JockinTas Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 You are spot on there We didn't realise just how much we DID have at home, until we left it to go 20 years back in time to Perth. Singapore was the nearest kind of civilisation with any proper shops, not that we are into shops but my wife does still have a chuckle about the sorely outdated clothes shops in Perth's small town centre (about half the size of Dundee town centre). Now we are home we love everything about the UK like we rediscovered it all over again, and we revel in it still. We have so much stuff not just on our doorstep but in the nearest town and anything else just a short drive away. Life is definitely far more colourful and varied here and you feel far more alive. Sydney or Melbourne would have suited you better for clothes shopping - lots of choice there. I came from a very small town in Scotland and found it really boring when I was growing up but when I go back on holiday now I really appreciate how attractive it is - all stone houses - stone walls and superb countryside. No fancy clothes shops though. Now those I do find boring. Better things to do than wander around shops looking for stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 (edited) Been back a bit over 2 years now, my OH is having real problems with the weather and the short days, misses the luxury house and pool and the exotic bird life, but I point out that she worked 6 day weeks and was rarely home and when she was it was spent doing house and garden jobs but she has real rose tinted specs on looking back at Aus. After 9.5 years there in Brisbane I found Aus claustrophobic and the level of debate about issues really appalling and the characters who were responsible for making decisions about the future of the country seemed to me to be really lightweight, so many decisions that were made were made on the basis of what the individuals wanted themselves without any thought for the consequences for the country and not for one minute do I consider myself particularly astute it just seemed to be obvious building road tunnels under brisbane instead of improving public transport was like investing in a woolly mammoth breeding programme, the same with thinking that the resources boom would go on and on without building up a sovereign wealth fund for the country's future seemed to me to be storing up no end of problems, which, from what I read on here are now coming round to bite the country in the bum, I just thought that the people at the top seem to always act like narcissistic children, more interested in being king of the dung heap than ever having a thought about consequences, and for me that just irritated the hell out of me, how could they wreck a country without even giving a thought about it. But to be fair this kind of thinking is something that infects all right wing thinking and the UK under the tories is also suffering from a bout of short term thinking, hubris and a desire to turn the clocks back 60 or 70 years, it's endemic at the moment, one of the big differences to Aus is that there is some real critiques of what the govt is doing and a few people willing to put their heads above the parapet and challenge the govt and make vocal criticisms about some of the things they do, to what effect it's difficult to say. One of the things that I have found really shocking here is how Londoncentric the country has become, I know it was always like that to some extent but now it feels like all the career jobs are concentrated in a ring within 25 miles of London. The biggest pluses that we have found are the variety of further education courses available here and how that facilitates having some choices about changing careers, also, the old chestnut of Europe is on our doorstep and from a personal point of view, and I know there will be howls of outrage, the range of foods is just so much greater and the quality better and beer that actually tastes and the variety of beers. So there are as always pluses and minuses, and nowhere is all joy, but it depends on what you are familiar with and what you were brought up with, and for me that is the UK, and for my OH it's Aus which is where she spent her early childhood. Edited February 15, 2016 by BacktoDemocracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Posted February 15, 2016 Share Posted February 15, 2016 The biggest pluses that we have found are the variety of further education courses available here and how that facilitates having some choices about changing careers, also, the old chestnut of Europe is on our doorstep and from a personal point of view, and I know there will be howls of outrage, the range of foods is just so much greater and the quality better and beer that actually tastes and the variety of beers. You hit on a lot of true stuff there. I am hoping to do some more stuff at college and its easy to get into here. Living at the centre of the world and feeling "part of it" and not feeling isolated is a big thing for us as we travel a lot on the cheap flights out of Edinburgh over to Europe. For my hobbies, I can order spare parts online, get them in a couple of days instead of ordering overseas paying excessive postage and being ripped off with custom charges Food is choice so much better over here, cheaper and far better quality and there are 3 big modern supermarkets in our nearest town open all hours 7 days a week. All have cafe's attached so you can get a cheap meal or a cuppa after your shopping. One of my "winter fav's" is the Carvery- huge roast dinners with jumbo Yorkshire puds for £5.99 or unlimited cooked breakfast tea & toast £3.99 If there are "howls of outrage" its because you are hitting nerves and a lot of the stuff we enjoy in UK is near on impossible to have down there because its so backward. This is a forum on moving back to the UK after all and not a forum for people to snap back in shock at anyone who dares suggesting moving back. I question those who claim to be "settled and happy" yet lurk around a forum snapping at people who have anything positive to say about Britain. You can have a big modern house in UK too and you can have a great lifestyle here too - for some that may be incomprehensible, but you totally can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagshawd Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 Very wise words of wisdom, nicely put ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andromeda9 Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Early retirement has made me smile, know the feeling , got to say Fremantle felt more like home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Sometimes, especially at this time of year but on balance no. London summer v Melbourne summer: London London winter