Whatever happened to.......?

[Diane]

Don't know what made me start thinking of them, but a few years ago (maybe 5?) there was a post from a family coming to South Australia who arrived somewhere like Sydney (by boat possibly?) and then bought a camper and travelled all around, intending to come to SA eventually, but working at various jobs on their journey. I think last I heard she was in Queensland somewhere tropical.

 

I can't remember if she posted on this site of the old yellow screen one (before I defected) and I can't remember her name - but was just wondering what ever happened to them, and if they ever made it to SA? I know they had young kids.

 

Tyke might remember who I mean, or Sally?

[Lea]

Hi Diane,

 

Think it was Sasha - she of millions of posts!!! Last I heard they were building a house in Tropical North Queensland but haven't heard from her for at least 2 years. I have been wondering if she and her family are OK what with the floods and cyclone.

 

Lea

[Diane]

That was it! Sasha! Well remembered!! Wonder if she still has the same email account? Did they never come to SA in the end then?

[Lea]

I think they were going to stay put in Qld for a while - she used to be on another forum but it seems to have closed. (Was just checking it!)

 

Be interested to see if she is OK.

 

Also do you remember a girl called Claire who was having problems passing the medicals as her young son had eye problems? I wonder if she ever got here? Last I heard they were trying for SS to Canberra.

 

Lea

[Diane]

Oh yes I remember - hope she got through. I know SA seem to be doing a great job on clearing up the backlog but don't really know about Canberra: I'll have a browse on Poms in Oz and see if she posts on the ACT section on there.

 

I still can't get over your fantastic memory with Sasha - and getting it from my really vague description too :notworthy:

 

I'm not a member on the other site any more (they did change their web address but I think it's still going albeit very quiet - Tyke posts on there occasionally I think and Delboy), but if anyone else is, if you can find her on the members list, I'd love to hear how they're getting on, specially after all the disasters up that way this year. Fingers crossed they're doing fine.

 

Thanks again Lea, you Memory Meister you!!

[Guest Snappy]

Hello ladies, Shaz sent me a link for this so I thought I'd pop in and say hello and update you all. Yes we are still in Far North Queensland and still trying to finish our house...long story of never ending dramas with cyclones to boot! The house is in South Mission Beach which was one of the worse hit areas from Yasi although our house stood up really well compared to most. It is actually coming up to our 6 year anniversary over here now and I think I am becoming far more Aussiefied than Welsh now especially when it comes to the language side of things as I seem to pronounce anything with an 'A' in it very nasal and drawn out so Jam, Dan, Cairns will never be the same again for me lol my heart though still belongs to Wales. I went back for the first time 18 months ago and was shocked as to how easily it would have been to slot back into my old life. The people haven't changed, some of the areas have though, it still came across as quite dark and gloomy over there and that was at the height of summer!

 

I have yet to leave Queensland so my travelling bit just hasn't happened the way I would have liked. The problem I have found is lack of money due to the wet seasons up here and everyone seems to be employed on a casual basis so that they don't pay holidays or sick days and when it comes to the wet season up here they don't have to worry about paying you if you are rained off. We've actually moved slightly south for the work and we are renting a place in Townsville (not so brown at the moment with the rain!) and at last hubbie has a job that pays holidays/ sick days etc although his hours are short but rather than our normal Christmas splurge and then struggle through the wet season and then spend the rest of the year catching up financially this year has been tough but not as tough.

 

I've met so many wonderful people over here, also some right arseholes that like to rip you off without any conscience but would I go back to the UK....mmmm....NOPE! I think everyone moving over here needs to realise that the same everyday crap happens, bills need to be paid, kids need to go to school and work is as ever very mundane boring crap but and that should be a massive BUT I still believe we made the best move in coming here as a family. It has been tough at times and any cracks in your relationships will show ten fold but the place is just awe inspiring, job prospects are much higher than the UK (which isn't difficult at the moment!), houses that are on large estates are still on larger blocks of land so you don't feel so crammed in, I like the schools and the way they teach, I like the hospitals and with one child requiring regular surgery I know the hospitals quite well in both the UK and over here and the latter is a far more pleasurable experience for a stressed out mother. Things I don't like is mainly down to the few minority (not the majority I must add!) of people that make you believe they are your mate only to later stab you in the back somehow. I have had so many bad experiences in building my house as an owner builder and getting ripped off by so called friends and that has left a sour taste in my mouth. The thing is though Mission Beach is a small small small place and so you do get that small town mentality so it could be a different experience in a larger place. Other than that there is little I dislike over here.

 

To all those new people moving over, I have found supermarkets that sell marmite although I'm a bit prone to vegemite now and dare I say it I even find the UK Cadburys chocolate very weird in taste now and prefer the Aussie version....never thought I'd say that one lol! If I look back on all the things that worried me when moving over here it was all quite insignificant (major though at the time!) as you adapt very quickly and easily to the lifestyle if you just go with the flow of things and stop comparing.

 

I still get gobsmacked and have to pinch myself when I see the amazing animals and landscapes over here. Only the weekend just gone I sat on my deck in my Mission Beach house and watched 3 cassowaries wander through the garden, these are rare birds the size of an emu and can be quite deadly if provoked. They are so stunning to see along with the wallabies having a munch on the lawn (so long as it's the lawn it is ok but heaven help them if they touch my hubbies flower beds lol). I still find that everything is larger over here and still jump out of my skin when a flying fox lands in a tree nearby as it's like having a bat in your garden the size of a cat! Then of course you get the echindnas or giant hedghogs, the cockatoos flocking like sparrows around the place, the spiders the size of dinner plates (can I add at this point to anyone looking at moving over I am in the tropics so I get different breeds up here compared to Adelaide although the Huntsman is down there and generally the large ones are actually good to have around the place but I am not able to sleep when there is one in my bedroom although I did have one camped out by my knicker drawer for a good while and it was highly amusing to get a fresh pair of knickers out everyday lol) and contrary to what people believe there are no crocs marching down the streets although we do have plenty of them and sometimes see they sun bathing around the creeks or water holes.

 

Now I'm rambling sorry lol so fill me in on what you lot have been up to? Obviously in Adelaide and loving it??? Hubbie wishes we had just moved straight to Adelaide but I think at the time he was quite scared as I knew too many people even before we would have got through the gate down there lol

[Diane]

OMG Hello! Have to rush to work now so no time to read all your post, but just wanted to say thanks so much for popping in with your news... great to hear from you, and will look forward to reading in depth later today!

[Guest Snappy]

Here you go this is the cassowary that was having a right old nose around on the weekend.

He even stuck his beak through the louvres nosing.

 

They are not normally this bad but after the cyclone they are now getting a bit too friendly looking for food in the area. There is also a feeding station set up by the local ranger down behind my place so they come through on a regular basis at the moment for us on their daily rounds.

[Diane]

Back again - what a great read. Sounds like your life really has totally changed - what an experience for your kids (and you, of course!)

 

Really great to hear how you're getting on - Adelaide seems very tame in comparison to all the havoc that's been hitting the Eastern states, not that tame is such a bad thing, sometimes! You sound well and truly settled and thanks again for dropping in to give us all an update.

 

There's a Cassowary at Adelaide Zoo - truly prehistoric looking things - don't think I'd like to get on the wrong side of one!

Diane

[Lea]

Great to hear from you!! It was really spooky Diane mentioning you as I had often wondered how you were doing!

 

We are all settled here in Adelaide no (3 1/2 years) and loving it.

 

Hope we get to see you down here sometime!

 

Take Care

 

Lea

[Guest smit]

Good to hear from ya.......was wondering how the cyclone went...........oh ex bushy btw.