Bobths Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Two weeks in, our thoughts so far....... in short, Melbourne is indeed marvellous ) In long..... the people are so friendly, on several occasions now when we've been obviously looking lost or puzzled people have stopped to ask if they can help, or given us directions. Our Aussie friends we met in France whilst on holiday came and picked us up at the airport even though we didn't get in until nearly midnight. The bar staff at one of bars we stopped at a drink for remembered us even a week later and asked how our house hunting was going and we met some lovely Australian Croatians at Cardinia Reservoir who showed us how to use the public BBQs and shared some sausages with us - its almost disconcerting when even getting our VicRoads licence turned into a 5 minute chat about having the same surname as the lady taking the photos. Weather - it has rained twice that I'm aware of whilst we've been here, in the morning on the day we arrived and the night before Australia Day, but I think there have been very early morning showers which we've simply slept through. It's mostly been between 22 - 29 degrees which is plenty warm enough for me - certainly hot enough that the paving stones in Fed Square were still toasty warm when we sat down to watch Roddick/Wawrinka on the big screen at 9pm at night. Everyone is moaning about what a rubbish summer it is and how cold it is though!? Transport - We've got ourselves myki cards - only $3 to travel anywhere/anytime on Saturdays and Sundays, so we've done most of our exploring at weekends. Trams and trains are very frequent and clean, although we have had some delays but not for more than 10 minutes or so. Hired a car for 3 days and found driving to be fine - city traffic (we're staying at Parkville) is much much quieter than we expected, certainly not half as bad as Manchester on a weekend, even though the tennis is on. OH is already getting bored of the straight roads tho! Lots more European cars than we were expecting, and we have had a giggle at the day-glo c-utes (half car, half ute). Applied for our Victorian licences yesterday so just waiting for them to come through - process only took about 10 minutes. Jobs - Very lucky in that the recruitment agency in the UK that found me my last job in the UK also do global recruitment and so lined up 3 interviews for me within a week of me arriving here and I've already had a job offer. OH has been told the IT industry has slowed down but he should get something soon now the schools are going back and the market picks up. Applied for our tax file numbers online and they arrived within a couple of days. Houses/Suburbs - Totally a matter of personal opinion (imo). Everyone we've spoken to thinks you are mental if you are considering living outside of Zone 1 - the looks we got when we mentioned trekking out to Berwick, you'd have thought we'd said we were considering living in the middle of the desert! Even Eltham got comments like 'There be kangaroos!'. Berwick was way way too far out for us - but then we'll be working in the CBD and want to have nights out in the CBD. Anywhere along the Sandringham line would have been great - except we want a unit/house with a garden and storage space for some bikes, not an apartment. I liked Eltham, but OH reckoned it was a bit too quiet and still too far out of the city. So, we found a house in Greensborough, freshly renovated throughout, 5 mins from shops, train and parks, within our budget and we're moving in next Friday ) Still a smidgeon too far out at 35/40 mins on the train and in Zone 2, but its on the Nightrider bus route and trains run til 2am in any case. Agent was lovely, we explained we'd just arrived from the UK so couldn't give the 3 business references she wanted, and that neither of us had jobs yet but that I had a job offer and OH's job was in demand, but we did have a bank statement showing we had $10,000 and were prepared to pay 3 months rent up front and could move in immediately and she said - well, I only need one good application but I think you are it, and rang us the next day to confirm we'd been approved by the landlord ) Food/Living costs - Can't comment on utilities yet but public transport is a darn sight cheaper. I can't really comment on food yet either as we've just been picking up bits and pieces here and there from Coles and the like. Loved Queen Vic market though and once we're in our rental I'll start shopping at markets and have a better idea. Wine is cheaper than back home but not as cheap as I expected, and beer costs way more! Boo hiss. Again, need to get to some cellar doors to see if I can find cheaper wine deals. Went to the Mornington Peninsula Micro Brewery and had some fab real ale there ) Everything else...... Had a lovely afternooon at Cardinia Reservoir, mad to see kids playing on the swings and kangaroos hopping past. Love Fed Square - its everything that Exchange Square in Manchester should be but isn't. Been out to the Mornington Peninsula - spent the afternoon on Shelley Beach after having beer and pizza in Mornington. Had a fabulous day on Australia Day, picnic in Kings Domain Gardens watching the airforce do their aerial display. Dropped our picnic stuff back at the apartment then got a ground pass for the Melbourne Open for $29 each and watched Murray then part of Nadal/Ferrer match, before heading back to the city to catch the fireworks. Must admit I was just so b1oody happy I had a bit of a cry. If you are thinking of coming over here, don't just think about it DO IT!!!! :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Thank you for the update, it sounds like you are having a great time!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paddygunner Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Great post! Keep them coming, its a great source of comfort to those of us who are going to Aus shortly, to read such a good post. