JockinTas Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 Yes we certainly seemed to eat more fast food. My wife seems to cook more now. I eat a lot more fish and steak now strangely enough. As most fast food is on the meaty side, I haven't touched any of it for over 30 years. Always partial to decent fish and chips though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 We buy 99% of our shop from small independent shops in town. Partly because there is only one small supermarket that doesn't have much of a range anyway and mainly because the independents have better quality and are cheaper. They get most of it from local suppliers, so we get fresh and good produce. The down side is that choice is limited. But, I can live with that. So, at this time of year, we now treat tomatoes as a bit of a luxury as the greengrocers have them, but are expensive. On the other hand, they have about 8 varieties of pears and are incredibly cheap. Same with the butcher. I cant get lamb any more - though can get hogget. The only down side about our current rental is the garden is too small to grow much. But, next year we will start looking for a place to buy with a good size garden where we can grow a lot of our food. Something we have done before including in Oz. The people that bought our house inherited a good range of fruit and veg! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 We buy 99% of our shop from small independent shops in town. Partly because there is only one small supermarket that doesn't have much of a range anyway and mainly because the independents have better quality and are cheaper. They get most of it from local suppliers, so we get fresh and good produce. The down side is that choice is limited. But, I can live with that. So, at this time of year, we now treat tomatoes as a bit of a luxury as the greengrocers have them, but are expensive. On the other hand, they have about 8 varieties of pears and are incredibly cheap. Same with the butcher. I cant get lamb any more - though can get hogget. The only down side about our current rental is the garden is too small to grow much. But, next year we will start looking for a place to buy with a good size garden where we can grow a lot of our food. Something we have done before including in Oz. The people that bought our house inherited a good range of fruit and veg! I share a plot with a neighbour at the Devonport Community Garden. We have planted carrots, beans, tomatoes, cucumber and a variety of lettuce. We don't have a big garden at home so the plot is really great to have. Meet some lovely people there too. http://www.devonport.tas.gov.au/Live/Your-Community/Community-Houses/Devonport-Community-Garden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 I share a plot with a neighbour at the Devonport Community Garden. We have planted carrots, beans, tomatoes, cucumber and a variety of lettuce. We don't have a big garden at home so the plot is really great to have. Meet some lovely people there too. http://www.devonport.tas.gov.au/Live/Your-Community/Community-Houses/Devonport-Community-Garden Looks great. My wife was one of the volunteers at the community garden in Oz where we lived. She would look after peoples patches to help them and help keep any unused patches under control. So, we got a lot of fruit and veg from there. Unfortunately, our village is way too small to get something like that going - we only have about 40 houses and 99% of them have large gardens. There are allotments in a nearby town, but while not a long drive would be a serious pain for my wife as she doesn't drive. So would mean an hour walk to Strathaven then half an hours bus. So, will just have to wait for the move next year, though we are going to put a couple of raised beds in the garden in spring and will get some veg from them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted November 10, 2016 Share Posted November 10, 2016 As most fast food is on the meaty side, I haven't touched any of it for over 30 years. Always partial to decent fish and chips though. I'm a huge meat eater and fortunately my wife cooks a fantastic steak but also lately started eating Swordfish fillets and Tuna fillets, the former is more like 'meat' than fish. We are also fortunate that our local fish and chip shop is superb, there is often a queue almost out the door. I get a piece of Haddock big enough to feed a family...or me lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brummygirl Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 Hi everyone, My husband and I have been in Melbourne for 9 years, both work full time and rent close to the City. Sadly & strangely even after all this time we still don't feel 'at home' and struggle to find much we relish here. This is not through lack of trying. We go out a fair bit as we are childless, visit any exhibitions that come to town and take trips out into the countryside/down the beach but something is lacking. I can only describe it as an underlying emptiness or a slightly panicky feeling of somehow wasting my life being in the wrong place and not fitting in. To be honest I would have gone back after a year but we had dogs (only one elderly boy of 16 left now) and we didn't want to put them through another long haul flight as they seemed to find the trip over and quarantine