Mr&MrsPom

hi Dotty,

When I went to DC I was almost 24, no responsibilities, never lived away from home before. Had a great time, out in the bars, lots of socialising but then i also spent a lot of time on my own just reading which i love. Unfortunately or fortunately i don't have time to read as much now with three kids. You have to understand I wasn't a high flyer or anything, I had a job like normal people it just happened to be in DC. What I loved was the attitude to life , work hard, play hard, the americans always made sure that there playtime was well utilised. Different sense of humour as well. The things that i loved then would be different to what i would love now. The bars and going out all the time don't interest me now at my advanced age. What I want is, a nice house, guaranteed decent weather, clean place to live, good schools, some nice restaurants, and some decent shopping malls. Here the clothes out there are not so hot but that does not bother me have never been much of a fashion freak, prefer to be comfortable.

gdcollectables

Hi Mrs Pom,

just thought I'd stick my little extra bit in!!

I'm not sure how old your children are, but have you considered whether they will want the things you are looking for now?

Maybe they will want, the things that excited you about Washington, all those years ago!

My family are from Perth, but I always thought that it would feel like going to the 'End of The World'!

Now the children have all grown up, one by one they have 'Moved East', as they say there is more future for them there!

The parents have also moved, to be near their offspring and any eventual grandchildren!

I'm not trying to be a Party Pooper, but perhaps several lists of Fors and Againsts might be in order - under different headings, ie where to go, family left behind, financial prospects and so on!

By the way, my family and I have decided, it would be right for us now.

We've made loads of lists, but don't have the final clincher, family to leave behind - we are, however looking forward to having family nearby.

GOOD LUCK!

Jolyn

I've got some international cost of living stats handy. For Oz generally the multiple is 1.4 for a rough approximation.

So...if you can pay cash for a house in Oz, work out what income you would need/want in the UK if you didn't have a mortgage, multiply pounds by 2.5 to get Aussie dollars then divide by 1.4 for it being cheaper there.

If you can convert your salary directly to Aussie dollars without dividing it by 1.4 then you will be really doing well.

whisky

Can we just get this BLACK AND DULL WITH RAIN ON THE WAY cleared up.
Yes, Australia has had a lot of rain this WINTER, but according to the real experts and many of my family who have been out there a lot longer than Sir PB, there has not been sufficient rain over the past 7 years, of which is called drought conditions. So, I for one would appreciate a WINTER that brought plenty of rain.

The same can be said of the British SUMMER. A week of hot weather and suddenly there is talk of crops being ruined, trains not coping with the heat, and the ozone layer.

and as for speaking with forked tongues, yours is f**cked.

Jolyn

I'd second gdcollectables words about Perth. I don't know what the big fascination is for Brits with Perth. Something to do with looking on the web and seeing beaches and cheap houses I suspect. Some then seem surprised to find that they're a bit bored in Perth and give up Oz altogether. Australia is a BIG place and it's not all the same...

Perth will have the beaches, houses, relaxed life you're after and some people love it but if you want a few more options like you had in DC the east coast would be much better. gdc is right that most kids leave the west coast for a bit more action on the east.

Of course I'm a biased Sydneysider who's now off to Melbourne. But I have a friend who's moving back to Perth because it's cheap to take up property development. Even she refers to it as 'the wild west', 'the back of beyond', etc. Read that they can't even sort out the problems with the women's & children's hospital in Perth because they can't get consultants or senior staff to move to the west coast. Plenty of British nurses arriving though.

whisky

Same problems here with Hospitals. I work at our local Hospital and it has been in the papers a lot this year.

Understaffed in all departments.
No Doctors to man A&E Department so anything major has to go to another Hospital 43 miles away.
Surgical wards have been cut by half because of staffing and overspending.
Hospital have overspent by 4 1/2 million, so there are cutbacks in all spending.
and so it goes on.

I shudder sometimes at the thought of where it is going to end. Probably by closing it and sending people 43 miles away.

Whisky

:scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared: :scared:

Mr&MrsPom

Hi,

All three of my children are under 9 years so for the moment the most important aspect for them would be the beach I guess. Then hopefully later on they could go to Uni wherever, be it east coast or back in the UK.

Regards
Mrs Pom

Ps. I always think of something else after i have submitted so have to edit.

Why Perth, simple really that is where our friends are. They lived there twelve 14 years ago and have gone back this Feb. Easy process for them because they have their citizenship.