Excellent thread.

I cannot wait to be home in Scotland. Not that anything is wrong with Melbourne, or Australia for that matter.

It's just that I love my homeland, and it's where I belong.

Plus have came up against a few minor(ish) things here that made me think "hang on, there's no rewards here for us."

My wife is Australian, and having spent a year travelling around here in 2002 she wanted to come back and live here for a bit, although she is from Perth originally.

I think, and also hope, that her rose-tinted spectacles are finally starting to come off.

I will be crushed if I have read her wrong, as here are some of the things I am missing already, and have only been away since April:

Driving. I had a full licence in the U.K., but Vicroads only gave me a probationary one here because I only passed my U.K. test in Feb 2005. They said I would have to display P-plates for 2 years (aye, watch me). Or I suppose I could sit my test again. But with the price of used cars, the cars on offer, no bendy roads, and the excellent public transport in Melbourne, I think I'll pass.

Belonging somewhere. Although I miss friends and family, I don't believe you should ever move back purely because of people. It will just be great to walk into a pub back home and get some banter. Humour is pretty thin on the ground here. Plus I won't have to speak in a posh Ewan McGregor-type accent to be understood.

You know what, I've changed my mind listing things. I'll be here all day. I have work to do (off a sort).

Best wishes to all of you who are in the midst of, or planning to resettle in the U.K.

Hope to join you sooner rather than later!

April mate - that's not too long.
I've only been away for 14 months myself so I'm no expert but I found the first phase up until Christmas last year very hard. Then when I went home I really didn't want to come back here, but since then it has gotten better.
I still want to go back one day myself - sooner rather than later but right now isn't the right time (UK house prices and exchange rates are seeing to that).
I think if you stick it out a bit longer things will get easier, and putting together a plan for moving, meaning that you can go back on your own terms will also help.

Good luck

Just wanted to say this thread is v reassuring!! I am in NZ and have been here for 3 yrs with a Kiwi partner and we are going back to UK in March to live in Brighton and can't wait!! I had a miscarriage a couple of months ago and it brought it home to me how far away I am from people that really count for me. We are going back to get married and hopefully have a family near my friends and family. Its weird though - feel more apprehensive about going back to UK than I did leaving which is bizarre as lived there most of my life!! Guess its just a worry that I have rose tinted spectacles on and that hubby won't like it or that house prices will cripple us!! But roll on March I say!

nice one....cant wait to hit home....5 and half weeks and counting!!!

hello Leeds girl!!! we too from Leeds (pudsey)...we would love to go back to Leeds if we do decide to go back, nothing wrong with the place here but gotta go where the money is for us. I like threads like this where everyone has something nice to say about UK as it is such a great place to live. Like they say here...it's only bad if you make it bad.

Hello Pudsey, I grew up in Roundhay!

Hi There,

Just wanted to say we are in the same situation as you. After 4 years in NZ we are going back later this year, once we sell our house. It is very true what you said about coming to live in NZ. We had no hesitation whatsoever about making the move. Returning to the UK has made us feel very wary, despite having lived there for 32 years!! I do think much of it has to do with the media etc... Bad things happen in NZ (in fact I have seen more crime here than I ever did in the UK). I think in NZ they tend to focus on the positives instead of the negatives. I love Brighton and there is lots to do there. We Have not decided where to live yet. We have lots of options regarding work etc.., just need to find the right balance. Whereabouts in NZ are you?

Mandy

Hi ya - yes I think the UK media has a lot to answer for with lots of Brits wanting to move away cos of perceived crime and so on...like you I think its pretty much the same here - my mother in law's car got tagged a couple of nights ago and we live in very quiet neighbourhood!! I am in Green Bay nr New Lynn / Titirangi. I love the area but just find NZ a bit too quiet for my liking and my partner is keen to try UK especially for work and to have Europe on the door step. We are actually going to try and rent our house out and rent in UK just in case we want to come back. Don't think we will but it will give us some breathing space. We are lucky in that if we decide to sell I have in-laws who could oversee it for us. Where are you from in UK?

We are from London originally, although we lived on the Suffolk/Cambridgeshire border before coming to NZ. It is probably a good idea to rent your house out, especially if you have relatives to oversee it. Will you rent in the UK? Rents there tend to be higher than mortgages at the moment (from what I've seen on the internet, especially for us because we need a large house with 4 children). Has your partner ever been to the UK?

Mandy.

