Growing old in Australia

[HappyHeart]

At the end of the day....no-one goes back because they miss the pub? Surely? If you don't like it, don't force it....for goodness sake life IS too short trying to convince yourself something is good for you or you 'should' like it. If you don't...go back. Simple as that. Don't spend years chasing a dream that will never be.

[flag of convenience]

You will find your only problem growing old in Australia is finding time to keep up with all the social opportunities available! Seriously. It is better for over 55s than it is for younger people there are heaps and heaps of clubs, and people somehow become a lot more friendly. Don't worry even for a moment!

 

Well I know four to date that have taken early retirement and moved out of Australia. Not necessary lonely, but found life too expensive and their new life far more enticing.

[flag of convenience]

At the end of the day....no-one goes back because they miss the pub? Surely? If you don't like it, don't force it....for goodness sake life IS too short trying to convince yourself something is good for you or you 'should' like it. If you don't...go back. Simple as that. Don't spend years chasing a dream that will never be.

 

Well some may, but wouldn't fancy the UK with age. The world if full of possibilities and international retirement options will be big business in the future.

[itegoa]

Cheers all!

 

I think i'm just feeling a bit lonely right now here by myself. My first week at work has got better as the week gone by, that had a major impact too. Office beers are tomorrow night. At least it gets me out for a bit!

 

I know it's daft missing UK pubs, maybe i'll forget them as time goes by. Or maybe not!

 

I've been used to working in different parts of the UK over the past 6 years and have gotten used to seeing new places, I kinda like exploring new places. I think the biggest thing that scares me at the moment is that i'll be trapped in Brisbane/QLD forever! LOL. It is a nice place with plenty to do, by the looks of things. I think i'm always going to have to keep it in my mind that we can move back (or somewhere else) if we ever want to.

 

The kids will move on with their own lives when they're old enough, regardless of whether we're living in the UK, Australia or somewhere else. We should enjoy life right now, spending lots of time with the kids before they find their own way.

[flag of convenience]

Cheers all!

 

I think i'm just feeling a bit lonely right now here by myself. My first week at work has got better as the week gone by, that had a major impact too. Office beers are tomorrow night. At least it gets me out for a bit!

 

I know it's daft missing UK pubs, maybe i'll forget them as time goes by. Or maybe not!

 

I've been used to working in different parts of the UK over the past 6 years and have gotten used to seeing new places, I kinda like exploring new places. I think the biggest thing that scares me at the moment is that i'll be trapped in Brisbane/QLD forever! LOL. It is a nice place with plenty to do, by the looks of things. I think i'm always going to have to keep it in my mind that we can move back (or somewhere else) if we ever want to.

 

The kids will move on with their own lives when they're old enough, regardless of whether we're living in the UK, Australia or somewhere else. We should enjoy life right now, spending lots of time with the kids before they find their own way.

 

Besides you have a time to go to worry about the distant future.

[HappyHeart]

Well some may, but wouldn't fancy the UK with age. The world if full of possibilities and international retirement options will be big business in the future.

Some people will always be searching....till the day they die.

[HappyHeart]

Cheers all!

 

I think i'm just feeling a bit lonely right now here by myself. My first week at work has got better as the week gone by, that had a major impact too. Office beers are tomorrow night. At least it gets me out for a bit!

 

I know it's daft missing UK pubs, maybe i'll forget them as time goes by. Or maybe not!

 

I've been used to working in different parts of the UK over the past 6 years and have gotten used to seeing new places, I kinda like exploring new places. I think the biggest thing that scares me at the moment is that i'll be trapped in Brisbane/QLD forever! LOL. It is a nice place with plenty to do, by the looks of things. I think i'm always going to have to keep it in my mind that we can move back (or somewhere else) if we ever want to.

 

The kids will move on with their own lives when they're old enough, regardless of whether we're living in the UK, Australia or somewhere else. We should enjoy life right now, spending lots of time with the kids before they find their own way.

 

Agree with your last paragraph 100%. I made a joke on my brother in laws Facebook about living away from your parents and how it makes for fantastic quality time when you see each other. A few people didn't get it and thought I'd suffer when my kids bugger off. Good luck to them I'll say. I hope they have a bloody good life and don't worry about me and their Dad

[JockinTas]

Agree with your last paragraph 100%. I made a joke on my brother in laws Facebook about living away from your parents and how it makes for fantastic quality time when you see each other. A few people didn't get it and thought I'd suffer when my kids bugger off. Good luck to them I'll say. I hope they have a bloody good life and don't worry about me and their Dad

 

 

Agree with that sentence 100%.

[fish.01]

Serious question... what do people think about growing old in Australia?

