NTH SHARMAN Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 We've now been in Melbourne for just over 7 weeks and thought it was about time for an update. Neil started work on week 2 and is now in full swing. He starts at 7am and finishes at 3pm, so compared to his old routine of 12 hour nights and days on a three on three off basis, its a massive improvement. His travel time has also reduced and he can be at work in 35 minutes. That means he can be home around the same time as Hayleigh is from school. That'll be great when the nicer weather comes. Hayleigh is settling in well at school. She went on camp in her second week, which was a bit of a shock for me. I felt she might not be ready for 3 days away from her parents after just moving countries. But, once again, she amazed me and had a whale of a time. She is learning Japanese and is in a Japanese dance group who are competing in a competition with the whole of Victoria via a video link. Hayleigh is also learning to play the trumpet!!!!!! Thank god the house is massive. If she is playing at one end and I'm at the other, its hardly audible at all. She is also swimming with a squad, the Casey Tiger Sharks. She swims four times a week for an hour and a half each session. Compared to the cost of lessons in the UK, they are dirt cheap here. She has come on so much and is already winning races and being recommended for competitions. And me? Well I've become a housewife for the first time in my life and boy its strange. After having worked all my working life, I feel guilty now if I sit down for a cup of tea ha ha. I have to fill my day completely with "housewifey" jobs just to make me feel useful. The upside is that the house runs like clockwork and I'm able to shop around more for food and stuff. You can really save a fortune by doing that. I go to a meat wholesalers once a fortnight and to a fresh food outlet once a week. The freezer is chocker with top quality fish and meat and the veggies here have to be seen. I swear I could sweep the floor with the celery. And the best thing happened yesterday - our container was delivered. What a lovely sight that was. And can I just give a shout out for John Mason and Kent Movers. What a top team and what fab service. Not a thing was broken or missing. The guys at both ends couldn't do enough for us. Would recommend them again and again, based on our experience. So I'm sat on the floor surrounded by unopened boxes and wearing something I ain't clapped eyes on in 10 weeks. Magic!! All in all, we're doing alright. I'm not going to post some sparkly thread about how wonderful everything is - well not yet anyway. It's not been an easy ride for me and I still get the odd moment when I feel a bit unsure, but it doesn't happen too often. It's still very early days for us but as we always say, as long as our daughter is happy, then so are we. And right now, she is. I do feel a sense of immense achievement though and I'm incredibly proud of how well we have done as a family. A few things I've noticed in our short time here... Driving - I know lots of people find the driving here crazy. I don't mind it at all. I think you have to be assertive here and quick thinking. I actually prefer driving here to the UK. I have a 35k drive each morning and evening on the school run (our choice, long story) and don't find it a problem at all. Shopping - be prepared to shop around. I certainly wouldn't do my weekly shopping in Coles or Safeway. It would cost a fortune. Just ask a few locals where they go for their meat, fish, etc. You'll soon be pointed in the right direction. Clothes shopping - okay so its not up to much. Not a lot you can do though. You have to make the best of it. I see Top Shop are now shipping to Australia so maybe some of the others may follow suit. DFOs (direct factory outlets) are a good source for mainly out of season bargains. I would def recommend chucking a few suitcases of clothes onto the container, especially kiddies clothing. I bought a load for Hayleigh in the Next Sale, but because we took longer to get here than expected, she's outgrown a lot of them now. Now I am off to unpack some more boxes and assemble some furniture. It's a good job I don't work otherwise the house would be in a mess for ages - that's my excuse anyway. Oh and I should just mention - Dan Murphy's is just the best place for wine. Decent bottle of red $2.40 (so I went and bought a case of 12 and got 12 white as well). 24 bottles for under $60 is not to be sniffed at. Bye for now. T xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoanneHattersley Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 SOunds like all is good there. Dan Murphys is great! (I can recommend the Clare Valley region in SA - particularly Jim Barry wines!