I've made a few posts here with questions but haven't received any response here so I'm beginning to wonder if I've made some terrible faux pas. So I'm just going to introduce myself and see if I really am invisible.

I am intending to move to Perth with husband and son ASAP - we hope my Sep/Oct. My husband is being sponsored by an Australian company. He is an operations manager and he will be setting up and running a new factory for them. They are desperate for him to get there. He was first offered the job in March 06 and we have believed that the move was "imminent" since September 06. The company insisted on using an agent for their nomination and that delayed the process for ages. First the agent was sick for 3 months, then had a backlog... In short the nomination wasn't submitted until March this year. It's now approved and we have submitted our part and we are just waiting for a decision.

As we want to get out ASAP when the visa do arrive, we have arranged the sale of our house etc, and DH is working his notice. His present company will continue to employ him on temp contracts until his visa arrives, which is very good of them.

We also applied for and received permanent visas for NZ. If it all goes tits up with Oz for whatever reason we will head off there instead.

We visited both NZ and Perth last year and thought it would be easy to decide where would suit us best. It wasn't as easy as we thought as we loved both places. Perth freaked me out a bit as it "closed" every night at 5pm but I think I would get used to it.

Anyway, we are all a bit mad with the frustration of it all here and just willing our visas to arrive. The thought of another Scottish winter is terrifying me.

Having two choices is great good for you.

I am in Perth, been here 15 months. It's ok. My honeymoon period is well and truly over
The winter here is lovely, so you will enjoy that.

Hope your plans all fall into place and good luck.....and welcome

Thank you Nu-shooz. Hoorah - I am not invisble.

Welcome, you are not invisible.

Your post did raise one question in me though, how DO Scottish winters compare the Kiwi ones? If you are seriously not keen on the weather where you are then maybe NZ will not be significantly different?

I honestly ask out of a position of ignorance, I'm sure someone will be along in the minute to put me straight

Where's the iron

Hi Vim,

Good question! I think the big difference is that in NZ it snows. I think real, snowy winters are lovely,esp if the air is dry. I love to ski so would certainly make the most of the opportunity in NZ. Scottish winters are dark, cold and wet. We don't often get real snow - just horizontal sleet and icy roads. That and the grey, grey skies, some days never seeing the daylight (if you work indoors) is sooo depressing.

Of course, it will depend exactly where you are in each country but it's just rainy, sleet where I am.

I hear you about Scottish winters, I've spent some time up there (just outside of Glasgow and up near Oban) and it does get you down after a while.

It's nice that you have the choice of countries, from all accounts I would give several places in Oz a go if Perth doesn't work out because local conditions vary enormously.

You can ski in Oz too by the way ... not being a skier I am not privvy to the details but it's a popular pastime ... and yes, it made me laugh when I first came to Brisbane and saw a skiwear shop.

Then again I laughed when I saw patio heaters ... then I started scraping ice off the car's windscreen and stopped the sniggering

Welcome to BE


Good luck with your plans, and I hope you aren't waiting too much longer for your visa's

http://www.australianalps.deh.gov.au/

Thanks for the link - looks great.

welcome to be we have spoken on my thread my crap day.

where in perth are you headed????

Hello - I'm new here too! Loving your user name. I also will freckle.

Can help you with any details, but am also in similar position of dreading another 9 month long winter. Althought this year I think summers forgotton to start (except last 3 days).

Have fun, and good luck.

Well DH will be working in Canning Vale. We don't know where we are going to live yet. DH doesn't want to be living right on the work's doorstep but not too far away either. Maybe Armadale? Don't know yet will have to wait see. What about you?

Yes - the sun has forgotten all about us this year. Where are you heading off to?

we are looking at canningvale or kewdale!!!! we could be neighbours!!!!!