Just returned from rekki and loved Adelaide

[Guest css]

Hi,have been using this site for a few years now getting great and much needed information about our emigration to Australia and we finally had our first visit last month to Adelaide to activate our visas. I just thought I'd let everyone know who haven't been yet how we found it.

We did alot of research about which area we would like to settle and we decided to head for Port Noarlunga which sounded as though it ticked every box on our list.Lucky for us it was spot on and we fell in love with the place.A little town with a few shops,cafes,Indian take away,vet,dentist,beauty salon,bakery,papershop,lifeguard centre(great for the kids to do lifesaving,surfing etc) and a beautiful beach.5 minutes up the road is a huge shopping mall with a few supermarkets,clothes shops,trinket shops,sport shops,shoe shops,butcher type shops,cheap as chips(like the pound shop) but not as cheap,a few dollars more but still cheap,a huge dining area with mcdonalds,tai food,chinese,health options etc and lots more.Also a cinema,ice-skating rink,library,medi care and the college all in one place.Also very close by were football clubs for the kids,athletics,rugby and plenty of schools.

we rented a car,sat nav and a carseat and picked it up from the airport all very straight forward.

We got up had breakfast and everymorning jumped in the car and drove to a few towns to see what was there.We loved places like Happy Valley and mclaren vale which had plenty there but decided we wanted to be near the beach.Adelaide City was amazing,plenty to do,trams going through to take you from one end to the other,lovely day out but need several visits to see it all.Lovely zoo which the kids loved,wildlife parks where they cuddled koalas etc,plenty of really lovely parks with great facilities,bbq areas,picnic tables,toilets etc.

I was suprised how easy it was to get around and also how close towns were to eachother.When looking at different towns online I was imagining they would be miles apart but you seem to drive from one into the next without driving for hours. The driving was easy I didnt think for one minute that I would drive anywhere and would always leave the driving when abroad to my husband but I actually drove a few times if he had few pints at a bbq.We met up with a family we met on pomsinadelaide who were also activiting their visa.I didnt know what to expect as we dont usually meet up with people we dont know but Im so glad we did,they also had 3 children and we got on so well,swapped valuable info and had a laugh.plenty of afternoons on the beach,a nice day at the wildlife park and our first aussi bbq.Im sure we'll definatley be great friends when we finally make the big move.They also fell in love with Port Noarlunga and have kept in contact since arriving home and they have booked their flights to go in August,if they havent sold by then they are going to rent their house out !! We are seriously considering the same thing !!

I found the food shopping very expensive but that was shopping with the british pound,when earning Aussi dollars which will be more than earning British pound Im sure it will seem more reasonable.

Any advise I would give would be to buy things for the kids like bucket and spades which were about $6 in the cheap shop which you could pick up in the £ shop here,arm bands and rubber ring were 2 to 3 times more expensive and shoes,bathers,clothes in general really as they are much more expensive here and clothes not as nice,although 'next' actually delivers to Oz.I think if you are going to get a container to ship your belongings over,fill it up to the brim,but like I said when you are earning Aussi dollar I would imaine it wouldnt seem that much more expensive but for when you arrive it saves a fair amount.

My daughter had an earinfection and it was very easy to go the medicare centre with passport to show visa,get a temp medicare card,made appt at a bulkbilling doctors (didnt have to pay)-I just popped in the nearest chemist to ask where the nearest bulkbilling doctors surgery was got a prescription which was about $14.

I could go on and on and on-we LOVED it,cant wait to get our feet back on Aussie soil !!!! To everyone out there starting this very long journey.Four years after getting the ball rolling,with many ups and downs,we had our first taste of our dream and it was everything we wanted it to be and more.Bring on the rollercoaster ride I want to get on !!!!!! watch this space lol x Clare,Tim and kiddi winks x

Edited April 8, 2012 by css
advise

[Guest Paula H]

Sounds just how I imagine it to be

 

We fly out in sept

 

Cant wait

 

Best of luck

[Guest lyn]

Great update! Hurry back!

 

Lyn

[Guest zidden]

Great glad you enjoyed your recce and that it seemed to be beneficial. We are going over in July/August for a recce and visa validation. Any tips?

We were thinking of staying for 10 - 14 days but don't know if this is enough time. Don't have an idea on what area yet, but probably north to north east side of Adelaide. We have also contemplated in flying to Melbourne and driving up the coast, rather that direct to Adelaide, as flights are better suited and less stop overs.