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swifty99 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 What a fantastic positive post love it and so glad you are loving it, house sale permitting we will soon be out in melbourne can't wait :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobths Posted January 28, 2011 Author Share Posted January 28, 2011 Melbourne is fab, we keep pinching ourselves and asking 'what's the catch?'. It's just so huge, but so green and leafy at the same time. Don't know if anyone is familiar with the film 'Batteries Not Included' but the city really reminded me of that, little brick churches next to soaring skyscrapers, a real mix of modern and old all mixed in together. Really enjoying exploring the laneways - my husband is on a mission to find the best mocha in Melbourne lol - had a lovely lunch of bruschetta and a glass of wine somewhere off Little Bourke St today, just get the feeling we could keep exploring Melbourne every weekend for a year and still find new places, definitely going to try some cakes from the patisseries this weekend, they look like they'd rival anything I could find in France. It was just so nice on Australia Day (even though it was overcast it was lovely and warm and I regretted putting my combats on) when we wandered through Alexandra Gardens and the Kings Domain Gardens, seeing everyone sat enjoying themselves having picnics and chilling out, or playing impromptu games of cricket. I think the only advice we have for people so far is if you want a Victorian drivers licence, get an appointment as soon as you arrive as we had to wait over a week and had to trek out to Camberwell to get ours (they are nuts about 100 points of ID over here, although so far we've managed to make do!) and when looking for rentals, have a chat to the agent and get yourself remembered - and money upfront definitely talks! And stock up on the factor 30 sunscreen, I have pink ankles from sitting in Fed Square watching Wasnijaki/Ni La yesterday x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornish78 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Great posts - I can't wait to go! You make it sounds so lovely. (Bruschetta and wine sounds like my kind of lunch...!) Keep us posted - perhaps see you in Melbourne later in the year :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saz Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 Great post, so pleased that you are enjoy your new life. Long may it continue x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobths Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 Great posts - I can't wait to go! You make it sounds so lovely. (Bruschetta and wine sounds like my kind of lunch...!) Keep us posted - perhaps see you in Melbourne later in the year :biggrin: Defo keep you posted, next update will probably be when we've settled into our new house and got a car and are into our new jobs (hopefully OH will have a job by then!) x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MaybeOz Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Must admit I was just so b1oody happy I had a bit of a cry. If you are thinking of coming over here, don't just think about it DO IT!!!! Had a ''bit of a cry'' reading your post; I SO desperately want to be there :cry: Enjoy and come back and tell us more along the way. K :wubclub: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobths Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 Had a ''bit of a cry'' reading your post; I SO desperately want to be there :cry: Enjoy and come back and tell us more along the way. K :wubclub: You'll get here, don't worry. If anyone wants to see pics of Melbourne pm me and I can share my Facebook albums with you x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 You certainly seem to have landed on your feet. Delighted for ya! Best of luck with the job hunting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1K3R Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 Hey Guys! So you're finally in ozzie land!!!! :biggrin: We applied for the visa at the same time last year and now we're both here... can't believe how time flies! :laugh: Anyway, I'm glad you guys are loving it down in Melbourne, wish ye all the best and good luck with job hunting :wink: ....and don't forget to go for a trip on the Great Ocean road or down to Philip Island to see the penguins or to Portsea or...!!! Cheers B!K3R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobths Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 Hey Guys! So you're finally in ozzie land!!!! :biggrin: We applied for the visa at the same time last year and now we're both here... can't believe how time flies! :laugh: Anyway, I'm glad you guys are loving it down in Melbourne, wish ye all the best and good luck with job hunting :wink: ....and don't forget to go for a trip on the Great Ocean road or down to Philip Island to see the penguins or to Portsea or...!!! Cheers B!K3R Hey you! Yes we are here, not stopped - although from reading your posts you have been just as busy! OH has his first interview today for a network engineer at an ISP, so fingers crossed it's what he wants and gets it. Glad your unit has turned out to be good - it looks like a bit a gamble has turned out perfectly. Happily, the University digs we've been staying in were great for us, not too expensive and being 15 minutes by tram to the city has made it very easy for me attending interviews and obviously for exploring and we move into our house tomorrow ) Mega shopping trip to IKEA tomorrow! As soon as we get a car we'll be off down the Great Ocean Road, don't worry! Like you we're holding off getting a car until both of us have jobs. Been to Portsea already which was pretty and our Aussie friends have invited us for a weekend on Philip Island at their friend's holiday home, which I'm very much looking forward to - defo going to see the little penguins, already seen them at Melbourne Zoo and they are adorable. Hope everything continues to go well for you - keep the posts coming! We'll be heading up to Brissie for a holiday most likely once we've got settled in our jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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