PeteY

Wierd thread i know....but i am at a bit of a loss as to what to do at the airport next week....

What i mean is, regarding the family. I would love my parents and sister to be there, and i am sure my dad and sister would be fine. My mum is my concern. When we left for aus for a year a few years back she balled her eyes out at the airport and was really upset. I hate to think what it will be like this time, could be quite traumatic, as she can be quite emotional (can't blame her, i AM lovely ).

What happened when you left? Were your rellies at the airport to see you off? Did it make it harder?

Should we get a lift from the folks to the airport? Or say goodbye at home and get a taxi there??

Pollster

I would say goodbye at home and get a taxi - it is going to be emotional enough for you leaving the country without seeing your Mum in floods at the gate - it also spares her the long journey home.

If you do it at home, you can leave her happy that she can sit somewhere she feels safe with a nice cuppa and put the telly on to take her mind off it a bit.

I think, though, it is going to be pretty galling, wherever you do it.


Good luck!

AussieinLondon

We booked a function room in a pub a few days before, had everybody round for a drink that night and snuck out of the country. Everyone respected that the last day or two were going to be pretty wierd and left us alone. We didn't tell them what hotel we were staying at anyway. Sounds wierd I know but it worked well for us. We decided it was fairest on everyone.

I think it really helped that immediate family were there and their emotions were kept in check by our friends and colleagues wishing us the best, saying it was a good idea etc.

Each to their own though.

OzTennis

Pete

Good question you raise. We've done it nearly 20 times now - from when we first moved to UK to every time we return after visiting there. It has always been the same - my parents and brothers, my nieces, nephews, aunties etc all come to the airport. Lot of tears I know but that is the way we are used to and probably prefer. I usually drive my folks car to the airport with all the luggage. I usually ring my folks before getting on the plane to make sure they have got home OK and to say a last goodbye. I also remember that telling my folks we were moving to the UK was one of the hardest things I've had to do - it's not the normal move is it?

Good luck again. It will be an emotional time for you but exciting as well for the adventure you are about to undertake.

OzTennis

OzTennis

There you go, 3 replies so far, 3 different views

OzTennis

All the best again mate.

bawi

[[

What happened when you left? Were your rellies at the airport to see you off? Did it make it harder?

Should we get a lift from the folks to the airport? Or say goodbye at home and get a taxi there?? [/QUOTE]

hi

good question!

it will be my turn tuesday in a week. mum is taking me to the airport. i said it is alright if they just want to drop me at the train station, but i will have about 50-60 kilos with me (40 plus hand luggage) and i simply will not manage by myself with changing trains.
my dad cannot be bothered, i don't think he has even realised i am leaving for a long time and i think my sister is a bit upset and does not want to see me off. she said she can't take the day off, which is fair enough, but i know she could if she really wanted to. i am not sure wether i will be sad as on this side is my family but on the other is my boyfriend waiting for me. he left about 5 weeks ago and although this is the shortest (and last!) period of time we have been separated it is still hard. there is a new house to go to, a job and so many exciting things, whereas this last year in my home country has been quite hard.
there might be tears, but probably not from my side.

Pete, good luck with your flight, you're only two days ahead of me, i think....

PeteY

Good luck with yours too. The flights horrible i have to say....but it'll be summer at the other end


Thanks for the tips so far guys....AusinLondon, like the idea, but out party is tomorrow night and i reckon a week in a hotel would use up most of our savings!!

Wifes last day at work today, which is good. I have had the past week of basically sitting down with nothing to do (hence the huge amount of posting on here!!), and the idleness has been getting to me. Next week, with sus around should be easier.

Keep the suggestions rolling in

Sandra

I grew up saying goodbye - Dad worked away alot. We said our cheerios and never went to airport, port, etc even if it meant 12/18 months etc

But husbands family didn't, so it came to airport time for AUS, we went on a mixture of both. We needed two cars for the four of us, two kids and us and cases and cases! So Hubbys best mate drove one and husbands father drove the other. My father in law was in tears at the drop off point and would not come in. Best mate got us through....then after waiting to see if we got our weight through on luggage he left...me crying and I will never forget it both the blokes!

My opinion.....do the airport alone and make it happy time for you going we had a hard time explaining to our 9 and 11 yr old this was a great move amongst the tears!

We have been back since in the time we have been here and we personally do the airport bit on our own.

Minute I get 'back' I email or phone home and shout happy - thank %^&* we made it! Cheers them up I think !!

Cheers

AussieinLondon

I really support the go-to-the-airport-alone hypothesis. You are going to feel very very weird after checking your baggage in and the last thing you want is a bunch of family, regardless of how much you love and will miss them, having hysterical fits. When we left there was an another couple leaving Melbourne permanently and they were still crying in fits and starts by the time we got to Singapore thanks to their family.

(Before you send the flames about not loving your family, that is not what I am saying.)

It's a big adventure, do it the fun way. Check in and then stroll around the airport thinking "F*** me, I don't live here anymore...".

How about a big family dinner the night before you fly out? Check your baggage in at Victoria/Paddington the next morning and spend the day in London saying goodbye to red buses etc...

chippy

Not a wierd thread at all Pete...very relevant in fact.

We will not be having anyone AT ALL to see us off...it's just too much. This is mainly due to Mrs.Chippy who finds saying goodbye overwhelming. I know it's supposed to be a happy event but we're even considering keeping the whole thing very low-key, no leaving parties or any such fanfare.

Zebra4

Don't have rellies at the airport! I grew up with goodbyes & I'm so good at hellos as a result.

We had 4 weeks of parties before we emigrated, & couldn't wait to get on that plane to sober up. It's emotionally draining & best to just get a bit more emotionally detached at the airport. Begin your new life at Heathrow or wherever. Your new friends might be the ones refusing you to recline your seat right behind you.

Just look at the farewell piccies when you arrive and enjoy. Heck, it's only a few hours before you can email everyone telling them how bleak it is anyway.

leanda

Said goodbye to my brother and his family last year at Heathrow, we were crying, they were crying, the kids were wandering around crying, everybody was trying to be brave but it was awful, when we go we want to go alone, but some people may feel that they need to see you off, you should request to people to say goodbye at home but some may need to go. Good Luck.

Badge

Me and Mrs B will be sneaking out very close to Chrimbo. No emotional goodbyes, a "see ya later" to my brother, my Dad then off to Heathrow. Last time I went to Aussie for a year, it was all matter of fact, just walked out of the house. My brother was too busy to even say goodbye.

Bloody hell. reminds me - better remind my Dad and my brother. Our mates know!

I haven't even told my mother yet - I mean she's knows we're going, but not when.

We just want to "sneak away".

Badge

Thom

HI
We are going around 2nd Jan if all goes to plan.
We have told family no one to come to Airport as dont want kids upset before a long flight and it will confuse our youngest who is just 4.
We will visit some relatives in Isle of Wight then back to say our last goodbyes to close freinds and then maybe a last meal with family (hubbys side) then leave next day from the in-laws(Maybe).
This is agreed with the family as they got upset when we went on holiday let alone emigrating!!so it makes it a bit easier for all and we will phone along our travells to reassure them all is ok.
Stopover in Singapore for few days then onto western Australia!!!YIPEEEEEE
FINGERS CROSSED OUR SALE GOES OK!!

Vicky88

I'm all for saying the goodbyes before the airport. I find it too emotionally draining to have people there to see me off. Once one person starts the waterworks it will be the end.

If you are at the airport on your own, well just the two of you, the tears will be less, and it will feel like a more positive experience that teh two of you are sharing, the start of a new life.