Guest rachellh Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Firstly, this is aimed at those who want to go back to the UK and aren't sure about what to do - not at those who want to stay in Australia and love it! With our tickets already booked to return at the end of July, we have just taken a trip back to the UK to have a look around and confirm to ourselves that it's the right thing for us to do. Ironically if we'd taken the trouble to do that before we headed to Perth, we would probably never have come in the first place! Anyway, for the benefit of those who are wondering if they are really missing England or are just a little bit homesick, I thought I'd say how we found it after 3 years away. What can I say, we LOVED it! Excitement of a holiday aside, it was such an incredible feeling of coming home it was quite overwhelming. Granted coming through Terminal 3 at Heathrow was something of a shock - given that I couldn't be sure what country we'd landed in - but once we got in the car and drove it was lovely to see English countryside again. I was sure however that we were going to die on the motorway, as the cars (not a Ute in sight) were going twice as fast as they do here in Perth! On my first trip to Tescos I could have cried. Both at the joy of having so much choice, and then at realising how affordable it was - and therefore highlighting how much we pay for so little back home. Not that life is all about shopping, but it was lovely to see good quality products and clothing at such low prices again. Salmon not costing $30 a kilo - what a joy! During our trip we covered a fair chunk of the country, and I have to say it was an absolute pleasure (moaning children in the backseats aside) to be able to sit there and look out of the window. After driving up and down the barren freeways in Perth, where there's nothing to look at but fast food restaurants, car dealerships and scrub land, it was a welcome relief - and everything we'd remembered it to be. The towns, buildings, country pubs, animals, fields - all of it was lovely to see. And that was in the freezing cold weather and rain! The people seemed so much friendlier than I remember. Kids weren't roaming the streets with knives and we weren't pick pocketed the moment we stepped on the London underground. Shop assistants actually talked instead of grunting at us and service was great wherever we went. New shops had sprung up in places where I'd expected to see rows of them closed down. Even the much talked about problem of obesity didn't seem as glaringly obvious over there as it is here in Australia. And I'm happy to admit that all of these observations came as something as a shock to me. I was the first to run the UK down when we left it, vowing never to return to it's shores again! Of course England still has it's problems - the immigration issues, greedy and stupid politicians, unemployment, crime etc - but every country is the same and somethings will never change. I have to say though, that after reading the English newspapers over here and starting to worry that there really was nothing worth going back for, I was relieved to see that most of what they write is nothing more than the media and their sensationalist headlines. Day-to-day life there, certainly for everyone I know, still goes on regardless of the problems with the country. It is still a great place to live, raise children and enjoy a nice lifestyle. So safe in the knowledge that we are most definitely doing the right thing (for us, can't speak for everyone), we begrudgingly got on the plane and flew back to Perth. Luckily we sold our house here the day we flew to England last year, so now it's all about the countdown to going back and starting again, finding a new part of the country to live in and finally getting my daughter's education back on track. All of this doesn't mean we hate Australia - my husband, son and dog are Aussie for a start! It's just not the right place for us. We miss the history, ideas, outlooks, humour and opportunities that Europe can provide. So regardless of whether you've been here for 5 years or 5 months, if you're not sure you want to stay and are thinking of moving back, then I suggest you either book yourself a cheap seat on Air Asia and take a trip back to help you decide, or go with your gut instinct - it's normally right. Life's way to short to sit and moan about a place if it's not right for you. Far better to swallow the cost, pack up your crap and start all over again. At least you'll never have to wonder if the grass was greener. You'll know it never is, except if it's down to that wretched bindi weed!!! Rachel :biggrin: P.S. And the downside to going back? The long and painful flight that will be something like THIS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 So glad it worked for you Rachel! I know just how you feel, so many of the things you mentioned are the experiences I have had as well. It is that overwhelming feeling of belonging that gets me every time - it starts as I fly down the Thames and doesnt leave me until I get back on the plane (dragged, more often than not, kicking and screaming!). I hope it all works out brilliantly for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rachellh Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Thanks Quoll! I think it's the same for everyone who thinks they might have made something of an error in judgment when it comes to choosing where to live! Rachel :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsindecision Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Thanks Quoll! I think it's the same for everyone who thinks they might have made something of an error in judgment when it comes to choosing where to live! Rachel :biggrin: Thanks for the update - I was back last year just for a holiday and loved it too - now planning to return later this year. I live in Queensland and am just on a business trip to Melbourne with my boss who keeps saying how fabulous Melbourne is compared to London - but while I think it s a lovely city it's not a patch on London for theatre, heritage, pubs, fashion etc. We did contemplate moving here rather than back as an alternative but the