Returning to Blighty after nearly 8 years in Queensland!!

[Jay2016]

So you enjoyed Queensland? Any thoughts on sunshine coast Vs gold coast Vs Brisbane? Regards Jay

Sent from my Nexus 10 using PomsinOz mobile app

[bunbury61]

On ‎31‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 19:37, bunbury61 said:

The local dog walk isn't bad either ?

 

[bunbury61]

On ‎30‎/‎07‎/‎2017 at 21:02, MelT said:

Depends where you live.. We are hoping to move back to Sussex.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

sorry Mel , just being honest , but the summer ha been poor .

last 6 years ,no winter to speak of ...no snow ,very little ice , no days below zero .

because of this I was expecting a warm summer ....a few degrees above winter weather and wet .

when its been hot , its been stinking hot ( for the u.k ) .

we have a balcony Tha catches the sun ...the other week 35c in the shade ...52c in direct sunlight

[Phil & Vikki]

That is one of the main things that has got us too. We underestimated the impact of our family aging would have on us. Yes we know they were getting older (as we all are), but we didn’t take into account the feeling of guilt we would feel not being there to help out and missing the funerals of the family members we grow up with. This struck home hard when my father passed away suddenly. Ten am UK we were talking to him, by 12pm he was gone. This happened on the weekend and we could not get back to the UK, to my mother until the Thursday. Time when she needed someone close to help her during this difficult time, we were not there. This combined with the fact that we have never been able to call Australia home, has made us think that the time is right to go home. Our 12 year old son has already made the move back and is living with my mum, so that is a bit of company for her. We have done what we can to get our son settled in and it seems to of worked, he is doing fantastic both in school and scouts. However, not being there is taking its toll on everyone. So like you, we have made the decision that the time is right and we are looking to go back next year, in time for our daughter to start the new school year. It is true, when you need to get back fast, only then you realise how far it is away. There is no jumping in the car and getting to there in a few minutes. 

 

We never thought of moving to Australia as a dream come true, we say it as an adventure and a break from our normal (what we thought was boring) lives. Only now we can look back and see that it was not boring and in fact we had it quite good there. We do not see our time in Australia as a waist or mistake, as we have had 7 years adventure, that most of our friends and family can only dream of and our kids have two passports now. So if they decide they want to come back in the future they can without the cost of problems we had to face getting the visa.

 

We too have a house in the UK, which we have been renting and on our return we could go back to if needed. However, with good tenants in, you kinda think leave them as they are and let’s keep the money coming in. The option is there though if we need it and if we cannot buy another place straight away. Rent and mortgage free accommodation is a very big pull though lol. When we left the UK, we said that we would not sell our place just in case it didn’t work out. We heard about lots of people who did sell their place to take the money with them to Oz to buy a new house. We didn’t take that option and now it seems like the right one, well for us anyway. We brought in Oz and are going to keep this place too as an investment and a place to come back to later if we or the kids need it. It is true though that the sun shining all the time can get to you. Last summer we remember it being 38 at 11.30pm, which is not fun, trying to get to sleep with that heat. Also no matter how hard you try the mosquitoes get in and you get bittern to bits. This is the side of it that people back home will not understand as they are still probably in the mind-set that all is fantastic and the sun shines all the time. Personally we would rather have the cold as you can wrap up. We also have never been able to call this place home. We thought that buying our own place would help, but it did not.

 

Like you say your daughter is a grown women and she can make her own mind up. You have to prepare yourself for the fact that she may not want to come back to the UK after she has finished uni.  We have read a few posts on there and Crown seems to be the best people to go with. Before we leave we are going to have a big sort out and only take what is needed as when we came over we brought everything including the kitchen sink (as they say). We are not going to do that again as in 6 years there are boxes full in the garage of stuff we brought over and have not used. No point keeping it and paying extra to ship it back when we have not used it in 6 plus years. We have a car to take back with us, one we brought over in the first place. 

