Geordie George

I presume they keep in touch, but don't actually know! Not something I've thought about ... I am far too laid back about this.

Excited, petrified, exhausted ... all at once and one hundred times a day! It's hard work this emigrating malarky.

We're planning on starting out in Glebe (inner west 'burbs). Not a fantastic area, as far as I can gather, but kinda studenty (which I like) and cheaper than the coast. Just to help our savings stretch a bit further while we find work. (We being hubbie - Patrick - and me; 28 and 27 respectively).

You're travelling too? What route?

Nichola

threlly

Hi, Geordie George,
we plan to fly to cairns (with a 4 day stopover in hong kong) and spend 6 - 8 weeks travelling down the east coast to sydney, we did it in 98 and it was great. we plan on living in manly/dee why as near to the beach as possible.i agree with you, this emigrating stuff is hard and now that i ahve my visa, there is so much more to do. i presume that PSS must e-mail you when your shipment is in. i am not sure where to begin and i have a list as long as my arm and left leg
cheers

Geordie George

Things to do! See:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...highlight=list



The travelling while you ship sounds great (and will be, I think!), but logistically it does make it a bit more difficult. We have to take everything we need for the trip plus all the stuff we don't want to ship, as we'll need it in the first few weeks (e.g. suits for interviews, a few CDs, books etc), with us. Happily, we're travelling via the US, which means we get a huge luggage allowance. Then we plan to make use of the airport left luggage storage to mean we don't have to carry stuff we won't need en route.

Getting the visa is definitely the easy bit - even in terms of waiting, although it seems like a killer at the time. I just wish the next few weeks were over with and we were there already. Although, having said that, I do appreciate it's a journey and am tring to enjoy it. Some days are just easier than others though.

Hope it goes well for you,
GG

leedslad

Hi GG Household

Gread thread you started here.

Answers alot of the questions i had about shipping

Thanks!

Geordie George

You are more than welcome!

binbird

Brilliant info on this thread - thanks a million!

Got our visas about 2 weeks ago (me, hubby and three girls, 6, 5 and 3). Next step is getting shipping quotes (in preparation for when the house finally sells) so with your information I feel the leg work is basically done! Just need to make a few phone calls (and remind the estate agents to sell our house!) and then all being well we can head out to Sydney with all our possessions some time before October or we will have to validate.

Thank you again you beaut bird!

From one bird to another....

Best wishes and good luck

Binbird

Geordie George

So, PSS came yesterday. What can I tell you all about it ... They arrived at about 11.30 and left at 6.00, so it was all quite quick. There were two chaps (Mark and John) who were very nice. Everything was handled with care and well packed up. The paper work was easy to complete. As we'd done a lot of sorting out before PSS arrived (including taking to bits all the flat pack furniture, which definitely helped speed things up as well as save space), we were pretty much surplus to requirements. We'd already worked out what we were shipping and what we were going to take over ourselves, so we were able to move the stuff we're carrying to the pub we're now living at early in the day, which meant everything else left at the house was to be shipped. Made it nice and easy and no chance of the passports being accidentally packed! Think that's about it ... My entire life is now in 69 packages heading to the port. Still, no complaints so far!

GG

zapprabbit

DON't USE PICKFORDS
They will give you soo much stress, they are usless and will lie about you delivery.
We still haven't got are stuff and it's been in the country since January 5th

C&V

Hi

Just to add our two-cents worth!

We used PSS to ship all our worldly goods from Essex to Sydney in September 04 and found them to be very helpful and efficient. The guys wrapped everything up so carefully and the packaging was very substantial. A total of 71 packages left our home on 17th Sept 04. We too went travelling for 5 weeks around New Zealand, Brisbane and Melbourne, before arriving in Sydney on 30th Oct 04.

Although we had booked accommodation in Manly before we left, we didn't have the exact apartment address until arrival so couldn't give PSS an address in Sydney to contact us on. An email address wasn't good enough. We didn't know anyone in Sydney so couldn't even give a friend or family's address for correspondence. PSS wouldn't ship our container until we could provide them with an address in Sydney, so that meant it couldn't leave the UK until 30th October!

The container eventually left the UK on 11th November and was received in Sydney by Chess Hanley's (PSS agent in Sydney) on 1st December. As it was entering the summer and christmas holiday time, it then took another 4 weeks before we could access our stuff. 2 weeks customs clearance, plus 2 weeks for Chess Hanley to collect, store and deliver as they were so busy. We also got charged by Chess Hanley's (one off collection and delivery charge... apparantely) an extra $230 plus $187 quarantine charges!!

We only had 2 small breakages and one of them happened when the guys delivered to our unit.

So, all in all, not bad, but check extra charges in Sydney, and if you can, give them an address in Sydney before you set off.

C&V

mr mover

Don.t blame your removalist for something they have no control over,AQIS, or AUST CUSTOMS are holding up your shipment, have a BIG think about why...................... MM

pete hoy

has anyone out there used anglo pacific for shippin their worldly goods, as we have just booked them to ship our stuff from Cheshire to Brisbane in mid March. The told us 5/6 weeks port to port what is the actual time. If anyone has can advise it would be most appreciated. :scared:

Pollyana

***** ********............ :scared: :scared:

You can't quote an exact time, its anything upwards from 5/6 weeks....too many variables. Everything from time taken to load the ship, to unloading times in ports en route, to congestion and bad weather in shipping lanes. And then time taken to clear AQIS/Customs.
My stuff came with that disorganised rabble, left the UK mid November, arrived at Christmas (about 6 weeks) then took 2 months to clear Customs.

Geordie George

Hello,

We've booked a room at a hostel in Sydney for two weeks, for when we first arrive. PSS seem quite happy with this. I guess it remains to be seen what they make of it at the other end ...!

GG

sharon ann

Hi there,

OMG! shipping is turning out to be a minefield. We just don't know what to do!! We've had 3 quotes now for a 4 b/room house - 2 adults 2 teenagers plus 4 & 6 yr olds -we're not taking beds/wardrobes but almost everything else inc. washing machine etc.
White & Co quoted £3325 Sole use of 20' container
£3050 675 cubic feet (of listed items) he actually listed everything I pointed out but I want to add certain things.

Atlantis quoted £2164 for 590 cubic foot (of listed items) this was our first quote and I was unsure of what to include.
Both quoted 3% insurance.

After careful consideration we are going to take most things except beds as we are all due for a new one.

A friend of a friend has also quoted £1700 for providing a 20'container we pack/unpack ourselves. We thought about this option as much cheaper but also we can pack at our leisure and decide what to take gradually.
But now after looking at this thread it seems that many would not recommend a DIY removal. Has anyone actually done it themselves and lived to tell their experiences!? :scared:

By the way who are PSS and John Masons anyone got an address/telephone number?

A big thank you in advance

Sharon

Geordie George

http://www.pss.uk.com/
http://www.johnmason.com/