Age 42 and 50 - are we mad?

[calNgary]

9 minutes ago, Cheery Thistle said:

 

Are you familiar with the economy of the Canary Islands? It differs I suppose because there are still quite a few viable alternatives job-wise in Oz that don’t really exist in the canaries. The Canaries have a predominantly tourism based economy. For him to secure employment there as a handy man or FM he would need good Spanish (think he will struggle with that due to age and dyslexia, I have tried over the years believe you me ).  

My hubby struggles with reading and writing due to dyslexia but when learning Spanish we found the recorded lessons you do in your own time worked well , much easier to learn from than a book. We lived between the UK and Spain before deciding to move here, we haven't regreted our choice yet and have been here over 16 years now.

 Lots of luck with everything

         Cal x

[Cheery Thistle]

1 minute ago, calNgary said:

My hubby struggles with reading and writing due to dyslexia but when learning Spanish we found the recorded lessons you do in your own time worked well , much easier to learn from than a book. We lived between the UK and Spain before deciding to move here, we haven't regreted our choice yet and have been here over 16 years now.

 Lots of luck with everything

         Cal x

Thanks Cal. I am a qualified Spanish teacher - would not dream of giving him a book, it would become a very effective dust collector haha! 
 

I’m glad it is working out for you! 

[InnerVoice]

13 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Yes I agree we need to see and experience it.

Regarding the EU, I would need to get residency and then as a resident spouse of an EU citizen I have right to work etc. Our daughter would have access to state medical care and education. Alternatively I may be eligible for a 5 year digital nomad visa which also offers some tax benefits. 

Are you familiar with the economy of the Canary Islands? It differs I suppose because there are still quite a few viable alternatives job-wise in Oz that don’t really exist in the canaries. The Canaries have a predominantly tourism based economy. For him to secure employment there as a handy man or FM he would need good Spanish (think he will struggle with that due to age and dyslexia, I have tried over the years believe you me ).  The salaries are also low (circa 1300 euros per month for a 40 hour week). Hence we think he would probably retire or semi-retire there. In Oz he is qualified for Facilities Management which seems reasonably paid when paired with my salary too. I suppose those are the main differences - lack of language barrier and more job opportunities. 
Tax is also v high in Spain - especially on our UK assets but also on earnings, whereas Aus seems comparable to the UK. 

This article gives a bit more info. 

https://borgenproject.org/poverty-in-canary-islands/

I spent many happy times in the Canaries back in the 80s and 90s before migrating to Australia, and have visited all the islands apart from El Hierro. Last time was La Palma in 2018, so I have been back more recently. I knew the economy was heavily reliant on tourism (plus a few bananas) and that even locals struggle to find work, but I didn't realize unemployment was as high as it is. It wouldn't be a major concern for us as we'd be living off a combination of pensions and savings, but I appreciate that you'd be in a different situation as you'd still be working. You're right about the high Spanish taxes - it's a problem with Italy too. We've been looking closely at Portugal because expats can take advantage their Non-Habitual Resident scheme and live there tax-free for 10 years. My understanding is that while that's still an option for EU citizens, the Portuguese government are pulling the plug on the Golden Visa for non-EU residents because it's causing a housing crisis, and there are concerns over money laundering. For us it's a case of 'watch this space' at the moment and see what unfolds in the next couple of years, as I'm sure the rules will change again.

[Cheery Thistle]

7 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

I spent many happy times in the Canaries back in the 80s and 90s before migrating to Australia, and have visited all the islands apart from El Hierro. Last time was La Palma in 2018, so I have been back more recently. I knew the economy was heavily reliant on tourism (plus a few bananas) and that even locals struggle to find work, but I didn't realize unemployment was as high as it is. It wouldn't be a major concern for us as we'd be living off a combination of pensions and savings, but I appreciate that you'd be in a different situation as you'd still be working. You're right about the high Spanish taxes - it's a problem with Italy too. We've been looking closely at Portugal because expats can take advantage their Non-Habitual Resident scheme and live there tax-free for 10 years. My understanding is that while that's still an option for EU citizens, the Portuguese government are pulling the plug on the Golden Visa for non-EU residents because it's causing a housing crisis, and there are concerns over money laundering. For us it's a case of 'watch this space' at the moment and see what unfolds in the next couple of years, as I'm sure the rules will change again.

