TraceyandPeter

.....and do many of them actually come? Reason I ask is that I can't seem to stop myself inviting eveyone who I speak to over to Oz when we get settled. Problem is there are very few people I could actually put up with staying in my house do you know what I mean?
Any horror stories anyone? I have nightmares of people turning up with complete strangers and me having to turn them away...cos' I would you know.
Tracey

Born2tri

[QUOTE=TraceyandPeter].....and do many of them actually come?

Hi Tracey,

I am just the same starting to panic even about MIL coming to stay and how i will cope with that, also i must learn to stop getting so exited about going and inviting everyone i speak to, as i then lie in bed and wonder what on earth i would talk to the postman/ringtons man/window cleaner/childrens friends parents etc about if they were to take me up on offer.

Lisa

Pollyana

Most of them won't turn up - the length and cost of the flight will put them off! This is the time when you find out who your friends REALLY are
Unfortunately some of us have married Aussies.....and now have the new family close at hand....MIL popping round for a few days whenever she likes

Mercedes

I had my mother come and stay with me for a month after 2 weeks I could have put on on the plane back LOL. Think its often better if people find their own accommodation and you meet up for visits. In that way no one outstays their welcome and can wander off on their own and you don't feel that you have to be the perfect hostess. The worst visitors I think are the ones who expect you to entertain them and feed them. I tend to show them where the supermarket is and how to use the cooker, and where to hire a car.

TraceyandPeter

[QUOTE=Born2tri] So funny Lisa you're just like me. I was thinking the other day that if everyone took me up on my offer my back garden would look like something like Glasonbury! People would be bringing their own tents. I think Pollyanna is right though, 12,000 miles would put a lot of people off. Mercedes has got the right idea....will be thinking up some good reasons why people will have to find different accomodation. Mind you I think my two toddlers would get rid of even the most annoying of guests within a couple of hours I knew they'd come in handy!

Mercedes

I stayed with a friend who didn't use her spare room very often, there was a huntsman (spider) nest in there (they seem to like dark places) and its was amazing how many damn things were on my bed one morning.
Another good way of getting rid of visitors make sure huntsmummy is having babies......especially if they leave their clothes on the floor and put them on... :scared:

possoms

some people have true friends

Pollyana

but some people also have a lot of hangers on who just fancy a free holiday! People from work that I had never even spoken to before were asking me if they could come and stay, fancying a Qld holiday! I used to mention the flight price, that sorted the wheat friom the chaff!
My true friends - one has been over twice, and is planning the third, and severak others are saving so they get a good family trip out of it

movetoperth

This past summer we had my inlaws for 3 weeks and my parents for 9 weeks, this covered the entire school holidays and i felt like i was constantly trying to entertain kids and OAPs and what one enjoys the other hates. Nice as it was to see them, it was very stressful.

This summer my brother and his wife are coming for christmas, then my parents and inlaws announced they are both coming for 2 months, but (and this is the best bit!) none of them will overlap with the others :scared: so yes..... that means that for 5 months or if you prefer THE WHOLE SUMMER someone will be visiting

Now i have laid down the law and told them they wont be staying with us, but as they are pensioners it makes it hard to say, sorry you aint staying here get yourself a rental, but for my own sanity (whats left) i feel i have to. Now that i've told them they are all happy and say they feel it will be best to have their own place, but they will still be just round the corner and expect to be entertained all the time, or maybe i just feel that i should be entertaining them all the time.

It's lovely to see them but its hard to get through to them that they may be on holiday but it's your life!!!

Good luck to all of you expecting the rellies, my advice would be if they are coming for an extended period suggest they get their own place at least for a while, for everyones sakes

Lynn

Un-Co

I love having people to stay and showing friends my new home. The cost, plus jobs, commitments, families etc makes it hard for a lot of people though. I probably have had 2-3 British visitors a year since I moved here. The more the merrier in my house!

