It’s hard to believe that one year ago we landed at Brisbane Airport and caught a maxi-cab (to accommodate all our suitcases) to our short term holiday rental in Taringa, west of Brisbane, late that night.

After almost three years of finding out if we could get a visa, doing the skills assessment (thanks to my darling wife) and finally applying for and getting our 175 visas, here we are one year down the line!!!

Having moved countries a few times in our lives, I can honestly say it really has been an easy transition moving to Australia, relatively speaking. Most probably because we’ve moved countries a few times before and had planned this move well in advance, for most things. We opened a bank account from the UK, sold our house in South Africa and transferred the funds before we got here.

We had planned for Scott, our son, to go to the University of Queensland and our daughter, Tanya, to go to school in Kenmore. So that’s we ended up renting a house, and we are still here today, although our daughter then decided Indooroopilly High School is where she wanted to go. So that’s where she is. Both the teens catch the bus there and back each day. We do however, want to move closer to UQ for travel reasons, the teens and for ourselves commuting into Brisbane, but will stay here for now.

My wife started work in November last year and sadly her father passed away one week in, so she flew back to S.A. Her Boss and HR department were extremely supportive and let her take as much time off as she needed. I have now been contracting in I.T. for a while. We are both enjoying work, which is not anything different to work in the UK or elsewhere, as far as I.T. goes. I’m still hoping to get a perm job, but it all takes time and trust getting into companies here.

Our little pup, Wisky, is over a year old now and has got a lot bigger, but is really well behaved.

We’ve been camping a few times and plan to do some more as we love going away and doing outdoorsy type stuff. I love taking photos and need to get out more to take some again.

Are we settled? Yes, and we’re all loving the warmer weather and can’t believe it gets up to 20+ degrees Celcius during the day in Winter. The kids have acclimatised and feel the cold at night now, but love the warm days.

After last year’s continual rain and floods, we are really hoping for a nice hot summer here, which is what we grew up with in Southern Africa, and we all missed a lot when living in England.

We have made some good friends here, most notably the Elders family. We have also met some other South African friends through the Africa Club in Milton, and they are a good bunch too. My wife and I have also met up with SuperMod Pollyana a few times now, and she’s really good company!

We love the fact that we can get S.A. food in Coles and the butcher by Woolies where we live - Mrs. Balls chutney, boerewors, biltong, Aromat etc...

What lies ahead in the next few years? To get the kids fully educated and self-sufficient, buy some property hopefully, downsize a bit and get on with life. Maybe a bit of fishing too!

I've been living up to my BE name by having lots of BBQs outside with the family and friends, even throughout Winter.

We also get to see this quite often, as well as loads of sunshine.
 (taken with my compact camera).

Alfresco

See you by the pool & barbie!

I booked to do my Motorcycle Instructors course at the beginning of November 2010, but the course only started on the 22nd November. After doing the initial course and spending most weekends down on the Gold Coast doing ghosting (that's where you work alongside other instructors for experience required for the qualification), I finally passed my course and am now a qualified instructor with my Certificate IV in Transport & Logistics - Motorcycle Instruction.

Not quite there yet, as you then need to fill in a form and rock up at a Queensland Transport Service centre and apply for the license and be registered with the Gov.

So my training school printed out the form which I took home, filled in and went to QT on Monday 21st Feb 2011. The lady behind the counter looked at the quailifying criteria and one part said that you need to have held an actual Australian or New Zealand license for one year. So because I only swapped my UK license in September 2010 I hadn't had an AUSTRALIAN license for one year, so she turned me away.

I was completely gutted. That would mean I need to wait another 6 months before applying again. Which means I still can't train and get paid for it.

Anyway I got home that night and searched the Internet and read the latest Queensand Transport legislation requirements and it mentioned nothing of the sort. I then looked at the form and it was dated 1995. So I searched some more and found the latest PDF which didn't have that clause on it.

I printed it out, filled it in and went the next day to QT. I went to the same counter and spoke to the same woman. I explained that the QT website has the old version of the form and legislation had changed since 1995. She quite happily agreed and processed my application.

