Been back to the UK for a visit
Oct 1st 2006, 7:38 pm
#1
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Been back to the UK for a visit
Just got back from the UK where we went for a 3 week visit courtesy of Krisflyer at Singapore Airlines. I felt that we had to go back and visit with a view of returning before we actually took the plunge. Fortunately we had enough frequent flyer points to do this.
Did a road trip of 1200 miles to visit friends and places, and these are just some of my experiences. Please forgive me if it makes no sense - I am very jet lagged hence the ridiculous time of this post (4am started).
Flew into Manchester and met up with the in-laws. They live in Poynton, Cheshire. I have no intention of moving to the same town as my in-laws, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that we could still afford to buy a house there - i.e. 2 bed for under 150k, and that it was commutable into Manchester. Stopped in a deli for tea and scones, and had a pleasant firendly conversation with the proprietor. Ironically his father lives in Sydney. Stopped in a clothes shop and had another pleasant friendly conversation with the shop assistant. Ironically, her sister lives in Australia. I enjoyed this time in the town - it was nice to see that people were still happy and friendly. As we expected, our son absolutely loved being with his grandparents and playing with his cousin.
The weather was gorgeous, of course it was just like that to woo us back again! I was hoping that it would rain more though, so that I could get a better impression of my feelings after 3 days of rain - I really like the rainy days in Sydney which I know is going to sound strange! I haven't got over the UK feeling of having to get outside and do something if it is sunny, so of course with its 314 days of sunshine last year, I found it difficult to stay indoors and do the house things that need to be done!
Had an incident with the MIL, who to cut a long story short went missing overnight to be found the next day stuck at the bottom of a ditch. The police were called and I have to say that I was impressed by their actions - I had thought they would just have said OK, we have it on record, if she is still missing in 24hours then call us back. But no, they were on the case immediately doing house calls and taking the police dog around, and were just about to get the search helicopter going when she was fortunately found. She is fine BTW, cuts bruises and mild hypothermia, now OK.
Left Poynton a day late because of this incident. Were supposed to have gone to Bristol/Bath to have a look around as this is where we think we want to go back to, but had to skip that part of the trip unfortunately.
Drove to Plymouth where my family is. Quite a painful trip with our little guy sat in the back saying "I don't want to go to other grandads house, I want to go back to grandads house" (but of course soon stopped that when we got to other grandads house!). Also saying "I'm finished in the car now mummy"!!
No noticable change in the state of the traffic on the roads - still too many HGV's, and v. congested around Brum. Petrol obviously v. expensive - £50 to fill up the car. Some big changes in Plymouth - rebuilding half of it from what I could see! Hopefully the result will be good for the city. Had a delicous sunday roast at a real pub with real beer! That was fantastic. One of the things I like about visiting my family in Devon is that because it is a tourist destination, there are lots of things to do there with young children. Found that we could afford to buy a nice house there, but the lack of suitbale jobs means that we can't.
I really loved seeing my family again, and Laurence did too. But if course the day came when we had to leave, and that was harder than ever - I'm sure it gets harder each time, probably because my son is more aware of things now and that he understands that he isn't going to see them again for a long time.
Went to Bournemouth to stay with friends. Really nice to see them they hadn't changed much in the last 2 years, and they were really supportive about the prospect of us returning to the UK. Didn't like Bournemouth much though. Nice beach, but the people we encountered weren't too friendly, more of a stand-offish attitude than the people we had encountered in Stockport and Plymouth. Obviusly we may have just encountered the wrong people! A few houses within our price bracket there, but not sure what those areas must be like!
Then went to High Wycombe to stay with some more friends, and had a great time there too. Have been to High Wycombe previously but didn't realise how close to really nice countryside it is. Couldn't really afford to live there.
Then went to Cambridge. By this point, poor old Laurence wsa getting a bit fed up with moving places every day and meeting new people. "I want to go back to grandads house" he kept saying, by this point not caring which of his grandads houses it was! I like Cambridge, but the city is the university, which was fine when I was part of it (did a masters there), but now that I am not, I wasn't sure that I would like to live there again. Can't afford a house there anyway.
Then to Derby to stay with an old university friend who is still living like he did at university some 10 years ago! Didn't like Derby, the people we encountered were rude and the headlines on the local newspapers were just terrifying! The whole place had a run down feel to it. Needless to say, we can afford lots of houses there.
Then up to York where my sister lives. York is of course lovely, but the road system seemed to be unnecessarily confusing. My sister isn't well - suffers from depression and anxiety attacks. It was really hard to see her. She was supposed to be coming down to PLymouth when we were down there, but had another depression attack and couldn't make the trip. We were sure whether we could see her at all as she was just crying on the phone and saying that she didn't want to see anyone. So I went alone to see her and she was OK, but it was hard only seeing her for such a brief time and feeling helpless to do anything to make her feel better. Can afford some houses in York.