etc quite traumatic. Also, we thought we should give it a good go after making such a big and expensive move. It's been a decade of ups and downs with job & financial issues and a couple of serious health scares in the mix (something that brought home life is short & should we really be living it in a place we don't like). Plus we've only been able to make it back to visit family and old friends twice which hasn't helped. Anyway we are looking at heading home to UK in about 18 months and I am totally overjoyed at the thought. However, at the same time being a natural born worrier I am anxious about leaving well paid, secure jobs here. Looking online it seems I will probably earn at least a third less than I do now. We are not Spring chickens either being in our forties (althougb we are quite well preserved/pickled :laugh:) so am a bit concerned this might work against us. If i was a decade younger I wouldn't think twice. I guess I'm looking for some validation. Are we doing the right thing taking the plunge and heading back to where we feel we belong but where we have no financial guarantees, after all nothing ventured nothing gained. Or at our age should we be 'sensible' and stay slightly unhappy but financially secure for the unforseeable future?? Thanks for any input! I agree! Exactly how my husband and I feel! We are awaiting our Citizenship ceremony and will be heading back to Brum in the UK after 7 years in Melbourne, we also live in the City (St Kilda).... Unfortunately I will be leaving behind my parents who also live in Melbourne along with my brother. However my husband misses his family and feels he has missed out on a lot after leaving them @ 17 years old to move to OZ with me and my family! It is definitely a mutual decision on heading back to the UK, weather it is the right one? Only time will tell…. The major pull to move back for us is; husband’s family, close lifelong friends and the feeling of belonging which is mentioned a lot on this forum. My now husband and I were also 16 & 17 when we moved to Melbourne with my family (Childhood sweethearts!), We would like to have the opportunity as adults to work, live and experience the UK to see if this is what we want for our future! What scares me the most is the same question… Is it reckless to go back? We are in great jobs are financially stable and very happy, but it’s like something is missing! we are taking it as a new adventure, nothing has to be forever! J - wish you all the best in what you choose to do! Jem, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 That shouldn't bother you as you live in awesome Australia Your fibs as facts are still fibs, wherever I read them... :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted November 11, 2016 Share Posted November 11, 2016 Your fibs as facts are still fibs, wherever I read them... :wink: Whatever makes you happy lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InkBlots Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Is it reckless to go? This afternoon I sent an email to a friend in Adelaide who waved me off from the airport 5 years ago last week, and I said she should have tied me to a post and talked me out of leaving Australia. Holidays back to the UK would have been better. I suppose I have a longer history in Australia than most, arriving at Adelaide's Outer Harbour in early 1960, and flying out in November 2011. During my 51 years in the country I lived in Adelaide and Melbourne, travelled a lot in Australia, and also overseas. Where I initially lived in 1960 I was surrounded by other poms, but through my work, belonging to sports clubs, and moving a number of times, I mixed with many other nationalities. For those of you who have moaned about the whinging pom culture, it is necessary for you to make an effort to diversify. I made many trips back to the UK to satisfy the draw back to my homeland, but I was always pleased to arrive back in Australia. I regret being back in England now, I thought I was making the right move, but life is not the same. Health issues have troubled me over and over again, much of it caused by the climate and my hilly environment, so returning to my beautiful seaside home town was unwise. On Friday I suffered a mini stroke, and one of the ambulance officers had lived in Australia for a few years. I detected her Aussie accent, but she was astonished that I didn't have one despite living in Oz for many years longer than the average Australian has been alive. We all have different needs in life, and I must admit that it took me only 13 months before I realised that Australia wasn't a bad place at all. It wasn't the same as England, and sometimes seemed like the American Wild West, but that was the wonder and excitement of being half way around the world. Moving to another country you need to have a sense of adventure, and even when I lived in a flat in a small town in Germany, I found that everywhere I turned was just as exciting as exploring the new world of Australia. Do you always travel from A to B, or do you have the inquisitive nature to see a different route or an interesting turning and wonder what you will find if you go that way? I played sport at a high level so this helped, it was marvellous to drive interstate in groups for tournaments, and at times driving between cities