[Phil & Vikki]

On 01/08/2017 at 04:35, bunbury61 said:

for me ..Warwickshire...worcestershire...herefordshire.....shropshire....some lovely spots

we caught the train from Solihull to Worcester recently ...urban ...very urban ..then out into the country ...beautiful

Worcester is decent

Totally agree. We will be moving back to Kidderminster. Good old carpet town.

[bunbury61]

27 minutes ago, Phil & Vikki said:

Totally agree. We will be moving back to Kidderminster. Good old carpet town.

I was there yesterday .( right next door to the harriers ground in aggborouh )

phil/vikki ,it wouldn't be kiddy , it would be about few miles out , wolverley, hartlebury,stourport ,bewdley , or there is a little place I love with the little village post office and the pub , and the little village clock ....hang on , I will post wheni can remember the name ?

[bunbury61]

1 minute ago, bunbury61 said:

I was there yesterday .( right next door to the harriers ground in aggborouh )

phil/vikki ,it wouldn't be kiddy , it would be about few miles out , wolverley, hartlebury,stourport ,bewdley , or there is a little place I love with the little village post office and the pub , and the little village clock ....hang on , I will post wheni can remember the name ?

the other great thing is the train line in kiddy ...takes you into brum ,jewellery quarter , onto touchwood in Solihull for a bit of shopping ...or the other way into Worcester ( which I love ) .

I think there is a tran service direct , or with one change ,into London ?

The tran service is quite decent as well .

we went Solihull to words the other week ...£9 return

[bunbury61]

10 minutes ago, bunbury61 said:

I was there yesterday .( right next door to the harriers ground in aggborouh )

phil/vikki ,it wouldn't be kiddy , it would be about few miles out , wolverley, hartlebury,stourport ,bewdley , or there is a little place I love with the little village post office and the pub , and the little village clock ....hang on , I will post wheni can remember the name ?

not forgetting churchill , hagley , and blakedown ?

[bunbury61]

46 minutes ago, bunbury61 said:

I was there yesterday .( right next door to the harriers ground in aggborouh )

phil/vikki ,it wouldn't be kiddy , it would be about few miles out , wolverley, hartlebury,stourport ,bewdley , or there is a little place I love with the little village post office and the pub , and the little village clock ....hang on , I will post wheni can remember the name ?

cookley ....and of course a bit further out kinver

[bunbury61]

4 hours ago, Phil & Vikki said:

That is one of the main things that has got us too. We underestimated the impact of our family aging would have on us. Yes we know they were getting older (as we all are), but we didn’t take into account the feeling of guilt we would feel not being there to help out and missing the funerals of the family members we grow up with. This struck home hard when my father passed away suddenly. Ten am UK we were talking to him, by 12pm he was gone. This happened on the weekend and we could not get back to the UK, to my mother until the Thursday. Time when she needed someone close to help her during this difficult time, we were not there. This combined with the fact that we have never been able to call Australia home, has made us think that the time is right to go home. Our 12 year old son has already made the move back and is living with my mum, so that is a bit of company for her. We have done what we can to get our son settled in and it seems to of worked, he is doing fantastic both in school and scouts. However, not being there is taking its toll on everyone. So like you, we have made the decision that the time is right and we are looking to go back next year, in time for our daughter to start the new school year. It is true, when you need to get back fast, only then you realise how far it is away. There is no jumping in the car and getting to there in a few minutes. 

 

We never thought of moving to Australia as a dream come true, we say it as an adventure and a break from our normal (what we thought was boring) lives. Only now we can look back and see that it was not boring and in fact we had it quite good there. We do not see our time in Australia as a waist or mistake, as we have had 7 years adventure, that most of our friends and family can only dream of and our kids have two passports now. So if they decide they want to come back in the future they can without the cost of problems we had to face getting the visa.

