Jarvl Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 After waiting for the rest of my family to come with me, and them not understanding my desire to go back for a holiday I decided to go alone… Had a very enjoyable stopover in Hong Kong on my way, one of my favourite places to visit. I finally arrived in the UK at LHR terminal 3 on a Friday evening, the jetty was dirty and smelly, not a good first impression for visitors to the UK. I made my way to the National Express coach station where I finally persuaded the check in staff to check to see if I could get on an earlier coach (my flight was early). Despite having paid extra for a ticket that could be changed, I was charged more for changing it, but was happy to pay and be on my way. Despite many years of driving to the airport, the traffic on the M25 was a shock, the driving so fast, and lanes so narrow, but I soon got used to the driving and was pleasantly surprised to find drivers actually let me out, and thanked me for letting them out – something that doesn’t happen much here. My parents house (which I always consider to be big) felt very small and cosy! But WOW I have missed radiators, bliss to sit with my back against one – I know it’s summer, but they were feeling sorry for me, they had persuaded me to come during the British Summer – and it was still cold. Couldn’t understand why everyone was walking around in short sleeves, and I had a jumper and coat on… my friends were all laughing at me as I had only bought thongs (those of you in the UK flip flop type shoes) with me . You should have see my hubbies face when the kids came home from school just after we arrived in Oz and announced they wanted some thongs!…. Food shopping – how I’ve missed Tescos etc. had to learn to cook when we arrived here, no such thing a ‘chilled meals’ that you put in the microwave, you can get frozen ready cooked meals but they are expensive. Really loved looking at all the different foods in the supermarkets and so much choice – sad aren’t I? Must admit we eat healthier than we used to in the UK. Clothes shopping – I have always enjoyed shopping, but can’t say there’s anything in the UK that we can’t get in Oz. My sister on her last visit to the UK bought a shirt from Next and when she got back here found exactly the same thing in Target a lot less $ than she had paid in £… Petrol – when we arrived here four years ago we were paying 60 cents per litre, it’s now about $1.50 so even though it’s still much cheaper here, I think percentage wise ours has gone up more? Car parking prices – now that was a shock – we don’t pay to park here at shopping centres or at the beach (Sunshine Coast) except some places in Nambour. Mobile Phones – a lot cheaper in the UK, In Carphone Warehouse most Pay as You Go phones are unlocked, so worth bringing back. I arrived back in Brisbane last week to blue sky and brilliant sunshine and felt I was home. Had a fab time in the UK, great to see friends and family, but have no desire to go back there to live. My hubbie and kids were very relieved to hear that, as I took longer to settle than they did – think they were all secretly worried!! Hope I haven’t bored you all with this post, blame KDAL!.. lol as she said she would be interested to hear my thoughts on my visit… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuju Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Wow thats great Jarvl, fab that you had a wonderful time in the uk catching up with friends & family and sight seeing in tescos ohh what a joy ( i cant wait !!!) Its even better that you now feel aussie land is your home Good on ya & i hope that after my first trip back to the uk i feel that way too stuju Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Working to fish Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Nice post ,made good reading . eddie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoanneHattersley Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 This is such a perfect post! Well done! For anyone that is maybe thinking of returning, this post shows that you may not always be right!!!! What you think you miss and what you DO miss may be very different in the reality!! Good on ya for a great honest post!!! Glad that you are "home" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kdal Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Hiya, At last LOL. I loved the read and your right about Heathrow, it just smells its horrible there:biglaugh: Ok going to treat the boys to a new mobile phone each before we leave for Australia, so thanks for that bit of info. The weather is still cold and miserable here. Wish the sun would shine as it might give people the enthuasiam to get out and buy a house. At the moment if anyone came to view the garden is a mess as it hasnt stopped raining and cant get the lawn mowed so that the garden looks tidy. But at least with it being cold here you got to snug next to a radiator lol so that was one desire fulfilled :biglaugh: Since we have decided to move to Australia you have been my rock always there to answer any questions and even gone and looked at a house for me and sent some pics and I still play that lovely DVD you sent me we all love it! You are a top girl and thank you for being so kind and helpful. Glad you visited the UK, it doesnt mean you want to go and live there just because you have the desire to go back and visit, it's where your roots are why not. Enjoy your life in Australia cant wait to meet with you 'one sunny day' lol Hugz xxxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 LOL I hope left the heating on there because I will be there on Saturday next week - hoping for a bit less coolth than we have here at the moment!!! My DH hates the smell of LHR, he bitches about it and the smog etc pretty much all the time we are visiting so I am hoping for the occasional clear day so I can say "I told you so!". I dont mind it at all though, it is just part of the enveloping "home-ness" that I love. When I go on my own, if it werent for the DH being here I wouldnt bother to come back! I do miss him though and our phone bills sort of go through the roof while I am away. Good tip about the payg mobiles though, perhaps I can get a new one while I am over, mine is a bit on the blink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest brownfamily Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Hi Jarvl, What a great post. I too have just got back (yesterday) from a three week trip back to Engand. To be honest I didn't really want to go back, but had to due to family etc as they cannot come over here due to health issues. My thoughts were exactly the same as yours regarding Heathrow