Originally Posted by spouse of scouse

How exciting, I always wanted to learn to fly but couldn't afford it when I was younger and am too ancient now. My nephew's a flight instructor at Bunbury airport, he was just about to be hired for his first commercial pilot job by Cathay Pacific in Hong Kong when the pandemic hit, so that was the end of that. He's pretty happy though, instructing mightn't bring the big bucks but at least he's working and flying.

Originally Posted by Amazulu

Originally Posted by themerlin

Or flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong

Originally Posted by starlight7

Oh come back here Harri ! Start working towards it right now and that will make you feel better if nothing else. Like you I couldn’t hack the crowds in the UK and the car parking issues and just the general way of life. It is very different as you know . For a few months per year it is ok but the Winter months just drag on and on. Go for it, start looking at realestate.com.au and plan plan plan.

Originally Posted by Harri_delf

Hello everyone,

I'm new here: female, 31, Sussex born and bred, moved to Perth, WA, 10 years ago alone, got citizenship and then, guilt-ridden after the deaths of three grandparents and ageing parents, returned to the UK (Bristol) two years ago with Australian fiance (on partner visa).

We are pretty miserable here. After an initial honeymoon period of say three months, the first year was hard: money here is awful and, even though I earn about as much as I did in Aus (Project Manager in IT), it doesn't allow for decent quality of life or saving like in Australia. My partner (lawyer) took a 40% pay cut which has been devastating for him. We're horrified by the pension schemes here (no wonderful mandatory super!). Despite arriving with significant savings, we're now in debt. So much for buying our English home in 2020!

I thought I was coming back to be closer to family and friends (probably like lots of others). The reality is that life has moved on here and I'm not part of it. People have learnt to live without me and, once the initial novelty of me being back wore off, I barely see people. Even before Covid, my sister had only been to visit me once and my friends are having babies so their priorities are (rightfully) elsewhere. It actually feels very lonely because I put in a lot of effort to see everyone but it isn't reciprocated and I miss my Australian life, routine and friends (who had become my expat family). It's much worse for my partner, especially now during Covid and not being able to visit home and family.

The weather is exhausting. I hated it before and I hate it now. The winters are brutal - seemingly endless, dark, cold and miserable days, exacerbated by the lack of money. The summers are good when the sun shines - and a repetitive game of "when's the sun coming back" when it's raining.

Everywhere, even the countryside, seems to be crawling with people and cars. It's so overwhelming after years in WA. I'm a country girl and had hoped, romantically, before moving back, that we'd get a cottage in the countryside but now, I can't seem to even visit my family home without the sound of traffic on some nearby A road.

I'd wanted to be back here to have kids. The UK offers better maternity leave and undeniably better education. But now... I cannot imagine having kids here. The life here for a child compared to Aus are lightyears apart.

The natural review point for us would be the end of my partner's visa in March 2022. Having said all of this, I'm terrified of moving back to WA and having the resumption of guilt - especially because I'm worried I'll feel as though we didn't give it a "real go" because Covid interrupted what life could have been here.

Does anyone else feel the same? Did anyone else return to the UK just before Covid? How are you coping?

And has anyone else returned to the UK, thinking it would be permanent, but then gone back to Aus? How did it feel? Do you still have the guilt and what ifs?

Thanks for reading - I'm sorry it's such a long whinge.

Originally Posted by themerlin

Or flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong

Originally Posted by Thereandback

I moved back to the UK after getting citizenship. The first year was amazing and then I realised what a mistake it had been. Nobody had time for anyone and it was so negative and moaning. I had to stick at it for the kids and now after 14 years have been able to finally return (mid pandemic). I am so pleased to be here (Adelaide) just a shame not all my kids could return but at least we can have great holidays together.

Originally Posted by the troubadour

And do you find Adelaide (Australia) like you remembered? That's a considerable period away. 14 years. Just after the boom kicked off.

Originally Posted by Thereandback

I moved back to the UK after getting citizenship. The first year was amazing and then I realised what a mistake it had been. Nobody had time for anyone and it was so negative and moaning. I had to stick at it for the kids and now after 14 years have been able to finally return (mid pandemic). I am so pleased to be here (Adelaide) just a shame not all my kids could return but at least we can have great holidays together.

Originally Posted by Thereandback

It's better than I remembered. I am loving having real fresh air and seeing endless blue skies however its peoples attitudes that I am enjoying the most. I wish I had made the move back years ago or never left in the first place 🤣

Originally Posted by Amazulu

Your post reminded me of this Bill Bailey skit
https://youtu.be/V7d79Knc8p4

Originally Posted by Amazulu

Your post reminded me of this Bill Bailey skit
https://youtu.be/V7d79Knc8p4

Originally Posted by Thereandback

It's better than I remembered. I am loving having real fresh air and seeing endless blue skies however its peoples attitudes that I am enjoying the most. I wish I had made the move back years ago or never left in the first place 🤣

Originally Posted by Thereandback

It's better than I remembered. I am loving having real fresh air and seeing endless blue skies however its peoples attitudes that I am enjoying the most. I wish I had made the move back years ago or never left in the first place 🤣

Originally Posted by Amazulu

Your post reminded me of this Bill Bailey skit
https://youtu.be/V7d79Knc8p4

Originally Posted by paulry

Edit: I wonder how many of us Poms in Oz still use that stock reply....