Vash the Stampede

Another "I moved to rural Australia and can't get everything I used to get in suburban Britain" post. Well, duh.

What were the names of these stores? Potential customers have the right to know! <g>

sambo76

To all these people who seemed disillusioned by Australia, can I ask you what first made you want to migrate there and the reasons?

Cheers

Est

TraceyW

Pretty much the same as yours. Nobody moves here because they think it would be worse than the UK! But it hasn't worked for us. And it doesn't work for a lot of people in the same way it does work for a lot of people. It's a huge gamble to leave what you're leaving in the UK. You have to weigh up what you're prepared to lose if it does go pear shaped.

Exile

Totaly pathetic response as usual.

The purpose of the MBTTUK is not the same as this one. Most people moving back to the UK have lived most of their lives there, so they know what it's like. They don't need insecure Aussies dropping in every five minutes to tell them how stupid they are being because Australia is paradise and the UK is a sh*thole.

This forum, on the other hand, is for discussing Australian life and culture, and that includes good and bad. It may be useful for people who have never lived here to hear some of the negatives.

Geordie George

Not everyone is disillusioned in Aus. I like it here. But today it's pissing rain and cold (no great suprise it's autumn - and autumn and winter suck wherever you are). I got up in the dark, didn't go to the beach (not great swimming weather today!), the sky is a nasty shade of grey (and looks to remain that way for today's duration) and I won't be having a barbecue later.

It's natural to be optomistic about the move. But for people who live here, reality takes over. The things you mention either become the norm (though I'd lve to know who for) and so aren't a major deal anymore, or don't happen. Real life kinda gets in the way a bit - I spend more time at work then on the beach. Much like in the UK, really. Telling the realities of that life is not using the forum unconstructively.

sambo76

Sorry to hear its not working for you - but at least you have tried it. Better to have given it a go than to wonder what might have been.

Still have hopes for us, student visa and lots of money to pay out, with no guarantee that we can stay....... but its worth trying - at worst we can come back to uk .

Good luck x

Izzy

Dam it Sambo, you're right - in an effort to be more constructive I have asked all my friends to cancel their real life Monday, forget school and work and come swimming, surfing and then back to mine for a barbie tonight. Your weekends might be like that, but the other 5 days sure as hell won't be, but yes the sunshine will make it a little easier !

Just ask yourself what you spend most time doing in UK - the chances are that you will still spend most time doing it over here - earning money to enjoy the rest of the stuff in the rest of your time !

I love it here, but I live in the real world whichever side of the globe I'm on.

TraceyW

I wish you all the very best

sambo76

Thanks Tracey

You too, we all want a better life, wherever it may take us xx

Wol

I specifically mentioned "farming" things. The stores were Bunnings, Magnet Mart and Mittagong Hardware.

And Bowral is hardly rural Australia anyway! At least, not in the sense that you imply.

I don't know how long it is since you had the pleasure of living in Oz, Vash, but it's nigh on impossible to get the things you need when building. Half the Turks (electrical wholesalers) outlets had never heard of the energy saving globes that replace the GU10 fittings (as mandated by our BASIX certificate) and the other half had examples of them, but none in stock. And it's like that all over. We are talking here of Campbelltown, Sydney, Bowral, Canberra. Hardly "the sticks".

It's a great place to live, yes: but getting anything done can be a real trial.

binky

...And this thread was about the OP asking people what they were looking forward to the most in Oz. But as usual the sad cases here who can't handle it in Oz jump in with their eternal stream of how crap Oz is, you won't like it so don't bother having positve thoughts....

Exile

I don't think Oz is crap, but there was some particulary unrealistic stuff in the OP about "can-do attitude", barbecues every day, etc.

Anyway, I was just responding to denver's usual brain-dead drivel.

By all means look forward to a new life in Australia, but don't expect the deluded nonsense to get no response from people who live here and know a different reality.

Regarding your last comment, it is often the sad cases who can't handle it in the UK, and who wish to cop out to some imaginary utopia, that end up being the people who "can't handle" Australia.

ACE

Before we came here our expectations were not as high as those mentioned in your post. We expected our lives to be similar to our lives in the UK but with better weather, a better house and less financial stress. Having said that we hoped for a home with seaview, pool, great friends, beach everyday, regular barbies, friendly folk, good job for hubby, beach after work (hubby goes body boarding at least 3 times a week and I exercise by power walking along the beach path every night ), healthier lifestyle, happier kids etc. Well I am very fortunate and happy to be able to say that of the above is a reality for us. A combination of research, networking, hard work and luck has resulted in a superb life for us, the reality of living here has far surpassed our expectations and we love it.

So good luck to all and I hope it works out for you.

BadgeIsBack

Was just going to say....(!)

Did people ever have problems finding nuts in the UK..was never into all that that DIY over there.

Or was it a case of i) if they haven't got it, ii) they'll get it...

BadgeIsBack

and then refuse to believe it when you can(!)