knowing what you were going back to, let alone being able to "look before you leap!" (not forgetting the exchange wouldnt have worked in your favour) Good luck with your move. Trust your gut feeling is all I can say, no matter what people around you are saying... (lesson we learnt, no one had a good word to say about us returning whilst still in Oz) Was it difficult to secure a rental and school from here? Good post BTW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine111 Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Was it difficult to secure a rental and school from here? Good post BTW! thanks, part of the reason for posting on here is because i know how hard it its & how I felt when were deciding to return. Was incredibly hard decision, more so because it wasnt about us, but the kids. Not really difficult, we had a dog too, so werent the ideal candidates! Also, applied for sons school in July which was way past the cut off. The school in the village we managed to secure a rental in was full, but the next village wasnt & as it turns out, turned out for the best. Used rightmove & offered 6 mths rent in advance, helped that the landlord was a dog lover! once we had the rental (fixed abode) we were able to secure our son in school. Though needed someone to view so my mum viewed it (we paid 6mth rent once we got off plane) Volia! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheArmChairDetective Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 The last few months seem to have been full of self justification for going, a dramatic loathing of everything we experience on a daily basis (ie concentrating solely on the negative stuff) and its generally been a fairly exhausting period of time! I wonder if you practiced the same technique after deciding to leave the UK for a new life in Australia? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirstyaa Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 What were your reasons for leaving if it's not too personal? Family back home in the UK? Or issues with Australia itself? Your jobs? Not what you expected? As someone spending a lot of time and money to get there, i would be interested in hearing how you feel. It's a big decision. Every insight helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirstyaa Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Oh, you know what, i just found an entire thread. Never mind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 We decided in the January , moved back in April / may. April for the wife may for me. i had doubts about going home, for myself but knew it was right for the rest of the family. landing in Birmingham I had a wave of terror, what if I hate it ? wasnt long before I was appreciating how spectacular the uk was. happy to be home, have days when I wouldn't mind driving to the beach, but also can't beat sitting at home in my cosy lounge watching tv , or seeing my friends in the local pubs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakeboard1980 Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 How long have people waited to leave Australia after making the decision to return to the UK? Did you have any changes of mind along the way? Did you change your plans in the time between deciding and leaving? When you left did you feel at peace with the decision or were their doubts? How did leaving Australia compare to leaving UK? Lots of questions! We decided in March 2012 we had had enough and we will be departing on 20th December. We have had numerous changes of plan in terms of departure date but not changed our minds. The last few months seem to have been full of self justification for going, a dramatic loathing of everything we experience on a daily basis (ie concentrating solely on the negative stuff) and its generally been a fairly exhausting period of time! We knew we would be heading back a few months after we arrived. We then waited about 8 months until our baby was born then book flights. We left a couple of months after that. I found focusing on the positives of returning to the UK helped in the last couple of months Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcorners Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 We left in a bit of a rush the first time. Oh's uni place wasn't supposed to start until September (we had decided in around December the previous year that we would be leaving). We thought that would give us enough time to get out and about a bit more and save up some more money. But then the uni brought his start date forward to April! So we spent the last few months applying for Canadian visas and trying to get that all sorted out. It all meant that we felt we had to leave Aus before we were ready, and never got the most out of our time there. That's probably why we're now back. We're a year in this time, and seem more settled and more accepting of the facts of life here, as frustrating as they can be! We still think we'll probably end up in the UK again, but hope to be able to plan it all out more thoroughly as we will be the ones dictating our timetable. I'll make sure we will have been to all the places we want to see and do all the things we want to do before we go. Currently daydreaming about doing the Canning Stock Route in our Jimny, up to see our friends in Kununurra, then driving back via the coast! Of course for many the timeframe is dictated by how long it takes to secure a job, sell a house, arrange shipping, pet flights, kids starting schools etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Julz Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 How long have people waited to leave Australia after making the decision to return to the UK?......made the decision January 2012, fly home December 2012.....decided on December as it gave us time to save and DH is heading off to Middle East beginning of Dec for 6 months so was a no brainer! Did you have any changes of mind along the way? Did you change your plans in the time between deciding and leaving?....absolutely NO changes of mind, initially was going to ship everything but decided to sell everything instead (nearly sold everything) When you left did you feel at peace with the decision or were their doubts? No doubts whatsoever, have felt at peace with the decision I've made for months, just wish 1st December would hurry up. We gave it 3 long years just to be sure and know for sure this is definately not for us as a family. Australia has been very good to us though and we go home financially better off than when we came so absolutely no regrets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blobby1000 Posted September 24, 2012 Author Share