Gazzap

Well....after basically losing 1 whole year of my life due to the above, we took a 'plan B' type option of converting our visa to state sponsored, even though we were told that our chances were 'doubtful at best'.
Someone must have been looking down upon us as we got accepted and fly out to Perth ONE WAY on 30th October!!!!!
We're so happy!!!!
Good luck to any other of the Jan 2007 stragglers, I hope you all get what you dream of.
Gaz

MarkMC

nice one well done Gaz,

Rosscarbery

Great new Gazzap - it will be worth it in the end

The_Effys

That's great news

We have been here nearly a year now & I will say it hasn't been easy, but we have not looked back & we love it here

Hope it all works out for you,

Chris

Gazzap

Cheers all. :-)
Chris- I see we will be near neighbours soon...
Gaz

The_Effys

Hi Gaz, where are you staying? Are you renting first? We've been lucky to get a good rental. We have now put a deposit down on a block of land & just need to pick a house to go on it

You'll love it down this way, although the peeps in the Northern Suburbs will say the same

Chris

Gazzap

Hi,
We have short term (3 months) rental in a Rockingham house, then will look for long term rental in PK or SH. No plans to buy in the near future- dependant on the UK versus Oz housing markets...
We loved the SOR/Fremantle/Mandurah area when we visited a few years back, so looking forward to it!
Gaz

The_Effys

Good luck with it all Gazzup, only a week to go now. If you are stuck for internet then try joining Warnbro Library, it's free use of computer, they do charge a little for printouts but it's not much. Used it quite a lot when we first got here!
All the best, Effy

Gazzap

Yes 7 days- NOT enough!!! Panic stations!!!!

Good info about the library, thanks.
Gaz

The_Effys

Yeah, I know what you mean, you eventually run out of time to say your good bye's & are worried that you may miss someone, I take it everyone has been inviting you out for 1 last dinner or 1 last drink!

It is getting a lot warmer now, watch out for any meet ups in Kings Park, it's a good way to meet new friends & reassures you that you are not alone & that there are lot's of families all going through the same thing

We stayed in Port Kennedy for 1st week we were here then Warnbro for next 7 & eventually found a rental in Secret Harbour. Have you been before?

Let me know if you need any info, about shops, areas or whatever,
have a good flight,
Effy

Gazzap

Packing!!!! That is the main bugbear at the moment.:curse:

Cheers for the all info most welcome. Do you still go to any meetups yourself, or do you drift away after a while?
The Missus and I lived in Oz 14 years ago (backpacker, visa overstayers!), been to Perth (on honeymoon) for a short while in 2001, where we spent most time from Fremantle to Mandurah.
Can't wait to be back!
Gaz

The_Effys

I'm afraid we have drifted away I think perhaps when you have made a good network of friends you start to miss more & more meet ups. Also I know I used to be on this site 24/7 it is very useful, but then you get settled, get a job & now I am very rarely on the site(I am on Facebook 24/7 now )
It's good that you have been here before, it can be quite a culture shock to the uninitiated, no matter how much research you do on the net! Saying that we came for a 3 week recce back in 2004 & we still spent a whole day in shock when we landed last year

Do you have any kids? if so they will love the parks & beaches, plenty of them It is raining at the mo, but hopefully the sun re-appear by the time you get here
Effy.

Gazzap

Sounds like you are making a great life for yourselves, thats why you are away from the meets etc- good on ya!
We have 2 daughters 5&7, they are 100% focused on Dolphin spotting!
Gaz