Then into Manchester itself which doesn't seem to have changed much. Still vibrant with a sharp edge to it. Piccadilly station has changed quite a bit, and the tram system grown. Have to say that it wasn't very informative for non-Mancunians, and the trams were tiny and infrequent at rush hour. I had to wait for at least 20 minutes for a tram to Altrincham to come along and then it was jammed packed after only 2 or 3 stops. Expensive too. People were friendly and cheerful. Can afford a house in Manchester.
Then finally back to Poynton via Whitchurch (yes I know it wasn't really on route). Other half's sister lives in a derelict 17 bedroom georgian mansion house in Whitchurch so we went to inspect progress. They have been living there for about 5 years now, and have moved into 3 rooms now! Absolutely fantastic house with obviously lots of potential, but not sure I could live like that for that long! They will not have finished rennovating it for at least another 10 years I guess. Can't afford a mansion house in Whitchurch, but could afford something. Not sure I liked it there though - had a bit of a stuck-up feel to it with unhelpful staff in the shops we went into - wanted a swimming costume for a 9 year old girl, not a hard task I thought....
There we have it. The biggest downside (after the cost) of making the trip to visit is the trip there itself - the first time we flew over it was exciting. Then each time after that it has been harder and harder, partly because our son is growing up and getting more active which is hard on a long plane trip. But also because we know what to expect from the trip now. One thing I will not miss from lving in Australia is the journey to and from the UK. I have not changed my mind about wanting to go back, rather affirmed it. We thought that in moving to Australia we would be giving our son a better life, but what we now realise is that what he needs right now is lots of loving interaction with more than just my husband and I. Interaction with our friends here is not the same as with his family. He was thriving on the attention that his grandparents, aunts and uncles were giving him, and it gave my husband and I a well needed rest too. We will not be living in the same place as our parents and do not expect them to babysit all the time, but it will be very nice when they do!
Did a road trip of 1200 miles to visit friends and places, and these are just some of my experiences. Please forgive me if it makes no sense - I am very jet lagged hence the ridiculous time of this post (4am started).
Flew into Manchester and met up with the in-laws. They live in Poynton, Cheshire. I have no intention of moving to the same town as my in-laws, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that we could still afford to buy a house there - i.e. 2 bed for under 150k, and that it was commutable into Manchester. Stopped in a deli for tea and scones, and had a pleasant firendly conversation with the proprietor. Ironically his father lives in Sydney. Stopped in a clothes shop and had another pleasant friendly conversation with the shop assistant. Ironically, her sister lives in Australia. I enjoyed this time in the town - it was nice to see that people were still happy and friendly. As we expected, our son absolutely loved being with his grandparents and playing with his cousin.
The weather was gorgeous, of course it was just like that to woo us back again! I was hoping that it would rain more though, so that I could get a better impression of my feelings after 3 days of rain - I really like the rainy days in Sydney which I know is going to sound strange! I haven't got over the UK feeling of having to get outside and do something if it is sunny, so of course with its 314 days of sunshine last year, I found it difficult to stay indoors and do the house things that need to be done!
Had an incident with the MIL, who to cut a long story short went missing overnight to be found the next day stuck at the bottom of a ditch. The police were called and I have to say that I was impressed by their actions - I had thought they would just have said OK, we have it on record, if she is still missing in 24hours then call us back. But no, they were on the case immediately doing house calls and taking the police dog around, and were just about to get the search helicopter going when she was fortunately found. She is fine BTW, cuts bruises and mild hypothermia, now OK.
Left Poynton a day late because of this incident. Were supposed to have gone to Bristol/Bath to have a look around as this is where we think we want to go back to, but had to skip that part of the trip unfortunately.
Drove to Plymouth where my family is. Quite a painful trip with our little guy sat in the back saying "I don't want to go to other grandads house, I want to go back to grandads house" (but of course soon stopped that when we got to other grandads house!). Also saying "I'm finished in the car now mummy"!!
No noticable change in the state of the traffic on the roads - still too many HGV's, and v. congested around Brum. Petrol obviously v. expensive - £50 to fill up the car. Some big changes in Plymouth - rebuilding half of it from what I could see! Hopefully the result will be good for the city. Had a delicous sunday roast at a real pub with real beer! That was fantastic. One of the things I like about visiting my family in Devon is that because it is a tourist destination, there are lots of things to do there with young children. Found that we could afford to buy a nice house there, but the lack of suitbale jobs means that we can't.