overnight added to our experiences. There is no perfect place for everyone, village life in England is very different from village life in Australia (though tiny settlements are often called towns!), and the seaside environment in both countries varies. Despite my many visits on holiday I didn't comprehend that my home country had changed so much, living here is not the same as holidaying or seeing programmes on TV which glamourise everything. Nevertheless, Australia is not for everyone, and we all have to make our own decisions, good or bad, reckless or otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 I agree! Exactly how my husband and I feel! We are awaiting our Citizenship ceremony and will be heading back to Brum in the UK after 7 years in Melbourne, we also live in the City (St Kilda).... Unfortunately I will be leaving behind my parents who also live in Melbourne along with my brother. However my husband misses his family and feels he has missed out on a lot after leaving them @ 17 years old to move to OZ with me and my family! It is definitely a mutual decision on heading back to the UK, weather it is the right one? Only time will tell…. The major pull to move back for us is; husband’s family, close lifelong friends and the feeling of belonging which is mentioned a lot on this forum. My now husband and I were also 16 & 17 when we moved to Melbourne with my family (Childhood sweethearts!), We would like to have the opportunity as adults to work, live and experience the UK to see if this is what we want for our future! What scares me the most is the same question… Is it reckless to go back? We are in great jobs are financially stable and very happy, but it’s like something is missing! we are taking it as a new adventure, nothing has to be forever! J - wish you all the best in what you choose to do! Jem, Where in brum ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suesmalls Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 Hi @InkBlots I am sorry to hear about your health and wishing you well. I am moving to England and I was born and bred in Australia - I'm nearly 48 (in December). My parents and brothers are English and I've got dual citizenship and my husband and his family are all English. That said he's spent more time in Australia than England - he is missing his family and due to family health scares over the past few years wants to return. My parents and one brother has passed on so I have basically 2 brothers left here and we don't see them - one through distance one through a falling out (he took all my parents inheritance and kept it, nice one). I am worried this is how I will feel, I am going in with open mind and sense of adventure but I do like the heat and love our outback and wildlife. There will definitely be things I love about England and I will be fascinated - but deep down I'm concerned about my yearning for Australia. I am not going in half hearted and will give it my best shot as we've got nothing keeping us in terms of family and connections to friends. I think there will be a lot to love about England too. Reading your post has made me want to say it out loud as I haven't so far and it's little disappointing when you read some of the posts trying to run down Australia - it is what it is and everywhere is different and has good and bad - otherwise why would we even want to visit or be in different places if it was all the same. At some points in our life different areas / countries will suit us better. The down side is these moves and decisions can tear family and loved ones apart and cause major financial upheavals or even have long term. consequences (i.e. no Australian pension now in UK and Super will be taxed in UK when you draw on it - so these have significant ramifications). I think for those that are considering your options etc it really does have to come down to personal decisions, what's best for you and your family, what you hope to achieve, what are the consequences (and how to you best get over them). If you take everyone's posts as gospel it could cause you indecision, conflicting views etc - whilst I understand the intent of the forum (I'm not knocking it and it has helped me and given me good insight to some areas - thank you) there are genuinely people on here who are going through life changing and gut retching decisions and making a decision to move based on squabble and persons trying to outdo or gazump each others comments may not be the best. But at the same time there are informative and helpful posts to give you information. Read all the comments and decipher the facts and have a laugh at the jibes - best wishes to all those going through some tough decision making. I fully expect to create another round of jibes and pokes - they do liven up my boring day at work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 I think if your furniture is old, then that is the best thing to do. Have a look at move cube for the bits you are shipping. We didn't have a choice in the matter as not only did we not have the cash to pay for shipping, but we needed to raise cash to pay for the flights and things. I earn a lot less here, but costs are much smaller. For example, we rent a lovely little cottage in the country which costs just over £300 a month. That is a big saving on what we paid in rent