Dorothy

I remember booking our flights. I did it all on the Air New Zealand site but our credit card wouldn't let us make such a large payment so had to go to the travel agent to get the actual tickets. As the agent was putting all the info into the system I was sitting there thinking "what the hell am I doing?" When it came time to actually hand over my bank card for her to make the payment I had about 30 seconds of hesitation before I decided what to do. I must say, though, driving home with the tickets and new suitcases in the car was almost as exciting as walking around with the visa grant letter in my bag.

chris and farideh

Fantastic news, but I tell you one night isnt enough in singapore too much too see, too much to do, & its dead cheap, we did 4 nights we felt that wasnt enough, so you've been warned.

johanne

All the best for your new life down under pp and partner....

sasbear

Karma sent PP

It is so full of highs and lows - but then so is life.

You are embarking on the next stage of a wonderful adventure - there are no rights and wrongs just lessons to learn and life to live.

I wish you all the very best for your future down under

OzzieNurse

I know just how you feel honey....I miss my mom too, she is still with me but it is such a huge distance and we dont get to see each other which really hurts. Don't give a toss about my dad he stopped giving a toss when I was born. I panicked when I booked my flights and instantly thought 'oh my god what have I done' it's so final and after all that time waiting it is scary.
I am glad I took the plunge, I am loving it here. Only thing that would make this place perfect for me would be to have my mom here with me. But that will never happen sadly.
Better go have a little munchkin splashing around in the bath....bath? well two inches of water in any case! I miss my big baths and so does my son.

Anyway hang on in there its been a long journey and now it is almost happening at last! Good luck honey! xx

thewoodz

sorry i missed this at the time

but its about time. Great big hugs and congrats to you both!!!!

its a very scary yet exciting time ahead of you but when it gets too much just remember to breathe!!

bridie

Oooooooooooooooooooh how exciting..... all booked eh?!

Are you still coming to WA?

If I didnt have two cats already I'd offer to look after Gordon for you (I am remembering right that Gordon is a cat arent I - baby brain and all that... )

Cheetah7

Gordon is indeed the cat. The very cat Im praying for a financial miracle so we can at some point export him.

I truly believe that noone can love him or understand him the way in which we do.

The way Abdel dangles his elbow at the side of the chair, inviting Gordon to do an attack on him, with furious kicking of Gordons back legs and trying to fit hubbys whole arm in his mouth.

The way Gordon WILL get a towel down from the top of the door and very quickly and quietly shred it in pieces.

The way Gordon will thunder up and down the stairs with a large blackbird feather in his mouth, making as much noise as a small child.

Well it aint over till the fat lady sings so to speak, and I havent even started to sing yet.

We shall see what happens!

Gobbyjock said she will meet me at Perth airport

Mind you, I got to my station this morning and saw my commuter friends and my bloody eyes filled up with tears. I have read about people becoming emotional once they booked the flights and always thought 'it will never happen to me'.

Well I was wrong and it is. Im starting to notice everything around me. How nice the man in the corner shop is, the man who sells my tickets for the train -Ive known him years and Im even starting to love Coronation Street.

Yet Im eaten up with excitement at finally meeting you guys in Perth - how screwed up am I at the moment

We need a 'psychology thread' so we can all pour out our emotions and someone can pretend to be the shrink to make us all better, and we really should get a leather couch like they do in films.

bridie

we'll have to organise a bit of a meet up once you arrive as I've still to meet quite a few people (ohippy, gobbyjock etc.)

Cheetah7

God can you imagine us lot all meeting up!



We land at 1535 in Perth so Im hoping our jetlag wont be too bad. I always seem to get it but figured the later we land, it wont be such a long day to try and stay awake.

Clippy

Woohoo it's so exciting! Congratulations!! Yippeeee!!!

We tried 3 times to book our tickets the weekend, first of all the website had a turn as I clicked the book it button and it wouldn't work. Second time I must've clicked the wrong flight and we put all our passport details and that in again and then saw the price, fainted, recovered, realised it was the wrong date and had to cancel it. Third time we got all the way through, shaking a little by now, then it said this booking will be complete in 90 seconds..........5 MINUTES LATER!!!! I'm thinking oh my god this is an omen, we're not meant to go, just about to scream and it went through and we got our emailed tickets a milli second later

Can you believe after months of people asking me when we're going not one bugger has asked me since I booked the flights

Cor it's a right mixed bag of emotions this emigration lark.

Hutch

Gotta spread the karma before I deliver a mucky load in your inbox, Sam.... but a million congratulations.

Cheetah7

One of my friends always said we would never go and how everyone says they will migrate to Oz. When I told her the other day, she went very very quiet.

Sometimes I wonder if by emigrating and making such a dramatic change in your life, you are giving those around you an uncomfortable reminder about something?

Kooky.

Hi PP, I live in Singapore.

Depending on your transit time you could stay at the airport, at the Changi Village Hotel which is not too far from the airport, or in the city itself.

We've stayed at Changi Village - the rooms are small but fine for a short stay and the spa and pool are very nice. (We couldn't spare the time to go away but just needed a break from the city.)

Somebody mentioned the Swissotel Merchant Court - we stayed there for a fortnight when we moved here. Unfortunately it's now been engulfed by a huge shopping mall but it's still a nice hotel with a great pool and convenient for tons of restaurants and bars.

You could also look on asiarooms.com or asiatravel.com for pretty good deals. Hotels are cheap compared to the UK but expensive for Asia. I would just caution you if you are considering a Hotel 81, Fragrance Hotel or any in Geylang. A lot of them are rent by the hour.

Oh and congratulations. I remember that feeling very well although we only had 6 weeks from the start of the process to moving. Exciting but scary.

Cheetah7

Does it affect our increased luggage allowance if we actually leave the airport in Singapore?

We were planning on just staying at the Transit Hotel so we dont have to clear customs.