weather is just as attrocious (in fact worse if you take into the account the dryness and the heat), so your post and this trip has confirmed to me that although i am scared we must get back to our home. Good luck for you and your family Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sykestykes Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Thanks for the update Rachel, it's great when a difficult decision like that is validated. Wishing you every success in whatever life next has in store for you! Sue x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olly Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Thanks for the update - I was back last year just for a holiday and loved it too - now planning to return later this year. I live in Queensland and am just on a business trip to Melbourne with my boss who keeps saying how fabulous Melbourne is compared to London - but while I think it s a lovely city it's not a patch on London for theatre, heritage, pubs, fashion etc. We did contemplate moving here rather than back as an alternative but the weather is just as attrocious (in fact worse if you take into the account the dryness and the heat), so your post and this trip has confirmed to me that although i am scared we must get back to our home. Good luck for you and your family While I wish you all the best for your journey home, just a thought - Melbourne is great for theatre, has all the big shows, and more in the smaller theatres. Everything I have seen overseas I have seen here also - Phantom of the Operar,Cats, Les Miserables, Wicked, Billy Elliot and Jersey Boys and the list goes on. Now awaiting awaiting the return of Phantom for another season. However I understand your need to go home, so not making light of that, but just wanted to set the record straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 While I wish you all the best for your journey home, just a thought - Melbourne is great for theatre, has all the big shows, and more in the smaller theatres. Everything I have seen overseas I have seen here also - Phantom of the Operar,Cats, Les Miserables, Wicked, Billy Elliot and Jersey Boys and the list goes on. Now awaiting awaiting the return of Phantom for another season. However I understand your need to go home, so not making light of that, but just wanted to set the record straight. Hmm, I think it is more who you see in the theatre that counts - I would love to see Rufus Sewell, Judy Dench, Derek Jacobi, Richard Armitage, Jeremy Irons, Keira Knightly etc but AFAK they tend not to do Australian seasons whereas they do the WE and Broadway. I recently saw Chicago in Melbourne - it was very ordinary IMHO compared with some of the WE theatre I had seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MSTO Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Nice to read its not all bad in the UK...good luck with your move:biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olly Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Hmm, I think it is more who you see in the theatre that counts - I would love to see Rufus Sewell, Judy Dench, Derek Jacobi, Richard Armitage, Jeremy Irons, Keira Knightly etc but AFAK they tend not to do Australian seasons whereas they do the WE and Broadway. I recently saw Chicago in Melbourne - it was very ordinary IMHO compared with some of the WE theatre I had seen. I guess it's all a matter of opinion, but I do know that some directors who have brought the shows here have said the Australian casts are as good as any overseas - a great voice is a great voice and we have plenty of them here. The Billy Elliot cast here was superb, Elton John stated that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rachellh Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 I guess it's all a matter of opinion, but I do know that some directors who have brought the shows here have said the Australian casts are as good as any overseas - a great voice is a great voice and we have plenty of them here. The Billy Elliot cast here was superb, Elton John stated that. I don't think you're going to get far in this argument!!! I think it's more about not liking Melbourne and Oz as a whole rather than saying the cast of shows are rubbish. But never mind, horses for courses and all. Have to say I went to see Mamma Mia in London at Christmas and what made it special was it actually being in London, and being able to go to the theatre there and then walk around the city afterwards.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 I guess it's all a matter of opinion, but I do know that some directors who have brought the shows here have said the Australian casts are as good as any overseas - a great voice is a great voice and we have plenty of them here. The Billy Elliot cast here was superb, Elton John stated that. I am sure there are but I want to see some of the big names - I can see nondescript casts anywhere with good voices or very ordinary leads. Billy Elliot didnt have a name cast in UK either but to see Branagh, Dench or Jacobi do Shakespeare or Sewell do Stoppard is amazing and just not do-able here. Although I did see Derek Jacobi do The Hollow Crown a few years ago - that was good but one show one night was all. Just think what you could see in the WE this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunbury61 Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Firstly, this is aimed at those who want to go back to the UK and aren't sure about what to do - not at those who want to stay in Australia and love it! With our tickets already booked to return at the end of July, we have just taken a trip back to the UK to have a look around and confirm to ourselves that it's the right thing for us to do. Ironically if we'd taken the trouble to do that before we headed to Perth, we would probably never have come in the first place! Anyway, for the benefit of those who are wondering if they are really missing England or are just a little bit homesick, I thought I'd say how we found it after 3 years away. What can I say, we LOVED it! Excitement of a holiday aside, it was such an incredible feeling of coming home it was quite overwhelming. Granted coming through