Portugal is one of our favourite places! We are going to Porto in May. The property prices in the south of the country have really rocketed to ridiculous proportions. NHR is a good scheme, I believe the tax rate is now 10% on some of the incomes so it’s not totally tax free. The general economic climate is important to us both for our jobs and also for opportunities for our 10 year old. I hope you find a suitable retirement location. 

[Marisawright]

On 12/03/2023 at 00:02, Cheery Thistle said:

Portugal is one of our favourite places! We are going to Porto in May. The property prices in the south of the country have really rocketed to ridiculous proportions. NHR is a good scheme, I believe the tax rate is now 10% on some of the incomes so it’s not totally tax free. The general economic climate is important to us both for our jobs and also for opportunities for our 10 year old. I hope you find a suitable retirement location. 

Perhaps this is another thing to think about.   I've never felt homesick for the UK and there's nothing I miss -- but boy, do I miss European holidays.  Australia is a big country with lots to explore, but the culture is much the same all over.  To reach anywhere that feels "foreign", you need to get on a plane for 8 hours (to get to Asia) and of course, Europe is a costly 24-hour flight away.   No more hopping across the Channel for a weekend!

[Cheery Thistle]

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

Perhaps this is another thing to think about.   I've never felt homesick for the UK and there's nothing I miss -- but boy, do I miss European holidays.  Australia is a big country with lots to explore, but the culture is much the same all over.  To reach anywhere that feels "foreign", you need to get on a plane for 8 hours (to get to Asia) and of course, Europe is a costly 24-hour flight away.   No more hopping across the Channel for a weekend!

It definitely is! We have booked for this year Cyprus in April, Porto in May (to escape the flag waving of coronation weekend, sorry!) Lanzarote in July. However, at our age we have ‘done’ much of Europe, a lot of it many times over. Often, we are mainly going on holiday to escape the weather here too. At this point it’s been a long winter, it’s mid-March and it was snowing yesterday lol. So our week in Cyprus can’t come quick enough. We enjoy being outside, swimming and water sports as a family. Our daughter is a fantastic swimmer (literally swam before she could walk). She is only 10 and is doing a Rookie lifeguard class. I think she would thrive in a better climate with the ability to do more of these things outdoors for more months of the year. I suppose Europe and the UK will always be here, if it is unbearable or doesn’t work out we can come back. 

[Blue Flu]

36 minutes ago, Cheery Thistle said:

It definitely is! We have booked for this year Cyprus in April, Porto in May (to escape the flag waving of coronation weekend, sorry!) Lanzarote in July. However, at our age we have ‘done’ much of Europe, a lot of it many times over. Often, we are mainly going on holiday to escape the weather here too. At this point it’s been a long winter, it’s mid-March and it was snowing yesterday lol. So our week in Cyprus can’t come quick enough. We enjoy being outside, swimming and water sports as a family. Our daughter is a fantastic swimmer (literally swam before she could walk). She is only 10 and is doing a Rookie lifeguard class. I think she would thrive in a better climate with the ability to do more of these things outdoors for more months of the year. I suppose Europe and the UK will always be here, if it is unbearable or doesn’t work out we can come back. 

That's what I thought with regards to returning to EU to live, Then what happened? Brexit. Clearly things don't stay the same and you may be surprised at the 'complications' that can result if in a few years, it is decided Australia is not the country to remain . A few are family disagreement/ fracturing of family / people moving on in UK and changed/ country changed and so on. But all the best anyway. 