It cost $215 and she said it can take up to 6 weeks to receive. Why it takes that long I don't know.

So the light at the end of the tunnel is that if i don't pick up any I.T. contract work, I will be able to work instructing either full time or part time as my schedule dictates.

Anyone thinking it's quick and easy to change profession and quickly become a driving/riding instructor overnight is seriously mistaken.

But then if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

I really hope it pays off.

p.s. Last Sunday while I was training, one of the learners took it upon himself to speed up to a corner on the training range and couldn't make the corner so braked hard thereby locking up the front wheel and crashed the bike. He tried to put his left leg down and it got trapped under the bike and twisted it around. It became dislocated and he broke his shin.

We called for an ambo which arrived within 10 minutes and he was off to hospital. He will be out of action for ages now.

That's all for now.

Alf

Hello again. Time sure flies doesn't it? No kidding! I suppose once people start to settle in and enjoy the new lifestyle in Australia it's easy to forget what all has happened in such a short space of time.

Well I was in the middle of my motorbike course when I got a call from an I.T. company to help out over December as one of their guys was going to be on leave in December and they needed someone to cover for that time. So I accepted and finished with them yesterday.

So I still have some work to do to finish my instructors course and hopefully soon I'll be able to start working as one and bringing in some good 'ol money doing something I enjoy.

My wife started work in the middle of November and was there for a week when she heard the dreaded news that her father had passed away. So she flew back to Johannesburg for a week to attend the funeral etc... while I remained at home with the kids, now teens. It was a sad time overall for us as he was a lovely man. Her mom has all the rest of her family over there to support her, so that's good. She is also planning to come and visit us here in Australia later this year, if all goes well.

Our daughter then flew back to London for two weeks in middle of December to visit her boyfriend and surprise some of her friends. She had a great time overall. She couldn't believe how COLD it really was. We reminded her that's why we moved over here. She agreed it's much nicer here weather wise.

She starts Year 11 in Jan this year and our son starts Uni at UQ, so hopefully they'll both settle in really well and make some good friends soon enough.

Out little Holden Barina had its first accident as well. Our son was parked on the side of the road when a driver reversed out of his driveway into the car and dented the drivers door. Anyway it's in for repairs now and the other driver admitted full liability. We also got posted a bottle of Nando's mild peri-peri sauce from the other driver via the insurance company!!!

Then it was Christmas time. We dug out the lights and tree from the garage (still in boxes) and set up home with colour and presents. It was fab and relaxing.

We were invitied around to John, Lynne & Family for Christmas Eve dinner. It was fantastic. We were really spoilt rotten. We had an amazing dish of huge prawns and all the trimmings. Thanks guys. We'll try and repay you guys with a braai sometime soon.

Watched bit of cricket and posted a lot on BE as usual.

Now it's New Years Day 2011 and we'll be having another barbie tonight, at home, with prawns and the usual spread. A small bottle of bubbly is in the fridge as well, and plenty of beer.

Have a very happy and prosperous 2011.

Take care.

Alf

Hello again.

As time marches on, I thought I had better update my blog as I haven't done so for a while.

What has happened since last time?

My car arrived first before our container as I shipped it roll on - roll off so it would arrive quicker, which it did. It was such a relief to finally drive back home in my good old SUV. High up it is compared to the Barina. Looks lovely with QLD plates on.

Our container was the next thing to arrive on the 2nd November. It felt like Christmas especially since it took two months to arrive and we were camping in the house. We had little time to get the place sorted as we received a letter from the rental agent wanting to come and inspect the house on the 11th November. So we had to unpack and sort the place in a week. Needless to say it all went very smoothly and we still have IKEA wardrobes still packed in the garage.

If anyone wants some IKEA wardrobes, let me know.

While all of this was going on, Wifey and I and the kids were looking for jobs. Both kids have found temp work and Wifey started work this last Monday.

That leaves just me. Well I had a plan B in the UK if I couldn't pick up a contract or something fairly soon after arrival in Australia and that was to do motorcycle instructing. So I have booked myself on a course starting on 22nd November on the Gold Coast. Can't wait!

