arnie2oz

Another great post Janey!!

Glad to know you've made it and are settling in fast.

Nikki will be here soon, so I'd better go:scared:!!!!!!!!

Keep posting updates pleeeeease.

Se you in January

nosuchluck

Janey and family,
i am so pleased that after the trauma you've left behind, you've found some solace in your new lives down under, i found your post informative and a pleasure to read,
keep in touch mate, with all the highs and the lows
love and hugs to you and yours
Rach, Mark and Chanelle xxx

j&s

Excellent Post Ph2.

Keep up the good work, and keep us all posted! So pleased to hear things alittle better now, sounds like you deserve some good times.

Take care of each other,

Sue

nikkers

Hi Janey

Glad your ok

What about your expat friends still waiting to join you???


Whats your house like?

Any mozzie bites?

Where are you renting?


Nikki x

Bix

Janey,

I was going to put a thread up last night asking if anyone had seen you or Scrawni but didn't get round to it.

You must have picked up the vibes

Really enjoyed reading about your experiences. Thankyou.

Hope you can find time to follow it up soon.

Oh, and can you swish the wand a few times please. There are a few houses in UK that need selling.

Pollyana

Scrawni was at the meet up the Sunshine Coast on Saturday - didn't get a chance to chat, but she looked quite cheerful and as if she was over the jetlag!

lindseyden

Great post and a pleasure to read, keep 'em coming and good luck with everything.

Lindsey

Bix

Thanks Polly,
If I remember right she was spending a couple of weeks with family at Brissie before heading to Cairns.

Phoenixuk2oz

Awww...thankx for all your good wishes my friends. You are all so kind and your support is REALLY welcome and I'm glad you found the info useful

Debsy; My mum is OK after her op thanks. We now await the results of the tests and are keeping everything crossed until such time.

Mum, dad and my son and his GF are hoping to join us in October[son needs to validate his visa by 4th November] so we are all REALLY looking fwd to this family get together

Ok....some more info that may be of use for any newbies to be;

Beds:
Me and hubby recently aquired a bed in Oz to put us on till our Kingsize bed arrives from UK. What we didn't realise was that Kingsize beds here are called "Queensize" ...........and not realising this, we just bought a run of the mill double bed.

Thank god there were no camera in our bedroom.

Anyone ever seen two bloody great big "Yorkshire puddings" trying to fit into a "normal" size bed.

We're more knackered from trying to fit into the bed than we were from travelling non stop from Manchester to Singapore

We're off to change this bed for the Ozzy Queensize version before we get a divorce from kicking each others ar*es all night [would rather swap for Beckham but not sure Becks would get the deal!]

Re Jobs:
As I mentioned previously, jobs here are advertised in the paper but when you ring up to enquire you then find its actually a recruitment agency. Hubby went for a couple of jobs only to find they are not what's advertised, indeed are part time work....

So he's learing quick [called piss off factor] and he's now asking pertinent questions BEFORE tracking miles to a sodding recruitment firm where some geezer tries to fob him off with some tin pot job...

Re Schools:
Forgot to mention. You may need to buy uniform [we paid $240 AUD], school stationary [$70 AUD] and resource hire to borrow school exorcise books[$72 AUD] and computor levy [$18 AUD]....I personally think its worth the fees as the school is lovely, nicely kept, no paint falling off the walls etc and this is probably why i.e parents are expected to contribute. Incidentally, I think they also sold second hand clothing if required so maybe asking about this if you need to]

Aussie people:
Again, I can only speak from our exprerience so far, and only having been here just over two weeks, however here in Brisbane the people seem REALLY friendly. We came with an open mind [no reason to be any other way] and we have found people to be EXCEPTIONALLY kind to us. We haven't asked for nor warrented any special favours however without exception the Aussie people are open and friendly and as equally interested in us as we are of them. I've no doubt there will be some ignorant , shallow and unkind people as there are in all walks of life.........but we can honestly say there has been absolutly no "Pommie bashing" of any kind. We have on an odd occasion been labelled a "Pom"but it has been light hearted and as it's true [cos we are aren't we] , we haven't taken offence.....the Aussies don't tak offence when you call them Aussies either so everyone is relaxed and when they say "no worries" .....they actually mean it!

[B]Rented property:[B] [To answer your question Nikkers]
We have rented a 3 bed bungalow with a pool about 15/20 mins from Brisbane in what I would call a "nice" area [not the nicest maybe but clean, tidy, central to shops and schools etc]....and it has cost us $250 AUD per week [about £100 pw me finx?]The Real estate normally look for a minimum 6 month contract with the view to extending this if required.

As for mozzies; Its winter now so mozzies are not as previlent as they prob are in summer? But I have been bitten by a few [they must like Yorkshire pudding [ikkle b*stards!]

Bix....my matey
I'm waving me wand especially at your request. Those houses will be sold soon........me wand is working overtime for all you guys especially!

That's it for now. I hope the above is of some help to some, but please bear in mind these are just my opinion, my perception and perception is in the eye of the beholder!!

Anyone require any other info, please feel free to ask and I'll see if I can help.....

Take care.....as always

Phoenixuk2oz

Hiya Poll

I'll PM you...

Janey x

tinaj

Great to hear that it has all been worth while.
I hope you continue to love this place.


Polly will be glad of the drinking partner, she has lots to celebrate at the moment!!!!

Phoenixuk2oz

Thanks tina........it's certainly been worthwhile so far......and David has just been told he starts work Monday although its only for one month as yet but its a start

Wot has Poll got to celebrate then

ANA123

Hello PUK,
Glad to hear you arrived safely and are settling well, hope to see you on a night out sometime
Michaela

Paul&Ann-Marie

Great post, thanks for the info.
Could you tell me a little more about the flight.
We fly singapore on the 16th and are also going manchester-singapore-brisbane with no stopover.
Ann-Marie is concerned it will be too much in one go for the kids but from a financial point of view i'd rather just go straight through.

Thanks,

Paul

bundy

What a great post! Good to know that, despite the trauma, it's all working out. When we go we'll leave a little trauma behind us what with my mum getting sick and all, so it's good to know that it's still possible to go and be happy.

Hope you all go on to good and great things and that life in Oz continues to treat you well because it certainly sounds like you deserve it.

And keep up with the updates!