Not here twenty years, but joined I believe back in 2008. I don't write much anymore and at times don't even bother to view the forum at all for extended periods. It does appear over recent years that such forums are past
their prime.

Changed my mind? Well changed my perception Of Australia from being somewhat dull in places, but a reasonable easy life to a position of deep angst as to where this nation is heading from up close experiences to where it is at present. A recent visit to UK/Europe was a breath of fresh air escaping present surroundings which are far from ideal. The greed and criminal activity that has engulfed this country over recent years is most concerning. Worse the inability/ desire to tackle prevailing issues so prominent, WE should all be asking ourselves questions and demanding answers from our politicians into the state of affairs that have arisen. Hardly the most healthy of environments. .

I agree just back one week after several weeks away but not all in UK. While not quite in tears, I had a dread to return to Australia knowing what I'd be likely facing. A feeling never experienced previously returning to Australia, but then not been out since 2017 and a new awareness has dawned since then. While it hasn't been the best of summers , I've no problem with moody weather . It was baking hot in Greece anyway. Things that do concern me though is NHS. and the wait to see a doctor. Not sure how it is in Cambridge, but a mix of comments when inquired in various places. So very tempting though to get as far away from here as possible , even looked at price of apartments in Southern Europe.

Sounds like you have some decisions to make, I wish you well with that and hope you end up a in place that suits you

Although I don't like hearing about people being unsettled, I almost wish more people could experience this dread. Its what I felt after every trip home to the UK since at least 2006, and yet its not something that most posters on here ever believed was real.

I think it often boils down to what is "home". When we first emigrated to Hungary (after years of either working or holidaying here) the monent we got into the taxi from Budapest airport, I felt, I knew, I was home - ten years on I feel the same. Bizarrely, returning to the UK for 36 hours last year really felt like I was in alien territory!

Admittedly economics had no part to play which obviously changes things a bit.

It is more for environmental reasons with activities going on around me than vague emotional aspects for the reason of my unsettlement. I'm not naive to the point of seeing there are some serious issues in UK than require careful consideration as to any move back there.
It is a pointless exercise to go into detail with regards to what is wrong with Australia, beyond saying, it would be fair to say I hold grave concerns for the future of this country with the road it has chosen to take and the numbers going along with it for personal gain. We are in a precarious part of the world in regards to illegal activity and a willingness to take full advantage of the situation at hand. The results further deminish the livability for those of us attempting to conduct our affairs in a more traditional way, if I can put it like that.

Alien territory? I get that feeling in Australia these days.

You can do that!

All done now

Hope all goes well and you are soon enjoying weddings and holiday’s both here and overseas.

Makes perfect sense and resonates strongly with some of my underlying feelings about Aus before I left.

Hard to really define what makes somewhere feel like "Home" really, isn't it. I just knew every time I came back to the UK it elt likke I belonged here, and returning to Aus always had an associated feeling of dread.
When I finally came home last year, I knew I was "Home" as soon as I set foot in Heathrow, and it was just an overwhelming sense of relief & familiarity.

Sadly in my case at least it is far beyond feelings. Many, if not most will be fully versed into what I refer. Care? Probably not.

Not sure that it is hard. It is the sense of having faith in the accountability of authority, people who can relate to, a sense that life exits beyond money(especially ill gained) , feeling safe in own house, knowing the law will be respected by enforcers, Probably all insignificant things to many on such threads, but still can't help in thinking the end toll will be severe.

We had some fab homes and lived in very nice areas and also our sons grew up in Aus so have plenty of excellent memories but no matter how hard we tried to feel Aus was home it never happened, it’s like forcing yourself to fall in love with someone I suppose if you don’t click you more than likely never will, I love living on our Island with its history, invention, countryside, peoples, it’s this that makes me feel home.

You're quite right, very hard to define but if it feels like home, then home it is.