v Melbourne winter: London London winter v Melbourne summer: Melbourne! How bad are the winters in Melbourne then?? I have to say I'm worried now haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flake Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 I moved back, I regretted it so moved back to Aus, now I'm REALLY regretting that and wishing I gave more to the opportunity while we were there. If I never end up there again I will regret it for the rest of life. I was too impatient and took flight instead of fight. Now I'm hating on myself for it. Just have to hope my Australian husband is willing to go back to the UK once again in our lives but I can't hold my breath and either way I have to be here for years to come yet as its not fair to go back so soon as I could be accused of doing the same thing here as I did there. So mad at myself, feeling like I woke from a walking coma and only now realise the full extent of what I actually want. If it were just me and not me, my husband and baby I would be on the first flight home. Living in Australia for the 2nd time around has really confirmed that I don't want to be here for the rest of my life at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy1982 Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 I moved back, I regretted it so moved back to Aus, now I'm REALLY regretting that and wishing I gave more to the opportunity while we were there. If I never end up there again I will regret it for the rest of life. I was too impatient and took flight instead of fight. Now I'm hating on myself for it. Just have to hope my Australian husband is willing to go back to the UK once again in our lives but I can't hold my breath and either way I have to be here for years to come yet as its not fair to go back so soon as I could be accused of doing the same thing here as I did there. So mad at myself, feeling like I woke from a walking coma and only now realise the full extent of what I actually want. If it were just me and not me, my husband and baby I would be on the first flight home. Living in Australia for the 2nd time around has really confirmed that I don't want to be here for the rest of my life at all. Flight instead of fight...I like that saying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akiralx Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Losing our British friends was the only hard thing about leaving Oz for us. Our Aussie "acquaintances" were forgotten about by the time we'd got to the airport. Exactly - I miss my many UK friends, but I don't even have any Aus acquaintances after 7 years here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrom81 Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 I moved back, I regretted it so moved back to Aus, now I'm REALLY regretting that and wishing I gave more to the opportunity while we were there. If I never end up there again I will regret it for the rest of life. I was too impatient and took flight instead of fight. Now I'm hating on myself for it. Just have to hope my Australian husband is willing to go back to the UK once again in our lives but I can't hold my breath and either way I have to be here for years to come yet as its not fair to go back so soon as I could be accused of doing the same thing here as I did there. So mad at myself, feeling like I woke from a walking coma and only now realise the full extent of what I actually want. If it were just me and not me, my husband and baby I would be on the first flight home. Living in Australia for the 2nd time around has really confirmed that I don't want to be here for the rest of my life at all. sorry to be blunt but this is a typical case of the grass is always greener. if you convinced your OH to move back, he would think 'boy who cries wolf', and right he should. nowhere and nothing is perfect, just make the most of where you are now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrom81 Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 Exactly - I miss my many UK friends, but I don't even have any Aus acquaintances after 7 years here... I'm exactly the same. I have one aussie acquaintance. the rest are british. sounds bad I suppose but that's just the way it is, its a sense of humour thing I guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 I'm exactly the same. I have one aussie acquaintance. the rest are british. sounds bad I suppose but that's just the way it is, its a sense of humour thing I guess. So many Poms in Oz say they find it hard to make friends. Maybe because I left home more or less when I left school and lived all over the place I've never found it hard to make new friends. Moved to Tasmania from Sydney 2 years ago and found people here really friendly and welcoming. There is a group of 4 of us who do all sorts of social things together. We are driving to the west coast just for a day out on Friday. One is from Scotland (like me) and the 2 others are Aussies. We always have a good old time and a bit of a laugh together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrom81 Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 So many Poms in Oz say they find it hard to make friends. Maybe because I left home more or less when I left school and lived all over the place I've never found it hard to make new friends. Moved to Tasmania from Sydney 2 years ago and found people here really friendly and welcoming. There is a group of 4 of us who do all sorts of social things together. We are driving to the west coast just for a day out on Friday. One is from Scotland (like me) and the 2 others are Aussies. We always have a good old time and a bit of a laugh together. ive not found it hard to make friends, got plenty ex pat mates here in Sydney. aussie mates, not so much. ive learnt that the laidback sociable friendly aussie is from the Fosters ads only; certainly in sydneys eastern suburbs the 20-40 year olds are over privileged, private schooled cliquey idiots. I'm from northern England so these types of people don't fool me one bit. all façade and bravado, then rely on daddy to fund their drug habit and subsequent therapist sessions.. great fun to observe, but does have its time limit. eastern suburbs is a funny old place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 (edited) ive not found it hard to make friends, got plenty ex pat mates here in Sydney. aussie mates, not so much. ive learnt that the laidback sociable friendly aussie is from the Fosters ads only; certainly in sydneys eastern suburbs the 20-40 year olds are over privileged, private schooled cliquey idiots. I'm from northern England so these types of people don't fool me one bit. all façade and bravado, then rely on daddy to fund their drug habit and subsequent therapist sessions.. great