Brisben

[QUOTE]Well I've been back in Blighty 2 weeks now.

I feel kind of trapped indoors. The idea of the type of outdoor activities that I have grown used to are not particularly inspiring here.

On another positive note ... I've been offered a job in Halifax (hence the trip) earning practically double what I get in Sydney and with much better prospects. But do I exchange my life in Sydney for a good well paid job in Halifax?

But will I regret it from a career and financial perspective? Or will I regret staying from a fun lifestyle perspective?

QUOTE]





To be honest in my opinion, earning the bucks and creating a better career, whats your goal for doing this ? It is to earn more money and have a better lifestyle I presume ? I used to earn more money in the UK and had more disposable income, but still had a crap lifestyle, that trapped indoors feel you have now !

I gave it all up moved to Australia, I have a little less money but my lifestyle is hugely better, one i couldn't afford in the UK. I would be spending all the hours working to earn enough money to enjoy myself.

From what you say, you will be living to work if you move back to the UK. What kind of life is that. I reckon you will be bored to death within two months.

Obviously it is your decision and everyone prefers one place or the other, if they way the pro's and con's up, but overall your happiness and life fulfilment is most important. It sounds to me like you already know the right answer but need reassurance.

Go one head back to Sydney !!

livinginreality

[QUOTE=Brisben;8136462] How many hours a week do you work now mate?In Oz?The reason I ask is because my OH and I both work 37.5 per week,we're working class folk and have more than enough money between us to have a fab life.We also spend more time outside here than we ever did in Oz.

DadAgain

Interesting to hear your dilema. I'm possibly about to face a similar pull:

I just got a call back from a potential employer in Nottingham.

The job sounds interesting and pays significantly more than I'm on now (and thats a UK 37hr week with 25 days leave vs AUS 55hr week and 16 days leave). - Potential downside is occasional travel required to NZ - which although sounding exotic and no doubt good for frequent flyer points would get tiring pretty quickly!!

The wife has expressed a desire to live in the UK at least for a while and give it a try - and I'd love to get the girls into UK schools (particularly our youngest who would have to wait 2 more years before starting full time 'prep' in Brisbane but would start full-time school in UK in September)

I've had a look at housing costs in the area and f*&k me I could live in a mansion in the UK (at least in the East Midlands) these days for the rental I'd get on my Brisbane house!

So I'm seriously considering persuing this... The question is what costs am I miscalculating? Is there ANYTHING in the UK (besides petrol) that costs more than it does in Australia?

Nottingham isnt exactly where my family are located - but being a 3 hour drive away is hell of a lot closer than a 26 hour flight!

Any other bad points I'm missing?

LCT

Thanks so much everyone for all your input. Its great to get the views of some other folk who have had similar experiences.

When I try to talk to anyone here in UK about the way I feel about certain things they tend to look at me a bit blankly .

Dunrovin - I would love to be able to ask work for a year off however I'm still on a month by month contract with them after 2 years of working there. There is always a permanent job just around the corner - its happening in the New Year now apparently. I just have no idea what the job title, salary etc will be. So I guess in that respect if I turn down a great career opportunity here and the permanent job in Sydney never eventuates or isn't what I had hoped for then I might be disappointed to say the least.

However I suspect that deep down a lot of my motivation is income related. I just want to work 9 - 5 and get paid lots of money so I can enjoy life outside of work .

I see my life in Sydney as being more fun than a life here. At least at this stage in my life. But probably because of the way I've been brought up and the fact that all my family and friends here are married and settled down and quite high achievers, to be seeking "fun" instead of career feels a little irresponsible? And I panic that if I don't get my career back on track in the near future I will never be able to get back into it again in the future ... if I decide I want to.

I rent in Sydney and can't see myself being able to afford a house or even something like a car there in the near future. But here I could get such things almost straight away. Although I do have to admit that not having to worry about career, money, houses etc is quite liberating!

Family - I miss them heaps when I'm in Oz. But lets face it if living here I wouldn't really see them all that much. Maybe once a month for a day or a weekend. Things may change in the future if nieces and nephews come along or as parents get older but I realise I would never be able to commit to anywhere "forever" as I need the freedom of knowing that I can change my mind if I want to. I would worry though about getting back into a well paid career if I had spent too much time having fun!

Isn't a girl supposed to be settled and behaving responsibly and with direction at the grand old age of 34?

DadAgain - there are certain areas in Nottinghamshire that are lovely. Transport is more expensive as is eating out I would say. And possibly things like council tax (although I've never had to pay rates in Oz so don't know that much about it). I'm a bit out of touch about life here actually and its only been 3 years.

The middle of winter may not be the best time to relocate even if you do get a real Christmas in the middle of it!