You can of course replace Europe with Fiji/Vanuatu/ Bali/Thailand and so on. But they get 'old hat' after awhile.  I bet there is plenty in Europe still to be covered. Some great camping van destinations there. 

Edited March 12, 2023 by Blue Flu

[InnerVoice]

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

Perhaps this is another thing to think about.   I've never felt homesick for the UK and there's nothing I miss -- but boy, do I miss European holidays.  Australia is a big country with lots to explore, but the culture is much the same all over.  To reach anywhere that feels "foreign", you need to get on a plane for 8 hours (to get to Asia) and of course, Europe is a costly 24-hour flight away.   No more hopping across the Channel for a weekend!

@Marisawright I was never happier when the plane was taking off from Manchester airport, and never more miserable when it arrived back a week or so later. Probably a sad testament to my life in the UK was that the thing I liked most was being able to visit other countries so easily!

@Cheery Thistle I hope you have a great trip to Porto. I've never been, and it's definitely on my places to visit next time I'm on your side of the planet. I just had a look to see how expensive property prices have become in the Algarve. I'd say that they're on a par with most of Australia (at least most of parts that you'd want to live in). Ignoring Sydney, a family home in any of the major cities is in the region of $700,000. There's been a property boom here too since covid, with prices in some regions going up 50% in the last 3 years. That's my concern for new migrants to Australia these days, especially in later life. You're going to need a deposit of £250,000 to afford anywhere half-decent and you'll not have much change out of £20,000 for the move itself, once you've factored in visas, airfares and shipping etc. Then there all the associated costs of buying and selling property and if it doesn't work out, you've got similar costs to return to the UK.

A number of people have commented that they moved out in their 40s, and it's been the best thing they've ever done. That's great, but bear in mind you're unlikely to get many comments to the contrary. Those who return to the UK ( and I think the figure is roughly half) would likely wish to forget about the whole experience, never mind participate actively in this disussion. From the sounds of it you're very happy with life in the UK, and I would echo the sentiments of those who've asked, if it isn't broke why fix it? You're clearly a very positive and capable person and no doubt a supportive parent, so your daughter will flourish no matter where you live - regardless of the climate. In fact, it's usually those that emigrate here 'for the weather' are the ones most likely return to the UK, when they discover that Australia isn't 'England in the sun'.

You said you welcomed both positive and negative viewpoints and this might be construed as the latter, but I'm just trying to be pragmatic here. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

[Toots]

@InnerVoice if you lived near Manchester there are some absolutely lovely places in the north of England to visit.  North Yorkshire, Whitby, County Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria.  Wonderful scenery.  Some of my favourite places.

[InnerVoice]

40 minutes ago, Blue Flu said:

You can of course replace Europe with Fiji/Vanuatu/ Bali/Thailand and so on. But they get 'old hat' after awhile.  I bet there is plenty in Europe still to be covered. Some great camping van destinations there. 

I totally agree. We went to Fiji last winter and whilst it was nice to finally break the 'curse of covid', we were asking ourselves how is this that much different than being at home in Cairns?! New Zealand is probably the only destination within easy grasp of Australia where you get experience something radically different - geographically, if not culturally.

You could easily spend an entire decade just exploring France alone, there is so much to see and do there. I'd love to do the camper van thing but the wife loves her creature comforts too much these days!

[InnerVoice]

12 minutes ago, Toots said:

@InnerVoice if you lived near Manchester there are some absolutely lovely places in the north of England to visit.  North Yorkshire, Whitby, County Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria.  Wonderful scenery.  Some of my favourite places.

@Toots the Peak District was our nearest place of national beauty, but Snowdonia was in striking distance too. You're making me homesick now!

[Marisawright]

1 hour ago, InnerVoice said:

@Marisawright I was never happier when the plane was taking off from Manchester airport, and never more miserable when it arrived back a week or so later. Probably a sad testament to my life in the UK was that the thing I liked most was being able to visit other countries so easily!