I really loved seeing my family again, and Laurence did too. But if course the day came when we had to leave, and that was harder than ever - I'm sure it gets harder each time, probably because my son is more aware of things now and that he understands that he isn't going to see them again for a long time.
Went to Bournemouth to stay with friends. Really nice to see them they hadn't changed much in the last 2 years, and they were really supportive about the prospect of us returning to the UK. Didn't like Bournemouth much though. Nice beach, but the people we encountered weren't too friendly, more of a stand-offish attitude than the people we had encountered in Stockport and Plymouth. Obviusly we may have just encountered the wrong people! A few houses within our price bracket there, but not sure what those areas must be like!
Then went to High Wycombe to stay with some more friends, and had a great time there too. Have been to High Wycombe previously but didn't realise how close to really nice countryside it is. Couldn't really afford to live there.
Then went to Cambridge. By this point, poor old Laurence wsa getting a bit fed up with moving places every day and meeting new people. "I want to go back to grandads house" he kept saying, by this point not caring which of his grandads houses it was! I like Cambridge, but the city is the university, which was fine when I was part of it (did a masters there), but now that I am not, I wasn't sure that I would like to live there again. Can't afford a house there anyway.
Then to Derby to stay with an old university friend who is still living like he did at university some 10 years ago! Didn't like Derby, the people we encountered were rude and the headlines on the local newspapers were just terrifying! The whole place had a run down feel to it. Needless to say, we can afford lots of houses there.
Then up to York where my sister lives. York is of course lovely, but the road system seemed to be unnecessarily confusing. My sister isn't well - suffers from depression and anxiety attacks. It was really hard to see her. She was supposed to be coming down to PLymouth when we were down there, but had another depression attack and couldn't make the trip. We were sure whether we could see her at all as she was just crying on the phone and saying that she didn't want to see anyone. So I went alone to see her and she was OK, but it was hard only seeing her for such a brief time and feeling helpless to do anything to make her feel better. Can afford some houses in York.
Then into Manchester itself which doesn't seem to have changed much. Still vibrant with a sharp edge to it. Piccadilly station has changed quite a bit, and the tram system grown. Have to say that it wasn't very informative for non-Mancunians, and the trams were tiny and infrequent at rush hour. I had to wait for at least 20 minutes for a tram to Altrincham to come along and then it was jammed packed after only 2 or 3 stops. Expensive too. People were friendly and cheerful. Can afford a house in Manchester.
Then finally back to Poynton via Whitchurch (yes I know it wasn't really on route). Other half's sister lives in a derelict 17 bedroom georgian mansion house in Whitchurch so we went to inspect progress. They have been living there for about 5 years now, and have moved into 3 rooms now! Absolutely fantastic house with obviously lots of potential, but not sure I could live like that for that long! They will not have finished rennovating it for at least another 10 years I guess. Can't afford a mansion house in Whitchurch, but could afford something. Not sure I liked it there though - had a bit of a stuck-up feel to it with unhelpful staff in the shops we went into - wanted a swimming costume for a 9 year old girl, not a hard task I thought....
There we have it. The biggest downside (after the cost) of making the trip to visit is the trip there itself - the first time we flew over it was exciting. Then each time after that it has been harder and harder, partly because our son is growing up and getting more active which is hard on a long plane trip. But also because we know what to expect from the trip now. One thing I will not miss from lving in Australia is the journey to and from the UK. I have not changed my mind about wanting to go back, rather affirmed it. We thought that in moving to Australia we would be giving our son a better life, but what we now realise is that what he needs right now is lots of loving interaction with more than just my husband and I. Interaction with our friends here is not the same as with his family. He was thriving on the attention that his grandparents, aunts and uncles were giving him, and it gave my husband and I a well needed rest too. We will not be living in the same place as our parents and do not expect them to babysit all the time, but it will be very nice when they do!
Oct 1st 2006, 7:57 pm
#2
Bitter and twisted
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Upmarket
Posts: 17,503
Re: Been back to the UK for a visit
Originally Posted by Mummy
Then to Derby to stay with an old university friend who is still living like he did at university some 10 years ago! Didn't like Derby, the people we encountered were rude and the headlines on the local newspapers were just terrifying! The whole place had a run down feel to it. Needless to say, we can afford lots of houses there.
...I would not take much notice of it.Up here where I live (near to Matlock) it is lovely.
Good luck
G
Oct 1st 2006, 9:47 pm
#3
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Was Sydney, now Somerset
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Re: Been back to the UK for a visit
Originally Posted by Grayling
The Derby Evening Telegraph comes from the same school of reporting as the Daily Mail ...I would not take much notice of it.
Up here where I live (near to Matlock) it is lovely.
Good luck
G
...I would not take much notice of it.Up here where I live (near to Matlock) it is lovely.
