Originally Posted by woogle

Sounds like you're finding your feet Glad you're getting on with things, the more you get sorted, the better and more settled you'll start to feel. And when the sun decides to come out for more than 10 minutes, the world always seems a better place

Originally Posted by kellyjs

Tell me about it! Now if one more person tells me I brought the weather with us.....although I can't complain now we aren't holiday makers as the rain is much needed. Can't wait for the summer though :-)

Originally Posted by kellyjs

We arrived last Sunday morning to a cold, rainy miserable Brisbane.After 25 hours of travelling we couldn't get into our apartment for another 5 hours. So we wandered round Newstead for a couple of hours until I completely crashed and couldn't take it any more! We came back to the apartment and asked the Manager if we could sit in our car in the underground parking and we must have looked rough because he said we could go up to the apartment even though the cleaner was still in there. Bless her, she rushed to get one room ready so we could go and sleep in there while she cleaned the rest. At this point I was so overtired I was hallucinating and ready to puke! This was the lowest point so far and I just kept thinking, how the hell did we get here and what have I done? I really didn't think I could get over this, I felt completely devastated and alone. I can't explain that first feeling when you get here and the realisation hits you that you are so far from what you know and the total unfamiliarity. The best advice I can give from my experience is to be prepared for this which combined with jetlag has got to be the worst I have ever felt in my life. When I finally managed to get to sleep I was out for 14 hours straight, woke up and everything seemed so much better
We've looked around quite a bit and another bit of advice? Although this site is really great and useful, don't take what people say as gospel. You really can't decide on a place to live without coming over and seeing for yourself. Its funny driving round and seeing all these places you have heard of and seen on realestate.com.au. You really will be surprised at how different some of these places are, and how far in the middle of nowhere some are too! As I will be here mostly on my own with my two teenage daughters we have decided to stay close to the CBD until we really get to know the place and feel more at home. That decision suits us but may not be for everyone. We still need to drive up to the Sunshine Coast and look at Caloundra SHS as this was our choice of school in that area.
Speaking of schools - When I was over in the UK this was the big question I was always asking on BE. We chose 6 to look at in different areas (bayside, inner, N Brissy, S Brissy, Beach - To get a full perspective) Out of those 6 we have already visited 5 and have 3 possibles. Two are bayside (Wynnum SHS, Cleveland SHS) and one is inner city (Kedron SHS). I must admit In my head I thought we would move further out and have the big house and pool, but we walked into Kedron and straight away my daughters got a really positive vibe from the place, so we may be moving inner city where the houses are smaller and more expensive. Another bit of advice - Make sure you pick a couple of schools at least to come and see because the worst thing that can happen is for your already stroppy hormonal teenagers to be miserable.
My overall experience so far? Everyone is genuinely really nice and interested and I don't feel like an outsider at all, I really feel like its my home already.
Negative- Oh my god, people drive like maniacs!!!! I have to learn to drive and I thought it would be easier here. I am now scared witless. No one ever stops for anyone else and they drive right up your arxe. Although funnily enough most of the culprits seem to be old aussie men with attitude which I can't help but find quite funny
Anyway, I hope this helps someone,anyone out there, it certainly helped me writing it!
I will keep you all posted on how we get on.Best of luck to everyone - By the way, the sun is shining today
Kelly and girls xxxxxx

Originally Posted by jojo666

Hi Kelly,

Always good to hear peoples experiences when they first arrive. We shall be heading to Brisbane in a few weeks time ,a and i like yourself have a teenage daughter 16. Unfortunately she has never wanted to go but she is going to give it a try. Hopefully you will keep us posted on how you get on and any advice on how to help teenage girls settle would be much appreciated.

hope everything goes smoothly for you.
take care jox

Originally Posted by milliesmum

Kelly, you need to change your location! Lovely to hear everything is well with you. Are you there on your own with your daughters?

I shall be keeping an eye out for updates from you

Originally Posted by mand8002

I am sure she will settle in fine. I know a few people in that situation and the kids said that as soon as they were 18 they were going back to UK, but after a few months they changed their minds and did not even want to think about going back.

Originally Posted by kellyjs

Hi Millie
The B/F came over with us and is here for another 2 weeks before he goes back to London. He will be coming back for a week and a half at Christmas with a view to moving over permanently some time next year so we will be on our own really - Aus is not his dream so we'll see if that happens.
The kind of place I would want to live and could afford to buy a house in is too far out for us. I can't drive so we need to be on a direct CBD train line and have things close to hand. Trust me, I am going to start learning as soon as I am over my jet lag! I used to be scared of driving in the UK and would be in central Brissy as well, but when you get out into the towns and on some parts of the motorway the roads are great, just what I need to start lessons! I'm going to get said B/F to drive me out in to the middle of nowhere and get me started in the hire car I want to drive and have the freedom!!!
Kelly xx

Originally Posted by milliesmum

You need your own set of wheels soon as Kelly, good luck with the lessons

Where are you staying atm? We are coming over in April 2007 and might stay at Manhatten Newstead so could maybe arrange a meet up! We are coming on a recce to Melbourne and Brisbane to see which we prefer. Would be lovely to meet you and your girls

Originally Posted by kellyjs

ooo love your prison break man :-) We are at the Manhattan right now, great place. Very expensive (not the most though) but its the security of a short term while you look around and I don't think you could get nicer and more central than here. Also you have the whole thing of no bills which would normally add up so all in all, its worth it really. Word of advice, be careful you arrive after 1pm. We got here at 8am (normal flights are usually early) and had to wait til 1pm to get into our apartment. It sounds ok until you have done 25 hours travelling then realise its just not possible!
See you when you get here, hey come for a Barby :-)

Originally Posted by kellyjs

ooo love your prison break man :-) We are at the Manhattan right now, great place. Very expensive (not the most though) but its the security of a short term while you look around and I don't think you could get nicer and more central than here. Also you have the whole thing of no bills which would normally add up so all in all, its worth it really. Word of advice, be careful you arrive after 1pm. We got here at 8am (normal flights are usually early) and had to wait til 1pm to get into our apartment. It sounds ok until you have done 25 hours travelling then realise its just not possible!
See you when you get here, hey come for a Barby :-)

Originally Posted by anewlife

We have been here for 3 weeks, I'm still finding it hard. My two eldest boys went back to the UK last Thursday and our youngest one is having tears about starting school tomorrow. I'm trying to be positive, I know we have done the right thing, because this is a wonderful place, it just takes time, so people keep telling me! We live in Manly West which is a really nice area, found a club up the road which kids are allowed in on Fri and Sat nights till 9 so we will have a bit of a social life. I still feel lonely and I am missing friends, but you have to get out and about and meet more people! Hopefully in time we wont look back.

good luck to everone.

Nicky