How many Huntsmen have you had in your home in suburban Melbourne/Brisbane?
Jun 20th 2017, 8:27 am
#31
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Re: How many Huntsmen have you had in your home in suburban Melbourne/Brisbane?
No, it has 8 legs, honest guv. It just rests its legs in a diagonal cross, 2 legs together.
I was terrified of spiders. When we first came out, I wouldn't walk on grass (even with shoes on), wouldn't walk near hedges, wouldn't walk under trees. We were staying in a serviced apartment on the 17th (made up number, it was high, anyway) floor of a newish, well maintained building near the Storey Bridge in Brisbane and I had to put the bedroom light on to go to the bathroom in the night and did the whole tapping of my shoes before I put them on. Not to mention turning socks inside out, gloves inside out, etc. etc.
Almost 10 years later and I even take photos of them (from a distance. And only if they're very, very, very, very stationary).
You just can't live with that level of extreme terror. So you stop being extremely terrified.
If you don't think you can stop being extremely terrified, you really need to stay in the UK. Where I was "attacked" by way more spiders than I have been here. And I live in the middle of bushland!
Do we get spiders indoors? Yes. But as lots of people have said, spraying the outside of the house will take care of the vast majority of them. Have I had huntsmen in the car? No, not in the car, but they do like inside the wing mirror on my car - spraying those areas prone to spiders takes care of that. Common sense will get you a long way.
I was terrified of spiders. When we first came out, I wouldn't walk on grass (even with shoes on), wouldn't walk near hedges, wouldn't walk under trees. We were staying in a serviced apartment on the 17th (made up number, it was high, anyway) floor of a newish, well maintained building near the Storey Bridge in Brisbane and I had to put the bedroom light on to go to the bathroom in the night and did the whole tapping of my shoes before I put them on. Not to mention turning socks inside out, gloves inside out, etc. etc.
Almost 10 years later and I even take photos of them (from a distance. And only if they're very, very, very, very stationary).
You just can't live with that level of extreme terror. So you stop being extremely terrified.
If you don't think you can stop being extremely terrified, you really need to stay in the UK. Where I was "attacked" by way more spiders than I have been here. And I live in the middle of bushland!
Do we get spiders indoors? Yes. But as lots of people have said, spraying the outside of the house will take care of the vast majority of them. Have I had huntsmen in the car? No, not in the car, but they do like inside the wing mirror on my car - spraying those areas prone to spiders takes care of that. Common sense will get you a long way.
Can't say I'd be one to be compassionate with saving them but then that's the trick I think...if you can start to have some feeling for them as creatures worth saving then it's less likely you'll be as terrified of them. If they're something you feel you need to obliterate the second you see them chances are you're like that because you hate them and I guess most likely terrified. We've been in the 80s here (about 86 degrees lately) for a couple of weeks now and I've had all windows open every day and nothing to report inside as of yet except one big moth that flew in when I left the kitchen window open until way past dark and the indoor lights were on. I'm probably jinxing it now and will see a horrendous spider later today! But it's here to imagine life in Australia with the amount of spiders there compared to here so I'm probably building it up to worst case scenario Still terrifies me thoughI did wonder how it had 4 legs yet was still classified as a spider by the way
Thought it was a bit odd
Last edited by ABD79; Jun 20th 2017 at 8:30 am.
Jun 20th 2017, 8:32 am
#32
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Re: How many Huntsmen have you had in your home in suburban Melbourne/Brisbane?
Yes compared to something like losing someone it makes absolutely no sense at all! I can't reason why I have a fear of spiders. I just literally change into this whole other entity when I see them - I hit myself around the head thinking I have one in my hair, I have to brush my arms and legs frantically and I scream and jump around and out the room. It really make sense! I'd love not to be this way :-/
Jun 20th 2017, 8:53 am
#33
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Re: How many Huntsmen have you had in your home in suburban Melbourne/Brisbane?
I think you are being incredibly sensible about this.
One of the things that we see all to often on the forum are people who think that their lives will suddenly have a huge improvement by making the move. For example, many think they will move to Oz and spend their days lounging by the pool, when in reality, they will be going to work and doing all the same things as they have always done - clean the loo, doing the shopping and wash the pots. Just in different surroundings.
Also, many don't recognize what they already have. We didn't until we returned to the UK after 8 years away. It has given us a completely new perspective. For example, my wife went to the beach yesterday and actually shed a tear at just how pretty it was. This wasn't some glamorous part, but South Shields near Newcastle.
When you do decide if you want to do it, you need to also look at the fine print of life in another country. For example, annual leave is in many countries not as generous as the UK. The average in Oz is only 20 days. Working hours can also be longer - Australians work some of the longest hours in the developed world.