or mortgage in Oz. All our other bills are smaller, for example, our food bill is about a quarter. We are also not as consumerist here. I guess that is a mix of the fact people just aren't and because when we had nothing, it was actually enjoyable. For example of the former, it was Halloween and in Oz, kids would have all had bought costumes, but here the kids all had home made ones which would also have been more fun to make. I would just urge people to do their own research on Zoopla and Rightmove about property costs, my experience is that houses rent at £400pcm as the bottom end of the market, so VS may have been very lucky and have local connections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Yes we found Brisbane very much the same, you were almost judged ion what you owned, what car boat or whatever you owned. I don't miss that aspect. This certainly passed me by in my 10 years in Brisbane, one of the big pluses for both of us was how much less materialistic people were and how people were so much less concerned about putting you into a category of class, the problem I found was how people made sweeping critical statements about anybody that was different to them, ie not white, not caucasian, other than that I found most Australians welcoming, polite and in an old fashioned way genteel, but they did march to a different drum as regards to what was acceptable behaviours at work and their acceptance of appalling behaviours by public bodies and organisations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 I agree! Exactly how my husband and I feel! We are awaiting our Citizenship ceremony and will be heading back to Brum in the UK after 7 years in Melbourne, we also live in the City (St Kilda).... Unfortunately I will be leaving behind my parents who also live in Melbourne along with my brother. However my husband misses his family and feels he has missed out on a lot after leaving them @ 17 years old to move to OZ with me and my family! It is definitely a mutual decision on heading back to the UK, weather it is the right one? Only time will tell…. The major pull to move back for us is; husband’s family, close lifelong friends and the feeling of belonging which is mentioned a lot on this forum. My now husband and I were also 16 & 17 when we moved to Melbourne with my family (Childhood sweethearts!), We would like to have the opportunity as adults to work, live and experience the UK to see if this is what we want for our future! What scares me the most is the same question… Is it reckless to go back? We are in great jobs are financially stable and very happy, but it’s like something is missing! we are taking it as a new adventure, nothing has to be forever! J - wish you all the best in what you choose to do! Jem, I think you should think carefully, you have worked hard and have established your careers where you are, it might not be easy to replicate that success back in the UK without another lot of hard work, good jobs are not always easy to get whichever direction you are going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 I agree! Exactly how my husband and I feel! We are awaiting our Citizenship ceremony and will be heading back to Brum in the UK after 7 years in Melbourne, we also live in the City (St Kilda).... Unfortunately I will be leaving behind my parents who also live in Melbourne along with my brother. However my husband misses his family and feels he has missed out on a lot after leaving them @ 17 years old to move to OZ with me and my family! It is definitely a mutual decision on heading back to the UK, weather it is the right one? Only time will tell…. The major pull to move back for us is; husband’s family, close lifelong friends and the feeling of belonging which is mentioned a lot on this forum. My now husband and I were also 16 & 17 when we moved to Melbourne with my family (Childhood sweethearts!), We would like to have the opportunity as adults to work, live and experience the UK to see if this is what we want for our future! What scares me the most is the same question… Is it reckless to go back? We are in great jobs are financially stable and very happy, but it’s like something is missing! we are taking it as a new adventure, nothing has to be forever! J - wish you all the best in what you choose to do! Jem, No it is not reckless to make the move, we did it 4 1/2 years ago and we are loving it. Life is too short to think what if. No reason why you won't be just as financially stable and happy here, it's a wonderful country with much to offer. You will have a ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Your fibs as facts are still fibs, wherever I read them... :wink: You've noticed as well have you, but we are in the post truth era and anonymity does seem to encourage the embroidery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Try some positivity, it does wonders. It must be awful being so negative and depressing all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Is it reckless to go? This afternoon I sent an email to a friend in Adelaide who waved me off from the airport 5 years ago last week, and I said she should have tied me to a post and talked me out of leaving Australia. Holidays back to the UK would have been better. I suppose I have a longer history in Australia than