Dear All

We're not planning on moving to Perth until the end of 2008 but are in a bit of a quandry and was hoping for any bits of advice/experience.

We've always planned on flying during the week after Christmas and before New year i.e around the 28th. We have 2 young 'uns aged 9 and 5 (will be by then) so we're looking at arriving during the summer break.

I sat down today and realised that I had more leave due to me than I thought so we could actually move at the very end of Nov or first week of Dec.

Having 2 young kids and bearing in mind the reaction from an aged MIL (81) we're in two minds - go early and start to get settled before santa arrives or stay and go after. The only thing that is on my mind is that Christmas will be strained anyway knowing that we are leaving a few days afterwards.

Any bits of advice appreciated - as always.

Regards

We went in November, had 4 days in Hong Kong on the way.

Christmas - bit of a let down, in that we always got our daughter far too much, and in Oz there was hardly anything to buy - I'm talking 1981 here, so things will have probably changed a lot since then. That was the only thing that upset me, other than a great lack of pressies, we had a great Christmas, but were left to our own devices for Boxing Day and ended up at the movies!

I never did get used to Christmas in Oz, but after all these years I think I could manage it a few more times yet!

Whatever you do, you will always think that you should have done it differently, unless of course it is a great success for you all. Good luck in your decision making, I don't envy you - but then again think of the lovely heat and sunshine on Christmas morning.

Hi Craig,

We're flying out on 29th Dec this year, to Perth via Singapore.

We decided to have the baby's first Christmas with the grandparents, but then to jet off and arrive in Perth on 1st Jan (new years eve in Singapore). New year, new start etc.

Will update this thread in a few months to let you know how it was for us

Matt

Could you handle christmas alone, or more so, would your kids like that. If they are used to a family christmas think it might be a very large let down here. Rental house, no family, friends ?? 3 weeks in, weather thats often just to hot to enjoy.

Or is your dream going to the beach for a couple of hours, (heat and flies permitting) , plus family not important to you. Then go for OZ.

We had the same dilemma. Buyer of our house wanted to be in by christmas but because christmas is so near we decided to get it out of the way and go first week after Jan. We was going between xmas and new year but shippers don't work then!

Mandy

Dear All

Thanks for your replies. We're sort of used to not having loads of family around at Christmas as we lived in Italy for 3 years until 2005 and are now in Belgium; we're staying here for the holiday and then going skiing at New Year. So we're not going back at all. I guess this is playing a little on our minds too, last chance etc.

Blossom - I think you're right, its one of those 'we should have..' situations.

Matt - grateful that you do look this thread up again. Thats pretty much what we were planning on doing too - until today

Jad n Rach - We do have life-long friends already in Perth, plus good friends of ours (from UK) are visiting relatives for a month then too.

At the end of the day I guess the Mrs will decide

Thanks again