Actually, this is the reason we came back to Australia after attempting to retire there in 2015.   My husband is a history buff and wanted to spend retirement traveling Europe. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but I soon realised that even if we went for three or four holidays a year, every year, we'd still be in the UK most of the year.   Like you, I found that my heart lifted every time we got to Europe, only to plunge again on our return.   I would've been happy to try living somewhere in Europe (this was pre-Brexit so would've been easy) but my husband was too fearful of the language barrier so it didn't happen.

[Bulya]

5 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Perhaps this is another thing to think about.   I've never felt homesick for the UK and there's nothing I miss -- but boy, do I miss European holidays.  Australia is a big country with lots to explore, but the culture is much the same all over.  To reach anywhere that feels "foreign", you need to get on a plane for 8 hours (to get to Asia) and of course, Europe is a costly 24-hour flight away.   No more hopping across the Channel for a weekend!

I dunno.  Perth and Darwin felt pretty ‘foreign’ to me…

[Bulya]

2 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

@Marisawright I was never happier when the plane was taking off from Manchester airport, and never more miserable when it arrived back a week or so later. Probably a sad testament to my life in the UK was that the thing I liked most was being able to visit other countries so easily!

@Cheery Thistle I hope you have a great trip to Porto. I've never been, and it's definitely on my places to visit next time I'm on your side of the planet. I just had a look to see how expensive property prices have become in the Algarve. I'd say that they're on a par with most of Australia (at least most of parts that you'd want to live in). Ignoring Sydney, a family home in any of the major cities is in the region of $700,000. There's been a property boom here too since covid, with prices in some regions going up 50% in the last 3 years. That's my concern for new migrants to Australia these days, especially in later life. You're going to need a deposit of £250,000 to afford anywhere half-decent and you'll not have much change out of £20,000 for the move itself, once you've factored in visas, airfares and shipping etc. Then there all the associated costs of buying and selling property and if it doesn't work out, you've got similar costs to return to the UK.

A number of people have commented that they moved out in their 40s, and it's been the best thing they've ever done. That's great, but bear in mind you're unlikely to get many comments to the contrary. Those who return to the UK ( and I think the figure is roughly half) would likely wish to forget about the whole experience, never mind participate actively in this disussion. From the sounds of it you're very happy with life in the UK, and I would echo the sentiments of those who've asked, if it isn't broke why fix it? You're clearly a very positive and capable person and no doubt a supportive parent, so your daughter will flourish no matter where you live - regardless of the climate. In fact, it's usually those that emigrate here 'for the weather' are the ones most likely return to the UK, when they discover that Australia isn't 'England in the sun'.

You said you welcomed both positive and negative viewpoints and this might be construed as the latter, but I'm just trying to be pragmatic here. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

Thankfully it isn’t ‘England in the sun’

[Marisawright]

5 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

 We enjoy being outside, swimming and water sports as a family. Our daughter is a fantastic swimmer (literally swam before she could walk). She is only 10 and is doing a Rookie lifeguard class. I think she would thrive in a better climate with the ability to do more of these things outdoors for more months of the year.

One thing to be aware of, though, is the risk of skin cancer.    It's UV light that causes skin cancer, and because of the Earth's tilt, Australia gets far higher UV than Europe for most of the year.   If you look up the UV scale in the UK, it often stops at 10, because the UK rarely reaches more than 8.  However in Australia it goes all the way up to 13.  Sydney's UV is over 11 at midday for most of the year.  

It's not surprising, then, that 2 out of every 3 Australians will be diagnosed with some type of skin cancer in their lifetime.  Though the cancer may not erupt until middle/older age, it's mainly caused by exposure as a child, which is why older migrants have a lower risk.  

https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/news/why-you-need-sun-protection-all-year-round/

The reality is that many Australians are somewhat in denial about the risk, because they value their outdoor lifestyle and it's just easier not to think about it.  However schools are very aware now.  School playgrounds have large sunshades stretched over them, children aren't allowed out to play without hats, long sleeves and 50+ sunscreen, and they wear "rashie suits" on the beach.  Even so, the risk may not be totally removed, because some health authorities believe there is no such thing as safe exposure once the UV hits 11.  Some will say that's nonsense, but it's another thing to do your research on.

