Hi everyone,

Just wanted to post this as I feel I have made a few friends on this forum and everyone on here knows of the rollercoaster ride we are on that is called migrating.

A friends of mine has just popped round with a belated birthday pressie for me, it turned out that she had gone up to London to find the Aussie shop and come back with a load of australian tat!! Although I loved it all, it has just made me think of the people we will be leaving behind and all the friends that have been there since school, friendships like these will be hard to find but it's nice that they are being so supportive.

Just wanted to get that off my chest, as some of you know I still have ages till anything will happen (on the visa side), sometimes little things make you stop and think. Although I am still just as determined as ever to go, I just appreciate more what I will be leaving behind.

Now I have said my piece I will go and open the bottle of bundy she has given me and remind myself of the reason why I shall lose lots of weight in aus(by not eating australian chocolate!!) And also have any of you heard of or know what to do with Kanga musk sticks? they resemble sweets but smell of the perfume that my nan wears and dont taste much better! The person in the shop told my friend that people were going crazy for these in Oz, I think they were having her on! I shall also go and read the little book of aussie translations that she gave me, learn the language before I go!!

Thanks for listening
Laura

Laura,

How very sweet of your friend to go to that much trouble to get you something she thought you would like.

It's not going to be easy leaving family and friends behind and I dread the day of our final farewells. But, the internet is a wonderful thing and I'm going to buy my friends a webcam each so we can have chats and actually see each other (rather than listen on the phone). A couple of friends already have them and we have a real hoot.

Keep ya pecker up, this journey is jam-packed with rollercoaster emotions, it's a miracle we don't need therapy or hooked on vallium by the time we actually get to Oz

Take care

D D

What a fantastic friend. She is one in a million who you will never forget, Many people on here have friends who have deserted or most certainly not suported them in what is there life decissions. You are a lucky one who has a friend who is obviously going well out of her way to make you aware that she supports you.

Good luck with everything, If you can make a friend like that here then what is to stop you in Australia.

Kala xx

Don't know about musk sticks Laura, but over here you can get Lifesavers (like Polos) in Musk Flavour.....they taste a lot nicer than they sound!

Thanx guys

I'm so emotional, she also gave me a card saying amongst other things that she is always here for me, even if it means coming halfway around the world to solve a problem! She is defo one in a million, who I will miss loads, but as it has been said before, the world is a much smaller place with internet etc. so I know it'll be easy to keep in touch.

I do hope that I can make just as good friends over there but they'll never replace the friends here.

Laura

Pollyana do the musk lifesavers leave a nice musk scent in your mouth? I feel like I have swallowed a draw liner!!!

just go into a "lolly" (sweets) shop and ask for some "musk sticks". You'll find them in a box alongside all the sticks of liquorice, etc. . . . about 5" or 6" long.
. . . . . been around since Capt. Cook sailed up the East Coast!

Never got into musk sticks....taste like soap. Or parma violets. I prefer Ripe Raspberries, Strawberries and Cream, Killer Pythons and Warheads myself

Laura - true friends will still be there when you go. I have several very close friends in Oz, one of whom is going through a really tough time at the moment. Although not being able to pop round to cheer her up is hard, our friendship has continued to grow despite the distance. You never forget the people you leave behind, and the nature of the relationship may change, but it won't die. And because you and your friends have to make more of an effort to stay in touch, sometimes it's possible to have more contact than you did when they were living up the road!

Do what another friend does: arm yourself with a webcam, find a mate who has one, and then get all your other mates to go to that person's house and have a bit of a party with you at the end of the webcam.

Laura and all the ladies who've posted.....

It always seems it's the girls who will seem to miss friends more than us blokes.(This is not having a go...I'm trying to be serious for a moment) And I'm sure the men will let me know if they differ in opinion.

My wife and I have been discussing emigrating since 1996 and only just taken the decision. One of the things my wife says is that she will miss all her friends terribly as well as work colleagues. I know she will. This was one of the reasons she wasn't too keen to go in the first place.

I on the other hand, although I have long term friends and I will miss them don't have the same emotional attachment and I feel I'll always make friends in Aus.

I know it's not the same for my wife and if we are a typical couple, I can sympathise with all you girls out there who will give up close emotional ties with friends and family.

I wish everyone the best of luck with their moves to Aus and hope we all settle into a new life.
Phew! Got the serious bit out of the way without too much damage.....mind you if I've offended any ladies out there....I'm sure bundy will let me know

Dont worry, the world is getting smaller and smaller. Try image those who have to sail for months from British to Oz, even a mail must take that long.

Now you can fly in less than one day from here to there, can talk to ur friends at anytime vis phone, chatroom, forums in realtime and - even in video.

Besides, here in this forum has many good people who are always listening and willing to give a hand.

Be happy!

ccton

You're right, the world is getting smaller. But it still feels very large indeed when someone you care for or someone in need is the other side of the planet. Been in this situation - still in this situation - so I know how hard it is.

Stewie mate, your probably right in the majority of cases. I think women do form stronger attachments to others than men do. So it is harder for them to give these up. Emotional creatures that we (well, some of us) are. For me, I've got more close friends in Oz than I have here, so in a way, I've been living away from those dear to me for the last 4 years. That said, leaving my family, particularly my mum who has been crook, will be harder than I can imagine. But nothing worth doing happens without a bit of effort and heartache.