It's all part of the master plan to become independent of I.T. employment and be my own boss eventually. So we'll see where it takes me.

I have also started an online photography course which I hope will help me become a better photographer so I can document my travels and journeys when they take place throughout Australia.

I also bought a motorbike this week which I will use when I become a motorcycle instructor and go on tours around Australia. It's a Suzuki V-Strom DL650 which is ideal for touring and all day riding. Still running it in now, but it’s loads of fun. My UK motorcycle gear is far too hot to use here in Brisbane, so I have bought more comfortable cooler garb which I hope does the trick while still being protected if I come off the bike.

I haven’t taken any sightseeing photos for a while as I haven’t been out and about much, but I will soon and I’ll update my albums.

That’s all for now.

Take care!

Alf

Just added some new pics from Sunday's activities.

Hope you like them.

Mt Coot-tha Botanical Gardens

Redcliffe

Cheers

Alf

We visited the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary which is just a short drive from where we live.

It's really nice and relaxed and you can take your own picnic lunch. It costs $30 per adult and a bit less for under 13's.

Click on link below for pics.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary Pics

I also videod a sheep dog display rounding up sheep and a sheep shearing demonstration.

I'll upload those to YouTube and post the links here.

Cheers

Alf

We finally moved into our rental on Thursday last week (16th Sept 2010). We had four deliveries lined up consisting of:-

• Outside Table & Chairs
• Two Fridge/Freezers
• Washing machine
• Lounge suite
• New TV
  

First delivery was at 8am, so I had to be at the house at that time but we didn't have keys until 09;30 so two of the deliveries just offloaded the goods onto the driveway.

The family then spent the rest of the morning shuttling between the holiday let and the rental bringing stuff over. It was really handy to have my son, who is only 18, to have his open license and hence helped out with dropping things off etc...

We overlapped the holiday rental by a day, but we were out of there by Thurs afternoon and all paid up.

We stayed at Taringa Gardens which was basic but served its purpose well. We didn't even have to pay a deposit and didn't stay the 28 days we booked, only 15 days. They were quite happy with that as long as you give them enough notice which we did a week before.

Friday morning was spent unpacking and buy food etc... and Friday afternoon, the puppy arrived.

It has taken a few days to sorting out stuff e.g. assembling furniture and setting up washing machine and fridges etc...

Wifey and I are sleeping on the new lounge suite and the kids are sleeping on blow-up mattresses in their rooms. The puppy sleeps in the utility room.

On Sunday I went out and bought a 7 burner gas BBQ from KMART. I know it's a cheap one, but will last a few years. Only cost $399 plus the extra costs of gas cylinder, gas and a BBQ tong set.

We tried it out last night (Monday) and it's brilliant. It's also great for the wife as she can just switch it on a grill whatever meat we're gonna have dinner that night.

Can't wait to try some slow cooked fish on the barbie again. The prawns in the shops here also look amazing. They are hoooouge!

We also had Foxtel installed on Sunday as the kids don't have much to do really apart from playing with the puppy and watching TV. It has also been raining and cold in the mornings so swimming is not an option yet.

Our 3G internet reception here is really bad, so the kids can't really surf the Internet easily and we have to sit outside with our laptops to get reception.

Our broadband is only being installed in early October, so we are struggling with good 3G internet reception. It's something you can't really test when viewing the rental house, but found out once we moved in.

So we're basically squatting until our container arrives in October. My car should arrive at the end of September, so then we'll have two cars.

Well the family has gone shopping again and I'm sitting outside watching the Sun come out and sipping a beer and eating biltong.

Later

Alf

You can view the rest here:-

Brisbane South Bank pics

On Friday morning wifey and I went to place the order for our fridges and washing machine. So that's all arranged for delivery on Thursday when we move into our house.

We were planning on going to the Brisbane Barbeque at lunch time,  but it decided to rain, so we fetched the kids and went to Ikea in Logan and had some lunch there and looked around for cheap stuff we needed short term. We didn't get much.

