To all who have settled here!

**Barney Rubble** · 02-01-2012, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by Lazy Cow

I just realised, I don't think there's anything negative in my post lol!

That's not because bad things haven't happened, it's because we get through them....and forget them! (We're not very deep!)

We've dealt with redundancy, kids being bullied (not because they're migrants though), we still have to watch our money and still occasionally have my card declined lol, we've had family in the UK diagnosed with cancer etc etc

But that wasn't because of our move, I'm afraid bad things happen anywhere. It's just life :)

So, that's why my post might sound suspiciously happy!

LC (again!)

Well you obviously have no problem with smelling the roses

The one thing i have re-iterated to each person who asks the penultimate question is to put something away just incase you have to go back, and it's not just money you know.
you have to know in your heart that what you are doing is right, we are all getting older.

Have sent wife back three times due to various family issues, the 2 - 3am call in the morning is not good.

As for the CC being cancelled, never had that happen, but then wife does the accounts so thanks LC, maybe i had better check up on her now and again.

Cheers

BR

**zebedee** · 03-01-2012, 03:04 PM

What a great thread, really useful, thank you all. We've been (obviously) doing a lot of research but I don't think you can beat reading about real experiences.

**Lazy Cow** · 05-01-2012, 06:06 AM

Originally Posted by Barney Rubble

Well you obviously have no problem with smelling the roses

The one thing i have re-iterated to each person who asks the penultimate question is to put something away just incase you have to go back, and it's not just money you know.
you have to know in your heart that what you are doing is right,

As for the CC being cancelled, never had that happen, but then wife does the accounts so thanks LC, maybe i had better check up on her now and again.

Lol Barney R, my credit card hasn't been cancelled yet thank goodness! That would be a real bugger cos it's our emergency back-up! No, it was just the ol' keycard so no real prob just something I hadn't encountered before coming over. And I guess if I ever bothered to ask for an overdraft facility it wouldn't happen here either!

You are so right about putting money to one side, even if it's just lurking in the mortgage. It isn't cheap to go to the UK and finding the money when you are already stressed out must be a nightmare. Better to keep it from the get-go. Once spent it can be hard to re-save.

I do all the accounts in our home too, so don't you worry...just sit back and relax. You are in good hands. (well, that's what I tell my husband hahaha!)

LC

**Barney Rubble** · 15-04-2012, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by Lazy Cow

Lol Barney R, my credit card hasn't been cancelled yet thank goodness! That would be a real bugger cos it's our emergency back-up! No, it was just the ol' keycard so no real prob just something I hadn't encountered before coming over. And I guess if I ever bothered to ask for an overdraft facility it wouldn't happen here either!

You are so right about putting money to one side, even if it's just lurking in the mortgage. It isn't cheap to go to the UK and finding the money when you are already stressed out must be a nightmare. Better to keep it from the get-go. Once spent it can be hard to re-save.

I do all the accounts in our home too, so don't you worry...just sit back and relax. You are in good hands. (well, that's what I tell my husband hahaha!)

LC

Still not convinced your not my wife

Or at least her alta-ego

**moviemummy** · 25-04-2012, 05:05 AM

Great thread.

We've been in Adelaide for just over 8 months now. Time really does fly.

OH and I both work, him full time me part time. Kids found it very easy to make friends. I always seem to have a house full! Which I think is a great thing for my kids.

We have just welcomed a new member to our family, a beautuiful wee tabby cat. So I guess that says it all, we feel settled enough to have a pet.

Things can be very overwhelming at times, even with masses of pre move planning. Some things are the same, some things take a bit of getting used to. Food prices seem at first to be very high, but you need to remember you are earning in dollars and not to keep converting back to pounds sterling. If your income in not based on sterling it is irrelevant.

The weather is amazing. The beaches are amazing. Wine...well that's amazing too! People that we have met, on the whole have been helpful and welcoming. We said 'yes' to every invite for the first 6 months. Now have pulled back a bit to suit our lifestyle. We are not big social animals.

