bristolman Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 6 minutes ago, Martinbjulieb said: For us it was the isolation of Perth. Yes, I know it is the most isolated capital city in the world but until you have lived there you don’t really understand that. Unless you want to travel to Bali (we didn’t) or Singapore you really are looking at having to travel over east first to connect a flight to other destinations. Don’t g Perth is the last place I would ever want to live to be fair, it does nothing at all for me BUT others like it for whatever reason and that's fine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 5 minutes ago, Martinbjulieb said: This is probably the reason we didn’t return earlier (4 years earlier!) I always thought that people would have thought we had failed and given up on something some people dream about, but until you have walked in someone’s shoes it is better not to judge.? There is still the attitude with some here that you are mad, how could you possibly leave Australia because it must be better than here lol. These people have never even been to Australia on holiday but seem to think Aussies work for 3 hours a day and spend the rest of their lives have BBQs on the beach. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 3 hours ago, Martinbjulieb said: For us it was the isolation of Perth. Yes, I know it is the most isolated capital city in the world but until you have lived there you don’t really understand that. Unless you want to travel to Bali (we didn’t) or Singapore you really are looking at having to travel over east first to connect a flight to other destinations. As for driving, you can drive for hours and not see much except bushland so that’s not exactly a good way to travel either! As for the drivers, simply don’t get me started on that! ? Don’t get me wrong Perth is a beautiful city and so clean but there is only a certain amount of things to do. It was great when our kids were younger, so many parks etc but as they got older we were all very bored. I was looking through photos of when we first got to Perth in August 2007 and realised that by March of the following year we had pretty much visited every place in Perth that we would ever visit. Consequently later photos are in the same places but with us being older!! I live in Perth and whilst I've visited Singapore (love it) I agree Bali isn't on my to do list, but we have travelled much further afield and the world really is your oyster if you set your mind to it . I've never really 'got' the isolation bit ... but I appreciate some find it isolated and others don't - I guess you either let that get to you or you don't (depending on which criteria you use - both Hawaii and Auckland can come out as being more isolated than Perth). When you say you've visited every place in Perth .. is that the city? It's like saying you've visited every place in Manchester (or your home city) .. WA is a massive state . there are so many places we've yet to explore and we've been her 11 years. One of my most memorable experiences is our family of four sat on an isolated beach in Exmouth seeing giant turtles come ashore .. hubby said he expected David Attenborough to suddenly pop up and give a commentary lol .. a very memorable experience. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northernbird Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 I don't get the British mentality that they always have to be doing something, going somewhere. I haven't had a holiday in 8 years. Haven't had time or money. It's definitely a british thing because Australian friends of mine don't seem to have the same yearnings. I didn't feel the need to do something or go somewhere every weekend when I lived in the UK, US or Canada. Life just takes over when you work full time so I would love to know where everyone finds the time. Weekends are for shopping, housework and other mundane crap. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 17 minutes ago, northernbird said: I don't get the British mentality that they always have to be doing something, going somewhere. I haven't had a holiday in 8 years. Haven't had time or money. It's definitely a british thing because Australian friends of mine don't seem to have the same yearnings. I didn't feel the need to do something or go somewhere every weekend when I lived in the UK, US or Canada. Life just takes over when you work full time so I would love to know where everyone finds the time. Weekends are for shopping, housework and other mundane crap. Yet others in Australia are saying how they are always doing things or going somewhere so it's not a British thing really. You make it seem like a negative. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booma Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 5 hours ago, ali said: I live in Perth and whilst I've visited Singapore (love it) I agree Bali isn't on my to do list, but we have travelled much further afield and the world really is your oyster if you set your mind to it . I've never really 'got' the isolation bit ... but I appreciate some find it isolated and others don't - I guess you either let that get to you or you don't (depending on which criteria you use - both Hawaii and Auckland can come out as being more isolated than Perth). When you say you've visited every place in Perth .. is that the city? It's like saying you've visited every place in Manchester (or your home city) .. WA is a massive state . there are so many places we've yet to explore and we've been her 11 years. One of my most memorable experiences is our family of four sat on an isolated beach in Exmouth seeing giant turtles come ashore .. hubby said he expected David Attenborough to suddenly pop up and give a commentary lol .. a very memorable experience. I would much rather see giant turtles than buildings & I find to many people in a place makes me feel like I cant breathe. One of the things I enjoy most about where we live is I get to see whales migrating & it just makes my heart melt. we are just started planning a holiday to antartica. family in oz went last year & said it is awe inspiring. