SuperSeagulls returns
Jun 4th 2006, 12:05 pm
#1
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,818
SuperSeagulls returns
Hi everyone
SuperSeagulls is BACK!!!!!!!!!
I’ve been offline for nearly 4 months as I made my move to Australia via a 3 month trip around South America, and now that I am pretty much settled in Sydney, I thought it time to update you all on the move.
I arrived in Sydney at the start of May, very much looking forward to settling down in my own place with my girlfriend after three excellent, but tiring months, on the road living out of a backpack. I’d been to, and lived in Sydney before, so I knew what to expect when we landed.
Some of you will know that I had wanted to live in the Northern Beaches area, notably Manly, and that is exactly where we headed. We’d pre-booked some temporary accommodation in Manly for week and pretty much hit the ground running so far as looking for somewhere more permanent is concerned. We had a look round a few places and lucked out with the place we have got. In fact we found it on the third day of looking and moved in a few days later. The big rental day here is Saturday and that is when competition is most fierce as people are off work then and all looking at the same time. I didn’t really want to go through that if I didn’t have to. The retail agency took the names of a couple of referees but I don’t think they checked up on us. We paid the bond and the deposit, our face obviously fit, and in we moved, a week to the day after arriving here. Now the beauty of renting here is that there is NO COUNCIL TAX, NO TV LICENCE (there isn’t one in Australia) and NO WATER RATES. The landlord pays them. You just have to pay the utility bills. What a result. Although our rent is slightly more than what we paid in the UK (although we are now in a two-bed unit on the sea front as opposed to a terraced two bedroom house) this is compensated for by the fact you don’t have to pay the extra bills.
Ok, so we moved in to an unfurnished place, and it literally meant, unfurnished. There wasn’t even a fridge. So we spent what has turned out to be the next three weeks going round Sydney and buying all the essentials. This has meant numerous trips to IKEA. But finally we have got the unit sorted and can begin to really enjoy life here. Our shipment arrived in excellent condition from the UK (I used Excess International Movers) although some DVDs were missing – we do not know if it was down to foul play or us putting them in the wrong (charity shop) pile in the madness of moving back in the UK. Nothing was damaged and everything is in working order. I would recommend them to you all.
I haven’t started looking for work yet, although I am beginning to get round to it. My girlfriends found work quite quickly through one of the many agencies here. In NSW, you also have 3 months to get a NSW Driver Licence (which costs). Your UK one is then revoked (they put a hole through it). I still need to do that.
So, so far so good and I am loving it here. The goodbyes were hard back in the UK but it is all worth the tears now. MSN and Skype is a life-saver, although Internet Providers over here are very stingy. Everything is limited, whether it be download speeds or data.
The winter has just kicked in but even on the greyest of days, and there have barely been any in the last month, you can’t help but smile when you walk along that beachfront, or pop into the ocean for a surf, or get a ferry to Circular Quay.
The only thing I am really missing at the moment is the World Cup build up. Luckily free-to-air chanel, SBS, is showing all 64 games, but the main focus is on Australia and Harry Kewell. As interesting as he, and the national team is, I do miss the banter you get back in England. Still, mustn’t grumble haha.
Right, I hope I have given you a good insight into my move over here. Any questions, please feel free to ask.
I am yet to sort out a Dentist or Doctors here in Manly – maybe someone out there can recommend one in Manly, and let me know how easy, or hard, it is to register.
All the best
SS
SuperSeagulls is BACK!!!!!!!!!
I’ve been offline for nearly 4 months as I made my move to Australia via a 3 month trip around South America, and now that I am pretty much settled in Sydney, I thought it time to update you all on the move.
I arrived in Sydney at the start of May, very much looking forward to settling down in my own place with my girlfriend after three excellent, but tiring months, on the road living out of a backpack. I’d been to, and lived in Sydney before, so I knew what to expect when we landed.
