Age 42 and 50 - are we mad?

[rammygirl]

Don’t forget that China has Aus in sight. Frying pan and fire and all that……….

[Cheery Thistle]

20 minutes ago, rammygirl said:

Don’t forget that China has Aus in sight. Frying pan and fire and all that……….

I don’t think Australia would be China’s first target. There are many more internationally significant countries in front of Aus in the queue (no offence intended re: international significance!). 
We won’t go into historical comparisons between Australia and Europe/UK and involvement in wars, unless you really want to. 

[Toots]

1 hour ago, Cheery Thistle said:

I don’t think Australia would be China’s first target. There are many more internationally significant countries in front of Aus in the queue (no offence intended re: international significance!). 
We won’t go into historical comparisons between Australia and Europe/UK and involvement in wars, unless you really want to. 

Well I'm certainly hoping we won't be China's first (or last) target but we shouldn't let ourselves get too complacent.

 

[Cheery Thistle]

49 minutes ago, Toots said:

Well I'm certainly hoping we won't be China's first (or last) target but we shouldn't let ourselves get too complacent.

 

No, but Putin is on the move so the threat is definitely far more immediate/direct/tangible. It’s not something you can really appreciate unless a) you’re in geographical proximity and b) you have a government that has pulled your country into multiple wars over the past 40 years. 

[Marisawright]

11 hours ago, Toots said:

Well I'm certainly hoping we won't be China's first (or last) target...

 

I was watching a program recently by some military gurus, discussing China.  They all seemed to think a war with China will happen sooner or later.   The good news (if you can call it that) is that they all thought China would ignore Australia, pretty much.

They pointed to what happened with Japan in WWII.   Japan knew it would be easy to take over Australia, but decided it would be too much hassle to manage once they'd taken it.  Too much landmass, too spread out.  So instead, they decided to cut Australia off by taking control of the seas around it.   These military gurus all felt China would be likely to do something similar, basically putting Australia on the back burner until they'd won the war everywhere else. 

[Skani]

12 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

I don’t think Australia would be China’s first target. There are many more internationally significant countries in front of Aus in the queue 

It depends what they are after:  if it's resources or land then international insignificance wouldn't matter.

[Parley]

China will not seek to invade Australia. That is a very far fetched idea.

What would happen though is if China invade Taiwan, The US will step in to defend Taiwan and Australia will support the US in a war with China over Taiwan.

I personally don't think China will invade anyone. It is not really their way of doing things.

[Marisawright]

9 minutes ago, Skani said:

It depends what they are after:  if it's resources or land then international insignificance wouldn't matter.

They already own huge chunks of Australia, one way or another.

[Toots]

2 hours ago, Parley said:

China will not seek to invade Australia. That is a very far fetched idea.

What would happen though is if China invade Taiwan, The US will step in to defend Taiwan and Australia will support the US in a war with China over Taiwan.

I personally don't think China will invade anyone. It is not really their way of doing things.

I don't think China will invade Australia either but agree that Australia will support the USA if China does invade Taiwan.  It's to be hoped that won't need to happen.  Look at how 60,000 Australians served in the Vietnam War as part of an allied force led by the USA. 

[InnerVoice]

16 hours ago, rammygirl said:

Don’t forget that China has Aus in sight. Frying pan and fire and all that……….

 

16 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

I don’t think Australia would be China’s first target. There are many more internationally significant countries in front of Aus in the queue (no offence intended re: international significance!). We won’t go into historical comparisons between Australia and Europe/UK and involvement in wars, unless you really want to. 

 

14 hours ago, Toots said:

Well I'm certainly hoping we won't be China's first (or last) target but we shouldn't let ourselves get too complacent.

I'd agree we shouldn't be too complacent about China as they clearly have designs on the Asia Pacific region. You can see them annexing the odd island here and there whilst no one's looking, but I find the notion that China will attack Australia unprovoked is preposterous. It's just media concocted nonsense to keep the newspapers moving because rarely anything worth reporting ever happens here. Why on earth would the Chinese invade Australia when they can simply keep on buying it?

Putin is a different matter. He's madder than a box of frogs, and only Newton's laws of motion and death are likely to stop him. My fingers are firmly crossed for the latter, although he seems to be in good nick for his age. Thankfully we're getting some shiny new submarines to keep us all safe, so we can rest easily in our beds once again.

