natty

Hi all

well that time has nearly come- tomorrow we are having our leaving party and to be honest I am not really sure how I feel about it.

I AM excited about a great night out with all our mates- there will be about 70 people, a hall, a bar and a disco so what more do we need to have fun !!

BUT I am worried if I or Rob or our friends get upset- we don't actually fly until 3rd May so will probably see everyone again after the party but I guess the whole event may be emotional and that frightens me because if I start crying - I might not stop

Anyway to make me feel better and to give hope to all those soon to be in the same situation, I thought it would be nice to hear other peoples stories of their leaving do's and any tips they may have,.

The only one I can think of so far is : MUST buy waterproof mascara !!!!

Thanks everyone

Nat

marie_chris

Don't have a story to tell yet but wanted to bump it as I'd like to hear peoples experiences too. Still undecided as to whether to have a farewell party or just a close family friends thing. Stupid, as we still don't have a visa but I'm trying to think ahead
Marie x

Aussiecat

I'm sorry to reply to this, I'm sure I'll kill it, (I am the phantom thread killer extraordinaire)

We had a fantastic leaving party 5 weeks ago, in our village sports club, with 2 local bands, hog roast etc, & we invited everyone we possibly could from my husbands past 39 yrs in UK & my 16.
We didn't have any speeches, it was a night for fun not crying! The bands were so loud you could barely talk, which in hindsight was probably not what some of the older people wanted, but we will remember & hopefully be remembered for, a brilliant fun night. Certainly everyone I saw for days after was still smiling!!

I have 2 tips for you, 1, buy a notebook. We had a book to send round, which was meant to be for contact info, but it turned into a comment book which was wonderful to read all the nice things that people wrote about us.
& 2, have a light on the front of your video camera, all i seem to have recorded is shadows in darkness & a lot of loud noise.

Have a fantastic night

Bordy

Well I hope your having a welcoming BBQ when you get to the Peninsula.

Shelley29

Haven't got a story to tell, just a leaving bash to come. I would rather slip away quietly but I don't think it will be that easy. Hubby's uncle is arranging a big do. I will be balling all night.

joveazey

Hi,

I had a last night out with the girls last Saturday as it was also my birthday this week. We are having a meal out tonight with another couple, a meal out tomorrow night with 4 other couples and a family party at my mums on Sunday ! Diet obviously not going well this week ! Our official leaving doo is on the 7th May(we fly on the 9th) at the local pub with a disco and karaoke. Trouble is, it only fits about 120-150 people and we've invited everyone we've ever known (about 300 I reckon) so I am dreading the logistics of that. The only advice I can give having not had the doo yet, is to get a guest book like at a wedding and get everyone to write in it and put addresses, phone numbers, email addresses etc. Also, take the video camera (with light!) and TAKE THE CHARGER !! you know what always happens, you get to the really funny pissed part of the evening and the battery goes. I am going to leave the video plugged in at the bar and tell people to do a bit as and when. Can't think of anything else except try not to peak too soon as you won't remember the night. I think I might drink bottles of Smirnoff Ice as they don't really get me drunk !!!

Jo

karenjc

How strange, i've just booked ours about half an hour ago. Its the first time we have booked something with not allready having the go ahead ( waiting for house sale ) but its now booked for july and were hoping to go in august. Knowing our luck were still be here at crimbo but still gives us a reason to get drunk, all i've got to do now is book the bouncy castle ( kids before 7 o clock adults after )

Geordie George

Hi Nat,

Just wanted to say that I hope you had a good night and you didn't get too emotional about it all!

GG

RReed

We had a 'family' leaving party in my mother's house in the afternoon. We had a 'friends' leaving party in the bar my husband dj'd in. I thought it would work better as two separate dos - and it did. It meant my aunties etc weren't subjected to the pissed antics of our mates .

We had our official leaving party (in the bar) over 2 weeks before we went. The only problem we found was that individual 'groups' of friends wanted to have separate leaving dos/nights/meals. So we spent the last two weeks in the uk pissed in various different venues with various different groups of friends. The positive side of this was that we were totally fed up of partying by the time we left. We haven't been out since getting here (nearly 3 months), and so far don't miss it. My liver is just about back to normal!

As Aussiecat suggested we had a notebook for people to write their contact details in. Makes very entertaining reading, still trying to work out who wrote what. Quotes include: ' f**k off you b**ch, we all hate you anyway' from my work colleagues (I have such lovely friends).

I never cry, but I did at our leaving party — too much alcohol and people being nice. I still haven't lived it down, and totally deny it ever happened (they must have all had too much to drink and imagined it).

Anyway, have a fab night - make the most of it and take lots of photos. Good luck with your move.
Rachel x

natty

Now we have had our leaving party I can add our story !!

It was a fantastic night- one that Rob and I will never forget and Rob said it was the best party he has ever been to which meant so much as he didnt originally want a party and i was so worried incase he had a bad time.

When we got there, our friends has decorated the room with Aussie flags, ginat inflatable spiders and kangaroos and has decorated all the walls with loads on info on Australia, Tasmania and aussie slang words !!!

We were presented with a digital camera to take pictures with all night and a fantastic this is your life book which all our friends had written stories of our time together in. They also decorated the walls with loads of photos , some of which i hadnt seen for years.

We were so overwhelmed with it all and it truly makes you realise how special frineds are and how much we will miss them.

It was a strange day because we also had to leave our cats with their new owners which ofcourse was heartbreaking but the wonderful evening made us feel that it was all worth it and we can't wait for the first of our friends to visit so we can persuade them to come and live in Oz aswell !!

So if you are thinking about whether to have a party or not then from my experience, I would say go for it- the memories will last a long time.

Nat

Aussiecat

Oh natty, how fantastic, that story has bought a lump to my throat,

what fantastic friends you have, they have certainly put a lot of time & thought into your evening.

I hope you will settle well & enjoy yourselves in Oz with equally wonderful people.

All the best

Bordy

Wow Nat, with Friends like that I might just want to stay.
Sounds like a night to remember.

neil&momo

Hi,
Sounds like the leaving do was fantastic.
We have ours booked for 8th July in a social club with disco and buffet. Can't wait but also getting really worried now about sorting everything out to move!! We leave the day after on the 9th July!! But we don't arrive in Brisbane until 15th October, we are travelling around asia first.
How is everyone else finding their last few weeks!! Any coping strattegies? I lay awake most nights now thinking what do I need to do!! We haven't even sold the house yet!!!
Good Luck in your new lives everyone
Marie

natty

Hi Marie

Coping strategies - I dont have one I don't think yoyu have to - You just realise that you can cope and you just get on with it !!!!

I have never felt emotion like this before- I didn't know I was capable of feeling so incredibly excited one minute and then so incredibly scared the next.

One minute all I am concerned with is getting dirt of my shoes !! and then next I am contemplating saying good bye to my family.

Without going all religious on you- i really believe that god doesnt throw anything at you that you can't cope with so I am coping and also remembering to smile ( even while I am steam cleaning my shoes!!)

PS- why did I think it was a good idea to have so many bloody shoes !!!!!!

Nat

8 days and counting !!!!!

neil&momo

Hi Nat,
Oh my God another thing I never thought of Steam cleaning shoes etc.!!!!
I'm never going to get all this done!!! Good Luck with everything. 7days now!!!!
Take Care Marie