Some of you will know that I had wanted to live in the Northern Beaches area, notably Manly, and that is exactly where we headed. We’d pre-booked some temporary accommodation in Manly for week and pretty much hit the ground running so far as looking for somewhere more permanent is concerned. We had a look round a few places and lucked out with the place we have got. In fact we found it on the third day of looking and moved in a few days later. The big rental day here is Saturday and that is when competition is most fierce as people are off work then and all looking at the same time. I didn’t really want to go through that if I didn’t have to. The retail agency took the names of a couple of referees but I don’t think they checked up on us. We paid the bond and the deposit, our face obviously fit, and in we moved, a week to the day after arriving here. Now the beauty of renting here is that there is NO COUNCIL TAX, NO TV LICENCE (there isn’t one in Australia) and NO WATER RATES. The landlord pays them. You just have to pay the utility bills. What a result. Although our rent is slightly more than what we paid in the UK (although we are now in a two-bed unit on the sea front as opposed to a terraced two bedroom house) this is compensated for by the fact you don’t have to pay the extra bills.
Ok, so we moved in to an unfurnished place, and it literally meant, unfurnished. There wasn’t even a fridge. So we spent what has turned out to be the next three weeks going round Sydney and buying all the essentials. This has meant numerous trips to IKEA. But finally we have got the unit sorted and can begin to really enjoy life here. Our shipment arrived in excellent condition from the UK (I used Excess International Movers) although some DVDs were missing – we do not know if it was down to foul play or us putting them in the wrong (charity shop) pile in the madness of moving back in the UK. Nothing was damaged and everything is in working order. I would recommend them to you all.
I haven’t started looking for work yet, although I am beginning to get round to it. My girlfriends found work quite quickly through one of the many agencies here. In NSW, you also have 3 months to get a NSW Driver Licence (which costs). Your UK one is then revoked (they put a hole through it). I still need to do that.
So, so far so good and I am loving it here. The goodbyes were hard back in the UK but it is all worth the tears now. MSN and Skype is a life-saver, although Internet Providers over here are very stingy. Everything is limited, whether it be download speeds or data.
The winter has just kicked in but even on the greyest of days, and there have barely been any in the last month, you can’t help but smile when you walk along that beachfront, or pop into the ocean for a surf, or get a ferry to Circular Quay.
The only thing I am really missing at the moment is the World Cup build up. Luckily free-to-air chanel, SBS, is showing all 64 games, but the main focus is on Australia and Harry Kewell. As interesting as he, and the national team is, I do miss the banter you get back in England. Still, mustn’t grumble haha.
Right, I hope I have given you a good insight into my move over here. Any questions, please feel free to ask.
I am yet to sort out a Dentist or Doctors here in Manly – maybe someone out there can recommend one in Manly, and let me know how easy, or hard, it is to register.
All the best
SS
Jun 4th 2006, 12:15 pm
#2
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 10,158
Re: SuperSeagulls returns
Hi
Welcome to NSW!
Welcome to NSW!
Jun 4th 2006, 12:18 pm
#3
Dutch expat/Aus citizen
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: South East, Perth (was Holland)
Posts: 5,789
Re: SuperSeagulls returns
Good to hear from you, sounds like you're doing just fine 
Have fun, and enjoy the world cup (Pascal is watching the game against the Netherlands tonight, starts at 10.30 here, luckily it's a public holiday tomorrow!)
Good luck with work!
Simone
Have fun, and enjoy the world cup (Pascal is watching the game against the Netherlands tonight, starts at 10.30 here, luckily it's a public holiday tomorrow!)
Good luck with work!
Simone
Jun 4th 2006, 12:41 pm
#4
Fighting my corner
Joined: Aug 2005
Location: Adelaide, South Australia
Posts: 11,948
Re: SuperSeagulls returns
Originally Posted by SuperSeagulls
Hi everyone
SuperSeagulls is BACK!!!!!!!!!
I’ve been offline for nearly 4 months as I made my move to Australia via a 3 month trip around South America, and now that I am pretty much settled in Sydney, I thought it time to update you all on the move.
I arrived in Sydney at the start of May, very much looking forward to settling down in my own place with my girlfriend after three excellent, but tiring months, on the road living out of a backpack. I’d been to, and lived in Sydney before, so I knew what to expect when we landed.
