JustBecause

We are all of a same mind on this here! Before I moved I had a huge folder with leaflets & clippings on places to go in the UK that would have kept me going for years! Here I've been scouring tourist info, local papers, etc & only have a few choices. But I might as well make the most of it while I am here & try not to get too envious of those of you back home

St.Georges Girl

It's good to hear you sounding content Libby. I expect you'll be looking forward to Xmas this year. I envy you.

I understand what most of you are saying about there being nowhere to go, not much to do. It's the day trips to places like Warwick, Dover, Hever, Leeds Castles etc.etc. we used to miss. Then there's Legoland, Chessington, Thorpe Park, Alton Towers etc.. Museums by the hundreds. Very interesting, hands on museums at that. Canal trips and stopping off at a lovely country pub for lunch. Taking a punt down the river Cam and stopping off to have a river bank picnic. Blackberry picking in the autumn, then going home to make pies and crumbles. Day or w/e trips to France. Only 2 hours by air to Spain & the Balearics. Three or so hours to Greece and it's Islands. I could go on and on.

I used to buy a book called "Where to go with the children" every year in the UK. It was very detailed and had literally hundreds of events, exhibitions, theme parks, castles, museums, bird parks, animal sanctuaries and beautiful gardens etc. etc. listed. We were never lost for something to do, somewhere nice to go, be it summer or winter. We are here! Our son is grown up now, so we don't miss some of these things as much, but now I would like to be able to pop off to France, Dublin, Scotland, The Lakes etc. with the OH for a w/e. Instead, he works, son goes out and I find myself on the computer. We've been to all the places within a couple of hours drive, many times. We've been on so many Swan River boat cruises I've lost count. We live right by the beach, so I walk down there quite alot and, as someone has said, all the shopping malls have the mostly the same shops and I hate shopping anyway.

I don't dislike Australia, I have just had enough.

sel

You sound very "Darling buds of May" ... that was the book that my mom read when she was in Australia and it made her very homesick and she went home.

I loved that series ... old fashioned England at its best

St.Georges Girl

OMG, a blast from the past. That series made Catherine Zeeta Jones a household name didn't it?....(and gave schoolboys a wet dream)

kez81

you think?? i have been in oz 2 years and i think the restraunts are crap the service is dire foods average and ive been to many!!

sel

Thats the one ... Perfick

LIBBY

Thanks for all your replys and I hope all that are back are as happy as I am.

Dont get me wrong...Australia is lovely but its just to far away....for anyone going thinking its only a plane flight away needs to throw the rose tinted away.....you have to be a bit more realistic. its a long way away and expensive and when the homesickness kicks in, its the most debilitating emotion I have had to deal with and "just jumping on a plane" is not possible.

The food comment was a bit of a joke...not a personal attack raven. You have to admit though they are everywhere.

And yes St GG, Christmas will be so very different to last year, I cant wait, its like I am a kid again.....all the family are coming to mine and our children are so happy and excited already.

All I wanted to do with this thread is to give a bit of hope to all those that are coming back. It can work and you can be happy again

chance to be

Im really glad you seem so happy again, Libby. I remember reading your homesick posts first time around and really feeling for you, then when you said you were going back to Oz, felt for you again A lot of my situation has been very similar to yours, as were the thoughts "do I try once more again?" and I know this must have been an enormous emotional rollercoaster for you. Well now, sit back, have a good ol' cup of tea and exhale deeply
Good for you!
Best wishes
C