When did life get so complicated ?

lauralollipop

I'm 34 and if I were suddenly 'single' again I would be right back on plane to UK, its easier to meet men there, and there are more of them

Mummy in the foothills

Agreed
I also like the idea of seeing family only once a week or so for dinner or a coffee instead of being in each others homes for weeks/month at a time when visiting. I think I've seen more of my Mum in the last 2 years during her visits here and mine to her house (hour for hour), than I have since I lived with her as a child. I love to go back to having my own place and her in her own and meet up.

lilybilly101

I totally agree and look forward to that too. To have friend and family over for the evening or a weekend is so much better than a 'full on' visit which can be wonderful with the right people but can be a real strain with others. I also found I needed to stop work entirely when visitors came to show them a good time so it always cost a great deal. On the good side I have enjoyed many visits with my mum and lots of friends that have been real quality time together. I also loved showing them what I used to really enjoy about being here. It helped remind me of fonder times.

brits1

[QUOTE=Brisben;8136462] My Oh works longer hours at work here in Aus.........we find life here in Australian expensive and that is because we do...lol...did enjoy eating out....going to our local Pub instead of drinking at home...which most people do here......we enjoy buying quality clothes...that last...and that can be expensive....we enjoy going on holiday overseas to experience different cultures.....even a holiday in Aus is expensive and we have also travelled around Aus...yes we can cut back on all of that as we are not "over the top" kind of people...but then why should we....a friends son went back to Northants for a holiday he also travelled overseas while there and around the U.K which he arranged all of this himself...saved up for nearly 2 years..he said, when back in Aus that he had a fantastic time (as you do on holiday)and that he came back to Aus with an extra suitcase full of things he had bought.....and money left in his wallet which he found amazing as all the brits he knew here said it would cost him a great deal to holiday in the U.k and Europe. Some people will never agree with what is expensive etc...as we all see things differently and that is why I would not just choose where to live mainly on other peoples say so....we all live differently,spend differently..life really is about what will make you happy and you can only really do that by trying "things out" and if it's not right....then hopefully you can move on and find what does..

lauralollipop

Agree totally I am already stressing out about Christmas, I spend the whole time cant wait to see them, then they all arrive and after a few days I am worn out and fed up of trying to please them all, house a mess and all on top of each other, we still have to work etc.. but they are all on holiday. Then I wish they would all bugger off - then they do and I am gutted and feel guilty about wishing they were gone when they were here Ye I would love to just be able to visit people for the day or the arvo and then be back hom without the feasco of staying in each others houses for weeks at a time - VERY stressful
I have 13 for xmas dinner this year and they are all DEMANDING a traditional xmas dinner!!!!!

lilybilly101

Maybe try roast kangaroo if you can fit it in the oven, that way they won't ask for it ever again! So, is that all family visiting you or have you created a wee Brit community there? Last year I had my gorlfriends over from the UK and it was bliss. It snowed through the night on Xmas Eve so when they woke up there was powdery snow everywhere. It was really a magical Xmas. We have no visitors this year......boo hoo.

spaniola

what a good thread

Lothianlad

It's been the wettest Novermber on record in some places, especially in the north and west, with very serious fooding in Cumbria, in particular - over 200mm of rain in less than 24 hours and a police officer was drowned trying to rescue people. Bridges were very badly damaged/destroyed in the floods.

That was the bit of this - and now in December the bit of that is frost on some mornings. The Met Office forecasters "promise" the winter in the UK will be "milder than normal" - so with their past forecasting record in mind* the best advice is to stock up on anti freeze and dig out your sledges from the back of the garage.

*In April they forecast a "barbecue summer in the UK". If you like your barbecues in pouring rain under leaden grey skies and in 12C temperatures then that would have been OK for you in June and July. But to be fair August and September were quite dry and sunny in many parts of the UK though (away from western Scotland and Northern Ireland where it continued wet and windy) but not really hot....just warm.

Nu-Shooz

Ever thought of being a weatherman.

Cheetah7

Laura I would tell them that traditional xmas dinner is out and you are ONLY serving seafood, BBQ stuff and salads but they are more than welcome to check in at a local hotel.

Draw up a rota and delegate cleaning duties - tell them 'I prepared lunch so you guys can clean up'

As for alcohol, do a kitty and ask everyone to chip in. Dont let them stress you out, its your house and not theirs, you are in control and they have to respect that.

Pollyana

Quite right too, make sure they all take a turn at doing stuff, and don't go paying for everything!

I'm so lucky with Christmas this year I think, I shall just sit here on my own and do whatever I want to do. Several people have asked me to join their families, which is really nice of them but I really am not a Christmassy person and would feel out of place anyway. My mate is working part of it and will have other places to be for the rest of it, so it'll be just me and the scrawny bush turkey that wanders round the garden. Just like being back home - except for the gawd-awful heat