Ah that's the bit that I missed. Just goes to show.... don't base your decisions on what you think other people want you to do.

Best of luck for your return, may you settle and enjoy your new life.

Thanks heaps for your response, I'm really sorry to hear your family left you in the lurch when you gave up everything you guys had. Sounds even worse than my situation Sometimes you feel bad or guilty about taking children away from a potential family upbringing, this is the way we felt. We were told how family could be an integral part to our sons upbringing, guilt trips offering babysitting etc, although on returning we realised after a few months the novelty factor had gone and we were on our own but now worse off!! (like u guys)

Is there no way you can re-apply for your visa? surely if you were there before does this not stand you in good stead? In answer to your question JaJ re my visas.... and if this helps you as well Mally Lash we went initially on a WHV, which I then managed to convert to a 457 while out there being in IT. My partner then got a de-facto on the back of this.

This time round we were quite lucky that my partner has a cousin in Melbourne so that, together with me being in IT has given us a second chance with a sub-class 139 skilled visa - which gives us residency.

What I would say, is check all your options, speak to a migration consultant, thats what we did and if you can potentially get in by perhaps looking at gaining some qualification or changing your profession for a few years then go for it......I'm sure if you really want something bad enough it will happen. If you want to talk more just drop me a mail, Wishing you all the best....Spencer

Thanks for that Spencer Our problem now is not necessarily immigration options, but funding. We had to sell everything there for little, having to come back in a hurry as we were told my Dad was dying and have nothing left, live in a rented house and live on minimal, it would take us years again to save to do it again

I hope you can sort your situation out though and work out what's best for your own immediate family. Why do so many of us think that because we are related by blood, we owe them everything ?

Best of luck on your return - just hoping your post doesn't attract the usual scorn that ping-pom-poms seem to have to endure on this section of BE. Some world-class haters hang out in here ...

I would say that if your partner is in IT you would be best heading for Melbourne or Sydney. The other cities will not have much to offer.

Where did you stay before?

If you fancy a house swap give us a shout, we are heading to Newbury in a few months

I read into this that the OP was looking back wearing rosy coloured specs. A bit like we remember the winters of our childhood...thick snow that went over the tops of our wellies...long hot summer days. When in reality it was not and is not like that. Over the last 2 yrs she has come down to earth for a reality check and realised that most of what she had missed was all in her imagination.

England will always be my home and I sometimes long for the day when I will be able to go back. In truth I don't know whether I could truly settle there again.

Ahh, but it was

Well, at least it was now and again.

Thanks to the OP for a good original post. I think the point that comes out of a lot of posts is to really evaluate why you want to move in the first place and then remind yourself of those reasons along the way, and especially when things get tough. Most importantly, don't make people (be they friends or family) the basis of your reasoning as you're setting yourself up to be disappointed. It's been interesting reading all the posts lately from would-be, wannabe or actual ping-pongers and I just wish I'd read them (or maybe taken notice?) before putting ourselves into that situation.

As to weather Perth or Melbourne.....haven't been to Perth, but Melbourne is great! (And I believe Woodyinoz may well have a house coming available there....)

Hey WoodyinOz!

Thanks very much for the offer, much appreciated although house swap may not be for us as as we are only looking to hopefully rent in Oz for around 6 months before buying out there and you would probably want us to be in your place a little longer than this. (our place, although we will be renting out!! may be a little small anyway as it is only a 2 bed terrace house although in a great location, very central in Newbury.)

Out of curiosity wheabouts are you in Melbourne? why are you returning? and have you thought about trying another location over there before making the big move?

I would never like to live anywhere else other than here! We are in the Dandenong Ranges in a small village called Sassafras. To us this place is perfect although many don't like the damp / cooler winters.

Our reason for returning is ( don't read this Banjo and op ) family :scared: and for some strange reason I don't want to grow old in Australia. England is home and always will be. I think that only expats can understand this. We are hoping to live in a village around Newbury. My Mum lives in Ball Hill and FIL St Marybourne. We are close to both people and although we will never live in each others pockets just to be around for the few special times a year will be great, especially for the girls.

After reading this post the thought of keeping our house here for a year as a back up seems the most sensible thing - I hope

Hi WoodyinOz,

Remember me???? We returned to the UK mid July because I was really homesick and wanted to be near family etc etc etc!!!!! To cut a long story short we came back to Oz 10 days ago for good this time. It didn't take us long to remember why we left the UK in the first place, Melbourne is without a doubt a better place for us as a family. Luckily we kept our house here and put the dog in kennels just to be sure, glad we did coz it would have been very expensive to ship everything (and the dog) back again.

How about going for a long holiday and see how you feel after a while?

Tracy

:scared:

Wow, the ping-pong rate just gets higher and higher!

Tracy, May I ask what it was that reminded you of why you left the UK in the first place? I'm interested as I was thinking about returning from Perth to (possibly) Wiltshire (that was where you were going to live, right?).

Thank you for posting. Very glad you came to a swift decision that you're happy with.

Exile

Ok we need a lot more information.... You and Banjo now really have got me :scared:

I thought that you was living with your parents. Everything sounded like it was going to be idyllic.

I just wish that I could afford that trip home to check first. One of the main problems that we have found here is that the cost of living leaves us left with nothing to save for that much needed yearly trip home.

I am pleased to hear though that you are now settled in your mind. Maybe we could catch up for a cuppa whilst we are in the same city

so did you come over on a kind of recce or was it permanent in your mind? Did you have return tickets?


Another as maybe Wiltshire is the problem! That's where we are....