 

We too have a house in the UK, which we have been renting and on our return we could go back to if needed. However, with good tenants in, you kinda think leave them as they are and let’s keep the money coming in. The option is there though if we need it and if we cannot buy another place straight away. Rent and mortgage free accommodation is a very big pull though lol. When we left the UK, we said that we would not sell our place just in case it didn’t work out. We heard about lots of people who did sell their place to take the money with them to Oz to buy a new house. We didn’t take that option and now it seems like the right one, well for us anyway. We brought in Oz and are going to keep this place too as an investment and a place to come back to later if we or the kids need it. It is true though that the sun shining all the time can get to you. Last summer we remember it being 38 at 11.30pm, which is not fun, trying to get to sleep with that heat. Also no matter how hard you try the mosquitoes get in and you get bittern to bits. This is the side of it that people back home will not understand as they are still probably in the mind-set that all is fantastic and the sun shines all the time. Personally we would rather have the cold as you can wrap up. We also have never been able to call this place home. We thought that buying our own place would help, but it did not.

 

Like you say your daughter is a grown women and she can make her own mind up. You have to prepare yourself for the fact that she may not want to come back to the UK after she has finished uni.  We have read a few posts on there and Crown seems to be the best people to go with. Before we leave we are going to have a big sort out and only take what is needed as when we came over we brought everything including the kitchen sink (as they say). We are not going to do that again as in 6 years there are boxes full in the garage of stuff we brought over and have not used. No point keeping it and paying extra to ship it back when we have not used it in 6 plus years. We have a car to take back with us, one we brought over in the first place. 

Reading your post , you are doing the right thing .

my dad died in 98 , and I was here in the u.k .

my mom has been on her own for 19 years , and thank god , she has got my wife alongside her ....not me ,her son ....my wife .

my mom is nearly 90 now ,

she speaks to my wife 3 times a day , and now its coming to the stage , mom needs more care .

we do her shopping for her etc ., and al the other stuff

she is old school, but she needs us now .

I spent the last few years ,angry at my siblings ( they are in oz ) , that had done next to nothing , whilst all the onus was on us .

The anger has only recently turned to pity .

They have missed the boat now

[Scousers1]

On 28 July 2017 at 14:56, Lady Tottington said:

 

Its been one hell of a journey, after my partner was working in the FIFO industry for 5 years, 4 cycles of IVF, 2 live births, a miscarriage, never feeling so lonely, and so emotional,our (partners) parents health deterating we have decided to go HOME, we are so excited but it does come with its complications. Our daughter was 13 when we arrived here and is now studying at Uni, has got her circle of friends and is pretty content. Me and OH on the other hand are miserable, homesick, skint (yes we both work), we argue alot due to our circumstances and want to chuck in the towel for our life back in Yorkshire.

 

One of the inlaws had a heart attack last year and was on deaths door and I see my mother is deteriorating with some form of dementia, my little boys hardly know their grandparents, nor their uncles, aunts and cousins. The guilt we feel for not being there for the oldies is huge, we feel so helpless and this is when you realise just how far away Australia is.

 

We believed that moving to Australia would be a dream come true, and honestly it was for the first 2-3 years, we had our ups and downs but on a hole it was good, gorgeous house, pool, good jobs, daughter went to fantastic private school, two beautiful babies which we never thought we would have. The sun shines most of the time, but even that becomes a burden and limitation. Its a very lovely (lonely) part of the world BUT its not home, it just doesn't feel right, I feel trapped, lonely and teary, i started having anxiety, I miss my old life so much, moving here wasn't a mistake or anything. Infact I certainly don't regret doing it, its been an experience (an expensive experience) but its part of us now.

 

We are planning on leaving for rainier shores in the New Year, I would go home tomorrow if I could, we are very fortunate we only sold one of our houses and still have one to go back to (when the tenent leaves). We are trying to line up tradies to get it renovated before our return. Our son is due to start (UK) school this Sept this year but I've contacted the UK education authority and he can start Sept 2018 as his birthday is end of June, so that works really well, I'm able to get a job as soon as im ready, thats not a problem, straight back into the NHS, so the main obstacle is my OH to get a job which he is trying to do prior to leaving Australia. Then its the heartbreak of leaving our daughter here. Leaving her has made me so sick to my stomach, but she is 21 soon and totally independent, she has her own life, she keeps saying when she finishes her course and gains her experience, she will return to be with us. (Approx 3years) I guess thats what I have to hold onto. Although she is a grown woman, I feel she is still my little girl!!

