Airport goodbyes

[Bladder]

Just asking people who've gone - Airport goodbyes, bad idea?

We think we'd rather leave people at home, what do you reckon?

[Guest Anita]

That's a good question and I too would love to know what people think. I was kind of thinking that if and when we leave we should say goodbye to family the night before but when I tongue in cheek mentioned this to my mother-in-law well lets just say the look was enough! I didn't want my 3 year old to get upset because her grandparents were upset but I guess that's going to happen wherever we say goodbye.

 

Anita x

[Guest Hayley]

Either way it's gonna be sad, but it's gotta be done. If we ever get the yes my parents and sisters are gonna come to the airport to wave us off :cry:

[Bladder]

I know it's going to be upsetting either way, but getting on a plane with cying children (and partner) seems worse than doing it the night before. At least that way you can make it like an exciting time, first day of the new life etc.

I think both sets of parents would be in pieces and have both intimated that it would be too hard to do it at the airport, which I think is right for us.

It's just interesting to know how others have gone on.

Tough one, but it is the one major downer, to going down under!

[Guest Gollywobbler]

Hi Bladder

 

I was an Expat Kid. My parents lived in Malaysia throughout my childhood, and I was sent to boarding school in the UK. Then my sister emigrated to Oz. Now, after several years of trotting back & forth to Oz on tourist visas, Mum is soon going to migrate to Oz too.

 

Personally, I recommend the airport goodbye. Sure, it is tearful and painful. However, the people left behind feel that they have done everything possible for the traveller, not seemed too lazy to bother to go to the airport etc, plus by being at the airport they get a sense of what is actually happening for the people going away.

 

The traveller's tears soon dry up, we've always found, because once you go airside there is always stacks else to be done. Doing the four minute mile to the gate is one of them! The gate is invariably miles from where you go airside initially.

 

In our own family, what we have always found is that although there will be tears on both sides, much the best thing is not to prolong it. Spend 2 minutes on the final goodbye but no more. The break has to be made, so make it quickly and cleanly. When you lose sight of the loved ones, you get on with the rest of the job - both sides do.

 

Best of luck, hunny, because there is no 'right' way with this one.

 

Gill

[Guest Clifftop]

Hi, said our goodbyes to family and friends at the railway station (Newcastle )and as it was the first time we had flown anywhere it gave us time to wander round Heathrow and the kids wanted to go up on the roof and look at everything going on. It worked well for us.

[Guest sue]

Don't do it why torture yourself do all goodbyes at home,even 2 days before you leave so you can calm yourslef downEven book into a hotel day before you fly out and relax.

[Guest spray21]

I like the idea of booking into a hotel for a night.

I haven't made the big move yet myself, but do not plan for airport goodbyes - private and personal goodbyes with everyone important in the week before we leave, or phone calls - but not big public crying scenes! But that might just be me and my famliy - not hugely demonstrative.

I agree with the other person who said it is best not to get on the plane crying - that should be the beginning of the new (great!) life, not a time to wish that you were still with family in the UK.

It would be good to hear from more people who HAVE made the big move and see what they think about it.

[Bladder]

The goodbye business is something that we all have to go through to get to the life we want, ever silver lining has a cloud (lol), so lets hear from some of you who have done it. It would be good to hear from people who did the airport thing aswell as those of you who opted for day / week before.

As it stands, we got our visa 2 weeks ago, house went up for sale last week, I stuck £5000 on top of the 4 estate agents valuations, and got the full asking price 1 week later! Surveys and solicitors need to do their stuff, so we hope to be flying out around the end of October, to Brissy.

We plan to leave family the night before, stay in a hotel, and begin our new life with that new day.

This really is an interesting question I've thrown out, so lets be hearing from you all.

Rik

[ali]

We don't plan to do airport goodbye, my dad lives 50 miles away so will see him during the week and not overly close to hubs parents, although ironically we've seen them more since we said we were going :?

 

Visisted my brother in Brissy last year. On the last day, I felt sick all day thinking about the good bye, I cried when I said goodby to his wife, and wish we'd have got a taxi to the airport - instead of my brother taking me. I spent the whole journey thinking that I've got to say goodbye again now. My brother felt it to, saying could he drop us off at the front as he didn't feel he could come in. Then there were hugs, more tears, then the kids joined in crying. I'm not a good cryer, my face goes red, my eyes go puffy etc.... I looked terrible in the airport ... No I think we'll say our goodbyes at home!!

 

Ali

[Guest Pasty]

Hi

 

we are going to the airport on our own (just us and the kids) couldn't handle the tears (that's just from me!!) so have booked a taxi for early morning so no-one can see us

 

Jackie

[Guest gazoberg]

fly out on sunday

parents, brother and his wife are coming to the airport

originally my mother said she wouldnt be able to handle it

but has decided to come now, quite glad really and although I know it will

be hard i feel it would be worse just sneakying away in the night.

not looking forward to it but the brisbane sunshine will soon make me happy again

[Guest forshac]

Hi All,

 

Compelled to respond on this one, giventhat we just arrived in OZ 2 weeks ago.

 

Personally I was dead against this and was really glad that I stuck to my guns. Just saying googbye to your family and friends in their homes was COMPLETLEY AWFUL....

 

Enough said, but you will find that people really want to come to the airport...I cannot stress enough to you all, when it comes to it, is is horrible!

[Guest fatpom]

Let everyone decide for themselves. In our experience the closer family didn't want to, long time friends did. Remember it's possibly a bigger issue for them than it is for you - notwithstanding your trepidation.

I set a rule the girlies mustn't cry (male or female). Of course it was broken.

That said, I was struck by the normality of the situation. Just a "see you later". Nine years later I'm waiting (in anticipation) for the "nice to see you again" to occur.

[Guest Nelson]

Our situation is somewhat more complex in that hubby and son are off a week on Friday but heading first to South Korea to see family. They will stay there until My 15 year old daughter and I sort out housing once we get to Oz. My 18 year old daughter has decided to stay in U.K. for uni (very proud mum at the moment - she passed her driving test on the same day as the exam results came out - I was a nervous wreck but she did brilliantly!) - so our nuclear family is about to be spread over three different continents.

 

Leaving my daughter will be the hardest thing I have ever had to do but then, a couple of days ago, I discovered that one of my brothers has an alcohol problem and is up to his ears in debt. Hitherto, I had been blissfully unaware - indeed really not bothered about leaving my siblings and parents - thinking how successful they all were. It has been a real bombshell, particularly as my mum is bailing him out and told me that she will not be able to consider coming to Australia now because she won't be able to afford it.

 

In reality, she can easily afford it but took it out on me. I am so sad and, in a way, the 'brother bombshell' has put a real dampener on our departure altogether.

 

For me, goodbyes will be brief and as quick as possible...

[ali]

Krista,

 

Sorry to hear about your brother - that's the trouble with alcohol problems, they can keep it so well hidden (even when denying it to themselves). I think, for your mum, your just being the proverbial cat she's kicking - she won't mean it and may very well visit as planned.

 

On a happier note, your daughters done really well, I can't imagine what it'll be like for you to leave your other daughter at Uni - or what it'll be like when all those students come to visit!!

 

Ali x