You also need to think seriously about things like climate. If you are going to consider Calgary, have you spent any time in extreme cold? I have and liked it, but many don't. So, if you were to consider it, I would suggest trying it first - make a visit to northern Sweden or somewhere in February.
Also, do some forward planning. For example, if you go to any country, make sure you fully understand the visa you are going on and what the long term consequences may be. For example, if it were a work transfer as you have mentioned, then it would probably be a 457 visa and you would need to go in the assumption you would be returning at the end of it. But that in itself carries consequences. For example, children going to university may have to be in the UK a number of years prior to applying or be treated as international students.
What ever you decide I wish you luck
One of the things that we see all to often on the forum are people who think that their lives will suddenly have a huge improvement by making the move. For example, many think they will move to Oz and spend their days lounging by the pool, when in reality, they will be going to work and doing all the same things as they have always done - clean the loo, doing the shopping and wash the pots. Just in different surroundings.
Also, many don't recognize what they already have. We didn't until we returned to the UK after 8 years away. It has given us a completely new perspective. For example, my wife went to the beach yesterday and actually shed a tear at just how pretty it was. This wasn't some glamorous part, but South Shields near Newcastle.
When you do decide if you want to do it, you need to also look at the fine print of life in another country. For example, annual leave is in many countries not as generous as the UK. The average in Oz is only 20 days. Working hours can also be longer - Australians work some of the longest hours in the developed world.
You also need to think seriously about things like climate. If you are going to consider Calgary, have you spent any time in extreme cold? I have and liked it, but many don't. So, if you were to consider it, I would suggest trying it first - make a visit to northern Sweden or somewhere in February.
Also, do some forward planning. For example, if you go to any country, make sure you fully understand the visa you are going on and what the long term consequences may be. For example, if it were a work transfer as you have mentioned, then it would probably be a 457 visa and you would need to go in the assumption you would be returning at the end of it. But that in itself carries consequences. For example, children going to university may have to be in the UK a number of years prior to applying or be treated as international students.
What ever you decide I wish you luck
I'd love to hear more about your experience and why you returned home. I am surprised by the beach story as Australia has such incredibly beautiful beaches! Although, saying that, we live a stone's throw from Dorset and there are some beautiful beaches there where you can of course swim freely, kayak, paddle board etc without fear of sharks or jelly fish or crazy rip tides! There certainly is a lot of weighing up to do. But the beaches in Australia look incredible.
Jun 20th 2017, 10:06 am
#34
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Re: How many Huntsmen have you had in your home in suburban Melbourne/Brisbane?
At an interview recorded earlier today and released on the web the spokespider for the extreme right leg Huntsmen First! Party, Octa Leg, commented on this thread expressing dismay at the attitudes of arachnophobic immigrants to the region. Waving 4 legs animatedly she said "We were born here, if the humans don't like us they know what they can do! Let's vote for webxit and put a stop to immigration!".
Jun 20th 2017, 10:43 am
#35
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Re: How many Huntsmen have you had in your home in suburban Melbourne/Brisbane?
One, little one, that was starting to try to make a web after using the car to move house etc. Was dead after getting sprayed with raid.
Jun 20th 2017, 11:16 am
#36
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Re: How many Huntsmen have you had in your home in suburban Melbourne/Brisbane?
That does look beautiful! Must be a wonderful feeling to have been able to visit there and see some of the amazing places out that way. I try not to watch spider videos I try to make myself think though that if I can get used to watching them then that's a step in the right direction...and HOPEFULLY I'd never come across anything quite as horrific as in the videos so perhaps what I do see I migh cope with slightly better. Maybe Probably not but you never know
You write very well by the way. You should write a blog of your adventures out there and what it's like to live there...I'd read it! You've definitely got a way with words that would make people want to read.
By the way, looking at houses I was surprised how few people actually have swimming pools. Do you know why? Do the spiders and snakes that might find their way in put people off perhaps? I couldn't figure out why. I thought most people would have one out there, (at least if they had children). I was surprised too that they don't do what they do in Florida which is to have a pool and seating area in a giant screened room type thing. No glass, just massive screens that run half way up the house and a screened roof on it. I thought Australia could do with that more than Florida but just about everyone in Florida who has a pool seems to have these. Anyaway, just curious
I try to make myself think though that if I can get used to watching them then that's a step in the right direction...and HOPEFULLY I'd never come across anything quite as horrific as in the videos so perhaps what I do see I migh cope with slightly better. Maybe Probably not but you never knowYou write very well by the way. You should write a blog of your adventures out there and what it's like to live there...I'd read it!