 

We are not telling our family or friends that we are returning as too many people would believe us to be bonkers to return, yet I believe until you have made this journey you would never know how it feels. I am so looking forward to being able to pop round to family and friends for a cuppa, proper pubs, cheaper shopping, a mini mortgage, decent TV, home comforts, curry, cheap holidays in the south/west country and Europe and cant wait to drive the M62 (compared to the M1 it will be bliss)

 

If anyone could recommend shippers that would be awesome, we used Crown to come over, but we need quotes and timing of container to get to the other side. So we can plan well in advance!

 

Thanks

 

Lady Tottington

 

Sent from my SM-T580 using PomsinOz mobile app

 

 

 

Best of luck, those of us who have done it totally understand. It is only in the last year or two i realise my daughter has no one around as family. My mum and dad are here but very frail, my brother is here hut we never see him. I think living here has destroyed my once great family we were so close and now there us nothing. I beleive you are doing what is right. I envy you. Good luck!

[bunbury61]

16 hours ago, Scousers1 said:

Best of luck, those of us who have done it totally understand. It is only in the last year or two i realise my daughter has no one around as family. My mum and dad are here but very frail, my brother is here hut we never see him. I think living here has destroyed my once great family we were so close and now there us nothing. I beleive you are doing what is right. I envy you. Good luck!

yes , I know scouser , my once close family is not so close now .

we have family arrriving later on this month from oz .

when the car pulls up outside the house , it should be happy faces , glad to see them .

I honestly dread it , making small talk , hate them .

very sad , because we were never brought up that way .

I wonder where their " moral compass " has gone .

The indifference , the selfishness ,the dismissiveness .

I will be glad when they have pissed off back to oz , and they haven't even arrived yet ????

[bunbury61]

1 hour ago, bunbury61 said:

yes , I know scouser , my once close family is not so close now .

we have family arrriving later on this month from oz .

when the car pulls up outside the house , it should be happy faces , glad to see them .

I honestly dread it , making small talk , hate them .

very sad , because we were never brought up that way .

I wonder where their " moral compass " has gone .

The indifference , the selfishness ,the dismissiveness .

I will be glad when they have pissed off back to oz , and they haven't even arrived yet ????

???? trust you quoll ???

[Phil & Vikki]

On 04/08/2017 at 18:59, bunbury61 said:

Reading your post , you are doing the right thing .

my dad died in 98 , and I was here in the u.k .

my mom has been on her own for 19 years , and thank god , she has got my wife alongside her ....not me ,her son ....my wife .

my mom is nearly 90 now ,

she speaks to my wife 3 times a day , and now its coming to the stage , mom needs more care .

we do her shopping for her etc ., and al the other stuff

she is old school, but she needs us now .

I spent the last few years ,angry at my siblings ( they are in oz ) , that had done next to nothing , whilst all the onus was on us .

The anger has only recently turned to pity .

They have missed the boat now

Thanks for the comments on our post and we feel for you in your position, but like you say your mum needs you now. It is a shame to hear that it has all fallen on you to do, but like you say you have to pity the others as they are missing out on what can only be classed as limited time. At least one thing, you are there when your mum needs you most. You can always say that.

[Quoll]

14 hours ago, bunbury61 said:

???? trust you quoll ???

I think of you when I have a good whinge about the responsibility of being an only child! I would love to have had a sibling to share my current hell but they'd probably be more like your mob with the abrogation of responsibility! I will say that the responsibility is doing my head in at the moment! However I have an amazing husband who is helping far more than any sibling would most likely have done. 

