Hi Mrs.Neal here-been a long time since I posted properly as loads of stuff going on this end...BUT here at last!!!
We have finally decided on going to Perth.Much soul-searching has taken place(and a fair amount of panic:scared: )but we are now sure that for the foreseeble future Perth is for us and our 5 year old daughter.
We've booked with Royal Brunei Airlines,business class with no stop-overs(7 hours daytime,8 overnight and 7 again the next day)and then 2 weeks at Trinity Beach,Cairns.
We're staying in the On the Beach apartments at Trinity Beach and then flying Quantas economy across Ayers Rock and on to Perth.Can give details of prices etc to anyone interested.
Have booked a 3 bedroom villa in Rockingham for 10 weeks at a reduced rate of $300/week while we wait for our furniture to arrive.Again can give details of this accommodation if needed.Owner based in London and very helpful.Decided against Poms in Perth for various reasons.
What else....John Mason shipping our furniture-£2600 for 20 ft shared container.
Impressed with everything /everyone we've dealt with up to yet but can give REAL details after the event(as it were ).
Staying 1 night at Holiday Inn London-Heathrow(£59 for triple room)before flying out,and 1 night at Motel 85 Brisbane before flying up to Cairns for our 2 week holiday(boy are we going to need it
)$120 for a triple room.
Having various problems with guilt-trips from mother-in-law(have been following the parental problems thread-you're not alone)plus problems with the children we're leaving behind etc etc .The list goes on but you have to stay focused.
HRT has well and truly kicked in now so feeling stronger and more feisty(
).Mother-in-law beware!!!
Hope some of this might be helpful to some-one out there.
Have just realised I haven't said when we're going...6th June so will soon be able to post from the other side!!:scared:
Mrs.Neal

Glad to see ya back Mrs !! Sounds like it's all go. Fab news you are going to Perth. We will prob go Royal Brunei, so you'll have to let us know whats its like.
You should be very proud of yourself for hanging it all together, bet you can't believe it :scared:

We hope to be there by Sept, (depending on house sale) but daughter and I might go earlier, Warren will come out to validate, then go back to finish his contract and leave us to it to get sorted.

Keep us all posted and the very best of luck

Jill

HI Jill-thanks it's nice to be back.It's been a tough few weeks but think we're getting there at last.
Keep meaning to phone you but either there's something going on or I'm too tired-bear with me.
Trying to get back to some degree of normality but with the hysterectomy one end and emigrating the other,and mother-in-law/children problems in between I feel as though there aren't enough hours in the day and days in the week!!
Speak soon.
Good luck with the house-it's so beautiful can't imagine you'll have trouble selling it.
Mrs.N

The very best of luck - have an amazing adventure-enjoy every minute.

Best of luck !!!,you sound much more sorted than us :scared: .
We are leaving on the 8th of June for Adelaide .

All the very best for you and your family.
Hope to hear your views on your new life when you are settled.
Have you had any trouble with your 5 year old daughter not wanting to go,we also have a 5 year old boy who has settled well at school and are feeling a bit guilty already as he says he does not want to go and we still have 12 months to wait.
We are also hoping to go to Perth Area sounds as though you are really organised hope it all runs smoothly for you.
Best Wishes Gaynor

Hi Mrs.Neal
I hope all goes well for you and your family. It sounds as if you are very organised.
If you dont mind I would like to ask about your shippers John Mason. Your price for container sounds very good. At the exhibition I was quoted between £3k and £3500 so £2600 sounds very good. Are they packing and unloading etc. Can you provide some more details. Although we wont be going until later this year am exploring options now.
Thanks
Irene

Oooh Goody!! Another lot for Perth. Keep us posted on your progress. Good luck with everything.

Vicky

That's getting close, isn't it? Good luck Sno and co.
Thinking of you.
How are your two gorgeous girls??

Vicky

I have been missing your wink
The busy times are not going to end for a while yet then.
What you have planned sounds really good so hope it all goes well. Look forward to your post from Perth

Hi Gaynor,
I have to say that I learnt a bit of a lesson from my 5 year old.I was very negative when we got our visas through and actually decided I couldn't cope with going at all.I kept it all to myself(and my husband)and didn't let on to our little girl,carried on with the arrangements etc and then she discovered our passports and wanted to know what they were for ,o I showed her the visas and told her they were her tickets to live in Australia.Well she did a lap of honour roung the living room and ran up and gave me a great big hug she was so pleased.Of course I know she doesn't comprehend fully what moving away actually entails so I thought I'd better bring her down a bit(adults )and said "You won't see nana,half-sisters etc for a long time"and you know what she said"Don't worry Mummy they can come and stay can't they??".I was gobsmacked!!
We decided to only tell her about going 2 months before we intended going so that she didn't have too long to dwell but long enough to get used to it,and she'd heard so much general talk of Oz 12 months previous to getting the visas it had become part of her life really.
We're doing things gradually-giving things away that she's grown out of etc so that she's invloved but doing it a bit here and there.
She too is really settled at school and guilt is ever present but I've come to accept that it's going to be a familiar feeling for a good while yet and just let it tick away in the background!!
As regards YOUR 5 year old may I be so bold as to suggest something(please don't think I'm being a know-it-all)?I would completely ignore it when he says he doen't want to go.I find that getting down on your knees and giving lengthy explanations and much reasoning just breeds attention-seeking and that a "Never mind it will be great to live somewhere new/by the beach/make new friends"approach lets them know it's not up for discussion and introduces positive thoughts without them realising it.It works for us.
Good luck-you know where I am if you need some support.
Mrs.N

Hi Mrs Neal,

I'm really glad that you have made the decision to go. You have fought long and hard to get there. Good on ya!
We now have an agent doing battle with DIMIA for us regarding the x wife. So far it looks positive, she has said that if we can provide enough info for DIMIA to prove how unreasonable she is that they will make a decision not to request medicals for kids. So far she is doing this free of charge. She has also faxed off our CV's to Vic, SA and NT to apply for STNI. We now have to do this as the points going up has meant we are 5 points short for 136 Ind.
I wish you and your family all the luck in the world. Fingers crossed you all love it. I know it will be hard leaving children behind but you will still be able to keep in touch and I'm sure they will visit.
Love and hugs
Sarah

Mrs Neal,

This really is the worst bit of the whole process. I remember driving to the airport with my dayghter screaming in the back that she didn't want to leave her Nanny. Words can't describe how awful I felt.

Once we got here and settled down we knew we had made the right decision. Our 3 kids love it here and have a fantastic lifestyle compared with what they had in the UK.

Keep positive and just keep thinking that once you are on the plane things will get better!

Hi Irene,
We got a quote form Crown which was somewhere over the £3000 mark(may even have been £3500 can't remember now)but it was for a sole container.Well our budget was £2500 so my husband phoned John Mason and told them and they gave us a lower quote,then he phoned Crown back and they lowered theirs,then he phoned J M back....you get the picture(he's a scouser,what can I say )and eventually we reached £2600 and were quite happy.
They pack and unpack for you but you have to wash down your out-door stuff etc yourself.
Hope this helps.
Mrs.N

Here's a wink just for you Bix.