Edited March 18, 2023 by InnerVoice

[InnerVoice]

3 hours ago, Parley said:

China will not seek to invade Australia. That is a very far fetched idea.

What would happen though is if China invade Taiwan, The US will step in to defend Taiwan and Australia will support the US in a war with China over Taiwan.

I personally don't think China will invade anyone. It is not really their way of doing things.

Investing heavily in developing nations' infrastructure, and then crippling them debt so they are forever in China's servitude is more their style.

[Bobj]

Another good thread ruined by world politics and sabre rattlers

Cheers, Bobj.

[InnerVoice]

2 hours ago, Bobj said:

Another good thread ruined by world politics and sabre rattlers

Cheers, Bobj.

Fair point, although those of us who've gone off on a tangent have previously made a positive contribution to the thread.

[Cheery Thistle]

4 hours ago, Bobj said:

Another good thread ruined by world politics and sabre rattlers

Cheers, Bobj.

There’s definitely a few tin hat wearers! 

[InnerVoice]

38 minutes ago, Cheery Thistle said:

There’s definitely a few tin hat wearers! 

I'd get used to that if you're moving here!

[Cheery Thistle]

By way of update - I am almost there with the skills assessment paperwork - just one more document and I’ll be ready to submit! Going via a registered migration agent. so that will be stage one done. Next will be swotting up on the English test and getting that booked to boost my points! Then the actual visa application. 

We have booked flights for end Sept/start October to come for a reccie - return Edinburgh to Sydney via Doha. Plan to do maybe 5-7 nights in Sydney and then hire a car and drive the coastal road to Brisbane with a couple of stops. Maybe 10 nights or so in Brisbane area and then the same back again with a couple of (different) stops. 

It would be amazingly fabulous if we got our visa granted before the trip and this could be our ‘entry’ trip but I highly doubt that will happen - it’s rather tight and not actually that easy/quick to get some of the required paperwork! 

Any suggestions of things to do and see and check out welcome. 

 

[Parley]

On 15/03/2023 at 10:42, Toots said:

Tanning beds should be banned.

They are.

[calNgary]

Ive had a few reports about this thread can we please not presume things and think of other peoples feelings before posting away with your personal beliefs. 

                 Cal x

[InnerVoice]

On 28/03/2023 at 01:51, Cheery Thistle said:

By way of update - I am almost there with the skills assessment paperwork - just one more document and I’ll be ready to submit! Going via a registered migration agent. so that will be stage one done. Next will be swotting up on the English test and getting that booked to boost my points! Then the actual visa application. 

We have booked flights for end Sept/start October to come for a reccie - return Edinburgh to Sydney via Doha. Plan to do maybe 5-7 nights in Sydney and then hire a car and drive the coastal road to Brisbane with a couple of stops. Maybe 10 nights or so in Brisbane area and then the same back again with a couple of (different) stops. 

It would be amazingly fabulous if we got our visa granted before the trip and this could be our ‘entry’ trip but I highly doubt that will happen - it’s rather tight and not actually that easy/quick to get some of the required paperwork! 

Any suggestions of things to do and see and check out welcome. 

Great to hear that things are moving along quickly.

I lived in Brissie and SEQ for over a decade so I'm happy to give you a few pointers, although a lot depends on your interests. Obviously there's the beaches and tonnes of outdoor/water-related activities to do, if that's your thing. Brisbane has come on leaps and bounds in the last 20 years so there's plenty of cultural stuff to be found in the city these days, and across the river in Southbank. I think you could easily spend a couple of days just doing touristy stuff in Brisbane. You might want to check out some of the suburbs too if you're planning on moving there one day. The more-expensive suburbs to the north and west of the CBD are hillier, and that elevation gives you some nice views in places. The view from the top of Mount Coot-Tha on a good day is not to be missed. The further away from the city centre you go in just about any direction, the more non-descript the suburbs become. It isn't called 'Brisvegas' for nothing, although Brisbanites tend to wear that accolade like a badge of honour these days. I even saw a banner in Brisbane airport saying 'Welcome to Brisvegas' on one occasion!