[bunbury61]

14 hours ago, Phil & Vikki said:

Thanks for the comments on our post and we feel for you in your position, but like you say your mum needs you now. It is a shame to hear that it has all fallen on you to do, but like you say you have to pity the others as they are missing out on what can only be classed as limited time. At least one thing, you are there when your mum needs you most. You can always say that.

thank you ...its bloody hard though ,when you look at a sibling , and there is no emotion there ...nothing

[bunbury61]

8 hours ago, Quoll said:

I think of you when I have a good whinge about the responsibility of being an only child! I would love to have had a sibling to share my current hell but they'd probably be more like your mob with the abrogation of responsibility! I will say that the responsibility is doing my head in at the moment! However I have an amazing husband who is helping far more than any sibling would most likely have done. 

well at least you understand ...and it is bloody hard work .

They arrive in the u.k in a couple of weeks ...prepare for fireworks ?

The thing is quoll , I come across this all the time in my job ....talking over a cup of tea ...and out it comes

ALL THE TIME ...in every family there is always one ,who gets landed , and I keep meeting them ? .

 

 

 

 

[ScottieGirl]

9 hours ago, Quoll said:

I think of you when I have a good whinge about the responsibility of being an only child! I would love to have had a sibling to share my current hell but they'd probably be more like your mob with the abrogation of responsibility! I will say that the responsibility is doing my head in at the moment! However I have an amazing husband who is helping far more than any sibling would most likely have done. 

I  am also an only child and my elderly mum was a big factor in the move back so I can sympathise.  It can be tough being an only but then you get to xmas and listen to all the tales of dysfunctional families and feel a lot better ?

[bristolman]

On 7/30/2017 at 20:58, MelT said:

 

There is a trade off though... Lovely long, light and balmy evenings in the summer.. Can't wait...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Oh yes and what a trade off that is, lovely warm long nights perfect for sitting out in the garden. It's been a bit wet these last few weeks but nice apart from that. 

[Quoll]

4 hours ago, bunbury61 said:

well at least you understand ...and it is bloody hard work .

They arrive in the u.k in a couple of weeks ...prepare for fireworks ?

The thing is quoll , I come across this all the time in my job ....talking over a cup of tea ...and out it comes

ALL THE TIME ...in every family there is always one ,who gets landed , and I keep meeting them ? .

 

 

 

 

Hello!!!! 

[KTM1963]

Lived in Worcester for 10 years before heading to Australia in 1989.  Have just returned to test the waters in March 2017 and love it.  So close to everywhere, a very pretty city and affordable if you want to buy.  Love the small city vibe compared to Melbourne and so far, no intention of returning permanently to Australia.  Oh! and just started a full time job today

[bunbury61]

3 hours ago, ScottieGirl said:

I  am also an only child and my elderly mum was a big factor in the move back so I can sympathise.  It can be tough being an only but then you get to xmas and listen to all the tales of dysfunctional families and feel a lot better ?

I can tell you , there is a hell of a lot of family trouble now .

more than there is ,that are stable ...sadly

[bunbury61]

5 minutes ago, KTM1963 said:

Lived in Worcester for 10 years before heading to Australia in 1989.  Have just returned to test the waters in March 2017 and love it.  So close to everywhere, a very pretty city and affordable if you want to buy.  Love the small city vibe compared to Melbourne and so far, no intention of returning permanently to Australia.  Oh! and just started a full time job today

I love Worcester ktm ....train ride only £9 return from Solihull ...lovely

[bristolman]

Yeah I really like Worcester as well, plenty to do without being too big and lovely countryside very close by. 

[Phil & Vikki]

4 hours ago, KTM1963 said:

Lived in Worcester for 10 years before heading to Australia in 1989.  Have just returned to test the waters in March 2017 and love it.  So close to everywhere, a very pretty city and affordable if you want to buy.  Love the small city vibe compared to Melbourne and so far, no intention of returning permanently to Australia.  Oh! and just started a full time job today

Totally agree about Worcester and we feel that way about the surrounding areas too. We are originally from Kidderminster and would often go to Worcester. We are heading back this Christmas and it is a shame that we will miss the Victorian Market. The prices of houses in Worcester is going up, but then again they are all throughout the country.