[Guest css]

I definately recommend a visit first,we didnt plan it that way we just didn't sell our house in time but in the long run I think it was for the best.I feel now I know where we're going I'm confident that it's exactly what we all want rather than going not really having a clue what lays ahead.All I can suggest really is to have a rough idea where you want to go and get a rental sorted and then drive drive drive.Its actually really exciting,write plenty of notes as you drive through areas as there are so many its easy to get confused.We went for 3 weeks,the first 4 days we were all in a daze really-jetlag is much worse than I expected !!! we then spent 2 weks checking out Adelaide and how it all works,nice and not so nice areas and then spent the last week 'on holiday'. After a long flight to Oz it maybe difficult to drive from melbourne to Adelaide,but then again you maybe fine.Either way I hope you have a great time x

[Guest leeannekays]

Great post,so nice to read your experience. We are hoping to live around port Nourlunga and our children go to that sure.

We fly 2 weeks today xx

 

Leeanne

[Guest css]

How exciting,hope you love it as much as we did and dont worry about the flight,we were dreading it and it was nowhere near a bad as we thought.Let us know how you found it.Have fun

 

Clare

[sinob]

Hi Clare,

 

Thank you so much for posting this. We booked our flights today, and so many things went wrong with the whole process we ended up completely stressed and not at all excited like we thought we'd be!! But after reading your post I am getting so excited and now can't wait!

We fly out in August with two kids so it was brilliant to read about all the things for them to do - also great advice about what to buy before flying, thanks.

 

Hopefully we'll love it just as much as you!!!

 

Sinead

[Marshy]

hi Claire / Tim,

 

top post, been getting nervous about my choice of state, feeling a lot more positive now after reading that.

thinking of flying out in july, going to see my sister in qld first tho i reckon, acclimatise for a week or two haha

 

glad you mentioned the distance between towns, i think were going to be on the road a lot with work (hopefully), its quiet there in my game, apparently.

 

see you over there

 

Danny

[Guest css]

Hi Danny,I bet your sister would love to see you,whats happening with you now,have your girlfriend decided to give it a try or is she staying here? She wasnt sure last time we spoke.Yes I was shocked about how near they wee to one another,I thought they would have been miles apart.Pleasant suprise whe trying to decide where to settle.Well take care and keep us informed about when you go,be great to keep in touch

 

see you down under

 

Clare and Tim

[Guest css]

Hi Sinead,you've got nothing to worry about.We have 3 children 9,6 and 2 and we were dreading the flight especially with the 2 year old but it was actually fine.We flew with singapore airways and the air hostesses were amazing,fantastic with the kids.Once there it was so straight forward.Its so exciting,we were nervous about going but I think its just the unknown lol.You'll love it.Take care and have a safe journey

 

Clare

[Marshy]

my sister is buzzing! as for my gf... we've split, I've crashed my mum and dads pad with all my sh*t everywhere. cordless drills in the food cupboards and chop saws in the bathroom. na its not too bad, just trying to minimise everything and travel really light. gonna be a mare moving around on your own otherwise.

 

can't wait now tho

 

not gonna settle anywhere until i sus out where my bread and butter's coming from, then i'll just go where the most work is.

 

I'm leaving my dog behind as well, devastated! I'm a heartless b@stard!

[scott&kerry]

Sounds brill,good to read thanks Claire,really helps with the adventure,I'm starting to get excited most of the time now,where as been soooo up and down its been crazy,tiring!!! We also have 3 children aged 9,5,2, and should have our visa by October,and just depending on how much we've saved ect to when we go..good to hear about the places to live trying to do our research but is hard,also depends on jobs! We flew with air Singapore years ago and they were fab so will def book with them,good luck with ur adventure and hope your back there soon, Kerry & Scott

[Marshy]

Claire / Tim,

 

Was there anything you wanted or needed over there that you couldn't find, or that you noticed that was missing?

[Guest maxfactornackerlacker]

Hi Clare( and everyone else !! ),

 

Joined onto your thread, instead of starting my own, for one reason.

 

I have been really struggling to say why I have just got back and loved Adelaide ????......... I do love Adelaide by the way ! We arrived ,never having been to Australia before, and I am not sure what we were expecting, but it certainly didn't WOW us from the first second we were off the plane. It was really strange, but we just wandered around for the first 2 or 3 days, thinking..... ooh, this is nice, but has it really been what we have been working towards for the last 4 years ?..... neither of us said anything to the other, because we were worried. It could have been jet lag, or something else, but every day, just got better and better, and we love the place. There is absolutely nothing massive that i can say stands out for me, it is just many,many little things that are beautiful, pleasant, or just surprising , that grows on you .... just like guinness !!

 

Anyway, like I was aying ....just landed back today from our 3 week reccie. hee hee, ours sounds identical to yours !! We stayed for 10 days in Moana, which is about 5 minutes south of Port Noarlunga and beatiful. We spent nearly all of our time on the beach at Port Noarlunga, and it was deffo our favourite area. The beach is great, and you can do some amazing snorkelling from the end of the jetty onto the reef there ( even as a first timer like i was ! ).