Good luck
G
Oct 1st 2006, 9:57 pm
#4
Bitter and twisted
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Upmarket
Posts: 17,503
Re: Been back to the UK for a visit
Originally Posted by Mummy
I lived in Derby for a year, in Mickleover and it was OK there - I'm sure outside of the city itself it is lovely!
I was born in Mickleover
G
Oct 2nd 2006, 12:20 am
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2003
Location: Bagworth, Leics. UK
Posts: 270
Re: Been back to the UK for a visit
Originally Posted by Grayling
I lived in Littleover for 12 years. Moved away about 12 years ago.
I was born in Mickleover
G
I was born in Mickleover
G
Oct 2nd 2006, 7:43 am
#6
Pass The Post
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: Ping Ponged York via Melbourne and now pinged to Ferny Hills, Brisbane
Posts: 1,177
Re: Been back to the UK for a visit
Been from York I can agree the road system is rather confusing but as its my home city I know it and am used to it. I think that in its defense it has to work with what it has inherited over the many years and planning restrictions will not allow it to change. It is deffo not as easy to get around like Melbourne was for instance. But I love been back its like a toy town with its narrow streets!
Jo
Jo
Oct 3rd 2006, 9:07 pm
#7
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Joined: Jul 2004
Location: Perth, WA
Posts: 743
Re: Been back to the UK for a visit
Originally Posted by Grayling
The Derby Evening Telegraph comes from the same school of reporting as the Daily Mail ...I would not take much notice of it.
Up here where I live (near to Matlock) it is lovely.
Good luck
G
...I would not take much notice of it.Up here where I live (near to Matlock) it is lovely.
Good luck
G
Let me guess, what paper do you read ? Does it begin with the letter G ?
Oct 4th 2006, 11:50 am
#8
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Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Mandurah WA
Posts: 1,395
Re: Been back to the UK for a visit
Originally Posted by Mummy
Just got back from the UK where we went for a 3 week visit courtesy of Krisflyer at Singapore Airlines. I felt that we had to go back and visit with a view of returning before we actually took the plunge. Fortunately we had enough frequent flyer points to do this.
Did a road trip of 1200 miles to visit friends and places, and these are just some of my experiences. Please forgive me if it makes no sense - I am very jet lagged hence the ridiculous time of this post (4am started).
Flew into Manchester and met up with the in-laws. They live in Poynton, Cheshire. I have no intention of moving to the same town as my in-laws, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that we could still afford to buy a house there - i.e. 2 bed for under 150k, and that it was commutable into Manchester. Stopped in a deli for tea and scones, and had a pleasant firendly conversation with the proprietor. Ironically his father lives in Sydney. Stopped in a clothes shop and had another pleasant friendly conversation with the shop assistant. Ironically, her sister lives in Australia. I enjoyed this time in the town - it was nice to see that people were still happy and friendly. As we expected, our son absolutely loved being with his grandparents and playing with his cousin.
The weather was gorgeous, of course it was just like that to woo us back again! I was hoping that it would rain more though, so that I could get a better impression of my feelings after 3 days of rain - I really like the rainy days in Sydney which I know is going to sound strange! I haven't got over the UK feeling of having to get outside and do something if it is sunny, so of course with its 314 days of sunshine last year, I found it difficult to stay indoors and do the house things that need to be done!
Had an incident with the MIL, who to cut a long story short went missing overnight to be found the next day stuck at the bottom of a ditch. The police were called and I have to say that I was impressed by their actions - I had thought they would just have said OK, we have it on record, if she is still missing in 24hours then call us back. But no, they were on the case immediately doing house calls and taking the police dog around, and were just about to get the search helicopter going when she was fortunately found. She is fine BTW, cuts bruises and mild hypothermia, now OK.
Left Poynton a day late because of this incident. Were supposed to have gone to Bristol/Bath to have a look around as this is where we think we want to go back to, but had to skip that part of the trip unfortunately.
Drove to Plymouth where my family is. Quite a painful trip with our little guy sat in the back saying "I don't want to go to other grandads house, I want to go back to grandads house" (but of course soon stopped that when we got to other grandads house!). Also saying "I'm finished in the car now mummy"!!
No noticable change in the state of the traffic on the roads - still too many HGV's, and v. congested around Brum. Petrol obviously v. expensive - £50 to fill up the car. Some big changes in Plymouth - rebuilding half of it from what I could see! Hopefully the result will be good for the city. Had a delicous sunday roast at a real pub with real beer! That was fantastic. One of the things I like about visiting my family in Devon is that because it is a tourist destination, there are lots of things to do there with young children. Found that we could afford to buy a nice house there, but the lack of suitbale jobs means that we can't.
