Robbo2

Hi Guys!
Well, we're taking our first trip back to the UK to catch up with friends and family in a few days time...just wondered who else has done it/doing it soon?
We've been here almost 2 years and having recently sold our house in the UK and bought one here, we thought we'd take a trip back with the bit of money we had left over. It's now or never as we won't have the money: we'll end up spending it on something else.
My main reason for going back is to catch up with my good friends (the ones who aren't able to travel out here for many reasons) and also my Nan who is the grand old age of 86.
When we first left the UK, it was a 'let's try it and see' good bye. This time, I feel like I will be tying up those loose ends as we're here to stay.
Just wondered if any of you have any recent experiences??
Claire.

bcworld

Hey me too! Leaving for my first trip back to Blighty on Friday.

tyke

Enjoy!!!!!!!!

Be aware that it will be a roller coaster of emotions and will bring into question why you moved here.
Also be prepared for a weird sense of Deja Vu.

I went back after 6 years as my Mum was very ill.
Bad reasons to go I know.

I did not feel any wish to return and it only confirmed my reasons for moving here

Have a terrific time!

Amazulu

I was back there a few weeks ago and although I have no axe to grind with the UK, it was good to get back home to Perth. This is our home now and this trip confirmed it. SE England is still mental, traffic is still insane. Surrey, Sussex and Kent are still beautiful. London is as crowded as ever but still a fantastic city. Seeing the COL over there confirmed to me that Australia is really no cheaper - drinking in central London is cheaper than in Perth for instance. We went over to France and Belgium which was the highlight of the whole trip. I do miss the cheap travel options but apart from that and a few other small things don't miss much else.

jothefw

We did a quick trip back in July. We were in the lucky position that a) we only left 10 mths ago and b) we didn't have to fund the flights ourselves however ... I'd have rather gone elsewhere in the world.

It was wonderful to see very close friends and family but it isn't a holiday!

You feel pulled to pieces, leaving some people feeling they haven't seen enough of you, others you don't even dare mention you're in same country as them as you simply can't manage all the miles, time in the car with two small children etc!

We were honest whilst we were there and said we shan't go back again for at least 2 years - there's so many other places in the world to go and we haven't managed a holiday in Australia (properly) yet!

I think I summed it up ... we chose the area where we live now and we're chosing the friends we make/see etc ... in England it wasn't about the area, it's about the people. At the moment our isolation from old friends and family means we can spoil ourselves, we only have a commitment to our little group of 4. Does that make sense, no feeling of "it's easter so we'll have to get together with so and so", I love the freedom we have! (And I love my family and friends but my group of 4 is top priority).

(and on a "glad we moved?" note - we saw more traffic just from Heathrow to A1 than we'd seen in whole time in South Australia! I hated driving, shopping, paying for very expensive food out etc! and the weather was biblical floods and cold! Give me winter here any day!)

Robbo2

Thanks for all your replies so far...really appreciate your honesty.

I am going with an open mind....I have told people in the UK where we're going to be and when, and that they are welcome to come and see us. We're not prepared to travel around the UK when we're only there for 2 and a half weeks.... having travelled across the world, I feel that anyone that really wants to see us will be prepared to come to us!

I realise too, that it won't be a holiday...but a fortnight of trying to catch up with people briefly. They'll be no quality time, but it's the best we can do in the time we have, and I am looking forward to it. We won't be going back again for a while..........

After all, we're offering free accommodation in Brisbane to any friends and family who are prepared to fund their flights....you'd think it would be an offer too good to refuse really wouldn't you?????!!!!! Unfotunately it is commonly refused. Those of you in my shoes will understand where I'm coming from on that one!

Thanks again for your posts.

mand8002

I am sure it will be great to catch up with family and friends. When we went over we had only been here a year and my youngest daughter enjoyed the fuss made of her, but once that had died down, she couldn't wait to get back to Australia. We have just had our first daughter getting married, and the friends that came over did nothing but whinge, and no family came, so now no one feels the pressure to visit the UK again and it certainly has made my youngest daughter realise that she does not actually miss them that much lol. She now would rather go and see other places than spend her holiday visiting people in the UK.