We drove through every suburb that was along the coastline (west) virtually all the way from largs bay in the north, to Aldinga in the south. I agree that each suburb seems pretty small, and you are in the next one before you even realise. we went to two 'open' days,and viewed 2 houses that were within our price range which we found really useful. I would suggest you do this if you get a chance. You just look in the local free paper, and it tells you the date and time of the open. Aldinga and Willunga are very affordable, but are a decent drive out, and maybe just a bit too far out for me( depending on jobs ? ). However, i felt i would happilly live there if the commute was not too bad each day.

We found most shopping was slightly more expensive than UK. However, meat was cheaper, and the fresh fish and seafood was massively cheaper than the UK... and the petrol !

We did learn a few things from our reccie, but I can't help thinking that maybe, we were a bit lazy, and spent a bit too much time 'holidaying', rather than doing as much homework as others on PIA. However, I would definately say that it has given us the confidence to now understand what we like and want from our move to Adelaide, so not a waste at all.

 

We will be going over for good no later than January.

 

Cheers

Max

[Guest Chris Mark]

Hi Clare

 

Thanks for that useful info, we are heading out late Aug having never been to Adelaide before, but decided to just go for it. Have 2 girls 13 and 9 and have been looking in the same area as you. Sounds great. x

[Guest Chris Mark]

Paula,

 

I hope you don't mind me asking but we are going out around the same time as you, and our eldest children are around the same age (13 & 9). Which area are you looking at going to, and have you managed to do much research on schools? We have been looking and ideally would like our children to walk to school. Are you just heading straight out, or is your September visit a reccie?

 

Cheers.

 

Chris.

[Guest Paula H]

Paula,

 

I hope you don't mind me asking but we are going out around the same time as you, and our eldest children are around the same age (13 & 9). Which area are you looking at going to, and have you managed to do much research on schools? We have been looking and ideally would like our children to walk to school. Are you just heading straight out, or is your September visit a reccie?

 

Cheers.

 

Chris.

 

Hi Chris

 

No problem... We have researched areas north & south so won't 100% decide until we are there in sept but have a short (kind of) list of Golden Grove, Wynn Vale (both north), Port Noarlunga, Happy Valley, Reynella & Aldinga south. I'm researching constantly including the schools but there is only so much you can get from the net hence no firm decision making until we are there. We are just taking the plunge and heading out so moving for good this sept :-).

Which areas have you been looking at?

[clarkes]

Great post.

Great that you enjoyed the place. It's so important to pick the right area and you seem to have found the ideal place.

All the best for the big move in the future

[Guest css]

Yes,I didn't think much of the clothes to be honest,I'd buy a load of clothes before you go as there was nothing that caught my eye and the clothes I did see were expensive !!

[Guest css]

I totally agree Max,its so hard to explain isn't it ?? I know what you mean about spending too much time holidaying,its hard not too !! Glad you loved it too,take care and see you one the otheside maybe,take care,

Clare,Tim and family

[Guest JAD]

Good news that you found everything positive on your visit. I would definitely rent out your UK property to give you more options even if you have to rent here for a while. It is always good to get a feel for the place before committing completely and rental returns are very good at the moment. We have been in Adelaide for 2.5 years and have enjoyed our time so far apart from some issues with employment.

We have rented our house out in the UK and we are glad we did because it has given us an income here when work was short - it has also provided a safety net should we need to get back or things don't work out here. I'm sure everything will be fine for you and you will settle in well - good luck!

Edited April 27, 2012 by JAD

[Guest Paula H]

Good news that you found everything positive on your visit. I would definitely rent out your UK property to give you more options even if you have to rent here for a while. It is always good to get a feel for the place before committing completely and rental returns are very good at the moment. We have been in Adelaide for 2.5 years and have enjoyed our time so far apart from some issues with employment and we have had a couple break ins which makes you feel vulnerable.

 

We have rented our house out in the UK and we are glad we did because it has given us an income here when work was short - it has also provided a safety net should we need to get back or things don't work out here. I'm sure everything will be fine for you and you will settle in well - good luck!

 

Which area are you in?

[Hughes'Roberts]

Great post!

 

We also visited Adelaide in March for our validation/recce trip! We had a fantastic time...we loved every minute of exploring adelaide and the surrounding areas! Were lucky enough that we have a good network of aussie friends already from previous visits so it was a great time to peck there heads about financial aspects & anything else that came to mind!

We cannot wait to go back in 2013 for good!!!!!!

 

So for those of you goin on a validation trip...a recce or going the 'one way'... Your sure to have a fab time!!

 

Nat xx