Edited March 13, 2023 by Marisawright

[Cheery Thistle]

4 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

@Marisawright I was never happier when the plane was taking off from Manchester airport, and never more miserable when it arrived back a week or so later. Probably a sad testament to my life in the UK was that the thing I liked most was being able to visit other countries so easily!

@Cheery Thistle I hope you have a great trip to Porto. I've never been, and it's definitely on my places to visit next time I'm on your side of the planet. I just had a look to see how expensive property prices have become in the Algarve. I'd say that they're on a par with most of Australia (at least most of parts that you'd want to live in). Ignoring Sydney, a family home in any of the major cities is in the region of $700,000. There's been a property boom here too since covid, with prices in some regions going up 50% in the last 3 years. That's my concern for new migrants to Australia these days, especially in later life. You're going to need a deposit of £250,000 to afford anywhere half-decent and you'll not have much change out of £20,000 for the move itself, once you've factored in visas, airfares and shipping etc. Then there all the associated costs of buying and selling property and if it doesn't work out, you've got similar costs to return to the UK.

A number of people have commented that they moved out in their 40s, and it's been the best thing they've ever done. That's great, but bear in mind you're unlikely to get many comments to the contrary. Those who return to the UK ( and I think the figure is roughly half) would likely wish to forget about the whole experience, never mind participate actively in this disussion. From the sounds of it you're very happy with life in the UK, and I would echo the sentiments of those who've asked, if it isn't broke why fix it? You're clearly a very positive and capable person and no doubt a supportive parent, so your daughter will flourish no matter where you live - regardless of the climate. In fact, it's usually those that emigrate here 'for the weather' are the ones most likely return to the UK, when they discover that Australia isn't 'England in the sun'.

You said you welcomed both positive and negative viewpoints and this might be construed as the latter, but I'm just trying to be pragmatic here. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

Thanks, I think it’s good to have a balance of viewpoints. I will seek out some people who have returned to get some feedback from them. 

A lot of the feedback is borderline negative I’d say.  I am not hearing from people on this forum saying they have moved within the past 5-10 years and it has changed their life for the better. There are a lot of posters who made the move decades ago on this forum, some of whom actually give quite out of date information about the visa situation etc. 

If we sell the house here, we have the deposit and have actually budgeted £60-70k for the move.  That includes visas, travel, property deposit and 6 months rent up front, moving dogs, shipping belongings and 6 months living/set up costs. I am realistic. In theory I could get sponsored by WA as a secondary teacher but I’d rather not be remote and I’d rather have a skilled visa and not be tied. Our plan was to hold on to the house initially for a year or 2 to see how we settle, but we need to look into taxation implications. If we sell all of our UK property we would then have a sizeable deposit to put down.

Those property prices are high, but nowhere near what I am seeing in the Algarve. I saw a 3 bed terraced townhouse advertised in central Algarve yesterday for rent of 5000 euros a month. That’s almost 10k aus dollars per month. It was tiny with no garden. What has to be remembered here is the context - Portugal is the poorest country in Western Europe with an average wage of 18k euros per YEAR. Yes, read that again lol. This is not Sydney or London! I have looked at rental and purchase prices in our preferred area so we are aware. 

Regarding ‘England in the sun’ we are not English, so that’s ok! Cannot imagine anything worse and actively avoid Benidorm type places. I have lived abroad before in Corsica (not particularly foreigner-friendly) and Italy. 

I think you have me wrong when you say I am ‘very happy’ with life in the UK.  We have done OK here, we have a nice house, decent jobs and holidays. We have (and continue to) work very very hard to achieve what we have and we have taken risks that others around us wouldn’t/haven’t.