I really loved seeing my family again, and Laurence did too. But if course the day came when we had to leave, and that was harder than ever - I'm sure it gets harder each time, probably because my son is more aware of things now and that he understands that he isn't going to see them again for a long time.
Went to Bournemouth to stay with friends. Really nice to see them they hadn't changed much in the last 2 years, and they were really supportive about the prospect of us returning to the UK. Didn't like Bournemouth much though. Nice beach, but the people we encountered weren't too friendly, more of a stand-offish attitude than the people we had encountered in Stockport and Plymouth. Obviusly we may have just encountered the wrong people! A few houses within our price bracket there, but not sure what those areas must be like!
Then went to High Wycombe to stay with some more friends, and had a great time there too. Have been to High Wycombe previously but didn't realise how close to really nice countryside it is. Couldn't really afford to live there.
Then went to Cambridge. By this point, poor old Laurence wsa getting a bit fed up with moving places every day and meeting new people. "I want to go back to grandads house" he kept saying, by this point not caring which of his grandads houses it was! I like Cambridge, but the city is the university, which was fine when I was part of it (did a masters there), but now that I am not, I wasn't sure that I would like to live there again. Can't afford a house there anyway.
Then to Derby to stay with an old university friend who is still living like he did at university some 10 years ago! Didn't like Derby, the people we encountered were rude and the headlines on the local newspapers were just terrifying! The whole place had a run down feel to it. Needless to say, we can afford lots of houses there.
Then up to York where my sister lives. York is of course lovely, but the road system seemed to be unnecessarily confusing. My sister isn't well - suffers from depression and anxiety attacks. It was really hard to see her. She was supposed to be coming down to PLymouth when we were down there, but had another depression attack and couldn't make the trip. We were sure whether we could see her at all as she was just crying on the phone and saying that she didn't want to see anyone. So I went alone to see her and she was OK, but it was hard only seeing her for such a brief time and feeling helpless to do anything to make her feel better. Can afford some houses in York.
Then into Manchester itself which doesn't seem to have changed much. Still vibrant with a sharp edge to it. Piccadilly station has changed quite a bit, and the tram system grown. Have to say that it wasn't very informative for non-Mancunians, and the trams were tiny and infrequent at rush hour. I had to wait for at least 20 minutes for a tram to Altrincham to come along and then it was jammed packed after only 2 or 3 stops. Expensive too. People were friendly and cheerful. Can afford a house in Manchester.
Then finally back to Poynton via Whitchurch (yes I know it wasn't really on route). Other half's sister lives in a derelict 17 bedroom georgian mansion house in Whitchurch so we went to inspect progress. They have been living there for about 5 years now, and have moved into 3 rooms now! Absolutely fantastic house with obviously lots of potential, but not sure I could live like that for that long! They will not have finished rennovating it for at least another 10 years I guess. Can't afford a mansion house in Whitchurch, but could afford something. Not sure I liked it there though - had a bit of a stuck-up feel to it with unhelpful staff in the shops we went into - wanted a swimming costume for a 9 year old girl, not a hard task I thought....
There we have it. The biggest downside (after the cost) of making the trip to visit is the trip there itself - the first time we flew over it was exciting. Then each time after that it has been harder and harder, partly because our son is growing up and getting more active which is hard on a long plane trip. But also because we know what to expect from the trip now. One thing I will not miss from lving in Australia is the journey to and from the UK. I have not changed my mind about wanting to go back, rather affirmed it. We thought that in moving to Australia we would be giving our son a better life, but what we now realise is that what he needs right now is lots of loving interaction with more than just my husband and I. Interaction with our friends here is not the same as with his family. He was thriving on the attention that his grandparents, aunts and uncles were giving him, and it gave my husband and I a well needed rest too. We will not be living in the same place as our parents and do not expect them to babysit all the time, but it will be very nice when they do!
Did a road trip of 1200 miles to visit friends and places, and these are just some of my experiences. Please forgive me if it makes no sense - I am very jet lagged hence the ridiculous time of this post (4am started).
Flew into Manchester and met up with the in-laws. They live in Poynton, Cheshire. I have no intention of moving to the same town as my in-laws, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that we could still afford to buy a house there - i.e. 2 bed for under 150k, and that it was commutable into Manchester. Stopped in a deli for tea and scones, and had a pleasant firendly conversation with the proprietor. Ironically his father lives in Sydney. Stopped in a clothes shop and had another pleasant friendly conversation with the shop assistant. Ironically, her sister lives in Australia. I enjoyed this time in the town - it was nice to see that people were still happy and friendly. As we expected, our son absolutely loved being with his grandparents and playing with his cousin.