An hour south of the city you reach the top end of the Gold Coast (GC), and an our north the bottom end of the Sunshine Coast (SC). There are the nearest what I'd call 'real beaches' that are on the open ocean, so get waves and a nice sea breeze. There are also some beaches in the Brisbane metropolitan area along Moreton Bay, but they're not that great to be honest. Nevertheless, if you live in Brisbane you'll find places like Wynnum, Cleveland, and Redcliffe pretty busy on a summer's weekend. The weather in October is usually pretty nice with temperatures akin to a very good British summer (but without the long daylight hours), so if you get some hot days you'll be able to go in the sea. The water will be about 20C, which is cold by Aussie standards but tropical compared with anywhere in the UK. If you see anyone in the ocean at that time of year then the Aussies joke that they are either Poms or Victorians!

My personal opinion is that the SC is much nicer than the GC, although the latter does have more entertainment options. There are a number of amusement parks at the northern end of the GC which your daughter might be interested in (Dreamworld, Wet'n'Wild, Warner Bros, etc). If you visit the SC then you'll probably want to go north as far as Noosa, which is a beautiful spot, but best avoided at the weekends when it gets hellishly busy. Most of the Sunshine Coast all the way from Caloundra up to Noosa is stunning, and one of our favourite haunts when we can escape Cairns. The inland coastal region from northern NSW up to SEQ has some beautiful countryside which locals refer to as the 'Hinterland', and tends to have a bit of a hippy vibe. Both the GC and SC hinterlands are beautiful with lovely places to visit, artisan shops, and some nice walks in places like the Glasshouse Mountains (SC). If you're unfortunate enough to have heavy rain on your visit then there are also some good waterfalls to check out, such as the Purlingbrook falls in Springbrook National Park (GC) and the Kondalilla National Park (SC).

If you intend to do a road trip up from Sydney then most motel/hotel foyers will have a large selection of pamphlets promoting local activities etc, which can provide a further source of inspiration beyond the internet.

[Marisawright]

5 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

Great to hear that things are moving along quickly.

I lived in Brissie and SEQ for over a decade so I'm happy to give you a few pointers, although a lot depends on your interests. Obviously there's the beaches and tonnes of outdoor/water-related activities to do, if that's your thing. Brisbane has come on leaps and bounds in the last 20 years so there's plenty of cultural stuff to be found in the city these days, and across the river in Southbank. I think you could easily spend a couple of days just doing touristy stuff in Brisbane. You might want to check out some of the suburbs too if you're planning on moving there one day. The more-expensive suburbs to the north and west of the CBD are hillier, and that elevation gives you some nice views in places. The view from the top of Mount Coot-Tha on a good day is not to be missed. The further away from the city centre you go in just about any direction, the more non-descript the suburbs become. It isn't called 'Brisvegas' for nothing, although Brisbanites tend to wear that accolade like a badge of honour these days. I even saw a banner in Brisbane airport saying 'Welcome to Brisvegas' on one occasion!

An hour south of the city you reach the top end of the Gold Coast (GC), and an our north the bottom end of the Sunshine Coast (SC). There are the nearest what I'd call 'real beaches' that are on the open ocean, so get waves and a nice sea breeze. There are also some beaches in the Brisbane metropolitan area along Moreton Bay, but they're not that great to be honest. Nevertheless, if you live in Brisbane you'll find places like Wynnum, Cleveland, and Redcliffe pretty busy on a summer's weekend. The weather in October is usually pretty nice with temperatures akin to a very good British summer (but without the long daylight hours), so if you get some hot days you'll be able to go in the sea. The water will be about 20C, which is cold by Aussie standards but tropical compared with anywhere in the UK. If you see anyone in the ocean at that time of year then the Aussies joke that they are either Poms or Victorians!

My personal opinion is that the SC is much nicer than the GC, although the latter does have more entertainment options. There are a number of amusement parks at the northern end of the GC which your daughter might be interested in (Dreamworld, Wet'n'Wild, Warner Bros, etc). If you visit the SC then you'll probably want to go north as far as Noosa, which is a beautiful spot, but best avoided at the weekends when it gets hellishly busy. Most of the Sunshine Coast all the way from Caloundra up to Noosa is stunning, and one of our favourite haunts when we can escape Cairns. The inland coastal region from northern NSW up to SEQ has some beautiful countryside which locals refer to as the 'Hinterland', and tends to have a bit of a hippy vibe. Both the GC and SC hinterlands are beautiful with lovely places to visit, artisan shops, and some nice walks in places like the Glasshouse Mountains (SC). If you're unfortunate enough to have heavy rain on your visit then there are also some good waterfalls to check out, such as the Purlingbrook falls in Springbrook National Park (GC) and the Kondalilla National Park (SC).