Some of you will know that I had wanted to live in the Northern Beaches area, notably Manly, and that is exactly where we headed. We’d pre-booked some temporary accommodation in Manly for week and pretty much hit the ground running so far as looking for somewhere more permanent is concerned. We had a look round a few places and lucked out with the place we have got. In fact we found it on the third day of looking and moved in a few days later. The big rental day here is Saturday and that is when competition is most fierce as people are off work then and all looking at the same time. I didn’t really want to go through that if I didn’t have to. The retail agency took the names of a couple of referees but I don’t think they checked up on us. We paid the bond and the deposit, our face obviously fit, and in we moved, a week to the day after arriving here. Now the beauty of renting here is that there is NO COUNCIL TAX, NO TV LICENCE (there isn’t one in Australia) and NO WATER RATES. The landlord pays them. You just have to pay the utility bills. What a result. Although our rent is slightly more than what we paid in the UK (although we are now in a two-bed unit on the sea front as opposed to a terraced two bedroom house) this is compensated for by the fact you don’t have to pay the extra bills.
Ok, so we moved in to an unfurnished place, and it literally meant, unfurnished. There wasn’t even a fridge. So we spent what has turned out to be the next three weeks going round Sydney and buying all the essentials. This has meant numerous trips to IKEA. But finally we have got the unit sorted and can begin to really enjoy life here. Our shipment arrived in excellent condition from the UK (I used Excess International Movers) although some DVDs were missing – we do not know if it was down to foul play or us putting them in the wrong (charity shop) pile in the madness of moving back in the UK. Nothing was damaged and everything is in working order. I would recommend them to you all.
I haven’t started looking for work yet, although I am beginning to get round to it. My girlfriends found work quite quickly through one of the many agencies here. In NSW, you also have 3 months to get a NSW Driver Licence (which costs). Your UK one is then revoked (they put a hole through it). I still need to do that.
So, so far so good and I am loving it here. The goodbyes were hard back in the UK but it is all worth the tears now. MSN and Skype is a life-saver, although Internet Providers over here are very stingy. Everything is limited, whether it be download speeds or data.
The winter has just kicked in but even on the greyest of days, and there have barely been any in the last month, you can’t help but smile when you walk along that beachfront, or pop into the ocean for a surf, or get a ferry to Circular Quay.
The only thing I am really missing at the moment is the World Cup build up. Luckily free-to-air chanel, SBS, is showing all 64 games, but the main focus is on Australia and Harry Kewell. As interesting as he, and the national team is, I do miss the banter you get back in England. Still, mustn’t grumble haha.
Right, I hope I have given you a good insight into my move over here. Any questions, please feel free to ask.
I am yet to sort out a Dentist or Doctors here in Manly – maybe someone out there can recommend one in Manly, and let me know how easy, or hard, it is to register.
All the best
SS
SuperSeagulls is BACK!!!!!!!!!
I’ve been offline for nearly 4 months as I made my move to Australia via a 3 month trip around South America, and now that I am pretty much settled in Sydney, I thought it time to update you all on the move.
I arrived in Sydney at the start of May, very much looking forward to settling down in my own place with my girlfriend after three excellent, but tiring months, on the road living out of a backpack. I’d been to, and lived in Sydney before, so I knew what to expect when we landed.
Some of you will know that I had wanted to live in the Northern Beaches area, notably Manly, and that is exactly where we headed. We’d pre-booked some temporary accommodation in Manly for week and pretty much hit the ground running so far as looking for somewhere more permanent is concerned. We had a look round a few places and lucked out with the place we have got. In fact we found it on the third day of looking and moved in a few days later. The big rental day here is Saturday and that is when competition is most fierce as people are off work then and all looking at the same time. I didn’t really want to go through that if I didn’t have to. The retail agency took the names of a couple of referees but I don’t think they checked up on us. We paid the bond and the deposit, our face obviously fit, and in we moved, a week to the day after arriving here. Now the beauty of renting here is that there is NO COUNCIL TAX, NO TV LICENCE (there isn’t one in Australia) and NO WATER RATES. The landlord pays them. You just have to pay the utility bills. What a result. Although our rent is slightly more than what we paid in the UK (although we are now in a two-bed unit on the sea front as opposed to a terraced two bedroom house) this is compensated for by the fact you don’t have to pay the extra bills.
Ok, so we moved in to an unfurnished place, and it literally meant, unfurnished. There wasn’t even a fridge. So we spent what has turned out to be the next three weeks going round Sydney and buying all the essentials. This has meant numerous trips to IKEA. But finally we have got the unit sorted and can begin to really enjoy life here. Our shipment arrived in excellent condition from the UK (I used Excess International Movers) although some DVDs were missing – we do not know if it was down to foul play or us putting them in the wrong (charity shop) pile in the madness of moving back in the UK. Nothing was damaged and everything is in working order. I would recommend them to you all.