 

I've just moved out here to Brisbane, wife and kids to follow shortly. I've not quite turned 40 yet, by the way! So a long way off until old age.

 

From what i've seen, the suburbs seem to be very quiet places, with no pub in the center (think British pub).

 

As a big pub fan in the UK, I saw my retirement (a long way off) visiting the local pub meeting up with friends.

 

It doesn't seem to be like that over here. Maybe I haven't give it enough time yet, i've only been here 1 week! LOL.

 

Random thoughts I know, but i'm just feeling very strange at the moment. Like, have I made the right choice? Will life turn out OK here? Will I start to miss things back in the UK? (already missing British pubs in less than 1 week). What happens if I want to go back to the UK in say, 5 or 10 years time when my kids might have settled in Australia and they don't want to go back.

 

The modern suburbs are very quiet places. Just note there are older suburbs in Brisbane that were developed in pre-car dependence and shopping mall times and were more like the UK where they centre on a high street, often with pubs, rather than just shopping malls that you drive to and mega taverns.

 

If you love pubs you won't get it like the UK though as cafes are far more popular than pubs here. For example in my older suburb I can walk to two pubs/bars but more than a dozen cafes, with loads more a longer walk/bike ride away. Also, older suburbs can be great for kids as well...the nice old parks are full of kids here and the schools are great.

 

For example a suburb like Nundah has pubs like the The Prince of Wales and The Royal and beer bars like Fitz & Potts. It has loads of high street shops, supermarkets, schools, train station, bike trails, old parks and other facilities.

 

Nundah type suburbs have things like street festivals and markets as well with good local community events:

 

Source: http://indulgemagazine.net

 

Maybe a place like this would suit you better...

Edited November 26, 2015 by fish.01

[itegoa]

The modern suburbs are very quiet places. Just note there are older suburbs in Brisbane that were developed in pre-car dependence and shopping mall times and were more like the UK where they centre on a high street, often with pubs, rather than just shopping malls that you drive to and mega taverns.

 

If you love pubs you won't get it like the UK though as cafes are far more popular than pubs here. For example in my older suburb I can walk to two pubs/bars but more than a dozen cafes, with loads more a longer walk/bike ride away. Also, older suburbs can be great for kids as well...the nice old parks are full of kids here and the schools are great.

 

For example a suburb like Nundah has pubs like the The Prince of Wales and The Royal and beer bars like Fitz & Potts. It has loads of high street shops, supermarkets, schools, train station, bike trails, old parks and other facilities.

 

Nundah type suburbs have things like street festivals and markets as well with good local community events:

 

Source: http://indulgemagazine.net

 

Maybe a place like this would suit you better...

 

We had been looking at Nundah, funnily enough. Will explore the area in person soon. Managed to get a 6 month rental in Alderley for the time being, the school in catchment area is Newmarket SS, so our lad will be going to there in the new year (he's 9 y/o in a couple of weeks).

[MARYROSE02]

Well I know four to date that have taken early retirement and moved out of Australia. Not necessary lonely, but found life too expensive and their new life far more enticing.

Where are you heading when you retire Flag?

 

Sent from my D6653 using Tapatalk

[MARYROSE02]

Cheers all!

 

I think i'm just feeling a bit lonely right now here by myself. My first week at work has got better as the week gone by, that had a major impact too. Office beers are tomorrow night. At least it gets me out for a bit!

 

I know it's daft missing UK pubs, maybe i'll forget them as time goes by. Or maybe not!

 

I've been used to working in different parts of the UK over the past 6 years and have gotten used to seeing new places, I kinda like exploring new places. I think the biggest thing that scares me at the moment is that i'll be trapped in Brisbane/QLD forever! LOL. It is a nice place with plenty to do, by the looks of things. I think i'm always going to have to keep it in my mind that we can move back (or somewhere else) if we ever want to.

 

The kids will move on with their own lives when they're old enough, regardless of whether we're living in the UK, Australia or somewhere else. We should enjoy life right now, spending lots of time with the kids before they find their own way.

Friday night beers with the office crowd are the best! And every Friday is like NYE in the UK! If you want to get In with your work mates tell them you are thinking of going for NSW in Origin! (joke! Don't even think of admitting to liking anything about NSW!)

 

It's hard, very hard, when you are away from your family too.

 

I'm sitting in the pub on my own as I type this at 0045 hours but I'm not feeling lonely. I've got my phone and the newspaper and the music is good and I know the staff.

 

I'm the oldest person in the pub by 25 years. Is this how you see yourself at my age? 61. Where all the 61 yo people? Tucked up in bed? Married? Divorced?

 

37 years ago I'd justarrived in OZ myself. In WA. I arrived in Sydney on 7 Dec I think. I dont want to live anywhere else in the world. I went back for 12 years too, unplanned, but that's life.