The weather was gorgeous, of course it was just like that to woo us back again! I was hoping that it would rain more though, so that I could get a better impression of my feelings after 3 days of rain - I really like the rainy days in Sydney which I know is going to sound strange! I haven't got over the UK feeling of having to get outside and do something if it is sunny, so of course with its 314 days of sunshine last year, I found it difficult to stay indoors and do the house things that need to be done!
Had an incident with the MIL, who to cut a long story short went missing overnight to be found the next day stuck at the bottom of a ditch. The police were called and I have to say that I was impressed by their actions - I had thought they would just have said OK, we have it on record, if she is still missing in 24hours then call us back. But no, they were on the case immediately doing house calls and taking the police dog around, and were just about to get the search helicopter going when she was fortunately found. She is fine BTW, cuts bruises and mild hypothermia, now OK.
Left Poynton a day late because of this incident. Were supposed to have gone to Bristol/Bath to have a look around as this is where we think we want to go back to, but had to skip that part of the trip unfortunately.
Drove to Plymouth where my family is. Quite a painful trip with our little guy sat in the back saying "I don't want to go to other grandads house, I want to go back to grandads house" (but of course soon stopped that when we got to other grandads house!). Also saying "I'm finished in the car now mummy"!!
No noticable change in the state of the traffic on the roads - still too many HGV's, and v. congested around Brum. Petrol obviously v. expensive - £50 to fill up the car. Some big changes in Plymouth - rebuilding half of it from what I could see! Hopefully the result will be good for the city. Had a delicous sunday roast at a real pub with real beer! That was fantastic. One of the things I like about visiting my family in Devon is that because it is a tourist destination, there are lots of things to do there with young children. Found that we could afford to buy a nice house there, but the lack of suitbale jobs means that we can't.
I really loved seeing my family again, and Laurence did too. But if course the day came when we had to leave, and that was harder than ever - I'm sure it gets harder each time, probably because my son is more aware of things now and that he understands that he isn't going to see them again for a long time.
Went to Bournemouth to stay with friends. Really nice to see them they hadn't changed much in the last 2 years, and they were really supportive about the prospect of us returning to the UK. Didn't like Bournemouth much though. Nice beach, but the people we encountered weren't too friendly, more of a stand-offish attitude than the people we had encountered in Stockport and Plymouth. Obviusly we may have just encountered the wrong people! A few houses within our price bracket there, but not sure what those areas must be like!
Then went to High Wycombe to stay with some more friends, and had a great time there too. Have been to High Wycombe previously but didn't realise how close to really nice countryside it is. Couldn't really afford to live there.
Then went to Cambridge. By this point, poor old Laurence wsa getting a bit fed up with moving places every day and meeting new people. "I want to go back to grandads house" he kept saying, by this point not caring which of his grandads houses it was! I like Cambridge, but the city is the university, which was fine when I was part of it (did a masters there), but now that I am not, I wasn't sure that I would like to live there again. Can't afford a house there anyway.
Then to Derby to stay with an old university friend who is still living like he did at university some 10 years ago! Didn't like Derby, the people we encountered were rude and the headlines on the local newspapers were just terrifying! The whole place had a run down feel to it. Needless to say, we can afford lots of houses there.
Then up to York where my sister lives. York is of course lovely, but the road system seemed to be unnecessarily confusing. My sister isn't well - suffers from depression and anxiety attacks. It was really hard to see her. She was supposed to be coming down to PLymouth when we were down there, but had another depression attack and couldn't make the trip. We were sure whether we could see her at all as she was just crying on the phone and saying that she didn't want to see anyone. So I went alone to see her and she was OK, but it was hard only seeing her for such a brief time and feeling helpless to do anything to make her feel better. Can afford some houses in York.
Then into Manchester itself which doesn't seem to have changed much. Still vibrant with a sharp edge to it. Piccadilly station has changed quite a bit, and the tram system grown. Have to say that it wasn't very informative for non-Mancunians, and the trams were tiny and infrequent at rush hour. I had to wait for at least 20 minutes for a tram to Altrincham to come along and then it was jammed packed after only 2 or 3 stops. Expensive too. People were friendly and cheerful. Can afford a house in Manchester.
Then finally back to Poynton via Whitchurch (yes I know it wasn't really on route). Other half's sister lives in a derelict 17 bedroom georgian mansion house in Whitchurch so we went to inspect progress. They have been living there for about 5 years now, and have moved into 3 rooms now! Absolutely fantastic house with obviously lots of potential, but not sure I could live like that for that long! They will not have finished rennovating it for at least another 10 years I guess. Can't afford a mansion house in Whitchurch, but could afford something. Not sure I liked it there though - had a bit of a stuck-up feel to it with unhelpful staff in the shops we went into - wanted a swimming costume for a 9 year old girl, not a hard task I thought....