Sham Williams

Can we be classed as friends and come see you??

Ha ha did make us laugh your comments!! We feel the same, I think we were initially a bit overly expectant when it came to people coming out to see us!!

We have only been here 8 months and guess we thought our friends and family would be queueing up to come and see us and are they??? Ermmmm NO!! Have my Mum arriving in a couple of weeks, but thats different, no one else has even hinted about coming, instead we get lame excuses about the sizes of spiders???!?!!?!?!?

Enjoy your trip back to the UK!!

annb

ive been here 15yrs and still find going back to the UK very unsettling, my kids are only young and the only grandparents they have are in the uk and we have no other family around us here - I go back to the uk at least once a year and each time struggle with which place I would rather live. The first few years I was here (without kids) I couldnt care less, but now that the folks are ageing, the kids have no cousins/uncles/aunties around its hard. Over the years I have spent time traveling around visiting old friends and finding we have not a lot in common anymore, now when I go home I barely even tell people I am going back and those that I do tell, well they know where I live if they want to see me!! I do 'call australia home' but I still call the UK home as well!! Its hard, you are caught between 2 places and whilst you know that yes the lifestyle is probably better over here for your immediate family, it doesnt stop you wondering if leaving your 'extended' family behind is for the best. I honestly dont think I will ever be settled in one place or the other, I cant see myself living in England again, Ive got too much to give up here after 15yrs, but I do always wonder 'what if we went back'.
Im sure you will have a great trip though, just remember when you get back to Aus it will take you a few weeks to settle back down and stop those homesick feelings!

Manti

I came back home after almost a year (it's nothing in comparison with some of you guys).
It felt like I've never left home.Everything was so familiar and dear.
First week i was crying at the thought that i have to come back to us.
Then it got a bit better and i set up another date in winter (thx God i can afford it) to go home.
Because i came back fixed and feeling much better than before i left i think it's important to go there once in a while at least this first couple of years.
Have a great time there!

jensteve

One word of warning a friend has just came back with the same idea of not driving around looking at relatives and getting them to go to see them, well it didn't happen that way and they where made to feel obliged to drive around for 2 weeks visiting people, her hubbies family I think where a major hic cup in their plans.
She said next time they where all getting told that no way where they wasting their time again. But there again she said she was so glad to be back, and hated the UK generally, being too busy and roads chocka.
Jenny

on a mission

Funny, we came back I think due to work and homesickness, or confusion what ever it was, it now seems pethetic looking back at our excuses.

Been back 18 months, and seen family about 10 times, the bond isnt there, and the relationships just dont seem to be what was anticipated. I think we have moved on from the lifestlye and whinge how crap it is, and how good we had it, and acted like a couple of spoilt brats.

All our friends now have young kids, something we now dont have, so our social friend circle has changed, everyone has moved on, which we should have done permanently..

no red rug for us Im afraid

username 34

yep - I can relate to that! You are the one who feels this guilt, oh I really should see them so they can see the kids blah blah, so you tell them all where you'll be for those 2 weeks back in UK and they say they cant make it or can only do an hour one afternoon - and this is from them all within a 30 mile radius!!

made me realise that I should feel no guilt - if they want to see the kids and us then its a 2 way street - we spent 4 years travelling back and forward to the UK like yo-yos, now you can come see us out here, its only an 8 hour lfight, and from this year on we're takin our holidays where we want .... not back to the UK!!

thebaggos

We are heading over to Oz beginning of November. Family over in Oz has said to visit family in UK but 'don't sit in somewone's lounge for 2 weeks!' - go and see England and Europe for a holiday. thought that was really good advise - hope this helps!

Robbo2

thanks again for all the replies; It's certainly going to be an eye opener!
I set off on the 22nd and get back on 12th Oct, so will let you all know how it went!!!