 

Sent from my D6653 using Tapatalk

[Bobj]

Well I know four to date that have taken early retirement and moved out of Australia. Not necessary lonely, but found life too expensive and their new life far more enticing.

 

WOW!!!

 

There are 7 in my street alone that took early retirement...And none ever wanted to move out of Qld...:yes:

 

Cheers, Bobj.

[ramot]

Managing to find 5 mins out of my boring lonely retired life to type, before I have to get the house and beds ready for the 4th weekend of visitors.

Can't wait for my daughter, partner and his 2 brothers,who are on their first visit from UK, to come tomorrow.

Then off to a Christmas daytime/lunch bridge Christmas party, after,a full on week of doing all the boring things we retired folks manage to find to do. U3A activities to try to,keep my brain alive. eg French lessons. Swimming in my pool, going for a quick walk round our lake, which might take time depending on how many people I know to chat to, golf in my husbands case, plus he enjoys being in probus, to mention just a few things, non of which include going to a pub, but I could chat about my life to anyone who might be interested.

 

Might just know more retired people than some posters, and trust,me we live life to the full, most remark how did we ever find time to work.

It obviously depends where you live in any country as to whether you will enjoy,retirement, but choose the right place and you can't go wrong, we fill our lives just the same as our UK.friends, just for us we prefer a warm climate.

 

It's my daughters partners 2 brothers who are on their first visit, to Australia

Edited November 26, 2015 by ramot

[NicF]

Retirement is the time to do all those things you always said you wanted to but never had time to do them. My Brother in Law and his wife are retired (here in Adelaide) and always seem to be busier than us. They are involved with running a community garden, do volunteer charity work, play bridge, travel and goodness knows what else. My Sister in Law and her husband are also retired and seem to spend most of there time on the road with a caravan. When they are in Adelaide they are always out at friends or entertaining at theirs. My elderly mother in law plays bowls, goes to probus and spends time with her sister and kids when she can. My mother in the UK is also retired and spends a fair bit of time on volunteer charity work and going off to lunches and things. My retired dad spends a fair bit of time in his workshop making stuff.

 

Life is what you make it, whatever country you live in. Everywhere will have opportunities to do different activities, the trick is finding the activities that you enjoy in the place that makes you happy.

[bunbury61]

Serious question... what do people think about growing old in Australia?

 

I've just moved out here to Brisbane, wife and kids to follow shortly. I've not quite turned 40 yet, by the way! So a long way off until old age.

 

From what i've seen, the suburbs seem to be very quiet places, with no pub in the center (think British pub).

 

As a big pub fan in the UK, I saw my retirement (a long way off) visiting the local pub meeting up with friends.

 

It doesn't seem to be like that over here. Maybe I haven't give it enough time yet, i've only been here 1 week! LOL.

 

Random thoughts I know, but i'm just feeling very strange at the moment. Like, have I made the right choice? Will life turn out OK here? Will I start to miss things back in the UK? (already missing British pubs in less than 1 week). What happens if I want to go back to the UK in say, 5 or 10 years time when my kids might have settled in Australia and they don't want to go back.

 

That's the one thing I don't worry about here in the u.k ....the best old age care in the world .....a pub 300 yds up the road....

I have one mate in his 50s ...who has played golf today ,and is watching Judas priest tonight in Wolverhampton .

There are many things to worry about in the u.k ...but getting old here ain't one of them

[Chortlepuss]

Cheers all!

 

I think i'm just feeling a bit lonely right now here by myself. My first week at work has got better as the week gone by, that had a major impact too. Office beers are tomorrow night. At least it gets me out for a bit!

 

I know it's daft missing UK pubs, maybe i'll forget them as time goes by. Or maybe not!

 

I think the biggest thing that scares me at the moment is that i'll be trapped in Brisbane/QLD forever! LOL. It is a nice place with plenty to do, by the looks of things. I think i'm always going to have to keep it in my mind that we can move back (or somewhere else) if we ever want to.

 

 

 

Brisbane is a lovely place and if you can secure good reliable employment offers a great lifestyle. I'm not a heavy drinker (3 half pints is a session for me), and I really miss pubs too but it is what they represent - community, friendship, music, banter etc that I miss (OK Harvey's bitter too!). For many this is achievable in Queensland and good for them. Life for us has centred around work and as we head to retirement I want to be with friends, family and enjoy the support and relative safety of my local community. Travel in retirement is also important to us and there is so much of the UK and Europe to explore, let alone US and so many other destinations cheaper to get to ex UK. A we have a house in the UK (overcoming one of the biggest obstacles for retiring back there), then it will suit our needs to return. I can see though if you love the weather (and Brisbane's climate is fantastic apart from the summer months), if you have the money and most importantly if you can build a network of friends here, then retiring could be very good in Oz - not the worst thing that could happen!.