There we have it. The biggest downside (after the cost) of making the trip to visit is the trip there itself - the first time we flew over it was exciting. Then each time after that it has been harder and harder, partly because our son is growing up and getting more active which is hard on a long plane trip. But also because we know what to expect from the trip now. One thing I will not miss from lving in Australia is the journey to and from the UK. I have not changed my mind about wanting to go back, rather affirmed it. We thought that in moving to Australia we would be giving our son a better life, but what we now realise is that what he needs right now is lots of loving interaction with more than just my husband and I. Interaction with our friends here is not the same as with his family. He was thriving on the attention that his grandparents, aunts and uncles were giving him, and it gave my husband and I a well needed rest too. We will not be living in the same place as our parents and do not expect them to babysit all the time, but it will be very nice when they do!
Loved reading your adventure back in the UK.
I can't wait to get back and go into Louth,such an old wordly feeling about it.
Whisky
Oct 4th 2006, 12:44 pm
#9
Bitter and twisted
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Upmarket
Posts: 17,503
Re: Been back to the UK for a visit
Originally Posted by BAY
Yes of course if its in the Daily Mail it can't be true
G
Oct 4th 2006, 2:48 pm
#10
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,199
Re: Been back to the UK for a visit
Originally Posted by Mummy
Just got back from the UK where we went for a 3 week visit courtesy of Krisflyer at Singapore Airlines. I felt that we had to go back and visit with a view of returning before we actually took the plunge. Fortunately we had enough frequent flyer points to do this.
Did a road trip of 1200 miles to visit friends and places, and these are just some of my experiences. Please forgive me if it makes no sense - I am very jet lagged hence the ridiculous time of this post (4am started).
Flew into Manchester and met up with the in-laws. They live in Poynton, Cheshire. I have no intention of moving to the same town as my in-laws, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that we could still afford to buy a house there - i.e. 2 bed for under 150k, and that it was commutable into Manchester. Stopped in a deli for tea and scones, and had a pleasant firendly conversation with the proprietor. Ironically his father lives in Sydney. Stopped in a clothes shop and had another pleasant friendly conversation with the shop assistant. Ironically, her sister lives in Australia. I enjoyed this time in the town - it was nice to see that people were still happy and friendly. As we expected, our son absolutely loved being with his grandparents and playing with his cousin.
The weather was gorgeous, of course it was just like that to woo us back again! I was hoping that it would rain more though, so that I could get a better impression of my feelings after 3 days of rain - I really like the rainy days in Sydney which I know is going to sound strange! I haven't got over the UK feeling of having to get outside and do something if it is sunny, so of course with its 314 days of sunshine last year, I found it difficult to stay indoors and do the house things that need to be done!
Had an incident with the MIL, who to cut a long story short went missing overnight to be found the next day stuck at the bottom of a ditch. The police were called and I have to say that I was impressed by their actions - I had thought they would just have said OK, we have it on record, if she is still missing in 24hours then call us back. But no, they were on the case immediately doing house calls and taking the police dog around, and were just about to get the search helicopter going when she was fortunately found. She is fine BTW, cuts bruises and mild hypothermia, now OK.
Left Poynton a day late because of this incident. Were supposed to have gone to Bristol/Bath to have a look around as this is where we think we want to go back to, but had to skip that part of the trip unfortunately.
Drove to Plymouth where my family is. Quite a painful trip with our little guy sat in the back saying "I don't want to go to other grandads house, I want to go back to grandads house" (but of course soon stopped that when we got to other grandads house!). Also saying "I'm finished in the car now mummy"!!
No noticable change in the state of the traffic on the roads - still too many HGV's, and v. congested around Brum. Petrol obviously v. expensive - £50 to fill up the car. Some big changes in Plymouth - rebuilding half of it from what I could see! Hopefully the result will be good for the city. Had a delicous sunday roast at a real pub with real beer! That was fantastic. One of the things I like about visiting my family in Devon is that because it is a tourist destination, there are lots of things to do there with young children. Found that we could afford to buy a nice house there, but the lack of suitbale jobs means that we can't.
I really loved seeing my family again, and Laurence did too. But if course the day came when we had to leave, and that was harder than ever - I'm sure it gets harder each time, probably because my son is more aware of things now and that he understands that he isn't going to see them again for a long time.
Went to Bournemouth to stay with friends. Really nice to see them they hadn't changed much in the last 2 years, and they were really supportive about the prospect of us returning to the UK. Didn't like Bournemouth much though. Nice beach, but the people we encountered weren't too friendly, more of a stand-offish attitude than the people we had encountered in Stockport and Plymouth. Obviusly we may have just encountered the wrong people! A few houses within our price bracket there, but not sure what those areas must be like!