I haven’t started looking for work yet, although I am beginning to get round to it. My girlfriends found work quite quickly through one of the many agencies here. In NSW, you also have 3 months to get a NSW Driver Licence (which costs). Your UK one is then revoked (they put a hole through it). I still need to do that.
So, so far so good and I am loving it here. The goodbyes were hard back in the UK but it is all worth the tears now. MSN and Skype is a life-saver, although Internet Providers over here are very stingy. Everything is limited, whether it be download speeds or data.
The winter has just kicked in but even on the greyest of days, and there have barely been any in the last month, you can’t help but smile when you walk along that beachfront, or pop into the ocean for a surf, or get a ferry to Circular Quay.
The only thing I am really missing at the moment is the World Cup build up. Luckily free-to-air chanel, SBS, is showing all 64 games, but the main focus is on Australia and Harry Kewell. As interesting as he, and the national team is, I do miss the banter you get back in England. Still, mustn’t grumble haha.
Right, I hope I have given you a good insight into my move over here. Any questions, please feel free to ask.
I am yet to sort out a Dentist or Doctors here in Manly – maybe someone out there can recommend one in Manly, and let me know how easy, or hard, it is to register.
All the best
SS
Jun 5th 2006, 7:32 am
#5
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,818
Re: SuperSeagulls returns
Thanks everyone.
SS
SS
Jun 5th 2006, 7:46 am
#6
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Re: SuperSeagulls returns
Originally Posted by SuperSeagulls
I am yet to sort out a Dentist or Doctors here in Manly – maybe someone out there can recommend one in Manly, and let me know how easy, or hard, it is to register.
All the best
SS
All the best
SS
You just phone up and make an appointment, no refusals, no waiting lists, just away you go. I've got 4 different GP's, in different locales around my immediate area that I use. One up the road is a bulk biller, (freebie) Another one is a better class of Bulk biller, but a bit of a distance away, I use him when i can't get into the place where I go when I'm really sick, Which can sometimes only give me appointments at inconvinent times, Thats my Surfing, hippy Helen Mirren lookalike, just going there makes me feel better, but she charges. Oh and her offsider, just in case I need a decent non timeconstrained opinion and Ms Mirren isn't available.
As for dentist, they are evil, you may as well go down to the local audi dealership and whack 3,000 grand on the next latest model car, save them some leg work.
Jun 8th 2006, 10:16 am
#7
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,818
Re: SuperSeagulls returns
Thanks ozzieeagle.
So dentists are to be avoided???
So dentists are to be avoided???
Jun 8th 2006, 10:44 am
#8
NorthLakes, Brissy
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: Bridgehaven release - North Lakes!
Posts: 2,423
Re: SuperSeagulls returns
Originally Posted by SuperSeagulls
Thanks ozzieeagle.
So dentists are to be avoided???
So dentists are to be avoided???
Jun 15th 2006, 5:05 am
#9
BE Forum Addict
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 1,818
Re: SuperSeagulls returns
Thanks - it's good to be back
SS
SS
Jun 15th 2006, 7:33 am
#10
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: North Staffordshire
Posts: 400
Re: SuperSeagulls returns
Originally Posted by SuperSeagulls
Thanks - it's good to be back
SS
SS
Glad to hear you've settled and are getting sorted (how did we survive without the 'net?) but sorry to hear of the demise of your beloved FC
I envy you having settled in Manly as we visited there in April (served in the coffee shop on the beach by the cutest, friendliest waitresses I have ever seen) and my OH wanted to stay.
Enjoy the WC. The Aussies are sitting pretty at the top of their league as I write this (something our respective teams are not used to) so I'm sure there'll be plenty of coverage. And when that finishes, there's the Ashes to look forward to <SIGH>
Enjoy your new life
Cheers
BD
Jun 15th 2006, 7:46 am
#11
An Australian Citizen !!
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Terrigal - NSW Central Coast since June 2005
Posts: 1,237
Re: SuperSeagulls returns
Welcome to NSW, SS.
Good time of the year to start in Manly - before the crowds return.
Jim
Good time of the year to start in Manly - before the crowds return.
Jim