I have a growing dissatisfaction with how things are going here - the health service is literally falling to bits (we pay to have private healthcare), education system is severely under-funded (as an ex-teacher I have literally toe-curling stories), taxation is increasing, benefits for self-employed people are being cut massively, Brexit happened and is costing us a fortune, inequality is increasing hugely, town centres are dying an absolute death, we have a housing crisis of EPIC proportions (we are, as I type, housing thousands of refugees in cruise ships, at what cost?), we have proximity to (another) war, I could go on and on and on and on trust me.

Most of all, I sadly feel that my daughter actually has less opportunity than I did growing up - if that doesn’t talk to the decline/regression of a country, what does? To me, the UK has always been a dreary shithole, but it was a dreary shithole with opportunity and where you could make a good living. With these 2 things diminishing why stay? I actually feel ‘too good’ for my home country, that’s the truth! I would have jumped ship years ago but my husband wanted to stay and help raise (and pay for) his 2 sons - now that is done I feel we have a last bite at the cherry to experience something else and see if we like it. 

What you describe about coming home from holidays I can relate to. I have actually cried coming home from holidays in the past!! Lol. 
 

 

 

 

[Cheery Thistle]

6 hours ago, Blue Flu said:

That's what I thought with regards to returning to EU to live, Then what happened? Brexit. Clearly things don't stay the same and you may be surprised at the 'complications' that can result if in a few years, it is decided Australia is not the country to remain . A few are family disagreement/ fracturing of family / people moving on in UK and changed/ country changed and so on. But all the best anyway. 

You can of course replace Europe with Fiji/Vanuatu/ Bali/Thailand and so on. But they get 'old hat' after awhile.  I bet there is plenty in Europe still to be covered. Some great camping van destinations there. 

Eh camper van is not my thing! I cannot rough it lol. Yes Brexit. Don’t start me. In Scotland we didn’t vote for it but got it anyway. As previously stated my husband is currently gathering paperwork to get his Irish passport by descent. Unfortunately my Irish is one generation too far back! 

[Cheery Thistle]

4 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Actually, this is the reason we came back to Australia after attempting to retire there in 2015.   My husband is a history buff and wanted to spend retirement traveling Europe. It sounded like a good idea at the time, but I soon realised that even if we went for three or four holidays a year, every year, we'd still be in the UK most of the year.   Like you, I found that my heart lifted every time we got to Europe, only to plunge again on our return.   I would've been happy to try living somewhere in Europe (this was pre-Brexit so would've been easy) but my husband was too fearful of the language barrier so it didn't happen.

Sounds similar to myself. Time to stop living for my 4 weeks holiday a year and start living for the other 48 weeks? 

[Cheery Thistle]

1 hour ago, Marisawright said:

One thing to be aware of, though, is the risk of skin cancer.    It's UV light that causes skin cancer, and because of the Earth's tilt, Australia gets far higher UV than Europe for most of the year.   If you look up the UV scale in the UK, it often stops at 10, because the UK rarely reaches more than 8.  However in Australia it goes all the way up to 13.  Sydney's UV is over 11 at midday for most of the year.  

It's not surprising, then, that 2 out of every 3 Australians will be diagnosed with some type of skin cancer in their lifetime.  Though the cancer may not erupt until middle/older age, it's mainly caused by exposure as a child, which is why older migrants have a lower risk.  

https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/news/why-you-need-sun-protection-all-year-round/

The reality is that many Australians are somewhat in denial about the risk, because they value their outdoor lifestyle and it's just easier not to think about it.  However schools are very aware now.  School playgrounds have large sunshades stretched over them, children aren't allowed out to play without hats, long sleeves and 50+ sunscreen, and they wear "rashie suits" on the beach.  Even so, the risk may not be totally removed, because some health authorities believe there is no such thing as safe exposure once the UV hits 11.  Some will say that's nonsense, but it's another thing to do your research on.