most, arriving at Adelaide's Outer Harbour in early 1960, and flying out in November 2011. During my 51 years in the country I lived in Adelaide and Melbourne, travelled a lot in Australia, and also overseas. Where I initially lived in 1960 I was surrounded by other poms, but through my work, belonging to sports clubs, and moving a number of times, I mixed with many other nationalities. For those of you who have moaned about the whinging pom culture, it is necessary for you to make an effort to diversify. I made many trips back to the UK to satisfy the draw back to my homeland, but I was always pleased to arrive back in Australia. I regret being back in England now, I thought I was making the right move, but life is not the same. Health issues have troubled me over and over again, much of it caused by the climate and my hilly environment, so returning to my beautiful seaside home town was unwise. On Friday I suffered a mini stroke, and one of the ambulance officers had lived in Australia for a few years. I detected her Aussie accent, but she was astonished that I didn't have one despite living in Oz for many years longer than the average Australian has been alive. We all have different needs in life, and I must admit that it took me only 13 months before I realised that Australia wasn't a bad place at all. It wasn't the same as England, and sometimes seemed like the American Wild West, but that was the wonder and excitement of being half way around the world. Moving to another country you need to have a sense of adventure, and even when I lived in a flat in a small town in Germany, I found that everywhere I turned was just as exciting as exploring the new world of Australia. Do you always travel from A to B, or do you have the inquisitive nature to see a different route or an interesting turning and wonder what you will find if you go that way? I played sport at a high level so this helped, it was marvellous to drive interstate in groups for tournaments, and at times driving between cities overnight added to our experiences. There is no perfect place for everyone, village life in England is very different from village life in Australia (though tiny settlements are often called towns!), and the seaside environment in both countries varies. Despite my many visits on holiday I didn't comprehend that my home country had changed so much, living here is not the same as holidaying or seeing programmes on TV which glamourise everything. Nevertheless, Australia is not for everyone, and we all have to make our own decisions, good or bad, reckless or otherwise. I recognise so many of your reflections although we were only there for 10 years, the UK changed a lot in that time but we still feel it has upsides compared to Australia but I recognise your feelings about the UK now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Try some positivity, it does wonders. It must be awful being so negative and depressing all the time. Try taking the reality pills a bit more often, you keep on posting how marvellous the UK is and how the pavements are covered in gold. How about giving us the inside track on how to make the move so profitable. At least I have laid out time and again how it has worked out for us as Charity CEO and retired local govt manager. Remember the posters on here are trying to make life changing decisions and the last thing people need are mirages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 I have never once said the pavements are paved with gold, even you must see that constant negativity isn't a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 I have never once said the pavements are paved with gold, even you must see that constant negativity isn't a good thing. Neither is forever presenting the UK as some kind of nirvana or shangri-la. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BacktoDemocracy Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Sorry, inconsequential Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 I would just urge people to do their own research on Zoopla and Rightmove about property costs, my experience is that houses rent at £400pcm as the bottom end of the market, so VS may have been very lucky and have local connections. Nope, Scotland is simply a lot cheaper. I am am looking at buying and will get a cottage in the area for £150k. I can get he house next door for £130, but the garden is to small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Nope, Scotland is simply a lot cheaper. I am am looking at buying and will get a cottage in the area for £150k. I can get he house next door for £130, but the garden is to small. Just like around here,people seem to think the UK is the SE of England nowhere else exists. Like us you are finding there are lots of really nice areas that are very much more affordable with the added bonus of a fraction of the traffic, friendlier people, cleaner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisH1 Posted November 28, 2016 Share Posted November 28, 2016 I have been here since 1986, settling first in Melbourne, and now living in far north Queensland. I have never been happier in my life. But, I think that it is time for you to go home. Sent from my SM-N920I using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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