You've definitely got a way with words that would make people want to read.By the way, looking at houses I was surprised how few people actually have swimming pools. Do you know why? Do the spiders and snakes that might find their way in put people off perhaps? I couldn't figure out why. I thought most people would have one out there, (at least if they had children). I was surprised too that they don't do what they do in Florida which is to have a pool and seating area in a giant screened room type thing. No glass, just massive screens that run half way up the house and a screened roof on it. I thought Australia could do with that more than Florida but just about everyone in Florida who has a pool seems to have these. Anyaway, just curious
Thanks for the comments on my writing
Unfortunately a blog of my life would be very boring. I go to work, come home, sleep, go back to work. Every so often I go online and get food delivered, so I don't even have to go to the shops anymore! Once a year I go to Tassie to chill out and the highlight of mu life is going home each year to see the family.Mind you if you go back into the BE archives then some of my earlier posts were more lively, before this country sucked the soul out of me.
Jun 20th 2017, 11:24 am
#37
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Re: How many Huntsmen have you had in your home in suburban Melbourne/Brisbane?
I forgot to say, it makes you wonder just how long that huntsman had been in your house! Oh it makes me shudder just to think! Yes the car thing worries me a lot as I just lose all normal bodily control when I see a spider...so I have a horrible vision of me careering off the road with my three little ones in the car :-/
Yes the car thing worries me a lot as I just lose all normal bodily control when I see a spider...so I have a horrible vision of me careering off the road with my three little ones in the car :-/
My sister is like that.
Jun 20th 2017, 12:33 pm
#40
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Re: How many Huntsmen have you had in your home in suburban Melbourne/Brisbane?
Thank you so much for your reply! Yes a few people have commented that I seem paranoid or am being unreasonable (mostly on my post about Canada) but really it was just a case of my comments on here being all my thoughts and everything i need to consider in order to consider a move. I think for anyone already living in Australia or Canada from the UK, if they love it there and/or if they didn't like the UK, it is easy for them to assume I'm being paranoid because for them it would be a case of, "well, why WOULDN'T you want to move?!" For me it's more that I see the benefits of moving, but like you said, I do also see that it's life as normal...just in a different way. And I really do appreciate what we have here. I would love the family to experience a different way of life though. It would be an incredible experience and if we HAD to we can come back as we'd rent our house out here instead of selling. Not that I would want to live with that as an option though (or else it would be too easy to just pack up and go when things got tough and I know that there will be tough times...and you have to see them through for a good several years before making up your mind properly).
I'd love to hear more about your experience and why you returned home. I am surprised by the beach story as Australia has such incredibly beautiful beaches! Although, saying that, we live a stone's throw from Dorset and there are some beautiful beaches there where you can of course swim freely, kayak, paddle board etc without fear of sharks or jelly fish or crazy rip tides! There certainly is a lot of weighing up to do. But the beaches in Australia look incredible.
I'd love to hear more about your experience and why you returned home. I am surprised by the beach story as Australia has such incredibly beautiful beaches! Although, saying that, we live a stone's throw from Dorset and there are some beautiful beaches there where you can of course swim freely, kayak, paddle board etc without fear of sharks or jelly fish or crazy rip tides! There certainly is a lot of weighing up to do. But the beaches in Australia look incredible.
The main reason we moved back, was kind of linked to the reason we moved. Work, or lack of. I am a geologist and had worked in mining. All was good until about two years ago when the industry went into a major downturn and all of a sudden there was no work available.
At the same time, we had come to the conclusion that we had had enough and wanted to come home. We aren't really the type who would get homesick. I have lived / worked in 13 countries and my wife isn't even from the UK originally. But, it just seemed like we were just existing. This will get shot down, but it is my opinion. Oz is nice enough, but it can be dull and that the pros out weighed the cons of living there compared to the UK. For example, although we are not close to either of our families, it is still nice to see them occasionally, something that was impossible in Oz - we only returned for funerals.
There are a lot who think about going to the beach every day, well, we lived opposite the beach and we went a lot the first year, a lot less the second, and by year 5 barely at all. In fact some years I never went at all other than to walk the dog. There are only so many times you can point and go "oh, look, sand and blue water", before it get monotonous.
Going to see other parts of Oz is expensive and time consuming because it is so big. It isn't like the UK where you can pop to another city for a day. It is different time zones!
Wildlife was also an issue for us. We didn't live in the city, but in a small suburb closer to the country as we didn't want city life. But, that meant dealing with the fact there are snakes. I was never worried for me, but often for the dog.