Am I really being told that Australia is hot and far away? Lol. Sorry, I know you mean well with this. We would of course take every precaution we could against sun damage, I realise it’s a very serious issue. Conversely, we have a problem with vitamin D deficiency here in Scotland. I take supplements daily. 

[Blue Flu]

1 hour ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Eh camper van is not my thing! I cannot rough it lol. Yes Brexit. Don’t start me. In Scotland we didn’t vote for it but got it anyway. As previously stated my husband is currently gathering paperwork to get his Irish passport by descent. Unfortunately my Irish is one generation too far back! 

There are some luxury campers these days so no great hardship. Brexit was indeed a sick joke. The vote of Scotland, lifted that nation to new heights in my respect. I imagine you will be okay if partner has EU passport. Mine does, but thought get own as can. 

[Blue Flu]

1 hour ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Am I really being told that Australia is hot and far away? Lol. Sorry, I know you mean well with this. We would of course take every precaution we could against sun damage, I realise it’s a very serious issue. Conversely, we have a problem with vitamin D deficiency here in Scotland. I take supplements daily. 

We love the sun. While skin cancer does pose an issue in Australia, one needs to keep in mind the many health properties derived from the sun. Good for lowering blood pressure, aches and pains, mental health, skin problems and a host of other things. 

Combine that with the sea , and a perfect tonic for good health. 

[FirstWorldProblems]

5 hours ago, Marisawright said:

  I would've been happy to try living somewhere in Europe (this was pre-Brexit so would've been easy) but my husband was too fearful of the language barrier so it didn't happen.

At risk of making the rather obvious and massive mistake of projecting a holiday experience onto real life........the idea of retiring in the South of France seems absolutely wonderful to me.   Nice apartment with a view.  Morning walk to the bakers for the most amazing bread in the world each day.   Bimbling around the shops and having lunch on the balcony before a dip in the pool etc.   

[FirstWorldProblems]

1 hour ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Am I really being told that Australia is hot and far away? Lol. Sorry, I know you mean well with this. 

Honestly, it's one thing to know it intellectually and another to be faced with it.   It doesn't affect everyone, but we do hear quite a lot from people on this and other forums who have struggled with it.   Everything from it being such a major hassle that they can't be bothered to do it, and the expense being prohibitive for some, to some really sad tales of not being able to get back in time to say goodbye to loved ones and the very distance exacerbating the feeling of homesickness.

It's a very individual thing that varies with a persons familial, financial and emotional circumstances.   Might not be any issue to you at all, and it isn't to many.   You'll meet a lot of folks here who have hardly ever returned to europe and have no interest in doing so.  Australia is their perfect place so why would they leave.

 

[Blue Flu]

7 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

I totally agree. We went to Fiji last winter and whilst it was nice to finally break the 'curse of covid', we were asking ourselves how is this that much different than being at home in Cairns?! New Zealand is probably the only destination within easy grasp of Australia where you get experience something radically different - geographically, if not culturally.

You could easily spend an entire decade just exploring France alone, there is so much to see and do there. I'd love to do the camper van thing but the wife loves her creature comforts too much these days!

Exactly my thinking. It always amazed me the advertising of beaches in a foreign country as a tourist attraction coming from Perth. 

There are some great camper vans, and very popular now in Europe with the high price to stay in hotels and the like. I've heard great reports vanning it in Ireland as well as Nordic World. 

[Blue Flu]

8 minutes ago, FirstWorldProblems said:

At risk of making the rather obvious and massive mistake of projecting a holiday experience onto real life........the idea of retiring in the South of France seems absolutely wonderful to me.   Nice apartment with a view.  Morning walk to the bakers for the most amazing bread in the world each day.   Bimbling around the shops and having lunch on the balcony before a dip in the pool etc.   

Plenty of nice places in France but obviously The South is special. A bonus close to the South of Europe. Odd how what you write can appear normal in time.