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dunnarunna Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 glad to here its going well for you, seems your getting things together, you are right about shopping around, if you have the time its worth it, my shopping bill is on par with uk but i have lots more fresh meat and veg. i discovered dan murphys after a post from tyke:notworthy: and i bought 12 bottles of white the other day for $2 a bottle, i know i have cheap tastes but it equivalent to what i paid £4 for in the tesco wine sales. donna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alcocainmel Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Glad to hear that you are all settling in and once all your furniture and personal belongings are unpacked you will feel even more settled!! Good luck to you all and Hayleigh in her swimming comps!! Deb xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jewels1356 Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 its nice to hear your settling in and your daughters doing julie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kdal Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Really enjoyed reading your post, and I think you are right if the children are happy then so are we, they are the main priority. Ile have to let my OH read your thread as I too think it is very important to have a housewife at home so that the house ticks over nicely and as you say you can safe money on shopping. So I really think there is no point in me going to work:biglaugh: My boys love swimming so hope thats one thing they are looking forward to, is hopefully more swim time, like your daughter they have been to swim school since very small but it was very costly but well worth it when I watch them swim. So for those that are taking young children the swim lessons being cheaper would be good news for all. I think I will give John Masons a call for a quote. Thank you for your update and be very happy in your new life in Melbourne Love Kimx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 What a lovely post I know the children are going to love it. My son loves swimming so that will be great. It would be wonderful if I didnt have to work but I am not sure we will be able to achieve it. What does your Oh do ? Anyway thanks for the tips about the wine and the meat as a bunch of full red bloodied meat eaters I am sure we will be frequenting the markets. And a good tip about Safeway as its a name I have heard of in England I probably would have shopped there. Anyeay best of luck with your new life and I hope to be in your position sometime within the next year?:yes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabroom Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Hi Tracy, Glad to hear everything is ok, I have been wondering how things are. Keep us updated and pop on here again. Wendyx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sanders family Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 What a brillant post it was really lovely to read! I'm so glad you have settled, when you read these threads it gives you hope that you are doing the right thing as every day is a different feeling. Thank you keep us posted and enjoy the unpacking:biglaugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaniaColin Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Great post, glad you are settling in, speaking to my friend who moved to Oz last year it does take several months to get into a routine. It seems like you are doing fine, i suppose you will have the odd day when you can reflect, but if your daughter is happy and hubby doing ok in job sounds like you've cracked it Good luck with the unpacking and stay positive. Best wishes Tania x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jaynie Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 What a fantastic post to read, it reminded me of when we arrived, I loved being a 'Housewife' too although it didn't last that long in my case....well not long enough in my opinion! lol I can second your recommendation about John Mason, we used them too many years ago and they were fab in our eyes, told us every step of the way from when it would be leaving to it's arrival, all intact too. Great that you are all settled in and that Hayleigh is happy in all she does, that's one of the main hurdles to get over, when kids are happy, you are happy. :wubclub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest marie197500 Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Hi what a great post glad things are coming together for you. We are moving to the same area we fly on the 4th september so maybe you'd like to meet up sometime. I will be a housewife as well so need to find friends for coffee mornings :jiggy:I have 3 kids two girls 11 and 7 and a boy aged 4. We are moving in with friends to begin with and then renting. Marie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siblin! Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Sounds like Aus suits you and your family down to the ground . You sound very rational and grounded and i think you guys are gonna be just fine out there and your daughter will be a proper little Aussie in no time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KP Nuts Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Hi Tracy, what a great post, and yes totally agree with Kdal (Kim) I'm showing this to Mr KP also, I need to be at home............lol But so glad to hear you have all settled in well, and by the sounds of it enjoying already, even with the odd bad day. Keep us posted KP Nuts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheClarkes Posted August 13, 2008 Share Posted August 13, 2008 Hi that sounds great we 2 are hoping to move to that area of Melbourne...anywhere between Narre Warren and Pakenham really like you said where ever is best for the children as we have 5 ranging from 16 down to 2. What advice would you have about the schools there as noticed you have a long drive every day! Do you