Originally Posted by kiwi_child (Post 4254165)

Complicated is correct but none of us (as much as we love them and want to be a part of their lives) can live our lives through our kids. Nor can we decide what path they will take. You could spend the rest of your life here in perth, and they might buggar off to melb or syd for brighter lights anyway.

I know it's easier to jump a plane to the east coast than from UK to OZ, but the reality is people get on with living in their own little world.

Perhaps the kids might see moving to the UK as an opportunity to see and learn more than they would here, I mean europe would be at their doorstep, and their grandparents, etc

To spend the rest of your life in a place you feel no connection/sense of belonging with, or enjoyment in on a day to day basis, is to numb the senses and slowly kill a part of one's soul.

Originally Posted by Rosie Cheeks (Post 4254185)

Is your OH an Aussie?

The complete family unit, I will remember to use that when I speak, again, to the Hubby. I know that when the boys are old enough they will more than likely travel to live and work in the UK/Europe anyway, and where will I be, stuck here, that's where. Bloomin well hope not!

Is it better for the kids to have a happy mum who feels at home and content, or one that is enduring what she sees as some kind of prison sentence for the sake of the family, and pretending all is well? They must feel it and it can't be good for them.

My eldest is 6 and the youngest 10 months, but even so, time will fly and decisions need to be made.

Originally Posted by kiwi_child (Post 4254165)

Complicated is correct but none of us (as much as we love them and want to be a part of their lives) can live our lives through our kids. Nor can we decide what path they will take. You could spend the rest of your life here in perth, and they might buggar off to melb or syd for brighter lights anyway.

I know it's easier to jump a plane to the east coast than from UK to OZ, but the reality is people get on with living in their own little world.

Perhaps the kids might see moving to the UK as an opportunity to see and learn more than they would here, I mean europe would be at their doorstep, and their grandparents, etc

To spend the rest of your life in a place you feel no connection/sense of belonging with, or enjoyment in on a day to day basis, is to numb the senses and slowly kill a part of one's soul.

Originally Posted by tony_russell (Post 4249450)

Some go away and love it, some go away and hate it but for anyone thinking or returning to the uk who's been away a few yrs make sure you really think about what your giving up. Put those rose tinted specs away and see the UK forwhat it really is. I've lived in Oz, come back home, been out and visited, come back home and now i'm going back out again for a few yrs. England certainly isnt the place it once was, believe. There are lots and lots of problems here at the moment especially in London. Houses are very over priced, crime and violence are spiraling out of controll (if your burgled they wont even send an officer out to see you anymore!) Tony Blair and the Labour party are selling the place up the river. The NHS is joke. The building trade is getting SCREWED thanks to these total strokers in govenment and the whole country is overun with foreigners (mostly eastern european) bringing the day rates down to what they were 4 yrs ago in some trades (bricklaying, spreads, chipies, stud partitioners, dryliners) we are heading into recession an the economy is *****ed. This is the reality of life in Britian today. I love the place and it will always be my home but some of the posts i read in this forum are just totaly unrealistic, i dont think we're even talking about the same place. Who could really care less about Tesco's? eh? please. You may not like certain places or things about Oz but dont be too hard on it cos life is far harder here. I wish everone luck with their decisions butmany need to remove the blinkers.

Originally Posted by simongb (Post 4254383)

My reasons for returning are simple. I miss my family and friends. They live in the UK and I want to go HOME.

Originally Posted by BAY (Post 4253054)

'I live in a village. It's a lovely village with a proper post office, butchers, bakers, village hall, library etc etc etc.'

Hope the Post Office isn't one of the many rural ones that are due to be closed ... and really hope Tesco's don't build a store nearby which would then cause the butcher , baker and candle stick maker to close ... like in lots of other UK towns and villages :D

Originally Posted by tony_russell (Post 4249952)

I'm not knocking the NHS, well at least not the staff, my sister is a nurse. I'm saying its a joke, its run by incompetant accountants and is at breaking point through lack of investment and mismanagement of funds. Nurses are working 12hr+ shifts even though there are record numbers of nurses coming through training. They just dont have the money to pay them.
CTB, Yes London is booming for a few who live in half a dozen streets in chelsea and hamstead and earn million pound city bonuses but for the man in the street it's a differant storey. :rolleyes:

Originally Posted by denver (Post 4255456)

Totally agree with you about London, unless you are earning over 700 pounds per week in London, life will be a struggle. I cant afford to do anything intersting, have not bought many clothes this year, another weekend trapped in doors in gloomy weather. I agree with your postings Tony. People may feel more at home in the UK, miss family and friends, prefer the way and life of culture of the UK and so return, fine, but I feel my blood boiling when I read a lot of the posters slamming Oz for minor thing after minor thing. Melbourne, perth, Adelaide, Sydney are in the worlds top ten cities for living, time after time. But, no, Australia is a s***hole. I just don't get it!!

Originally Posted by HiddenPaw (Post 4251325)

Yeah, there is crap everywhere.

As for the OP, leaving the UK because of the NHS/house prices/police/government IMO is not a good reason to go, and perhaps certainly not to Australia for those reasons. Australia has the same issues - some better, some worse - plus a whole host more that you don't even realise until you get there. Better to go somewhere because you want to try something new, rather than trying to "escape" the issues at home.

PaulRach, good luck back in UK. You didn't "fail", you just tried and didn't like. How is that failing? :confused: No-one says you have to like it!

Originally Posted by denver (Post 4255485)

What are the problems that are worse?

Originally Posted by denver (Post 4255456)

another weekend trapped in doors in gloomy weather. I agree with your postings Tony. People may feel more at home in the UK, miss family and friends, prefer the way and life of culture of the UK and so return, fine, but I feel my blood boiling when I read a lot of the posters slamming Oz for minor thing after minor thing. Melbourne, perth, Adelaide, Sydney are in the worlds top ten cities for living, time after time. But, no, Australia is a s***hole. I just don't get it!!

Originally Posted by denver (Post 4255485)

What are the problems that are worse?

Originally Posted by blowfly (Post 4254078)

Wel I lived like this too.As for the post offices closing well were I live there isn't even a letter box to put your mail in for collection. I wonder what the elderley do here? In the village they could catch a bus, go to the bakers, butchers,village hall, library, church,chemist and all by themselves.:rolleyes: Haven't a clue how the poor sods get on here there isn't even a decent bus service.

Originally Posted by Lord Pom Percy (Post 4255583)

They drive , they can afford to as petrol cost half what it does in the UK.