We're here!!! :)
Sep 8th 2004, 10:37 pm
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Cairns
Posts: 3,918
We're here!!! :)
Hi folks,
just a quickie,
got here saturday, flights good, probs with my visa though, due to the fact that someone else has a simlar name to me - more about that at a later date!
stopping at a resort in cairns for a month, while we search for a rental.
Got a hire car, opened a bank account, the usual stuff, been to the beach, had a bbq, and so on....
cairns is cool, we've always loved it here, so we feel we've made the right move for us, so far so good.
Will post with all the nitty gritty when i get my own 'puter,
see ya later,
just a quickie,
got here saturday, flights good, probs with my visa though, due to the fact that someone else has a simlar name to me - more about that at a later date!
stopping at a resort in cairns for a month, while we search for a rental.
Got a hire car, opened a bank account, the usual stuff, been to the beach, had a bbq, and so on....
cairns is cool, we've always loved it here, so we feel we've made the right move for us, so far so good.
Will post with all the nitty gritty when i get my own 'puter,
see ya later,
Sep 8th 2004, 11:47 pm
#2
da Bonehead
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Lion in da jungle
Posts: 22,767
Re: We're here!!! :)
Originally Posted by steandleigh
probs with my visa though, due to the fact that someone else has a simlar name to me - more about that at a later date!
Look forward to the nitty gritty
Sep 9th 2004, 12:25 am
#3
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,814
Re: We're here!!! :)
Welcome to oz, and as Box says, Bring on the Nitty Gritty!!!
Sep 9th 2004, 12:30 am
#4
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 7,834
Re: We're here!!! :)
Welcome to Oz from us in Sunny Yeppoon
Sep 9th 2004, 12:53 am
#5
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Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Edens Landing, half way between Brisbane and Gold coast
Posts: 652
Re: We're here!!! :)
Good luck leigh, glad everything ( bar the visa ) went well and looking forward to hearing the nitty stuff
Sep 9th 2004, 1:49 am
#6
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Joined: Oct 2002
Location: UK 2 Oz, Oz 2 UK, Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt!
Posts: 773
Re: We're here!!! :)
Great to hear that you have arrived!
If we can help in anyway just let us know!
Look forward to hearing some more when you get sorted.
Mandy and Ian
If we can help in anyway just let us know!
Look forward to hearing some more when you get sorted.
Mandy and Ian
Sep 9th 2004, 6:28 am
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: We're here!!! :)
Hi guys,
Good to know you arrived safely. Good luck with the first few weeks and the start of your new life.
Best wishes
Warren
Less than 7 weeks to go...........
Good to know you arrived safely. Good luck with the first few weeks and the start of your new life.
Best wishes
Warren
Less than 7 weeks to go...........
Sep 9th 2004, 8:58 am
#8
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Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Coogee, Sydney
Posts: 1,017
Re: We're here!!! :)
Glad to hear you guys made it OK (just!). 
Enjoy the settling in and looking forward to hearing how you are getting on
Enjoy the settling in and looking forward to hearing how you are getting on
Sep 9th 2004, 9:26 am
#9
life begins again...
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: doncaster..then scunny... now canberra.
Posts: 1,790
Re: We're here!!! :)
Originally Posted by steandleigh
Hi folks,
due to the fact that someone else has a simlar name to me - more about that at a later date!
due to the fact that someone else has a simlar name to me - more about that at a later date!
glad you got there safe and well, don't take too long with the details though!
have fun, relax and enjoy! you made it!!
all the best
Leigh xx
Sep 12th 2004, 9:41 pm
#10
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Cairns
Posts: 3,918
Re: We're here!!! :)
I'm back again, albeit shortly.
The visa thing was as follows:
I go to check in at Heathrow and my visa deteails kept " bouncing back" from the airlines computer. Everyones elses in our party were fine. The nice check in man at cathay rings Canberra Immigration and they say I'm good to go. Phew, had a bit of a panic on then, thought i'd be stuck in blighty permanently. No explaination why tho'
gets to HK, 5 hour stop, meet up with our family there, use the airport hotel ( v. nice BTW ), have a meal, go to board the next flight ( Cairns via Brisbane ). As before, everyone checks in fine except me,phonecalls are made to oz immigration and they let me go ( finally ), well, the rest of the whole flight was boarded by then so i did get to do a " dramatic running down the tunnel type thing"!!!!!!!
Gets to Bris, no probs, one hour and half stop, back on flight to Cairns, no probs, then I gets to Cairns - had to "have a chat" with the immigration lady there, ( the rest of my family are on the other side, having all got through ok ).
After doing checks, I'm told that someone else has a simlar name to me ( first and middle names, not surname ), which, BTW aren't even SPELT the same way, they just sound the same and they are after her for immi dodging.