Posted September 24, 2012 I wonder if you practiced the same technique after deciding to leave the UK for a new life in Australia? Interestingly, no. We talked about our move for 4 years and during this time we certainly criticised the UK every time we found a small thing we did not like. But overall we liked living in the he UK but we thought we could find something better here. The nearer we got to the departure date the less we wanted to come. We went to visit all the special places that mean so much to us in the UK, and found them difficult to see for the last time. We did stuff that is typically English to us (the Cheltenham horse racing, glastonbury festival etc) and were sad that it would be the last time we did that.... We never really thought we would get to the departure date....it never seemed real.. The we started the goodbyes and had a massive party at the end which was grear and we dealt with it pretty well but the following day (day before we actually flew out) we really struggled, cried allt he way to the airport (ridiculous!!) we cried leaving the house we had moaned about since we bought it!!!!! Once we got to our Heathrow hotel we poured the Champagne we had been given down the sink, not in some dramatic aggressive symbolic gesture but more the fact we just could not bring ourselves to drink it. We agreed we had no wish to go to Australia at all but we may as well go (particularly as we had resigned our jobs, let our house out, our dog had arrived in melbourne and our cargo was on the way!). Once we got on the plane things seemed a little better and once we arrived here there was so much to so that we just got on with it. There have been moments when we felt we would stay here forever, we will have been here 26 months when we go back. I reckon months 9 to 15 were the most positive where we really felt we could make it work. The first 9 months were wobbly and its been like that since we decided to give up in March. In conclusion, it has not worked because we should never have come in the first place!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blobby1000 Posted September 24, 2012 Author Share Posted September 24, 2012 What were your reasons for leaving if it's not too personal? Family back home in the UK? Or issues with Australia itself? Your jobs? Not what you expected? As someone spending a lot of time and money to get there, i would be interested in hearing how you feel. It's a big decision. Every insight helps As I have said above, just now, we should never have come (although we would not have known that had we not come!) Basically we dont really like Australia. For us, there is a real lack of life about the place. Everybody seems half dead. The only time they wake up is when talking about Aussie Rules or abusing you while they drive their cars. Its kind of like a "shrug your shoulders" country (to quote QPR17) Im sorry we dont like it because its a real pain in the arse moving back!!! The homesickness is really hard too. I cant relate to is so well at the moment because since decidimg we would return (we made the decision in March) I have not felt homesick (because I know we are leaving) but we basically had belly ache for England the whole time we were here and I dreaded the idea of staying forever most of the time. We didnt just miss people, but places and the whole feel of the UK. Everything is dampened down here. (we have not been everywhere, but been around southern NSW and a good part of South Australia and its all the same in terms of half deadness). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scmercer Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 How long have people waited to leave Australia after making the decision to return to the UK? Did you have any changes of mind along the way? Did you change your plans in the time between deciding and leaving? When you left did you feel at peace with the decision or were their doubts? How did leaving Australia compare to leaving UK? Lots of questions! We decided in March 2012 we had had enough and we will be departing on 20th December. We have had numerous changes of plan in terms of departure date but not changed our minds. The last few months seem to have been full of self justification for going, a dramatic loathing of everything we experience on a daily basis (ie concentrating solely on the negative stuff) and its generally been a fairly exhausting period of time! We decided in April 2011 to move back. We never felt like we could stay in Australia forever and for that reason were never really settled. My oh got a job offer in the April and as my son would be starting school the following September in the UK, we decided to go asap. The job offer, exchange rate and the timing for my son's schooling spurred on our decision. Took about 6 weeks to sell the house. This was so hard as we had spent so much on it and we loved it . It felt wrong as we sold it at a loss, but we had to in order to return quickly. Unfortunately, after we signed on the sale of our house, the job offer my oh had fell through. I think after this we did have awful doubts, I remember being close to pulling out of the house sale, but this would have cost us a fortune and we felt like the decision had been made for us. The day the furniture went was horrible, I kept wanting to ask them to leave it but we had sold our house and handed our notices in and there was no going back. For me, this was worse than leaving the UK for Oz. We were so excited about moving to Oz and never doubted our decision(not until we got there anyway)!. Leaving Oz was so sad, I will never forgot our last night in a hotel in Glenelg, our journey to the airport and leaving our lovely Australian house. Coming back was a bit of a blur and nothing like arriving in Australia for the first time. Don't get me wrong we did want to come back (eventually) but we rushed back for a job which didn't happen and it all felt a bit too soon. We have been back a year now, I do love the UK and being back home, though things have been harder here and it has taken a while for things to get back to normal. I still do have days though when I dream about Oz and wonder if we did the right thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blobby1000 Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 You sound like you enjoyed your time here. I think we will be happy to leave, I think our last night in a hotel will be great! What was it that made you decide to leave Australia (apart from the job offer) I mean, why did you not think you could stay forever? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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