We had a rental arranged before we left Scotland. Was fantastic as it went a long way to settle us all quickly. After 6 months we realised the location and size of house didn't best suit our family, so we broke our lease and moved to a smaller house in an area better suited to us. Now hoping to buy around about here.

You will have good days, great days and exceptional days. We all have. You will also have low days, being overwhelmed by the changes and missing family/friends. We always think back to why we wanted to be here and that pulls us through. Our lifestyle here is laidback and very relaxed. That is what we came for.

Worst thing so far...having to shave my legs daily cause I'm always in shorts! Best thing so far...being happy working part time and being able to be there for my family.

Sorry to go on a bit! Happy to answer questions if PM'ed.

Thanks
Laura

PS
Heaps Good, you're a legend! x

**sarahtwinn82** · 26-04-2012, 10:28 AM

Been here nearly 2 years, 2 kids, 18 &13. Struggled a bit at first but wouldn't change our lives at all, Australia has so many more plus's than the UK. Yes it gets a bit chilly in the winter but buy an electric blanket and give the kids a fleecy throw, it's very short lived and soon gets warm again. Food is the same price and petrol half the price. Fruit and veg is way more fresh and tasty. Loads to do and see and you can get pissed for free wine tasting in Mclaren vale or the Barossa, to be quite honest you can get absolutley hammered so long as you have a designated driver...lol.

**Paula H** · 26-04-2012, 01:27 PM

Thank you Tyke for starting this thread, I have just read it through (& past my lunch hour) and I CANT BLIMMIN WAIT TO COME OUT IN SEPT!!!

147days and counting.... feels like forever....

**jtct** · 26-04-2012, 02:00 PM

Thanks Tyke - been catching up from page 1.

Still at the 'head in the clouds'/'pinch me, I must be dreaming' stage even after 6 months. Can't believe how smoothly everything went but we had planned and planned, researched and researched a bit more. We were lucky that we had 5 annual holidays with our family before we made the one-way trip so we had a pretty good idea what our new life might be like.

I miss our son back in the UK but he's coming for a long visit at the end of the year so counting down the days. Other than that I miss very little. Adelaide is our home now and we have made loads of new friends (mainly Aussies) already. As we are pensioners and not working we have to be careful as all our income comes from the UK and therefore dependant on fluctuating exchange rates but we love the simpler lifestyle and laid back attitude here. Luckily our savings are earning a good rate and the interest on the AOS which our daughter put up (we paid for) also provides a quarterly bonus for treats.

The beaches and wine regions are very close and there's so much to see and do. We love driving in the Adelaide hills and freqent the Farmer's Market at Willunga. We also love Victor Harbor, Port Elliot and Goolwa for day trips. Clive has joined Probus and the local bowls club and I've taken up quilting and run weekly card making classes from home. We are also members of a lively church and involved in community projects. May not be everyone's idea of fun but it suits us down to the ground.

We expected our bills to be higher particularly as our lovely new home is much larger than our old 3 bed semi but they are actually a little cheaper and we only have one car now - a huge saving. We try to have frequent short breaks to explore this glorious country staying in cabins mainly or using travel auction sites to bid for cut price holidays. Really noticing the cold now as this is our first winter without central heating and double glazing, but the duckdown duvet and hotwater bottles are coming in handy and if it gets too cold we just have an early night and read in bed. Being retired, we don't have to get up early for work either!

We love this country and are proud to call it home. Yes, there are faults and a few negatives but we try not to dwell on those. Nowhere is perfect but, for us, Adelaide comes close!

Someone said "but you need to remember you are earning in dollars and not to keep converting back to pounds sterling. If your income in not based on sterling it is irrelevant" - This is true for most on here but not for us sadly, but we'd rather be poor and happy here than poor and miserable back in the UK! We'll cope and continue to enjoy our wonderful new life in Australia whatever the £/$!

**Tyke** · 26-04-2012, 02:41 PM

Blimey!!! This thread is still going............................................. ...great stuff!!

Thanks to all who post. I am sure you know how much it means to those reading this in the UK