airport. We lived in Hove near Brighton on the south coast and although it was nice to go back to see people, it just makes you appreciate all that we have here. We have only been on Oz a year, but we absolutely love it. For the last year we have caught ourselves saying things like "back home" (meaning england), yet when we were in england we were definately calling Australia "home" which says alot about how well the children etc have settled. I was a littled saddened about how much knife crime etc there is now in London, I think the number of youth stabbings rose to 19 this year by the time we left, just really sad. I am not saying that Australia is for everyone, but sure as hell is definatelly for us!! Heather Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gail39 Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 what a nice post to read for a change and glad that you visited england and you couldnt wait to come back to australia....at least you have been honest with your views of the uk,we havent been back yet and keep wondering what it would be like if we did?but are too buzy at the mo renovating a house we bought.....but great posts and very honest:huh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarvl Posted July 12, 2008 Author Share Posted July 12, 2008 Thanks everyone for your kind comments! KDAL looking forward to meeting you too in person, and hope your boys will love it here as much as ours do! I don't often post on here, but am happy to be of any help if I can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest traybears Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 hi,really Good And Interesting Post.nice To Read The Differances.glad You Happy In Oz.tracy.xx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tam-and-Andi Posted July 12, 2008 Share Posted July 12, 2008 Hi Jarvl, So glad you have managed to settle and feel OZ is where you want to be, it just proves how everyone is different. Can I ask one bizzare question? What part of the UK did you come back to? Only I was in the post office a short while back, and the lady in front of me was chatting away to John who runs the post office, and he asked how she was getting on in OZ and she replied by saying very well and it had been 4 years now. This could be a totally huge coincedence, but thought I would ask, so hope you don't mind. Take care and keep enjoying your new life. Thanks. Andi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarvl Posted July 13, 2008 Author Share Posted July 13, 2008 Hi Andi, I went to Hampshire, New Forest, Southampton and Basingstoke, did visit a Post Office but don't recall chatting to John...lol. Don't mind you asking at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tam-and-Andi Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Hi Jarvl, Thanks for putting my mind at rest. If I hadn't asked I would have been forever wondering.:unsure: Thanks again and take care. Andi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jogrant3232 Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 After waiting for the rest of my family to come with me, and them not understanding my desire to go back for a holiday I decided to go alone…Had a very enjoyable stopover in Hong Kong on my way, one of my favourite places to visit. I finally arrived in the UK at LHR terminal 3 on a Friday evening, the jetty was dirty and smelly, not a good first impression for visitors to the UK. I made my way to the National Express coach station where I finally persuaded the check in staff to check to see if I could get on an earlier coach (my flight was early). Despite having paid extra for a ticket that could be changed, I was charged more for changing it, but was happy to pay and be on my way. Despite many years of driving to the airport, the traffic on the M25 was a shock, the driving so fast, and lanes so narrow, but I soon got used to the driving and was pleasantly surprised to find drivers actually let me out, and thanked me for letting them out – something that doesn’t happen much here. My parents house (which I always consider to be big) felt very small and cosy! But WOW I have missed radiators, bliss to sit with my back against one – I know it’s summer, but they were feeling sorry for me, they had persuaded me to come during the British Summer – and it was still cold. Couldn’t understand why everyone was walking around in short sleeves, and I had a jumper and coat on… my friends were all laughing at me as I had only bought thongs (those of you in the UK flip flop type shoes) with me . You should have see my hubbies face when the kids came home from school just after we arrived in Oz and announced they wanted some thongs!…. Food shopping – how I’ve missed Tescos etc. had to learn to cook when we arrived here, no such thing a ‘chilled meals’ that you put in the microwave, you can get frozen ready cooked meals but they are expensive. Really loved looking at all the different foods in the supermarkets and so much choice – sad aren’t I? Must admit we eat healthier than we used to in the UK. Clothes shopping – I have always enjoyed shopping, but can’t say there’s anything in the UK that we can’t get in Oz. My sister on her last visit to the UK bought a shirt from Next and when she got back here found exactly the same thing in Target a lot less $ than she had paid in £… Petrol – when we arrived here four years ago we were paying 60 cents per litre, it’s now about $1.50 so even though it’s still much cheaper here, I think percentage wise ours has gone up more? Car parking prices – now that was a shock – we don’t pay to park here at shopping centres or at the beach (Sunshine Coast) except some places in Nambour. Mobile Phones – a lot cheaper in the UK, In Carphone Warehouse most Pay as You Go phones are unlocked, so worth bringing back. I arrived back in Brisbane last week to blue sky and brilliant sunshine and felt I was home. Had a fab time in the UK, great to see friends and family, but have no desire to go back there to live. My hubbie and kids were very relieved to hear that, as I took longer to settle than they did – think they were all secretly worried!! Hope I haven’t bored you all with this post, blame KDAL!.. lol as she said she would be interested to hear my thoughts on my visit… Really enjoyed reading your post, Ive even clicked your chicken.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Angelcake Posted July 13, 2008 Share Posted July 13, 2008 Hi Interesting to hear about your trip and the differences you noticed after being away from the UK for a while. Thanks for posting! Angelcake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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