On Saturday morning I went to the car dealer to fetch the window tinting warranty and then off to JB Hi-Fi to order my new TV. It's really nice and big. Panasonic 54" Plasma. That also arrives next Thursday when we move in. I just need to organise foxtel now.

Sat afternoon was spent looking at puppies online and at Puppy Palace.

We also went shopping in Kenmore and discovered you can buy biltong at the butcher, which we did. It's really nice too! We also went to the check out the local Coles and bought food for our first braai (barbeque). We bought some Kangaroo sosaties (skewered meat) to try. We also found boerewors (South African 'farmer sausage') in Coles and Woolies and at the butcher. Can't complain at that!!!

We came home and did a BBQ later in the evening. Our first one here. It was pretty good.

Today, Sunday 12th we're planning on going to the Great Brisbane Duck Race. Wifey has adopted 4 ducks, one of which will hopefully win and earn us some money.

I'll take my camera along as I haven't had too many photo opps yet as we've been so busy organising stuff.

Now is the time to start relaxing and see the place.

Later.

Alf

Today was spent going to the industrial area of Rocklea where the big superstore and showrooms are. This gave a fair idea of what sort of furniture is available, delivery timescales and so forth.

But first we had arranged to view our rental house again to measure up the spaces for the fridges, washing machine and TV. Needn't have bothered really as the spaces were more than enough to accomodate the largest of everything e.g American fridges and Tv. The washing machine's space was the std 600mm wide.

Super A-Mart has loads of stuff made of real wood and a huge range of styles. Prices were not that expensive compare to the UK.

We then went to Harvey Norman for a look at white goods and a tv. After deciding on four items, we asked for their best deal. Working it out when we got home, works out to about 10% less than their in-store prices. Not much different to UK prices and the models are up-to-date and modern.

I also took a sunrise pic this morning from our holiday let balcony.

Tuesday 7th September.

We went to the bank first thing in the morning to get a bank guaranteed cheque to pay for our new (to us) car. While we were there, we also opened bank accounts for the two teenagers so that they also have proof of address. All went very smoothly.

I must say CBA (Commonwealth Bank of Australia) has been excellent so far with their service. We have no complaints. We also popped into Medicare and collected the forms required to register. We'll do these later as they require school and Uni info and rental lease agreement info before completing.

We then dropped off the cheque for the car and then went for a picnic in a park. That seemed to attract a lot of tame birds as they obviously know that food is available. DD was a bit nervous from the previous day's 'plover' incident.

We then looked at the house which we secured today. It was fantastic compared to lots of Queenslanders we viewed and some not-so-great properties.

We then drove around some areas recommended to me on the forum to get a gauge of the areas, but we were still drawn back to Kenmore for convenience, travel and school etc...

We then looked at another house which was big and spacious but lacked the detail we required.

Upon arriving home, we discussed (read fought) about which house was suitable. We went for the former.

The family also want to get two small dogs (like yorkies, poodles or milkies) towards the end of the year. 

Wednesday 8th September

This morning we filled in the house rental lease application and went to Indooroopilly SC to copy and fax the App and ID required to the Agent.

We then  looked around Harvey Norman to check out fridges, washing machines, tvs etc...

Wifey then dropped me off to fetch the new car while she went to hand back the hire car. I then went and collected her in our new car from the hire car depot in Brisbane.

Once we got home, wifey took DS for a drive so he could try out the car as he hasn't driven since April 2010 in South Africa.

Wifey and I then went and completed our house rental application with the agent and paid the Bond and the first few weeks rent. All was accepted and we move in next Thursday 16th September 2010.

Came home and poured some wine. (still drinking :D)

Cheers

Alf 

Thursday 2nd Sept flew from Heathrow and landed in Brisbane on Friday evening at 21:00.

No cab waiting for us at the airport as planned, so caught our own cab. 8 suitcases plus 4 hand luggage.