JayneS

ive been here in Sydney for 8 months and i've had my mate, then my dad and his mate, then my sister and neices, then my mum so far - and now 2 mates booked for october, 2 for november and then i have 3 mates plus my nephew here for xmas!
it really is fab that people come and see you (and so what if its also for a bit of a holiday its just great that people come - as long as they are family/friends and not just someone you smiled at once in the street) however it is hard work as if, like me, you're at work you run out of holidays and of course its expensive repeatedly doing the tourist stuff and it can be quite stressful always having a house full.
But its nice for people to come as it also makes them understand why you actually went ahead and made this massive move when they see the kind of life you have.

Simone

When I lived here previously for 9 years, with my parents, all our direct family(grandparents, uncles, aunts) ended up coming. This is 5 uncles/aunts on one side, 4 on the other. But some came by themself(ie. no wife/husband or kids).
It was spread out though, and a few came near the end, when we had decided to go back to Holland.
Not one of my parents friends came, though they are friends with a few again now that they're back in Holland.


So far we've been here 8 months, and in December Pascal's parents came for 4 weeks. That was just long enough, and only bearable because I was working part of that time, or just avoided them by going on the computer(I'm not good at chatting to them about nothing, and the conversation was never THAt interesting! Pascal talked to them more, and did more stuff with them, but 4 weeks was enough for him too.
And now they're coming again, again in December!! Grrrr. Again in the middle of summer, again xmas and new year. I'd rather they'd come in spring or so. ANd also, it's their decision and their money, but they should spread their trips out more!
At least this time we can go to my parents with them, and they can even stay there for a few days too, because my parents are moving back here in August.

Pascal's brother still isn't even planning a trip, even though they are/were quite close, and he wants to see Australia.
He's now planning to buy a house in Holland, with his girlfriend who is still a student. First of all, I don't see how they're going to afford it in the first place, and secondly, they definetly won't be able to afford to come here if they do!


Pascal and I didn't leave any really good friends behind, so maybe one or two will stop by if they go backpacking in Oz(all in their 20's). But we're losing touch already....

A few of Pascal's relatives have said they might come, but they're all not that adventurous, so not holding my breath.

My family, as said, have all been once, though some might come again if my parents are out here again too.




Simone


p.s. I agree with others, and have heard it before: many will say they'll come, but not many will actually come.
Oh, and I think 3/4 weeks max for friends/some family, and even 6 weeks max for parents, though of course depends how close you are! But even if you are close, living on top of each other is different.
And unless they go for little trips and weekends away by themselves, you'll run out of stuff to do nearby(unless you're not working yourself, and can go further away). Pascals' parents weren't interested in going away for a week or so by themselves, but hopefully they will this time, and otherwise we'll make them! They've seem most of Perth now! (and we spent 10 days in the south west)


ok, enough blabbing by me, lunch break is definetly over, and suprisingly enough I have enough to do today

joh117

We have had 3 lots of visitors. My step brother and his mate for a week. They were no bother and as they were both chefs cooked us meals every night. They made their own way about not expecting lifts.

We then had my brother in law and his wife for 4 days over xmas and this was hard work for me and hubby. They wanted to do stuff constantly and I was and still am pregnant and found it very tiring.

Then we had my mum her hubby and my nan to stay for 3 weeks and it was great to have them. They did their own thing while I was still working then when I started my maternity leave we did things together. They put all the petrol in the car while they stayed and paid for all the food. Nan did my washing and ironing and mum did my garden. OK they were spoiling me and would not let me help as I am pregnant but we both really enjoyed all their company and the help. I was a bit lost when they first left but am looking forward to mum coming back in September to see the baby.

We have my MIL and FIL coming in June then dad coming with his wife in August and then 3 friends coming for 2 wks in November. We enjoy having the house full with people it seems empty when there is just the two of us and also enjoy discovering new parts of Victoria when we have visitors to take out and about

I would not dream of asking people to find their own accommodation. Maybe I will have changed my mind by the end of this busy year who knows

Jo

ANA123

We have had 6 lots of visitors in 14 months, 3 lots of friends and 3 family groups. The friends seem to be a lot easier and less demanding of us, the family visits were enjoyable but hard work!
We bought a house with a self-contained granny flat at the end of the garden and that has been a godsend!

Bordy

When are you due Joh? Can't be long now.