HI - yes bit worried about rents over there...we are initially staying with my dad so thats easy but not sure how long will last there!! we will only need to rent a 2 bed flat I guess initially but will want a house at some point and that will be when we have to sell our house here I guess. Although house prices in the south - east are crazy!! the one downside to the UK compared to here is the size and price of house! We are going to try for another baby when we get back so that may speed our decision up I guess if it happens quickly!! Yes my partner has been over - his dad is originally from the UK and has been over once as a child and twice as an adult - once last year with me to visit Brighton - wanted to make sure he liked the area before shipping him half way round the world!!

What are your reasons for going back?

You should be home by now, hope everything is going well.

Good luck on settling back in. York is great -good choice. So important to get the location right. It makes all the difference.

Hi there,

Lots of reasons for going back. We have enjoyed living in NZ and the children have had a wonderful time here. I just hope we are making the right decision, but we always have the option of returning. Isolation is one of the main factors for us returning. NZ is just so far away from the rest of the world. I do enjoy travelling and the cost/length of time to get anywhere is too great. It's only once you are here you realise how far away it is.

Education. Although my children have been doing really well here, I don't feel they 'push' them enough. They are all really bright children and take part in extension classes etc... but they still crave more stimulation. I hope they will have a broader education and more opportunities.

I am looking forward to the English countryside and all the quaint little villages. The scenery here is stunning, but I love all the old buildings etc..
I will miss the beaches and coastline here and the clear blue waters.

Lots more opportunities for my husband regarding work. Although he has a very good job here, there are so many opportunities back in the UK now. He finds the work in his industry much more professional back in the UK. he has already been offered a number of senior positions, which is great, with lots of benefits attached!! Unlike here where you get hardly anything!

Supermarkets and decent shops. The lack of choice here really does get to you after a while. I find lots of shops sell crappy things. Trying to get decent fruit, that after 2 days is not off, or a punnet of cherry toms (that cost $9 in my local supermarket) and my children can easily eat 3/4 of these a week.

I noticed after having my fourth child (the only one born in nz), how Little choice there was here and the cost of everthing. We went on holiday to the USA earlier this year and I went mad shopping. There was just so much choice. My children and husband thought I was crazy (probably am with 4 kids) wanting to walk around shops and supermarkets at midnight!

These are just some of the things I am looking forward to leaving behind. Despite everything we have had a good time here and I have no regrets about what we did. I think we have all benefited enormously from our experiences and at least the children are having an interesting childhood and are seeing lots of the world.

We just need to sell our house (in fact we have an open home in a few hours, so I will be cleaning after this posting).That will be my only regret leaving my lovely house behind. The house we will probably get in the UK will only be half the size! My parent's are coming for a visit at the beginning of November, so hopefully we can be back in the UK at the end of November, Just in time for a proper Christmas (probably all squashed in a room somewhere!) Christmas here does not feel the same.

What are you looking forward to about going back and when are you hoping to be back in the UK?

Mandy.

Hi Amanda,

Well I am looking forward to lots of the same things as you to be honest. I love the fact that in the UK you can hop across to Europe relatively cheaply and America isn't that far...we have been to Vanuatu from here but it was v expensive really for what it was. I love the countryside and beaches here I don't think I want to spend the rest of my life holidaying in Taupo/ Rotorua etc.

I miss the villages at home and the South Downs and being able to walk across farm land which you can't do here. I am also looking forward to being able to go to a bar on the beach!! Kiwis would be horrified!!

I also miss the choice of food in the supermarkets and the lack of organic food available. Last week I was in New World and the checkout lady actually questioned me when I bought an organic broccoli! Why would I want to do that when it was double the price of a normal one....waay behind on that side of things here...

I also miss the lack of choice in shops for clothes. When I was pregnant I started to look at maternity clothes and realised that there is so little choice here...

I am looking forward to more job opportunities and a bit more disposable income - my friends here with kids just seem to survive whereas my friends in the UK seem to have enough to go on the occasional holiday or go out for the night - babysitters on tap helps too...

I also miss the vibrancy of the UK...although when I get to the UK I will probably miss the relaxed atmosphere here!

But most of all I think I am looking forward to being close to family and best friends again...

BUt I don't regret living here - I believe it makes you a much more rounded individual to move out of your comfort zone....so great for you kids in that respect.

Also I want my kids (when I have them) to benefit from a UK education and have the choice of more universities/ colleges etc..

We are off in March sometime - my dad is coming over in Dec which was already arranged and my partner wants to spend some time with his parents who are quite elderly before we go. Also with the wedding in April we probably won't start work til after that so need to keep working as long as possible.

Good luck with the Open Homes!

Caroline

Just to say, pleased all is going well in the Uk and nice to read that you have no regrets.

Not much longer now and i will be on my way too.
At first i was dreading it but now that it is drawing closer, I am getting quite excited.

Whisky