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMG Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 If I suggested to my husband or kids that we tidied the house at weekends there would be a riot. we work to live, enjoying life, travelling, having fun as a family ( writing this on our way to Thailand). Both of us work, kids get lots of attention and interaction. Different people enjoy different things, no way is right or wrong as long as the people doing it are happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 1 hour ago, RMG said: If I suggested to my husband or kids that we tidied the house at weekends there would be a riot. we work to live, enjoying life, travelling, having fun as a family ( writing this on our way to Thailand). Both of us work, kids get lots of attention and interaction. Different people enjoy different things, no way is right or wrong as long as the people doing it are happy. We do a bit of both. Some weekends we need to do things at home (we've just moved into a new house so every weekend seems to be filled with building bookcases or wardrobes and unpacking boxes at the moment), but some weekends we go off on adventures. We've two holidays coming up in the next few months, so we're doing a bit more around the house to try and get things done before we go. At other times we'd go out every weekend. Depends on what's going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toots Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 5 hours ago, northernbird said: I don't get the British mentality that they always have to be doing something, going somewhere. I haven't had a holiday in 8 years. Haven't had time or money. It's definitely a british thing because Australian friends of mine don't seem to have the same yearnings. I didn't feel the need to do something or go somewhere every weekend when I lived in the UK, US or Canada. Life just takes over when you work full time so I would love to know where everyone finds the time. Weekends are for shopping, housework and other mundane crap. I was always doing things when younger. Always up for an adventure ............................ now I'm just the opposite. I've found a place to live where I am totally content and would be perfectly happy if I never had to get on a plane again for the rest of my life. I live a quiet peaceful life - I don't need to spend much money. I'm never bored. Having said that though, OH and I are off to a wedding in Sydney after Easter. At least it's a short flight. You are right northenbird, when you're working full time, weekends are taken up with children, housework, shopping etc etc etc. Maybe those folk who take off on weekends away at the drop of a hat have nannies and cleaners. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 2 hours ago, Booma said: I would much rather see giant turtles than buildings & I find to many people in a place makes me feel like I cant breathe. One of the things I enjoy most about where we live is I get to see whales migrating & it just makes my heart melt. we are just started planning a holiday to antartica. family in oz went last year & said it is awe inspiring. Booma .. it was magical .. just us 4 and the turtles .. we sat there for ages just watching, Never thought of Antarctica as a holiday destination .. Sounds fascinating 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toots Posted March 11, 2018 Share Posted March 11, 2018 15 minutes ago, ali said: Booma .. it was magical .. just us 4 and the turtles .. we sat there for ages just watching, Never thought of Antarctica as a holiday destination .. Sounds fascinating My neighbour's granddaughter is heading to Antarctica next summer. She will sail from South America. Her ambition was to see all seven continents by the time she was 30. Antarctica is the last on her list and she will be 30 next year then she's getting married to her long time partner. She's worked in summer camps in the US and Canada, pubs and offices in the UK then travelled around Europe and done voluntary work in Asia and Africa. I wonder if she will ever manage to settle in one place. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmo Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 On 3/10/2018 at 21:24, RMG said: If I suggested to my husband or kids that we tidied the house at weekends there would be a riot. we work to live, enjoying life, travelling, having fun as a family ( writing this on our way to Thailand). Both of us work, kids get lots of attention and interaction. Different people enjoy different things, no way is right or wrong as long as the people doing it are happy. My kids tidy their own rooms or they don't get pocket money. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMissingEurope Posted March 12, 2018 Author Share Posted March 12, 2018 On 09/03/2018 at 01:02, Ferrets said: As they have dual citizenship hasn't that horse already bolted to an extent in that they could all move back here as soon as legally entitled? I appreciate that you need to do what's right but trying to avoid getting "stuck" when the kids have the passport anyway doesn't seem a good reason to me; quality of family life, happy family etc. yes, but not parent concern about where grandchildren may be born I see what you're saying.. I know that they could end up wanting to move back here one day (and being able to as dual citizens) but I feel like it might be less likely if they have grown up in the UK.. there is no way of knowing of course. I just don't want to end up like some of the older people i've met here who deeply regret not moving back then their kids were young. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toots Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 1 hour ago, MissMissingEurope said: I see what you're saying.. I know that they could end up wanting to move back here one day (and being able to as dual citizens) but I feel like it might be less likely if they have grown up in the UK.. there is no way of knowing of course. I just don't want to end up like some of the older people i've met here who deeply regret not moving back then their kids were young. No you never know where your children will end up. I know three families who moved back to the UK when their children were all around the 5 and 6 year old mark. That was 27 years ago. Two of the girls (not from the same family) are now in Sydney in very good jobs and loving life. They may go back to the UK and they may not. My boys were born here and are round about the same age as the girls - one is in Ireland and one in New York. Both loving life. Good luck to them all I say. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 On 10/03/2018 at 23:32, Toots said: I was always doing things when younger. Always up for an adventure ............................ now I'm just the opposite. I've found a place to live where I am totally content and would be perfectly happy if I never had to get on a plane again for the rest of my life. I live a quiet peaceful life - I don't need to spend much money. I'm never bored. Having said that though, OH and I are off to a wedding in Sydney after Easter. At least it's a short flight. You are right northenbird, when you're working full time, weekends are taken up with children, housework, shopping etc etc etc. Maybe those folk who take off on weekends away at the drop of a hat have nannies and cleaners. I understand you being comfortable in your own skin toots ?. its sort of what most people are trying to attain , but few achieve it my wife is like that . very happy where she is ...wherever that is. I then I come along ,and drag her all over the shop ? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 6 hours ago, Toots said: No you never know where your children will end up. I know three families who moved back to the UK when their children were all around the 5 and 6 year old mark. That was 27 years ago. Two of the girls (not from the same family) are now in Sydney in very good jobs and loving life. They may go back to the UK and they may not. My boys were born here and are round about the same age as the girls - one is in Ireland and one in New York. Both loving life. Good luck to them all I say. i have posted about this before . when we were in w.a ,all the families had young kids . those kids are now in their 30s...bloody hell ? and they are all over the place .. back in Ireland , parents are still in w.a . ones in south America ...you just never know 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissMissingEurope Posted March 14, 2018 Author Share Posted March 14, 2018 (edited) On 20/02/2018 at 23:24, meme78 said: We've done SO much in the UK since we've been here. London is on our doorstep-we've done the theatres, museums and galleries. We've been camping, visited castles and stately homes. We did our first trip to Spain and it blew her mind- our friends who speak 3 languages introduced her to a world she'd never known and she loved it. We've learned the geography of Europe, met people from so many places, she learns French and Dutch at school. We have things to do every weekend- not always costly- and we don't miss the geographical or cultural isolation that we had in Australia. There is just so much to do here. Sure- winter is testing by February- but so was the Adelaide summer- day after day of not being able to play outside, park equipment being too hot and fearing sunburn. We live near a small beach here and she loves it just the same- it's nothing on an Aussie beach but it's got water, safe swimming and no sharks and plenty of sand to build castles. School is harder here- they push them more and it's less fun. But, what can you do? I find the teachers excellent and the extra curricular stuff really good, if you're keen on that. Our lives here are richer for culture- without a doubt. We aren't outdoorsy, so not being able to do things outside all year doesn't bother us. Generally though, we are more engaged with life and the world. I lived in Perth for a spell and I can see where you're coming from. It is more of the same. There is nowhere to go barring a big drive or flight. Here, we can drive for an hour and be somewhere totally different. And we can catch a plane and the same goes again. Good luck! Hi it sounds like you have a wonderful lifestyle in the UK! It's all of these kind of experiences i'd love my kids to have. If you don't mind me asking, where are you living? I would very much like to live somewhere close to London but I don't know if we can afford it.. Edited March 14, 2018 by MissMissingEurope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Home and Happy Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 (edited) On 22/02/2018 at 08:16, MissMissingEurope said: Yes, I have also lived in Melbourne and Cairns.. we have considered Hobart or Canberra but they are even further away from Europe than Perth is so i'm not sure i'd be able to settle there either as it's the isolation from Europe that really bothers me about living here the most. Correct, don't make a bad problem worse. We found it so boring over there, everyday was the same, the awful weather and the choking hot dry desert air stuck at home on the suburb most of the time, slapping on greasy sun block just to go out to buy some tea bags....Your life will begin again when you come back home and you will feel free again. The location of UK is perfect, right in the middle of the world, you have so much on your doorstep here. The isolation of Australia is nothing anyone can understand without going there yourself. We like to travel a lot at weekends after winter is gone, and we could never do that when we were stuck away out there as there was just nowhere to go to. You really are truly stuck when you migrate away out there. If