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What made you bite the bullet to move to Australia?


Major Tom

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Ours was three reasons, live with my OH who is Australian, but we both were very shocked in the UK regarding the Rotherham Abuse scandal in the news, where the Council and Police were aware of the goings on, but were frightened to do anything because of being tarred with the 'Racist' card..............that tipped us over the edge, especially me, we didn't want to bring our kids up in a country that's frightened of standing up for its own culture and beliefs!

 

Second was, we discovered eldest boy had a brain tumour after our 8 week holiday in Australia over 2012 Christmas & New Year. We made that decision as a family to move when we were over, but because of the issues when we returned it was postponed, but we've had the treatment, recovered, and have started the process again, we have a new family moto, it's one life, live it.

 

Third, we just love the outside type lifestyle, we love sea, surfing, beaches, camping, have a 1972 VW Kombi (as they're called in Oz) and want to complete some traveling, so the kids can look back when older, and see what a great time they had as children.

 

Cheers MT

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Have your reasons ready. Everyone asks you that question when you are here - and I mean everyone!

 

Our 4 reasons were:- predictably the warm climate given that we are close to retirement age and not fond of the colder north European winters.

 

The feeling of being overwhelmed and hemmed in. Having to carefully time your journeys and plan alternative routes to avoid the inevitable jam and then not getting a parking space at your destination.

 

Leaving the rat race and retiring earlier helped by getting an inflated price for our house in Surrey, an improved exchange rate and lower property prices (comparatively between Surrey and Queensland).

 

To challenge ourselves with new experiences and get out of a rut, so an adventure and a project really.

 

We could have achieved 2, 3 and 4 moving to another part of Britain but, crucially, not the number 1 reason.

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and still because we can, so we will!

 

Our most exciting interesting times in our lives have been, when we've taken massive risks, to enrich our lives with experiences only most have dreamt about!

 

and a marvellous excuse for opening a bottle of bubbly!

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Numbers game really....OH has 3 children, I have only one, law of averages says he will have more grandchildren (just found out the first two little grand-Aussies are on their way already - one due in Feb and the other in April!!), and my last remaining Uncle is in Oz (90 last Friday bless him!). I hope one day my daughter will move out too.

 

Oh, and it's warmer and sunnier!!

 

I'd move to Mars if it meant being with my OH, I just want to get married and live happily ever after........with him!

 

When an Aussie rocks up, says G'day and launches himself into your life, you don't really think about the long term future straight away, but my late parents would be glad I think - they tried to 'deport' me back in the early 90's - ie gave me a set of application forms for Oz! It's just taken me about 25 years to make the leap.

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Bright sky's instead of grey

sand instead of stones,

prawns instead of spuds,

Warmth instead of chill,

excitement instead of predictable

palms instead of nettles

oranges instead of carrots

adventure instead of typical!

the conversation we've all had with someone, at some point! "we were going to go but!!

its just different, and new ingredients to the pot.

 

Just do it!

One life!

came with nothing!

going with nothing!

 

how exciting are you going make your pot?

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Oh....and my gut instinct was telling me to go. Every time I have trusted that gut instinct it has not let me down. (eg. gut told me I should not have married my first wife but I did not pay attention, went through with it and wound up divorced. Second time around gut was happy and 12 years on, gut proven right). Plenty of other examples in relation to people, jobs etc so now trust my instincts.

 

3 months in......so far, so good. :cool:

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Not for us lived there for 3 1/2 years ! Enjoy culture being close to Europe - great beaches, amazing scenery and very special people. Weather was pretty average in Sydney ! Enjoyed the experience but there in no better place in my opinion than the Uk! Never ever went on this site before we went but not for us at the end of the day ! Australia is very insular and so isolated from the rest of the world! Just a personal a view but I would never to look to return ! GOOD EXPERIENCE but not what it is cracked up to be ! People will never admit that once there, too expensive to return !

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Not for us lived there for 3 1/2 years ! Enjoy culture being close to Europe - great beaches, amazing scenery and very special people. Weather was pretty average in Sydney ! Enjoyed the experience but there in no better place in my opinion than the Uk! Never ever went on this site before we went but not for us at the end of the day ! Australia is very insular and so isolated from the rest of the world! Just a personal a view but I would never to look to return ! GOOD EXPERIENCE but not what it is cracked up to be ! People will never admit that once there, too expensive to return !

 

This is about why you wanted to move here not why you want to move back. Start your own thread.

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Oh....and my gut instinct was telling me to go. Every time I have trusted that gut instinct it has not let me down. (eg. gut told me I should not have married my first wife but I did not pay attention, went through with it and wound up divorced. Second time around gut was happy and 12 years on, gut proven right). Plenty of other examples in relation to people, jobs etc so now trust my instincts.

 

3 months in......so far, so good. :cool:

 

So true, gut instinct every time!

 

sorry first wife.

 

wey hey

 

new wifey xx

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We first came to Oz in 1990, and met a couple who were retired and spent 6 months in UK and the other 6 in Oz.

We planned to do that, but fast forward to 2003, we had lived in Brunei for 10 years, definitely prefer a warm climate, so decided against the 6 month plan, and retired here full time. At the time all 3 of ours were still in UK, but 2 have followed us here, life is good.

 

Up for more new experiences in a new country even though at retirement age.

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Not for us lived there for 3 1/2 years ! Enjoy culture being close to Europe - great beaches, amazing scenery and very special people. Weather was pretty average in Sydney ! Enjoyed the experience but there in no better place in my opinion than the Uk! Never ever went on this site before we went but not for us at the end of the day ! Australia is very insular and so isolated from the rest of the world! Just a personal a view but I would never to look to return ! GOOD EXPERIENCE but not what it is cracked up to be ! People will never admit that once there, too expensive to return !

 

Why try to ruin such a positive uplifting thread. This thread doesn't apply to you.

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I guess it's different for us 'mixed race' relationships - with family on both sides of the world - it's a bit like the old 'who do you spend Christmas with this year' dilemma, but for longer and for more money! Rather than individuals or couples/families deciding to take a complete leap of faith having never set foot in the place and knowing nothing about it - that always fascinates me.

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Several reasons why I bite the bullet and made the move:

 

 

When I was 20, I spent a year backpacking on a WHV, and fell head over heels in love with the place.

 

 

Met an Aussie guy and fell in love with him.

 

 

The weather was a massive draw card – I love sunshine.

 

 

Happiest day of my life was the day I got my permanent resident visa. I got it when I was 26 and now 47.

 

 

Been here for over 20 years now and still have to pinch myself sometimes – still often stop and think how lucky I am.

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Linda says it was male menopause for me! But I am with a previous poster "why not". Our two working age teenagers found it very hard to start with but both now call Aus home and having gone back on holiday a couple of times they are now not too fussed on doing it again.

I have no regrets and would never have what I have now had I stayed in the UK

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