know Berwick very well yet? Would you say there is enough there for teenagers to do ie jobs and social places for them to go also shopping and train stations? We were hoping to be there by October but still waiting on Visas...so cant make any solid plans till then. Really enjoyed reading your information and wish you all the best for the future Clare and chris x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTH SHARMAN Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 Hi Guys. Have now sorted most of our stuff out and our rental definitely feels a lot more like home. It's also a lot warmer now. We are all looking forward to getting on our bikes and going for a ride this weekend. Just the matter of a couple of helmets to buy. The housewife thing is probably not permanent, sorry to say girls. It seems that part time secretarial work is not too easy to come by here and cos Hayleigh is only 10, she can't be left on her own during school holidays while we are both at work. No grandparents round the corner here!!! I'm not planning on taking evening work because then our family time would be compromised. So for now, its pull our belts in time and try to live as cheaply as we can. Now if the house in the UK would sell, then everything would be perfect, but I'm not going to start on that one again....... Neil is an engineer and works for a plastic bottle blowing company in Cheltenham. His wage is roughly the same as it was in the UK, so we are quite lucky in that respect. Clare and Chris - Berwick is a lovely area, but more expensive for property than say Pakenham or Narre Warren. We live on the Berwick Springs Estate in Narre Warren South. We have the natural Berwick Spring on our doorstep which is massive and has lovely walks around it. Loads of birds make their homes there, Pelicans, Black Swans, etc. The spring also has picnic areas and play areas for the kids. We have a shopping centre, Fountain Gate, close by too where all the teens seem to hang out and meet their mates. There is a cinema complex there as well and we have great leisure facilities, swimming pools, etc. Berwick itself has loads of lovely cafes and restaurants (plus Dan Murphy's yay!!) and the best meat warehouse, bakeries, clothes shops, banks, etc. Oh and not to forget "The Bezzer" thats the Berwick Inn to you and me. The botanical gardens are also close by where they hold open air concerts, etc in the summer. Berwick has a train station, as does Narre Warren. We went into the city on our second weekend here. The fare was $2.90 each return and then the ticket also allowed you to travel on the city trams and buses all day free of charge. Amazing eh? Can't wait to see the city in the summer. To be able to sit on the banks of the Yarra with some lunch or something, watching the rowers go by, will be great. Another great thing about the city is that prices aren't inflated. You can eat out and it will cost roughly the same as it would in the suburbs. We went to the Botanical gardens in the city the other weekend and we parked for four hours at a cost of $5. Now that is incredible. I can't really comment too much on state schools in the area as we didn't really do a great deal of research on them. Although what I have picked up on is that a lot of parents put their kids through state primary schools and then transfer to private schools for the senior years. I've met people who tell me that their children's names have been down for certain private schools since birth for year 7. I know at Hayleigh's school, they are currently taking applications for year 7 for 2010. We were lucky enough to get Hayleigh into Beaconhills College. It is a low fee private school with a good reputation. Because you have to buy school books and uniform here, state school isn't "free" like it is in the UK. It takes some swallowing when you're charged $150 for school books and $800 for uniform. And thats only for year 5. Beaconhills has two campuses, Berwick Village and Pakenham Valley. We've had her name down since last year at both campuses. To cut a long story short, we managed to secure this rental from the UK as we had stayed here earlier this year with friends. So we were obviously hoping Haylz would get a place at Berwick Village - but things don't always go to plan do they? She was offered a place at Pakenham Valley with an option to transfer should a place arise. Trouble is of course, now she's been there for 5 weeks, she loves it and has made lots of friends, so won't want to transfer to Berwick should a place arise. So what we'll probably do is move closer to the school once our lease is up on this house. For now, I'll just have to carry on driving her. It's not too bad really. We leave the house at 8am and get to school for 8.20. Hayleigh likes to be early for everything. I then leave to pick her up at 3pm in time for her finishing at 3.20pm. Luckily the petrol is cheaper here and my little Focus gets full up on $60 a week. In the UK I was pumping £70 into the tank of my car every week to ten days. Hi Marie - yeah just give me a shout when you get here. It'll be warming up nicely by then and Hayleigh's school breaks up on the 19th September for a couple of weeks so we'll be out and about enjoying the sunshine hopefully. Ta ta for now. Got some book shelves to put together. Happy days!!! T xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheClarkes Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Hi