Arrival report.....

[VdMfamily]

Well we are finally here in Adelaide after what's felt like a lifetimes wait.

 

We flew out of Newcastle on 30th March Emirates - Business Class all the way (the company were paying) we flew to Dubai, stopped for an hour in Kuala Lumper then onto Melbourne where we spent our 1st night in Oz at the Park Royal Hotel which is over the road from the airport. On Sunday lunch time we then flew to Adelaide with Qantas to be met by hubbies cousins at the airport. After the reunion we headed over to the Avis desk to collect our hire car, we'd booked an economy size car as we just wanted something cheap for 4 weeks until we pick a company car and the lovely girl on the desk there (who was from Liverpool) had given us a free upgrade and we drove off in a mitsubishi 4x4 which is lovely. The cousins took us to the beach at Henley where we dipped our toes into Aussie sea for the 1st time, it's like bath water and the beach was lovely. We then headed to Woolworths/bottleo to stock up on essentials and then onto our 4 week apartment at Quest Mawson Lakes which is lovely.

 

We said good bye to the family, raised a glass then headed to bed.... took us ages to fall asleep, me & the little one slept til 11.30am Monday morning and woke up feeling like we'd been run over by a bus.

 

After a shower we headed up to Golden Grove (which is where we plan to live) it's lovely up there and so easy to drive here. Gav dropped into his work to sign on etc then we found a nice park for Liv to play in and spent about an hour there, we'd been to Big W and bought a football & some camping type chairs and we played a bit of basket ball then headed home, managed to stay awake til 10pm last night then hit the sack...

 

Today me & Liv have been to look at Mawson Lake, it's gorgeous and there are some amazing houses there (if only) then we went to Woolworths and did a proper shop, it doesn't seem too expensive to us, the fuel is much cheaper here, $138.5 a litre for petrol, they sell lots of things that are available in the UK, I don't know why but I imagined it'd all be different makes and it's clearly not ha ha.

 

On Friday we are heading to a reserve to meet some Koala bears, kangaroos etc then Easter Sunday we've been invited out to another reserve that's having a family fun day with bbq etc so we're looking forward to that.

 

I still feel a bit floaty and at times disoriented but am hoping within a few more days this wil pass, the little one is fine, full of beans.

 

The temperature today is 24 degrees, it's actually really plesant, doesn't feel boiling.

 

tomorrow we go to Golden Grove School and NAB bank to get our cards and I need to sort out medicare.

Next week we're going to start house/car hunting.

 

From what we've seen of Adelaide so far it really is a lovely place and the people are really nice, to anyone apprehensive about making the move just plan as much as you can before you get here and be organised and everything will fall into place.

 

If anyone is in the Golden Grove area give me a shout, once Liv starts School in 2 weeks i'm going to be bored...

 

forgot to say the goodbyes were the worst especially with my Parents but they already have two trips planned to come out and we have already skyped and sent a postcard which has helped. Everybody has been really supportive of our move and we are now looking forward to our furniture arriving mid May.

Edited April 3, 2012 by VdMfamily

[Guest leeannekays]

Hi Lisa, sounds like your doing well. Great your husband has a job and you have cousins there. Se fly in 2 weeks. Don't know anyone yet but looking forward to it. Keep us updated. How old is your daughter? Will u be buying a car soon?

 

Leeanne x

[Guest Rachael Reeve]

We come over on the 28 April and i to would like to live in Goldern Grove. We are renting not to far from you so can do a meet up if you want?

[VdMfamily]

Hi our Daughter is 8yrs old, let me know when you guys get here maybe we could meet up

[Guest lyn]

Well done! All sounds pretty much like our experience except we don't have family out here, yet. Makes it a lot easier having a job lined up and the company paying for much of the move, doesn't it!

 

Good luck with it all.

 

Lyn x

[Riponian]

Congratulations on your arrival, hope you will be very happy here :-)

[Guest Mrs Bon Jovi]

Welcome to Oz! Sounds like everything's going really well for you. Enjoy!

[jtct]

Welcome to Oz (from another pom in the South) Enjoy your new life - hope you packed your winter woollies!

[VdMfamily]

thanks everyone, we actually managed to pack quite a lot into our 1st week, we've been to Gorge Wildlife Park to meet the Koala bears, Kangaroos etc, we ventured to the Big white rocking horse (Can't remember the exact name) we've been to Glenelg to the beach, that was lovely and then Easter Sunday we went to Whistlers Winery where they had a family day on, Easter Egg hunt, games, a band etc it's been really nice.

We're staying in Mawson Lakes for another 3 weeks then HOPEFULLY we'll find a rental in or around Golden Grove, it's not as easy as it seems finding one so at the moment I feel a bit stressed by the whole thing.

 

Looking forward to meeting new people and to my Daughter starting School, need routine back.

 

We've really enjoyed our 1st 10 days here, hope I can still the same this time next year...

 

If anyone has any kids up here around 8-9-10yrs old give me a shout for a meet up as my Daughter is looking for Friends and me too I suppose.

 

Good luck to you all waiting to make the move. Just waiting to find a rental now and for furniture to arrive mid May :-)

[Guest MrsC]

Aw I just read your story, sounds like a lovely experience so far, my names Dawn and me and my husband Rick and our daughter are due to arrive this summer (just waiting on our house sale this end) we are also coming via my husbands new job and his company the visa process has been really fast!! Your story has made me get excited for our arrival!! Good luck and well done on taking the leap! xx