Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

Hi guys

Well we have been here for 5 weeks now and it has gone so quick.
When we arrived it was dark but the views of Brisbane and the lights are amazing. Marysidey and family picked us up as we were staying with them for the 1st couple of weeks.
When we got up on the Saturday morning to see the sun beaming down on us it was beautiful. The birds were singing oh it was ace. :)

Anyway we have got ourselves sorted with a car (Holden Jackaroo), we now have a rental house in Cleveland thats really nice. Aimee started Cleveland state school the same day that we moved in too and loves it. The other kids in her class think she has a cool accent :cool:

We sorted our TFN's online and got them back within the week. I registered with CentreLink just waiting to hear what I may get now in terms of child benefit (or whatever its called over here).

We have nearly bought all the furniture that we sold back in the UK. We bought some really nice chocolate leather sofas in SuperAmart. We got a massive TV with theatre home system. A big fridge/freezer, a table and chairs for indoors and out. We got a Big BBQ that is already been used often. But we have a BBQ party on the 19th November as its Aimee's 10th birthday but it is also Vikk's too. Quite a few peeps off here are comin., scissors(Tracey) & family, marysidey & family, wombat (Lucy) & family, Vikk, Dave, Tracey and Emily our friends from Adelaide and more should be good.

Rich started work last week at Greenslopes Hospital. He says that the people are really nice but the job itself isn't. He isn't allowed to do stuff without being 'signed off' first. Things like takin blood and taking candulars out are a doddle to him. He also doesn't like how they do some things (laying someone out in Aus is so different and cold) no feeling to it and no dignity for the patient or family. But he goes daily cos it pays the bills and the rent. But I am sure he will be looking to take a position in ICU or maybe a different hospital.

We love it here.... in the first week we went to a wildlife park with Tracey (scissors), Gary and Kerry that was ace. The kangaroos are soooo cool.
We have been to surfers paradise couple of times. We've been to Glass House Mountains and Mooloolaba beach. We went to the zoo too where we saw some really active koalas. The girls love it too. Aimee's life has changed so much she has so many friends. She comes in from school and gets changed and she is out playing in the street with the other kids in the cul-de-sac.
Georgia has improved so much too, for a nearly 2 year old we go swimmin and the parks regularly. We eat outside every night and don't have the TV on much unless we are watchin a movie after 9pm when the kids are in bed. :)

Anyway I will try to keep you updated with our lives here, But can't believe that we are here still. Cleveland is a wonderful suburb to live and be in.
See you all soon

Ang, Rich. Aimee and Georgia

Re: Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

nice :)

Re: Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

:) :) :) Very Nice.... :)

Re: Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

Glad things are going so well for you, long may it last.

Nanci

Re: Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

Great to hear you are settling in so well.

Keep us up-dated on your progress :)

Re: Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

Great post Angie. So Glad you are enjoying your new life. Currumbin Wildlife sanctuary is a lovely place isn't it. The Kangaroos are so cute.

Keep in touch,

Tia

Re: Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

Can I just ask,about all the new stuff you bought,are you glad you didn't ship your own over? Have read lots on here about how expensive it is to buy new. What would you say?

Re: Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

The only things that we have shipped are our washing machine and tumble dryer and then 22 boxes ful of stuff that we wanted to bring. Kids toys, photos, some stuff that have sentimental value. We have also shipped in the boxes the microwave, pots / pans and kitchenware. This sort of stuff we now wished we had left and bought new over here simply cos you have to eat off something the same as you need something to cook in.

If you are arriving the same time as your shipment I would say yeah ok lets shipit. But we got here on the 0th Sept and our stuff arrives in Brissie port on 11th Nov approx.

The stuff we have bought over here is great. We have a huge tv/home theatre system, a really nice chocolate leather 2 & 3 seater sofas, a 6 seater dining table & chairs, a big Bosch fridge/freezer and we are really happy with what we have got. We also bought new beds when we got here cos we needed new anyhow.

basically its a case of weighing up the cost etc

Ang

Re: Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

Hi Ang

Thanks for your post - it's great to hear how folks are getting on - glad to hear things are going well for you. We're hoping to arrive in the Bayside area mid-Jan time. We are just in the process of getting shipping quotes and are starting to wonder whether we should reduce what we take and buy out there. Can I ask - did you find the costs of your new fridge/freezer, TV, beds, etc similar to what you would expect to pay here in the UK or cheaper/more expensive?

Thanks
BB

Re: Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

Glad to hear you're settling in well.

Not too sure about the cool accent aren't you guys from oop north :p :D

Re: Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

Hey matie how ya diddlin????

Yeah we are from Stoke on Trent but somepeople think I am from Liverpool (strange really seeing as we are in the middle of Birmingham and Manchester

You found a house to rent yet...

Say hi to Cas for us won't you

Ang

Re: Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

Cas is about half way to the UK by now....left at 9.30 last night!! Hope everyone waved as she flew overhead :D

Glad to see you guys are settling in up there!! Isnt the buying the new stuff fun?? Thats what we have been doing and I am glad we didnt ship everything over...

Hels

Re: Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

Doing ok thanks,we're just sitting outisde our renta (we don't move in intil Friday )and l've found a free wireless connection :D

Re: Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

mmm how jammy can you get fraser.. :p :D

Good luck on the move on Friday. We have been in here almost 3 weeks now and love it. It does feel strange tho cos its not your own. Never rented before.

have you heard anything from the in laws since things were'nt too good before you left. Is Rachel ok and the kids too how are they?

Re: Our first 5 weeks in Oz....
 

Hi Hels

For some reason I thought it was next week she went to the UK. I was only chattin to her on the MSN couple of days ago.

Yeah we did enjoy all the shopping, great to actually be in the shops that you did a virtual shop in half way around the world. We are nearly there now though just need something to put in the big green room as we call it (rumpus) Its about as big as the lounge we had back in the UK so we need some furniture in there too. We have ordered a nice sofa/bed that'll be here in a couple of weeks.

Our stuff gets to Brissie port on the 11/11 just completin all the forms today for it from Customs. :zzz:

Ang