So, eventually after getting an offer of a job back in the UK, we returned. We had lot everything, we came back with just a suitcase each. But, it has worked out in the end. We live in a wonderful village and we are happy
Jun 20th 2017, 12:43 pm
#41
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Re: How many Huntsmen have you had in your home in suburban Melbourne/Brisbane?
Lots of people have pools. They are not so rare - esp on bigger blocks. if you know what you are doing, you can keep the cost down.
Many don't have pools.
Many don't have pools.
Jun 20th 2017, 12:47 pm
#42
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Re: How many Huntsmen have you had in your home in suburban Melbourne/Brisbane?
At an interview recorded earlier today and released on the web the spokespider for the extreme right leg Huntsmen First! Party, Octa Leg, commented on this thread expressing dismay at the attitudes of arachnophobic immigrants to the region. Waving 4 legs animatedly she said "We were born here, if the humans don't like us they know what they can do! Let's vote for webxit and put a stop to immigration!".
Jun 20th 2017, 12:55 pm
#43
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Re: How many Huntsmen have you had in your home in suburban Melbourne/Brisbane?
We spent eight years in Oz, initially in Sydney, then Perth and moved back to the UK last year.
The main reason we moved back, was kind of linked to the reason we moved. Work, or lack of. I am a geologist and had worked in mining. All was good until about two years ago when the industry went into a major downturn and all of a sudden there was no work available.
At the same time, we had come to the conclusion that we had had enough and wanted to come home. We aren't really the type who would get homesick. I have lived / worked in 13 countries and my wife isn't even from the UK originally. But, it just seemed like we were just existing. This will get shot down, but it is my opinion. Oz is nice enough, but it can be dull and that the pros out weighed the cons of living there compared to the UK. For example, although we are not close to either of our families, it is still nice to see them occasionally, something that was impossible in Oz - we only returned for funerals.
There are a lot who think about going to the beach every day, well, we lived opposite the beach and we went a lot the first year, a lot less the second, and by year 5 barely at all. In fact some years I never went at all other than to walk the dog. There are only so many times you can point and go "oh, look, sand and blue water", before it get monotonous.
Going to see other parts of Oz is expensive and time consuming because it is so big. It isn't like the UK where you can pop to another city for a day. It is different time zones!
Wildlife was also an issue for us. We didn't live in the city, but in a small suburb closer to the country as we didn't want city life. But, that meant dealing with the fact there are snakes. I was never worried for me, but often for the dog.
So, eventually after getting an offer of a job back in the UK, we returned. We had lot everything, we came back with just a suitcase each. But, it has worked out in the end. We live in a wonderful village and we are happy
The main reason we moved back, was kind of linked to the reason we moved. Work, or lack of. I am a geologist and had worked in mining. All was good until about two years ago when the industry went into a major downturn and all of a sudden there was no work available.
At the same time, we had come to the conclusion that we had had enough and wanted to come home. We aren't really the type who would get homesick. I have lived / worked in 13 countries and my wife isn't even from the UK originally. But, it just seemed like we were just existing. This will get shot down, but it is my opinion. Oz is nice enough, but it can be dull and that the pros out weighed the cons of living there compared to the UK. For example, although we are not close to either of our families, it is still nice to see them occasionally, something that was impossible in Oz - we only returned for funerals.
There are a lot who think about going to the beach every day, well, we lived opposite the beach and we went a lot the first year, a lot less the second, and by year 5 barely at all. In fact some years I never went at all other than to walk the dog. There are only so many times you can point and go "oh, look, sand and blue water", before it get monotonous.
Going to see other parts of Oz is expensive and time consuming because it is so big. It isn't like the UK where you can pop to another city for a day. It is different time zones!
Wildlife was also an issue for us. We didn't live in the city, but in a small suburb closer to the country as we didn't want city life. But, that meant dealing with the fact there are snakes. I was never worried for me, but often for the dog.
So, eventually after getting an offer of a job back in the UK, we returned. We had lot everything, we came back with just a suitcase each. But, it has worked out in the end. We live in a wonderful village and we are happy
Which is lovely, but I do like to get out with them and go places. Yesterday we went to the woods and grasslands with a big park and played. Today we went to a big outfit paddling pool with water fountains. Tomorrow we'll go to a toddler music group...there's lots to do around here. I could probably name 15 things to do within 39 minutes of where we live including beaches, forest, play groups, swimming, parks, forest school groups, river walks etc. So we're certainly kept busy and I do need that. It is hard to grasp sometimes just how big Australia is. I am glad you're happy now back home And thank you for all the information as it has certainly made both my husband and I have a long hard think about what we want. Thank you
Jun 27th 2017, 4:12 pm
#45
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Re: How many Huntsmen have you had in your home in suburban Melbourne/Brisbane?
(well where I live anyway)
