ambermax

we are going though TRA and my wife would like to visit first and i say just go any ideas

Jane and Russ Middleton

Hi well I am the WIFE :scared: and we were in the same position I have to say that my husband wanted to just move there and I was a little anxious to say the least. I am glad we went now in March for 3 weeks and it just gives insight into the people and the feeling of the place ( no amount of research can do that).... The last thing either of you would want is any resentment after moving to the other side of the world. Also we have 2 children so I felt that it had to be the right thing to do If you can afford a visit then it is well worth it good luck in your venture
Jane

baggie

what area are you goin to settle in ?

we went on a reccie to perth in april and would say if was invaluable it as now allwed us to know which suburbs we went to live in around and let us write off 2 suburbs that we thought we would like,

you can also get a feel for places that may look good on a pc screen but not really feel good.

and also get qa feel for distances from varies places

and it allowed us to feel the laid back way of life first hand and also to see actually how beautiful wa is


hope it helped

karl

selina

hi, i posted the same question a little while ago. some people said they would not go without visiting oz and others said they would just go. personally we have decided to just go even though we have never been to oz. we can't see the point on wasting money on going to oz for 2 or 3 weeks because you really will not know if you like living there until you have lived there. in 2 or 3 weeks you cannot make up your mind and although it is a reccie you will be doing the tourist stuff which is not really what you will be doing when you move there.
we are going to use the money we would spend on a reccie on taking a couple of months of work and paying rent there for a few months. this will really give us a chance to look at different areas and time to find the right jobs and not just the first ones that comes along. we are prepared for the fact that we may not like it and may want to come back to the uk but we intend to give it at least a year there to make up our minds.
i suppose the way to look at it is - if you went to oz for a visit what would make you decide not to move there. maybe it would be that you can't find the job you want, or afford to live where you want to live or get your kids into the school you want them to go to. none of these you can really sort out on a 2 or 3 week visit and these are some of the important things, well to us anyway.
i am sure many would not go unless they had been there before and i can understand why, it is a big decision to make. but, i bet many that have been for a reccie loved it and moved there only to find out in time they really did not like it and wanted to move back to the uk. and others probably went for a reccie, moved there, loved it and stayed. others will tell you their experiences and advice but really only you can decide what is best for you.

anyway good luck and let us know what you decide to do.
selina.

noregrets

I suppose it depends on 2 things time and money. We decided not to visit having weighed up the cost and time off work it was not feasible for us. It kind of adds to the excitement too - I think you will find a mixture of opinions on this and there is no definitive answer just do what feels right for your circumstances - and good luck

george

SonicBird

We're just putting together the TRA at the moment. We're going to Brissie in July for 2½ weeks.. We want to get a feel for the place, which areas to live in, have a look at work places etc etc over there.. so I say, if you can afford to go - then GO. At least you'll know what to expect when you finally get the visa, and make the move permanently!!

ambermax

thanks selina
that's what i was try to explain to my wife

ambermax

hi karl
we were thinking of just out side perth,mandurah looks great have you heard of it

Sid-the-geordie

Hi sorry to but in, but i have just come back from Perth after visiting my Sister for the first time in 26 yrs! Always intended on visiting, but never did, we stayed in Waneroo, which I found to be a lovely town, a lot of building work going on, which suits me as a plasterer, I visited Mandurah a couple of times, and it a beautiful little place, good local beach. I have a local paper I brought back, and the job section is enormous, both North of river and south.


I am in the process of applying to the TRA, with AIAE (agent) now, as i fell in love with WA, so following your threads with interest

redlion

sometimes a vist can really help settle your mind and answer many questions, i can understand your wifes position. Its a big decision tho. good luck with it all.

Nev.

Geordie George

It's a hell of a lot more expensive to sell a house in the UK and ship all your stuff over if you then decide you don't like it and have to send everything back again! (Our shipping costs came in at over 2,000 pounds (Aussie keyboard!) for a one bedroom flat; do that back again, you've more or less paid for your reccie.)

If the move to Aus is something you want to be permanent then, in the grand scheme of things, waiting a little longer or saving a little harder in order to do a reccie surely has to be worth it? You would never consider moving within the UK without seeing the place you were about to call home; why is the move to Aus different (cost factors aside)?

Having seen a place can provide a sense of security and familiarity that is absolutely invaluable in the first few weeks after moving. It's unsettling enough to move to a new country, let alone one you've never been to. 2 or 3 weeks is certainly long enough to get an idea about areas, job prospects etc, if you use your time wisely and plan. It will provide so much information that you just cannot get from looking on t'internet; flesh to the bones and all that. I think that not seeing a place and, therefore, not knowing what to expect, means you may be more susceptible to homesickness and culture shock. And when you're going through both, feelings of wanting to go back to the UK can be strong. Why jeopardise your chance of successfully moving?

As for people that go on a reccie and return, I'd be curious to know how many don't go on a reccie and then return. Wonder if there'd be more?

But, hey, that's just my thoughts on the matter!

Good luck!

GG

Milo

I had never been to Australia before our move here. Hubby said that a holiday before our move would not show me Australias true potential, I had to trust his judgements in that respect, after all he had lived here. Now after almost two years, I kinda regret not ever having come to Australia for a holiday. I think it would have given me a better insight. I had completely the wrong idea of what Australia was like.

Australia is truely magnificent , I would have liked to have travelled around the whole country. Where as now we are working and only have a couple of weeks per year to see the country and have to save up the money to afford the travel we would like to do (Two adults and two children aint cheep on Australian wages). Granted we do live here and have many years in which to do this.

I think if you can afford the journey then go for it. It will only confirm or change the way you thought of Australia.

Only you will know the right answer to this question!

Good Luck,

Marie

aussie73

You said you had the completely wrong idea what OZ was like. Please tell us
how the reality was different from your perception , what things turned out to be different from how you thought it would be.

tessa

Save your cash for when you arrive. On a visit you will be in 'holiday mode', not working, eating out all the time and cash in your pocket.

Live the life its the only way - have a life experience. The worse thing that can happen is you dont like it and go back - LEAST YOUVE DONE IT!!!

Go 4 it!!!

Tessa (mum of 2 - Sunshine Coast)

baggie

sorry for the delay

we stayed north in joondalup we didnt venture down to mandurah furthest south we went was freemantle,

my friend has a caravan down mandurah he goes down most weekends.

we liked the feel of the north suburbs mullaloo and iluka and ocean reef were our faves,

i feel that the reccie was invaluable especially with 2 kids involved we stayed in a house in joondalup so we were'nt really holiday mode as such.

any questions just pm me i'll try my best to help you out

karl