ABC,

I should have said...

As we had only just got here we couldn't Medicare cards until we proved to the Medicare people that we had made a commitment to stay in Australia. We had to show them things such as proof of job, home address as well as obvious things such as passport and visa. Even though we were able to show them all that, we still couldn't get the cards as we hadn't enrolled my son into a school - we couldn't as they were on the term holiday at the time.

Despite our pleading with them we were forced to pay all the medical expenses ourselves - GP, X-Rays and Orthopaedic Surgeon. A tidy sum. Once we eventually received our Medicare card we were able to claim some of the costs back.

It was all an unpleasant experience though... and our first introduction to Australian bureaucracy.

I'm not sure if this kind of thing is typical though - we have lived in Australia before and thought it would be a simple matter of renewing our Medicare card.

Should have know better... after all this is Australia

This sounds like bad luck, I just went into Medicare with passports and that was all that was required

They get funny if you have left Australia and come back. The best thing to do is never mention that you have left the country.

Most things I miss are trivial but I guess if you can't have somthing you want it all the more.

Apart from the usual stuff family etc. I really miss soaking in the bath reading crappy Sunday papers.

Miss not being able to get from A to B at a reasonable speed.

NHS! being diabetic I get prescriptions etc free. Here its a scary amount of cash.

I even miss the grumpy staff at the local Spar shop. I am sick of the false "how you going" mlarky,

But as Dotty said, no doubt when I leave here I will miss somthing about the place.

Little muddy footpaths with styles and small green farmers fields.

Country lanes with trees overhanging the road.

My family & friends (number one by far, but i can't be arsed to move it to the top...this lists not in order ok!!)

Proper beer....aussie stuff (some of it) is great, but still can't match proper british ale.

The crunch sound frosty grass makes.

Footie.

Rugby (not the league sh*te...)

Rock climbing without having to practically run up the crag because the rock scalds!

Lots of other things. Nearly all trivial, nearly all material. Miss them enough to make me stop and think about it, not enough to want to rush home. Family and friends....thats the only thing i truely miss.....

Friends and familarity. Doesn't sound a lot, but it feels a lot!

1. Getting soaked wet through going from the house to the car. It's always raining in the UK.

2. Waking in the morning thinking it's night time but finding out it's 8am , because it's the winter.

3. Paying so much for petrol

4. Standing in a queue at a supermarket checkout

5. Waiting 5 years for an Operation

6. Living in a house thats no bigger than an average Aussie shed.

7. Travelling for 30 min to go 2 miles

8. Not being able to get to work on time by public transport

9. Hearing your neighbours (oh err!!) next door because the walls are so thin.

10. Being mugged when going to the corner shop to buy a newspaper

"Take me home country roads, to the place I belong"

lol lovl lol lovl lol lovl :scared:

Firstly, i miss friends and family...
You cant meet people here who will replace people youve know for 20years or so.

Kebab vans at 2am....

Being able to play the xbox without the controller getting sweaty after 5 minutes...

The country....its way better than the bush...

Tescos...

Tv adverts for proper stuff and not the local hoover shop...

Eastenders....They show the bill so why not Eastenders?

Grey sky....ok maybe i dont miss that!

I miss a decent wage for a decent days work...

Been here nearly a year now and its still difficult getting used to everything. I think even after 5 years it will still be hard. Dont get me wrong , i love it here, but they do seem to be living in the dark ages a little!!

glad someone else has noticed this about the dark ages. It's like they have some great ideas with some things and then are so backward with others.....like internet access. Can't stand having to pay monthly fee on top of call charges. Far to used to Freeserve.

Strange that......and Broadband is a novelty aswell!!
And they only just launched cherry coke!!
I was working over here in retail and not one store has a staff room or toilets!!
I thought they were required by law in England but no one here seems to mind!!??!