fun to observe, but does have its time limit. eastern suburbs is a funny old place! Didn't know anyone from the eastern suburbs. Well I did work with a young woman who rented 1 room in a house in Woollahra just so she could use the name of the suburb as her address. :dull: Woollahra is a very nice suburb though. I knew quite a few expat Brits but most of my friends were Aussies. Also have friends from other countries too. Edited April 12, 2016 by JockinTas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 I have had no probs, either, though I do acknowledge there is ( sometimes) a difference in attitude between my aussie friends and the british ones. You just adapt though, don't you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrom81 Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 I have had no probs, either, though I do acknowledge there is ( sometimes) a difference in attitude between my aussie friends and the british ones. You just adapt though, don't you? I wouldn't say you need to adapt to anything, especially in the east of Sydney. id say itd be 50/50 brits and aussies. I would also say there are large differences between attitude, sense of humour, characters between brits and aussies. most people that live in east Sydney are generally unbearable but especially the Australians! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 I wouldn't say you need to adapt to anything, especially in the east of Sydney. id say itd be 50/50 brits and aussies. I would also say there are large differences between attitude, sense of humour, characters between brits and aussies. most people that live in east Sydney are generally unbearable but especially the Australians!Maybe the Australians think exactly the same of the British! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrom81 Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Maybe the Australians think exactly the same of the British! I'd be absolutely flabbergasted if they didn't AJ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flake Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 sorry to be blunt but this is a typical case of the grass is always greener. if you convinced your OH to move back, he would think 'boy who cries wolf', and right he should. nowhere and nothing is perfect, just make the most of where you are now. whilst I agree with that in principle. It's not always the case. In my situation neither field is green, there is no 'perfect' place. But for me being closer to the rest of the world and enjoying 4 seasons is my preference. I should also add that these things get blurred when you are living your life not just for yourself but for your partner too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 I wouldn't say you need to adapt to anything, especially in the east of Sydney. id say itd be 50/50 brits and aussies. I would also say there are large differences between attitude, sense of humour, characters between brits and aussies. most people that live in east Sydney are generally unbearable but especially the Australians! So when are you going back then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 I wouldn't say you need to adapt to anything, especially in the east of Sydney. id say itd be 50/50 brits and aussies. I would also say there are large differences between attitude, sense of humour, characters between brits and aussies. most people that live in east Sydney are generally unbearable but especially the Australians! Oh dear, you'd hate me then. The Eastern Suburbs are my second favourite part of Sydney (the Inner West being my favourite). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrom81 Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 So when are you going back then? get my passport in a month then back for the UK summer. cheerio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrom81 Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 thats a contrast. i quite like the character of newtown, enmore, balmain.. interesting places.. the eastern subs, blessed with lovely beaches, houses hordes of materialistic, rude and egotistical idiots, all in lululemon outfits.. i don't know why its such a melting pot of them.. maybe I've been here too long now and need a change of scenery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imapla Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 I moved back, I regretted it so moved back to Aus, now I'm REALLY regretting that and wishing I gave more to the opportunity while we were there. If I never end up there again I will regret it for the rest of life. I was too impatient and took flight instead of fight. Now I'm hating on myself for it. Just have to hope my Australian husband is willing to go back to the UK once again in our lives but I can't hold my breath and either way I have to be here for years to come yet as its not fair to go back so soon as I could be accused of doing the same thing here as I did there. So mad at myself, feeling like I woke from a walking coma and only now realise the full extent of what I actually want. If it were just me and not me, my husband and baby I would be on the first flight home. Living in Australia for the 2nd time around has really confirmed that I don't want to be here for the rest of my life at all. I feel for you - I am in the middle part of that scenario - scared to make the decision to return to Aus (though I REALLY want to) in case it is the wrong one (though I don't think it is - I think this trip has reiterated to me that I don't want to live in UK and I do want to live in a sunny climate - 7 months of winter is too long for me ..... As someone else said my head is in a twizzle ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 I feel for you - I am in the middle part of that scenario - scared to make the decision to return to Aus (though I REALLY want to) in case it is the wrong one (though I don't think it is - I think this trip has reiterated to me that I don't want to live in UK and I do want to live in a sunny climate - 7 months of winter is too long for me ..... As someone else said my head is in a twizzle ! I would treat it the same as the original move. Do the balance test to see where you would be best suited based on pros and cons. For some, the difference in weather plays a big part and we are all different that way - the weather was a significant issue for me, but in the opposite way. I came to dread the Australian summer. But, I have always preferred cold. In fact, I am too hot today - it is 17c and sunny and the sun glares into my window at work. Though, personally, if I wanted the other way, I would probably look at options in Europe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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