Terminal 3 at Heathrow was something of a shock - given that I couldn't be sure what country we'd landed in - but once we got in the car and drove it was lovely to see English countryside again. I was sure however that we were going to die on the motorway, as the cars (not a Ute in sight) were going twice as fast as they do here in Perth! On my first trip to Tescos I could have cried. Both at the joy of having so much choice, and then at realising how affordable it was - and therefore highlighting how much we pay for so little back home. Not that life is all about shopping, but it was lovely to see good quality products and clothing at such low prices again. Salmon not costing $30 a kilo - what a joy! During our trip we covered a fair chunk of the country, and I have to say it was an absolute pleasure (moaning children in the backseats aside) to be able to sit there and look out of the window. After driving up and down the barren freeways in Perth, where there's nothing to look at but fast food restaurants, car dealerships and scrub land, it was a welcome relief - and everything we'd remembered it to be. The towns, buildings, country pubs, animals, fields - all of it was lovely to see. And that was in the freezing cold weather and rain! The people seemed so much friendlier than I remember. Kids weren't roaming the streets with knives and we weren't pick pocketed the moment we stepped on the London underground. Shop assistants actually talked instead of grunting at us and service was great wherever we went. New shops had sprung up in places where I'd expected to see rows of them closed down. Even the much talked about problem of obesity didn't seem as glaringly obvious over there as it is here in Australia. And I'm happy to admit that all of these observations came as something as a shock to me. I was the first to run the UK down when we left it, vowing never to return to it's shores again! Of course England still has it's problems - the immigration issues, greedy and stupid politicians, unemployment, crime etc - but every country is the same and somethings will never change. I have to say though, that after reading the English newspapers over here and starting to worry that there really was nothing worth going back for, I was relieved to see that most of what they write is nothing more than the media and their sensationalist headlines. Day-to-day life there, certainly for everyone I know, still goes on regardless of the problems with the country. It is still a great place to live, raise children and enjoy a nice lifestyle. So safe in the knowledge that we are most definitely doing the right thing (for us, can't speak for everyone), we begrudgingly got on the plane and flew back to Perth. Luckily we sold our house here the day we flew to England last year, so now it's all about the countdown to going back and starting again, finding a new part of the country to live in and finally getting my daughter's education back on track. All of this doesn't mean we hate Australia - my husband, son and dog are Aussie for a start! It's just not the right place for us. We miss the history, ideas, outlooks, humour and opportunities that Europe can provide. So regardless of whether you've been here for 5 years or 5 months, if you're not sure you want to stay and are thinking of moving back, then I suggest you either book yourself a cheap seat on Air Asia and take a trip back to help you decide, or go with your gut instinct - it's normally right. Life's way to short to sit and moan about a place if it's not right for you. Far better to swallow the cost, pack up your crap and start all over again. At least you'll never have to wonder if the grass was greener. You'll know it never is, except if it's down to that wretched bindi weed!!! Rachel :biggrin: P.S. And the downside to going back? The long and painful flight that will be something like THIS! Last week and early this week ,i was working in North Wales.......travelling through Snowdonia , snow covered everywhere , with the roads cleared Yesterday i travelled up in to Cumbria from North Wales......Coniston , Ambleside, Keswick ....via all the B roads ....snow covered in parts ....the scenery was breath taking ...the country pubs .....miles and miles of stone walls ....the lakes I have travelled a fair bit .........but the scenery in some parts of the british isles takes some beating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bod Posted January 20, 2010 Share Posted January 20, 2010 Rachel :biggrin: P.S. And the downside to going back? The long and painful flight that will be something like THIS! Fnck me don't you go on. Only joking Rachel. Happy you love the mother land, it really is not as bad as some would have you beieve. It will be hard settling back But hopfully you'll all settle back in the land of the living. Good luck JohnX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest treesea Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Terminal 3 in Heathrow - lol, that's where we came back to. We got there at 11.30pm. No shops open, definitely doing a great "worn out and decrepit" act well. The luggage carousel broke down, and being late, there was no one to fix it, so the luggage came out by hand, in dribs and drabs. it reminded me of travelling through India in the 70s. My OH was in a state of shock. Even now he says how quaint Britain is. We left from Terminal 3 in the 1960s - it's since been refurbished, but it was kind of nice to see it hadn't changed much in the intervening 30 some years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kdal Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 A great read, Wish I could have the best of both worlds as like Australia and England for different reasons - Nice to take a trip down memory lane, which is where England is! Good Luck and enjoy England:wubclub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest shopaholic Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 I have so enjoyed reading your post. It is nice to read some positive things about England for a change. It is amazing you dont reaslise the things you miss until you are gone. I for one shall certainly appreciate England when I