If you intend to do a road trip up from Sydney then most motel/hotel foyers will have a large selection of pamphlets promoting local activities etc, which can provide a further source of inspiration beyond the internet.

All great advice for someone coming to enjoy a holiday, but the OP did say this was meant to be a reccie and I took that to mean it was a research trip?  Maybe I'm wrong.

Edited March 29, 2023 by Marisawright

[InnerVoice]

12 hours ago, Marisawright said:

All great advice for someone coming to enjoy a holiday, but the OP did say this was meant to be a reccie and I took that to mean it was a research trip?  Maybe I'm wrong.

The OP asked for suggestions of things to do, see and check out whilst over here, and that's what I've provided. A lot of research you can do online these days and that has its place, but there's nothing like being here in person to get a feel for places.

[Marisawright]

4 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

The OP asked for suggestions of things to do, see and check out whilst over here, and that's what I've provided. A lot of research you can do online these days and that has its place, but there's nothing like being here in person to get a feel for places.

Absolutely right. We’ve had so many members research avidly before they arrive, and they think they know what state, city or even suburb they want to settle in. Then when they arrive they realise the reality is different.

Same with checking house prices. As you know, Australian estate agents are shocking for photoshopping photos and underquoting prices, so one gets an unrealistic idea of where you can afford to buy. 

To me, those are the important things to check out on a reccie rather than recreational stuff, as I think most Brits are already well aware what Oz has to offer on that front 

[Cheery Thistle]

7 hours ago, InnerVoice said:

The OP asked for suggestions of things to do, see and check out whilst over here, and that's what I've provided. A lot of research you can do online these days and that has its place, but there's nothing like being here in person to get a feel for places.

Thanks for all of the info/tips. 
 

We have never been to Australia so it will be really good to explore a few different areas. Definitely want to spend at least 5 days in Sydney - was thinking it will take a day or 2 to recover from the journey!! 
 

I think estate agents are the same the developed world over to be fair. Due diligence will be very much required. We would always rent first to see if an areas was suitable etc before buying. However, if the rental shortage is to be believed we may end up having to take what we can get. 
 

I think it’s a bit of an assumption to say Brits know what recreationally is available. That will be very important to us due to having a daughter on the verge of the teenage years. 

[ramot]

44 minutes ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Thanks for all of the info/tips. 
 

We have never been to Australia so it will be really good to explore a few different areas. Definitely want to spend at least 5 days in Sydney - was thinking it will take a day or 2 to recover from the journey!! 
 

I think estate agents are the same the developed world over to be fair. Due diligence will be very much required. We would always rent first to see if an areas was suitable etc before buying. However, if the rental shortage is to be believed we may end up having to take what we can get. 
 

I think it’s a bit of an assumption to say Brits know what recreationally is available. That will be very important to us due to having a daughter on the verge of the teenage years. 

Hope Australia Zoo is on your list for the Sunshine Coast. Cotton Tree has stand up paddling which our grandchildren enjoyed, Mooloolaba has a lovely beach and take advantage of the free bbq’s, Noosa is always popular, has a nice vibe and beach.

Montville and Maleny in the hinterland provide a very difference feel to the Coast. I prefer Maleny.

Have a wonderful time wherever you manage to visit xM

Edited March 30, 2023 by ramot

[Nemesis]

7 hours ago, Cheery Thistle said:

Thanks for all of the info/tips. 
 

We have never been to Australia so it will be really good to explore a few different areas. Definitely want to spend at least 5 days in Sydney - was thinking it will take a day or 2 to recover from the journey!! 
 

I think estate agents are the same the developed world over to be fair. Due diligence will be very much required. We would always rent first to see if an areas was suitable etc before buying. However, if the rental shortage is to be believed we may end up having to take what we can get. 
 

I think it’s a bit of an assumption to say Brits know what recreationally is available. That will be very important to us due to having a daughter on the verge of the teenage years. 

I would think that with a daughter of that age you would need to spend a certain amount of the trip doing touristy-type stuff. She's not going to be too enamoured with the place if you spend the whole time checking out supermarkets and estate agents, is she!