Bugger, apparently, it'll prob happen everytime i go through customs, theres nothing they can do about it. Nice.
Ohwell, at least I didn't get the rubber glove treatment!!! :scared:
Apart from that, been here two days and our little boy ( aged 6 ) has already used medicare! He started throwing up when we arrive ( I personally blame the airline food ) and so we took him to the docs ($45), who referred him to Cairns hospital, he had to stay in overnight on a drip for dehydration, while they did blood tests etc. hes had a gastro bug apparently, but by next morning he was back to his old self and came home with me.
The nursing staff on the paediatric ward at Cairns were excellent, they let me stay overnight with him and were always popping in to check we were ok. The 2 docs who saw him were english, the night doc was english and one of the nurses was english, can't bloody get away from them.
Thats it for now, will be back to tell you about our house plans and everything else we've done soon,
lots a smiles,
The visa thing was as follows:
I go to check in at Heathrow and my visa deteails kept " bouncing back" from the airlines computer. Everyones elses in our party were fine. The nice check in man at cathay rings Canberra Immigration and they say I'm good to go. Phew, had a bit of a panic on then, thought i'd be stuck in blighty permanently. No explaination why tho'
gets to HK, 5 hour stop, meet up with our family there, use the airport hotel ( v. nice BTW ), have a meal, go to board the next flight ( Cairns via Brisbane ). As before, everyone checks in fine except me,phonecalls are made to oz immigration and they let me go ( finally ), well, the rest of the whole flight was boarded by then so i did get to do a " dramatic running down the tunnel type thing"!!!!!!!
Gets to Bris, no probs, one hour and half stop, back on flight to Cairns, no probs, then I gets to Cairns - had to "have a chat" with the immigration lady there, ( the rest of my family are on the other side, having all got through ok ).
After doing checks, I'm told that someone else has a simlar name to me ( first and middle names, not surname ), which, BTW aren't even SPELT the same way, they just sound the same and they are after her for immi dodging.
Bugger, apparently, it'll prob happen everytime i go through customs, theres nothing they can do about it. Nice.Ohwell, at least I didn't get the rubber glove treatment!!! :scared:
Apart from that, been here two days and our little boy ( aged 6 ) has already used medicare! He started throwing up when we arrive ( I personally blame the airline food ) and so we took him to the docs ($45), who referred him to Cairns hospital, he had to stay in overnight on a drip for dehydration, while they did blood tests etc. hes had a gastro bug apparently, but by next morning he was back to his old self and came home with me.
The nursing staff on the paediatric ward at Cairns were excellent, they let me stay overnight with him and were always popping in to check we were ok. The 2 docs who saw him were english, the night doc was english and one of the nurses was english, can't bloody get away from them.
Thats it for now, will be back to tell you about our house plans and everything else we've done soon,
lots a smiles,
Sep 12th 2004, 9:54 pm
#11
Account Closed
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: Cairns, Qld.
Posts: 2,863
Re: We're here!!! :)
Wow, I love Cairns! You are sooooo lucky!
It will literally be years before I can even apply for my visa......reading about expat adventures will have to do until then!
It will literally be years before I can even apply for my visa......reading about expat adventures will have to do until then!
Sep 12th 2004, 10:16 pm
#12
da Bonehead
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Lion in da jungle
Posts: 22,767
Re: We're here!!! :)
You should have said "I'm Stan" and there wouldn't have been any delay with IMMI
Sorry about the lad but glad he's okay now.
Look forward to part 3
Sorry about the lad but glad he's okay now.
Look forward to part 3
Sep 16th 2004, 12:03 am
#13
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Cairns
Posts: 3,918
Re: We're here!!! :)
i'm back again!
Thanks for the good wishes,
my next news - we have rented a brand new house up at Kewarra Beach - $290 a week, 3 beds, family bathroom, onsuite, all the usual goodies.
have bought a block of land - 700sq mt, also up at Kewarra Beach, will commence building after we have done our homework with the millions of various builders up here and designed the house that we really want.
have done all the usual stuff now, including tax file no's, medicare, private health, centrelink, schools, day nursery ( sorry - "kindy'!!! ), generally settling in and having a ball, all the aussies we have met so far have been great, very welcoming etc, etc.
off to buy furniture today, as we didn't bother to bring any of our own, our shipment is due to arrive on 26th october, was hoping it might be around xmas time, would have saved us heaps on xmas presents for the kids ( tight arsed git eh?!!!! ).
Erm... thats about it really, i'm sure theres loads more to tell, but i have so many to keep up to speed with our adventures that im quickly becoming a 2 second brainer as i forget who i've told what to and end up repeating myself - could be the onset of dementia.....
Any questions for those about to land etc, would be happy to answer you,
to conclude, australia is everything we expected it to be, have had no real nasty surprises as we did our homework and we are realistic in our expectations, life is good and we are very happy.
