Hi

Well we are all back from our visa trip to Oz and finally over the jetlag ! What can i say it is a fantastic country and we had a ball at times. Sydney was lovely even with the jet lag and our hotel was fantastic. We ate at several resturants but the best were Jordans in Darling Harbour and the Sydney Tower Resturant. Next stop Melbourne our apartment was supurbly placed in the centre of town. We were very lazy here and could not get into the looking for somewhere to live mode, so we just became tourists, can highly recommend the Melbourne Musuem spent a whole day in there, very interesting. Highlight of Melbourne was meeting up with Hevs and family just sorry we didn`t have more time.

Biggest stay of the trip was to be in Queensland where we stayed in Mooloolaba where i would not recommend `Sailport Apartments` the place was a hole and did not deserve the 4**** rating. For some of the time we reserached areas and schools and employment with some success. Hubbie was offered two jobs, and we found several dream houses in Little Mountain, Mountain Creek, Coolum and have to say we fell in love with Noosa.

However those that know me will be waiting for the but... our trip was not the ball or trip of a life time that it should have been. Unfortunatley our son `kevin` acted in true Kevin style and was a major pain in the arse. There is no point in listing all just suffice to say that he is 14 and not keen on the move. At one point we nearly flew home.

Our last stop was Cairns, didn`t see too much of the town as we went to the mountains one of the days. One of the days we went to the Barrier reef which was fantanstic and can defiantely recommend Quiksilver tours we all had an excellant day well three of us did ! For those in Cairns we lunched at a fantastic resturant on the Esplanade that had only been open a week called `Mangostins` it was lovely we had a three course meal with a glass of wine for $22 you must try the Kilpatrick Oysters.

To sum up i thoroughly enjoyed Australia and found everyone to be friendly and chatty, the beaches are some of the most beautiful i have ever seen. Life does seem to be more laid back than here but then we were only there for a short time.

For the time being though we will be staying here.There are a number of factors involved in this decision when we first started out houses and others items were far cheaper in Oz than there are now which could mean that the mortgage free lving may not be a possibility, which is one of the reasons to make the move. There ar other factors but i don`t want to get involved in a good/bad slanging match.

Also as life my end is never simple it would seems that a funny turn on the flight home may have been a heart attack and things like that put things very much into perspective.

So for now i am here, but in a ideal world i`d be back on a plane as soon as possible but it isn`t just about me.

footie xxx

Hi Footie

I'm glad you had a good time. I have a 14 year old too so I know EXACTLY what they are like. It sounds like you fitted a lot in in a short time.

Have you seen a doctor about your funny turn and what are they doing about it?

Is the reason for staying put at the momonet anything to do with the 14 year old, cos if it is he will live to regret it if you're not going because of him, once he does eventually emerge from the other side of teenagedom. Could he not be blackmailed into agreeing now?????

I hope everything works out the way you want it to and that you don't have any more problems in the heart area.

Lindsey

Hiya Footie!!!!!!!!!! You ok??? I hope you're feeling better

Glad you had a good trip. I know exactly how you feel with your 14 year old's behaviour....except on our validation trip the bad behaviour came from my then 10 and 7 (now 8 & 11) year olds. The first week we were there their behaviour towards us and each other was absolutely VILE. I tell you if I could have put the pair of them on a plane and sent them home I would have done. So I sympathise completely!!!!! Our then 13 year old (now 14) on the other hand was a dream to be with, fortunately he's really keen to go but he's feeling fed up at the mo as he feels we'll never get there....

We too visited Noosa and totally fell in love with the place...we stayed on Sunshine Beach...just up the road. Unfortunately we'll never be able to afford Noosa house prices tho!!!!!!

Good to see you back
Petra xx

Hiya Footie,
Glad to hear that at least some parts of the trip were great. Bet you could throttle "Kevin" but maybe time will improve him - its that age, after all!
Tell Mr Footie to take care of his health, Australia will wait, and if fate wants you to come, then you'll get here. We'l make that "Brighton Meet reunion" yet, you'll see!
Wish I was back in Sussex so I could give you a big hug.

Lots of love
Polly
xxxx

PM on its way to you as well!

Wow it certainly seems you managed to fit plenty into your trip!

Like Lindsey said, I hope you've had that 'funny turn' checked out!

Did you manage to get a word in??



Sorry Heather.

Shut it mo fo!

Sooooo sorry you're not coming over hun, we would have had a ball But i'm not suprised though by your news.

Please pm me with details about scary stuff on the plane, i'm imagining all sorts now :scared:

Hugs xxxxxx

doh! forget the last request, still havn't got used to this new fangled site

Thanks guys xx

Polly thanks for the hugs it is a strange time at the moment.

Lindsey its not me with the funny turn but it is being dealt with by the doctor at the moment.

Petra, thanks hon for the kind words. I am sorry that you haven`t heard anything yet i bet you are tearing your hair out. Noosa well will just have to keep buying the lottery tickets

Bordy got plenty of words in with the lovely Hevs and family and even had a good old natter with her mum.

Hevs will Pm you xxxx

Hi Tracie
Thanks for the PM, sorry your trip wasn't everything you wanted it to be, hope Nigel is ok. Sometime these things will sort themselves out, and what will be will be.
take care
love Yve x

Takes me back to those days in Brighton - we have all been through so much since haven't we, some public, some private. I guess this is how real friendships are made.
Look after hubby won't you, and keep us posted, we're all there for you.
Love
Polly
xx

Tracie
Hello mate. Sorry to hear about your trip. I hope that Nigel is ok.
Best wishes and hugs for you.

Take care
Debsx

Sorry Footie, my mistake, still I hope evrything turns out OK.

Lindsey

Sorry to hear your dramas. The Sunshine Coast is a great place to live, but you are right, the prices have gone up a lot and most people would find it hard to go mortgage free here.

Hope Kev cheers up soon and as they say if it is meant to be it will be.

Sorry I won't have a drinking partner up this end I was getting a bit excited for a bit there!!!

All the best and keep posting.

love xxxx