Saturday 4th September:

• Collected Bank cards
• Bought mobile phone sim cards
• Grocery shopping
• Bought wine at drivethrough bottleshop
• Collected the hire car from Brisbane
• Went to the HogsBreath Cafe

Sunday 5th September:

• Broadband USB dongles 2 x 6GB for $99 each
• Bought new phone for DD as Blackberry don't work in Oz
• Lunch at Indooroops
• Short drive around Kenmore, Moggil, Bellbowrie, Kenmore hills
• Hardware store to buy Oz plugs for power strips

Monday 6th September:

• Dropped off Uni application for DS at QTAC
• Exchanged drivers license for QLD ones x 3 (Parking cost $44 for 2 hrs in central Brisbane)
• Applied for Tax File Numbers x 4 at the ATO in Brisbane
• Looked at a rental and did a drive by viewing
• Bought a car - Barina $9 999, 32K kms, 5yr warranty)
• Went shopping at Woollies

See you by the pool!

Alf

After a frenetic two days, our stuff has finally been loaded into a container and is on it's way to Brisbane.

See pictures here: Stuff Shipped!

I must say that the guys from John Mason were excellent and very professional from start to finish. The speed at which they packed and loaded onto the container was simply amazing.

Nothing was too big a problem for them at all. They were friendly and I don't think I heard swear word at all during the two days. They treated the house with care and answered any questions we had, and there were many questions.

The five of them loaded the 20ft container in exactly one hour! They then removed all of their stuff including excess packing materials etc...

A great job well done!

The next few days we'll clean the house a bit and get our personal stuff packed properly for our flight on Thursday.

Can't wait!

See ya on the horizon.

Alf

Now that we're in the final countdown stage of our move to Oz, I'll be updating this blog more frequently and hopefully post some pics to my online photo galleries with links in here.

Friday 20th August was my last day at work and now I am a free man for awhile.

Logistically we're almost all set and doing the last few things on this side.

We finally have money in our Australian bank account now, so no panic when we move on the 2nd September.

Out shippers (John Mason) arrive on the 26th & 27th August and that will be us all packed and ready to go.

Later!

Alf

I went to Wisley Gardens on Sunday with my new camera and took these pics.

Wisley Gardens

All Photo Albums

Hope you like'em.

Alf

Well it was finally forecast to be sunny yesterday, so I decided to go to Birdworld in Hampshire to try out my new Fujifilm HS10 30x zoom camera.

Hope you like them.

Birdworld Pics

Alf

Well what an experience!

We left for South Africa at the end March for three weeks mainly to visit both sets of parents as time is running out for some of them healthwise.

So this meant visiting Jo'burg and Cape Town. With my wife's extended family all living in Jo'burg, this is where we spent most of our time, visiting relatives almost every day/night etc... My parents live in Cape Town, so off we went there for a while too.

When we got back to Jo'burg, we paid a six day visit to Dikhololo Game Reserve in the North West Province. It was excellent.

Here are the links to the photos I took.

Dikhololo Game Reserve

Cape Town

Of course we also had to get stuck in Spain for 4 days trying to get back to the UK at considerable expense due to the Icelandic Volcanic Ash fiasco. Funny how no-one is prepared to pay any compensation, not the airline (Iberia), travel insurance or the credit card company (Barclaycard) that the tickets were bought with.

Insurance is just one big scam.

Anyway Spain pics here:

Stuck in Spain (Volcanic Ash Fiasco)

Jo'burg Pics here

Regards

Alf

We are flying to South Africa on the 29th March for three weeks to visit family and stock up on some clothes.

The house is coming on. We are doing DIY and fixing up the minor details. We will hopefully put the house on the market before we fly to S.A.

Until next time.

Alf

We decided to book out flights with Singapore Airlines. We leave on 2nd September 2010 at 11:55. I also enquired about extra baggage allowance and received the following information from SIA.

Kindly note that if you hold unused/unstamped migrant visas that specifically state that you are permitted to remain in Australia indefinitely, then you will be entitled to double baggage allowance (40 kilos) on production of those visas at check-in. You can have as many items of luggage as you wish providing no one single item of baggage exceeds 32 kilos in weight. This is a health and safety requirement.

If you are not holding the correct visas at check-in, then you will be entitled to the standard free checked baggage allowance of 20 kilos per passenger.

Alf