Catch you all later,
Leigh.
Thanks for the good wishes,
my next news - we have rented a brand new house up at Kewarra Beach - $290 a week, 3 beds, family bathroom, onsuite, all the usual goodies.
have bought a block of land - 700sq mt, also up at Kewarra Beach, will commence building after we have done our homework with the millions of various builders up here and designed the house that we really want.
have done all the usual stuff now, including tax file no's, medicare, private health, centrelink, schools, day nursery ( sorry - "kindy'!!! ), generally settling in and having a ball, all the aussies we have met so far have been great, very welcoming etc, etc.
off to buy furniture today, as we didn't bother to bring any of our own, our shipment is due to arrive on 26th october, was hoping it might be around xmas time, would have saved us heaps on xmas presents for the kids ( tight arsed git eh?!!!! ).
Erm... thats about it really, i'm sure theres loads more to tell, but i have so many to keep up to speed with our adventures that im quickly becoming a 2 second brainer as i forget who i've told what to and end up repeating myself - could be the onset of dementia.....
Any questions for those about to land etc, would be happy to answer you,
to conclude, australia is everything we expected it to be, have had no real nasty surprises as we did our homework and we are realistic in our expectations, life is good and we are very happy.
Catch you all later,
Leigh.
Sep 16th 2004, 12:13 am
#14
da Bonehead
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Lion in da jungle
Posts: 22,767
Re: We're here!!! :)
Originally Posted by steandleigh
have bought a block of land - 700sq mt, also up at Kewarra Beach
Blimey Stan, you don't hang around do you ?
Did you get my PM just before you left these shores ?
Sep 16th 2004, 8:59 am
#15
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2003
Location: Northern Beaches, Cairns
Posts: 167
Re: We're here!!! :)
Originally Posted by steandleigh
i'm back again!
Thanks for the good wishes,
my next news - we have rented a brand new house up at Kewarra Beach - $290 a week, 3 beds, family bathroom, onsuite, all the usual goodies.
have bought a block of land - 700sq mt, also up at Kewarra Beach, will commence building after we have done our homework with the millions of various builders up here and designed the house that we really want.
have done all the usual stuff now, including tax file no's, medicare, private health, centrelink, schools, day nursery ( sorry - "kindy'!!! ), generally settling in and having a ball, all the aussies we have met so far have been great, very welcoming etc, etc.
off to buy furniture today, as we didn't bother to bring any of our own, our shipment is due to arrive on 26th october, was hoping it might be around xmas time, would have saved us heaps on xmas presents for the kids ( tight arsed git eh?!!!! ).
Erm... thats about it really, i'm sure theres loads more to tell, but i have so many to keep up to speed with our adventures that im quickly becoming a 2 second brainer as i forget who i've told what to and end up repeating myself - could be the onset of dementia.....
Any questions for those about to land etc, would be happy to answer you,
to conclude, australia is everything we expected it to be, have had no real nasty surprises as we did our homework and we are realistic in our expectations, life is good and we are very happy.
Catch you all later,
Leigh.
Thanks for the good wishes,
my next news - we have rented a brand new house up at Kewarra Beach - $290 a week, 3 beds, family bathroom, onsuite, all the usual goodies.
have bought a block of land - 700sq mt, also up at Kewarra Beach, will commence building after we have done our homework with the millions of various builders up here and designed the house that we really want.
have done all the usual stuff now, including tax file no's, medicare, private health, centrelink, schools, day nursery ( sorry - "kindy'!!! ), generally settling in and having a ball, all the aussies we have met so far have been great, very welcoming etc, etc.
off to buy furniture today, as we didn't bother to bring any of our own, our shipment is due to arrive on 26th october, was hoping it might be around xmas time, would have saved us heaps on xmas presents for the kids ( tight arsed git eh?!!!! ).
Erm... thats about it really, i'm sure theres loads more to tell, but i have so many to keep up to speed with our adventures that im quickly becoming a 2 second brainer as i forget who i've told what to and end up repeating myself - could be the onset of dementia.....
Any questions for those about to land etc, would be happy to answer you,
to conclude, australia is everything we expected it to be, have had no real nasty surprises as we did our homework and we are realistic in our expectations, life is good and we are very happy.
Catch you all later,
Leigh.
Glad to hear you have settled in so well and that you are enjoying life in Oz so far.
Myself and Lee have been here almost 6 months now and the time has really flown in. My sister is coming to stay with us for an extended holiday (until April), her flight arrives in Cairns in 9 hours... not that I am counting or anything! I cannot wait to see her!
We are also living at Kewarra Beach so if you fancy meeting up some time, PM us and we'll arrange a little 'Cairns get-together!!'
All the best,
Joanne