T, Thankyou so much for your speedy reply... You have just clarified what i thought so am thinking it will be an ideal place to settle, its also exciting me again now as this long wait makes you feel in limbo and you kind of lose heart from time to time wondering if things will ever come to fruition. We are planning on a holiday type let initially when we arrive... for about two weeks, hoping that will be long enough to sort a rental? Have looked at Narre Warren so that could be a good option for us. Do you know if there are such lets in that area or are they mainly coastal? How did your husband find work so quickly?...My husband is a Landscaper/Fencing contractor but can put his hand to most things and is willing to do anything initially...Labouring, Factory work, anything really...Do you have to go through an Agency or can you approach companies direct for employment. Sorry to keep asking questions hope you dont mind...have done so much research but there are some things you just need someone to answer. How is the weather so far by the way? We have had to put the heating on here its been so bad! You are definately in a better place! Thanks again for sharing valuable information Hope to speak again soon Clare x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steve&Mandy Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Well done NTH glad to see that you are settling in well. We are on our way soon, booked the flights for August 27th. Thanks for keeping us updated and hope to keep in touch maybe meet up when we arrive. Speak soon Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTH SHARMAN Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 Hi Steve and Mandy. Well we got there in the end eh? Hope all goes well for you too and that you have a bit better flight than we did. We caught the tail end of the Phillipines' bad weather and boy was it a bumpy ride. We have to divvy up the sick bags at the back of the plane. Good luck to you all. Speak later. Clare - have sent you a PM. N T & H xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The "Biscuits" Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Hi tracy Just sent you a PM - so glad you are all settled. We now arrive 7 Sep so hopefully see you then. Debbie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rue 66 Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Hi Guys, We have been following your story for a while now. We will be over in mid-November and staying in a holiday rental in Berwick while we look around and see where we want to live permanently, so would be great to meet up with you if you are not working by then (hee! hee!). Sounds like there will be a few of us coming over at roughly the same times so would be good to have a get together! Dan Murphys sounds like my kind of place! Love Gill, Phil and Harry (9 but 10 when we get there!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the hutchies Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Great to hear you are all settling in NTH we are also looking at the berwick areas, but that depends on work situation for OH he is a chippy is there plenty of construction work there? You are going to be swamped with questions now ya know:biglaugh:.. we have accepted an offer on our house today after having to reduce it again... so hopefully we will be there soon to join in any meet ups Lisax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete da Wombat Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 I just want to mention that the $2.90 transport ticket is available on sundays only -any other day the cost would be $10.10. Sorry to butt in but it may have confused some people. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NTH SHARMAN Posted August 16, 2008 Author Share Posted August 16, 2008 Yeah sorry I didn't mention that. Although actually we have just found out its $2.90 on Saturday as well as Sunday. Gill - I don't think I'll be working until next year so no problem meeting up. Just give me a nudge when you're ready. Lisa - ask all the questions you want. I don't know a great deal, but I seem to be finding stuff out every day. T xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Denton4 Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 HI Guys, just noticed your thread on here. Great to hear that you are quite settled. We are going for our meds on Mon in Manchester so fingers crossed every thing goes ok. Sent off for our police checks as well so just waiting for them to come back. Courtney is really excited now that we are going for meds, her mood has really changed i think she feels its really happening now.Another 2 weeks and she starts High School. When you guys left they kept saying we want to go to the same school as Hayleigh. Are the houses that bad in the winter to keep warm as every one seems to say? Its great to hear that the Hayleigh is happy, kids really adapt its just us that it takes a bit longer. How are you getting on with the home sickness? Give us a shout if you want any clothes bringing over in our container, will do a big shop in Next for the girls, if were not over before xmas i will be at that Next sale day after boxing day at 5am. Better go now got a spray tanning party to do later. Take Care Julie, Andy and girls x Julie, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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