[bunbury61]

I was 39 when I came, 62 now. Growing old here is a completely different kettle of fish for us. I love the warmer weather for a start and being about 5 mins away from the beach also helps. We are members of the local surf club and I still go down there almost daily at 5:30ish for a ski paddle before work or, just for a change, go for a swim at the local 50m outdoor pool.

 

I do some sort of exercise just about daily and don't feel right if I miss a couple of days. Don't write yourself off too early and settle into "I'm old, time to give up sport and doing slightly crazy things" and just sitting in the pub with mates every night. It's there if you want it, plenty of pubs in Brisbane but you would be missing out on so much of what Aus has to offer, even for old folk like me.:wink:

 

Old ,that's never going to happen ...i will die ,but I will never be old .

I have been at a conference today ...blokes in their 40s -50s -60s grey miserable boring men .

That will never happen to me ....gym most mornings ...resting heart rate of 56 at 54 years of age .is pretty good

Live concert and a few beers tomorrow night

Golf on Sunday .

What keeps me on my toes ? ....my wife ,she is beautiful inside and out ...47 ..looking 27 ...she looks bloody fantastic .

Being the only bloke in the house ,my health is priority no 1.

[MARYROSE02]

That's the one thing I don't worry about here in the u.k ....the best old age care in the world .....a pub 300 yds up the road....

I have one mate in his 50s ...who has played golf today ,and is watching Judas priest tonight in Wolverhampton .

There are many things to worry about in the u.k ...but getting old here ain't one of them

What happens if you need to go into a nursing home? How do you fund that?

 

Sent from my D6653 using Tapatalk

[MARYROSE02]

At the end of the day....no-one goes back because they miss the pub? Surely? If you don't like it, don't force it....for goodness sake life IS too short trying to convince yourself something is good for you or you 'should' like it. If you don't...go back. Simple as that. Don't spend years chasing a dream that will never be.

It's the people not the pub that make it special. I bought my parents' house in England after they died. I still have the house but it's them whom I miss.

 

When I go in a pub here, I'm disappointed if none of my friends are there. I'm not disappointed becsuse the pub lacks a thatched roof, scampi, chips and peas, and pints drawn from the wood.

 

I live in Australia, not England.

 

Sent from my D6653 using Tapatalk

[flag of convenience]

Some people will always be searching....till the day they die.

 

Not sure it matters. I have come across people like that. They claim to be on the lookout for an anchorage but I wonder. Being alone with limited ties why not? The world can indeed be an oyster well into retirement.

 

Equally I know a few very happily entrenched in South East Asia and as well as one having second thoughts and leaning towards returning to Britain or possibly a Med location.

[flag of convenience]

Where are you heading when you retire Flag?

 

Sent from my D6653 using Tapatalk

 

Unlikely to be limited to a sole place in early years. Looking at another possible purchase in Europe at the moment. I like change myself. More than likely spend time in Asia as well. Will still maintain a base in Australia though at least in early stages. If one of us alone, unlikely the other would remain though.

[flag of convenience]

That's the one thing I don't worry about here in the u.k ....the best old age care in the world .....a pub 300 yds up the road....

I have one mate in his 50s ...who has played golf today ,and is watching Judas priest tonight in Wolverhampton .

There are many things to worry about in the u.k ...but getting old here ain't one of them

 

Well age poverty in both UK and Australia suggest otherwise. Hardly the best in the world.

[Keith and Linda]

You have come to the wrong place (Brisbane) if you want pubs like UK for both atmosphere and number of! However your reliance on pub culture will change as you get older and also as you adapt to the life style of Australia and Brisbane. Not sure where in Brisbane you are but there are a few clubs about like the RSL's, golf, bowls and sports you may want to try.

Regards retiring then I like you was in my early 40's when arriving (now 60) however financially I strongly believe that I have bettered myself here than I would have in the UK, so much so that we are contemplating having a retirement home in both countries as we have children and grandchildren in both countries. We plan to travel more in both countries too until such a time arises that we have to choose which will be the final home country.

Enjoy your life whilst you can my friend.

Keith

[flag of convenience]

WOW!!!

 

There are 7 in my street alone that took early retirement...And none ever wanted to move out of Qld...:yes:

 

Cheers, Bobj.

 

And I came across a bloke in Penang Malaysia, a few years back, that was wanting to sell his Port Douglas unit and move to the island but could not find a realistic buyer.

 

What was left of my family moved out, well into retirement age. May well be something in Mackay water who knows. (never been)Saying that still to return to FNQ to check out a few places as well.