return. Wishing you lots of luck and I hope you settle back in OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rachellh Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 I have so enjoyed reading your post. It is nice to read some positive things about England for a change. It is amazing you dont reaslise the things you miss until you are gone. I for one shall certainly appreciate England when I return. Wishing you lots of luck and I hope you settle back in OK. Thanks shopaholic! I'm sure if your name is anything to go by you'll have a ball when you're there! Rachel :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsindecision Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 I am sure there are but I want to see some of the big names - I can see nondescript casts anywhere with good voices or very ordinary leads. Billy Elliot didnt have a name cast in UK either but to see Branagh, Dench or Jacobi do Shakespeare or Sewell do Stoppard is amazing and just not do-able here. Although I did see Derek Jacobi do The Hollow Crown a few years ago - that was good but one show one night was all. Just think what you could see in the WE this week. Ohhh you've just reminded me about the amazing accessibility to top class live performance - we go to everything we can here and it costs a fortune - Chicago I agree was just OK. My son just hopped off on his own last year in London to see The 39 Steps said it was fantastic - 35 quid. We just paid $140 to see Fleetwood Mac in Brisbane - back seats and an audience that was truly static when their perfromance was exceptional. Also some of the side theatres are amazing too. And then there's Covent Garden .........( oh dear I am off - think I better get on with my cleaning while listening to the Archers on the PC). I guess some of us are just too English for Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woofyhugger Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Thanks for posting this thread. I am going back to the UK after 35 years in Australia. Culture shock aside, I am looking forward to it, and your post has only reinforced that. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siblin! Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Great post , basically you summed up just how i feel about the uk . I am heading back in August and it can't come quick enough . You don't realise just how beautiful the UK is, how much culture the Uk , how diverse it is , exciting and just how easy it is to be travel and expolre . My journey to Perth has cost me plenty but i don't regret it , it has made me realise who i am , what i want out of life and just what a great country the Uk is Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted January 23, 2010 Share Posted January 23, 2010 Terminal 3 in Heathrow - lol, that's where we came back to. We got there at 11.30pm. No shops open, definitely doing a great "worn out and decrepit" act well. The luggage carousel broke down, and being late, there was no one to fix it, so the luggage came out by hand, in dribs and drabs. it reminded me of travelling through India in the 70s. My OH was in a state of shock. Even now he says how quaint Britain is. We left from Terminal 3 in the 1960s - it's since been refurbished, but it was kind of nice to see it hadn't changed much in the intervening 30 some years. Manchester airport was awful last month too - dirty, no lifts working and the one that was had only one light out of four working, but 10 minutes down the M56 that was all behind us and the sparkly countryside was beautiful. Rachel - Great post and thanks for your pm. I did reply , but then leant forward over my laptop and wiped the lot!!!! Must do something about my tummy......!! Will try again early next week. Really looking forward to meeting you very soon. x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest livejazz Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Thanks for this post, well written and obviously intelligent. I guess I try to relate your thoughts to my experiences. Green countryside, yes for sure, but apart from looking I don't make mush use of it, went to norfolk for a 2 week holiday last year and it was really wet. Tesco, and ...variety! well, frankly i am a meat eater and prefer decent quality, local. if you like a certain shampoo, fair enough. the variety...and sheer "culture" of london, once again, agreed, however recently i spent a week touring london big attractions and funnily enough..it was just hard work moving past all the tourists. my most memorable memory was finding a lone imac in the V&A and looking at pictures of australia on a big screen. london and Uk like most places, wonderful if you are willing to spend money and live the life... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cath donn Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Hi there I haven't written here for a while spent long days wondering.. and usually reading what everyone else is writing. I came with my family 1 yr ago, and by Sept definitely knew it was not for us. We are leaving in July. Rachel my heart skipped a beat as I read your post. I know exactly what you mean you said it all. Good luck and all the best. P.S cant wait to have lovely salmon more than once in a blue moon! Cathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest John Locke Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Great post! So much of it mirrors my own thoughts and experiences....from my initial visit a couple of years ago to our now being back as a family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongrel Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Hmm, I think it is more who you see in the theatre that counts - I would love to see Rufus Sewell, Judy Dench, Derek Jacobi, Richard Armitage, Jeremy Irons, Keira Knightly etc but AFAK they tend not to do Australian seasons whereas they do the WE and Broadway. I recently saw Chicago in Melbourne - it was very ordinary IMHO compared with some of the WE theatre I had seen. Most pensioners flock their in the Uk , 2 shows a week pensions go far these days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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