mika24me

Hello everyone

sorry I have been absent from the forum the last couple of months. I have been very busy and am still without a computer at home, so have had no time for anythintg just about.

Anyway, the story so far...

The Flight
We flew via LA and Auckland. We managed to stay awake until we left LA, and then slept for 6 hours straight. That helped up almost miss out on jet lag, and by day three in Melbourne we were feeling great. Air New Zealand were faultless, I highly reccomend flying with them.

The weather
Our first few weeks were the coldest I have ever experienced. Ok, maybe an exageration. But I was seriously freezing as all our thick wooly jumpers are in the shipment and we mistakenly took only summery clothes. Big tip for anyone coming out in October - take a scarp and one thick jumper. You will appreciate them.

Melbourne
Melbourne is a nice city. That about sums it up.

Adelaide
Never quite made it to Adelaide becuase of...

Geelong
Came here in week 2 to visit some friends and loved the place so much that we have made it our permenant home. We are renting a house at the moment, with plans to buy land and start building in the next six months.

Jobs
Ian found a job on his second day in Geelong, and he is working full time since then (as a self employed contractor as he was in Scotland). I found a job after a couple of weeks looking. It is in a call centre for Telstra and I have made some great friends here.

To to close
We are loving it here, and are sure we have made the right desicion. Only time will tell but for now we are happy in Geelong and intend to stay here forever.

If anyone has any questions about Geelong, or immigrating to Aus without a visit first, then drop me a mail.

Good luck to everyone whatever stage you are at in the process.

Mel

wafoo1

Wow,was going to post about our first few weeks in Geelong as well,but I've been beaten to it!
We flew with Singapore airlines to Singapore,had a stopover for a few days,highly recommended,beautiful place!
Landed in Melbourne on 11th October 9 degrees bloody hell,as above bloomning freezing!
Started work on 22nd October,strange feeling,get paid weekly,about 2/3rds my Uk wage but things are cheaper here,well some are
Car cost 5000 bucks for a 11 year old 4 litre Ford Falcon,20mpg but petrol is a giveaway price.
Shopping is mad,we started doing all our shopping in the supermarkets but it cost a fortune,Buy diffrent things in different places,avoid Thursday it's dole day and mad!,prices are all ocver the place.
As for lifestyle,when the sun is out it's wonderful,35 last week down the beach in the surf,next day 17 and windy,but that's Victoria for you
The people are friendly,everyone chats,beers good,Melbourne is well Melbourne,too mad for me,Geelong is quiter,we're renting as well which is the only downside,after a lovely house in the UK to living in someone elses,you don't want to do anything to it but when the sunshines you won't wantto be in the house.
TV is arse!,we got Foxtel(sky) which makes it more watchable
The banks charge an arm and a leg so watch yourself,get cashout (cashback)from the supermarkets after shopping,as with some banks only get 15 free withdrawls per month,caught us out,especially when you are buying for a house!
Our furniture arrived in Melbourne on the 10th October still ain't got it,customs are slow,went with Pickfords in the end as it's pickfords this end so thought it would be easier.
Forget the horror stories electrical stuff is CHEAP!!!
go to 'the good guys' and pay cash,it's the same as the UK except washing machines
Well thats two of us in Victoria enjoying it,come and join us!

dotty

2 good posts, you both sound like real down to earth people, practical info about jobs etc and honest comments about expensive food/ bank fees show the old feet are firmly on the ground. Thanks for the snicker about thursdays being dole day! pretty obvious isn't it

Wish you both well, with such down to earth honesty you'll do well here

Vicky88

Wafoo

That sounds a bit sus to me that your gear is still in customs 5 weeks after arrival. Don't know whether MrMover is on, he has more experience in this area.

We used Pickfords when we moved from UK to US and they totally stuffed things up, took 5 months for something that should have taken 6 weeks.

I would call customs and enquire about this so called backlog as it sounds like BS to me. If they had such a backlog they would all be working OT to clear it.

pudnut

Hi Mel lovely to hear from you, I'd been wondering how you were getting along. I'm so pleased your enjoying Oz & settling down,sounds like things have fallen in place for you.

Anyway Welcome back!!!

Pudnut...

lynnj

Hi Mel

Glad to hear that tings are going well and you've both landed jobs, that must make things a bit easier, you must have thought you were back in caithness when you got there, brrrrrr.

Keep us all updated with your news and good luck on the land/house front.


Lynn

nosuchluck

What a great post Mel & Ian!
really pleased that it is everything you hoped for! keep posting mate,
with best wishes to you both
rach, mark and chanelle

dotty

4 replies!!!!!! These people took their time to write very honest useful informative threads about their views of OZ.

Now from reading this forum I know damn well that if they had written glorious reports of the weather after a week, big houses, pools, kids not being homesick after 6 days and how cheap the shops seemed with pounds they would now have had at least 10 times as many "good one mate" posts.

Its hardly encouraging people to bother posting on arrival is it? well unless you want to do a "having a lovely time wish you were here report".

nosuchluck

good on you dotty! these posts are what this forum is all about!
rach

banjo

Hi Mika24me and Wafoo1,

thanks for posting about your arrival stories. We are leaving here on 17 Jan 04 for Colac. Have either of you managed to get there yet from Geelong and if so....what were your impressions?

Would be grateful to hear back from you....or anyone else who knows anything about Colac.
Thanks

HiddenPaw

Beautiful location - it's inland from GOR isn't it, Cape Otway region. I've only passed thru a handful of times so all I know is that it is in the middle of gorgeous countryside. DOn't know anything about life there, however. Why Colac?

HP

debsy

Hiya Mel

Nice to see you back I was wondering what had happened to you - I even started a thread asking about you!!

So, in the end you did not even get to Adelaide -s ounds like you have been having a great time. We are off on 16 Jan to validate and we are hoping to have a look around the Sunshine Coast. Dotty has gºven me some tips and no doubt I will be asking her millions of more questions before I go!!

take care.

debs

Vicky88

Maybe I am weird, but I thought both of these reports were very positive about life in Australia and it did sound to me like there are having a lovely time.

markeh

Hi Vicky88,
it sounds spooky that people are having a good time.

I'm glad for them.
Life is what you make it and by the sound of it they have a good outlook on life and sound like nice people.

Bye
Markeh

tinaj

Great to hear from you both. It sounds fantastic and I hope we enjoy ourselves as much as you both have.

Keep posting when you get the time!