you have the money to get out of that place and your heart is telling you to do so, then go. The kids will thank you later as its far more happening for them back here. Britain has its problems but its still the best place in the world to be. Edited March 14, 2018 by Home and Happy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 16 minutes ago, Home and Happy said: as there was just nowhere to go to. Agreed. Australia is such a small place lacking in diversity. If you've seen one beach/state/ rainforest/mountain/desert/ gorge/ city/ winery/mining town/indigenous settlement/tropical island etc etc etc you've seen 'em all blah blah 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Home and Happy said: Correct, don't make a bad problem worse. We found it so boring over there, everyday was the same, the awful weather and the choking hot dry desert air stuck at home on the suburb most of the time, slapping on greasy sun block just to go out to buy some tea bags....Your life will begin again when you come back home and you will feel free again. The location of UK is perfect, right in the middle of the world, you have so much on your doorstep here. The isolation of Australia is nothing anyone can understand without going there yourself. We like to travel a lot at weekends after winter is gone, and we could never do that when we were stuck away out there as there was just nowhere to go to. You really are truly stuck when you migrate away out there. If you have the money to get out of that place and your heart is telling you to do so, then go. The kids will thank you later as its far more happening for them back here. Britain has its problems but its still the best place in the world to be. I hope the OP (and others) won't let the obvious bitterness and twisted outlook in Home-and-Happy's posts get to them. I am very, very sorry that Home and Happy went through such a dreadful time in Australia - although I have to say, it sounds as though it was completely self-inflicted, since no one was forcing them to stay - but their posts are just ridiculous. Hot dry desert air? Really. Edited March 14, 2018 by Marisawright 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toots Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 1 hour ago, Marisawright said: I hope the OP (and others) won't let the obvious bitterness and twisted outlook in Home-and-Happy's posts get to them. I am very, very sorry that Home and Happy went through such a dreadful time in Australia - although I have to say, it sounds as though it was completely self-inflicted, since no one was forcing them to stay - but their posts are just ridiculous. Hot dry desert air? Really. Here's a T shirt for H & H. He could wear it with pride. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 49 minutes ago, Toots said: Here's a T shirt for H & H. He could wear it with pride. has whingeing got an e in it .....or is it whinging ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 2 hours ago, Marisawright said: I hope the OP (and others) won't let the obvious bitterness and twisted outlook in Home-and-Happy's posts get to them. I am very, very sorry that Home and Happy went through such a dreadful time in Australia - although I have to say, it sounds as though it was completely self-inflicted, since no one was forcing them to stay - but their posts are just ridiculous. Hot dry desert air? Really. I tell you something , I could do with 4-6 months in oz , in the u.k winter ....perth , cairns , wherever ? my ambition is to spend time in each I could never leave the u.k ...it will always be " home" and the property we have now is bloody ideal ...honestly . but iam too much of a restless spirit to spend 365 days a year in one place . something always turns up for me ...so watch this space . I miss my Aussie mates , and priority number 1 is to feel the sand under my feet 2 - is to see the mighty " bombers " play 345678910 ...to see the lads and get lashed , with loads of sledging ....like a poor mans " Freddie flintoff " ? Ps ...i have lost a few of my Aussie mates since I have been back in the uk .....great blokes...i need to pay my respects ...tear in my eye and a beer in my hand 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drumbeat Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 5 hours ago, Home and Happy said: Correct, don't make a bad problem worse. We found it so boring over there, everyday was the same, the awful weather and the choking hot dry desert air stuck at home on the suburb most of the time, slapping on greasy sun block just to go out to buy some tea bags....Your life will begin again when you come back home and you will feel free again. The location of UK is perfect, right in the middle of the world, you have so much on your doorstep here. The isolation of Australia is nothing anyone can understand without going there yourself. We like to travel a lot at weekends after winter is gone, and we could never do that when we were stuck away out there as there was just nowhere to go to. You really are truly stuck when you migrate away out there. If you have the money to get out of that place and your heart is telling you to do so, then go. The kids will thank you later as its far more happening for them back here. Britain has its problems but its still the best place in the world to be. If you knew that the UK is so wonderful why did you ever move to Perth? And if you don't like living in a boring suburb why did you, I never have? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 47 minutes ago, Drumbeat said: If you knew that the UK is so wonderful why did you ever move to Perth? And if you don't like living in a boring suburb why did you, I never have? Not sticking up for Home and Away as I think his posts are often over the top but to be fair often you don't realise how good something us until you leave it. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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