Then went to High Wycombe to stay with some more friends, and had a great time there too. Have been to High Wycombe previously but didn't realise how close to really nice countryside it is. Couldn't really afford to live there.
Then went to Cambridge. By this point, poor old Laurence wsa getting a bit fed up with moving places every day and meeting new people. "I want to go back to grandads house" he kept saying, by this point not caring which of his grandads houses it was! I like Cambridge, but the city is the university, which was fine when I was part of it (did a masters there), but now that I am not, I wasn't sure that I would like to live there again. Can't afford a house there anyway.
Then to Derby to stay with an old university friend who is still living like he did at university some 10 years ago! Didn't like Derby, the people we encountered were rude and the headlines on the local newspapers were just terrifying! The whole place had a run down feel to it. Needless to say, we can afford lots of houses there.
Then up to York where my sister lives. York is of course lovely, but the road system seemed to be unnecessarily confusing. My sister isn't well - suffers from depression and anxiety attacks. It was really hard to see her. She was supposed to be coming down to PLymouth when we were down there, but had another depression attack and couldn't make the trip. We were sure whether we could see her at all as she was just crying on the phone and saying that she didn't want to see anyone. So I went alone to see her and she was OK, but it was hard only seeing her for such a brief time and feeling helpless to do anything to make her feel better. Can afford some houses in York.
Then into Manchester itself which doesn't seem to have changed much. Still vibrant with a sharp edge to it. Piccadilly station has changed quite a bit, and the tram system grown. Have to say that it wasn't very informative for non-Mancunians, and the trams were tiny and infrequent at rush hour. I had to wait for at least 20 minutes for a tram to Altrincham to come along and then it was jammed packed after only 2 or 3 stops. Expensive too. People were friendly and cheerful. Can afford a house in Manchester.
Then finally back to Poynton via Whitchurch (yes I know it wasn't really on route). Other half's sister lives in a derelict 17 bedroom georgian mansion house in Whitchurch so we went to inspect progress. They have been living there for about 5 years now, and have moved into 3 rooms now! Absolutely fantastic house with obviously lots of potential, but not sure I could live like that for that long! They will not have finished rennovating it for at least another 10 years I guess. Can't afford a mansion house in Whitchurch, but could afford something. Not sure I liked it there though - had a bit of a stuck-up feel to it with unhelpful staff in the shops we went into - wanted a swimming costume for a 9 year old girl, not a hard task I thought....
There we have it. The biggest downside (after the cost) of making the trip to visit is the trip there itself - the first time we flew over it was exciting. Then each time after that it has been harder and harder, partly because our son is growing up and getting more active which is hard on a long plane trip. But also because we know what to expect from the trip now. One thing I will not miss from lving in Australia is the journey to and from the UK. I have not changed my mind about wanting to go back, rather affirmed it. We thought that in moving to Australia we would be giving our son a better life, but what we now realise is that what he needs right now is lots of loving interaction with more than just my husband and I. Interaction with our friends here is not the same as with his family. He was thriving on the attention that his grandparents, aunts and uncles were giving him, and it gave my husband and I a well needed rest too. We will not be living in the same place as our parents and do not expect them to babysit all the time, but it will be very nice when they do!
Did a road trip of 1200 miles to visit friends and places, and these are just some of my experiences. Please forgive me if it makes no sense - I am very jet lagged hence the ridiculous time of this post (4am started).
Flew into Manchester and met up with the in-laws. They live in Poynton, Cheshire. I have no intention of moving to the same town as my in-laws, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that we could still afford to buy a house there - i.e. 2 bed for under 150k, and that it was commutable into Manchester. Stopped in a deli for tea and scones, and had a pleasant firendly conversation with the proprietor. Ironically his father lives in Sydney. Stopped in a clothes shop and had another pleasant friendly conversation with the shop assistant. Ironically, her sister lives in Australia. I enjoyed this time in the town - it was nice to see that people were still happy and friendly. As we expected, our son absolutely loved being with his grandparents and playing with his cousin.
The weather was gorgeous, of course it was just like that to woo us back again! I was hoping that it would rain more though, so that I could get a better impression of my feelings after 3 days of rain - I really like the rainy days in Sydney which I know is going to sound strange! I haven't got over the UK feeling of having to get outside and do something if it is sunny, so of course with its 314 days of sunshine last year, I found it difficult to stay indoors and do the house things that need to be done!
Had an incident with the MIL, who to cut a long story short went missing overnight to be found the next day stuck at the bottom of a ditch. The police were called and I have to say that I was impressed by their actions - I had thought they would just have said OK, we have it on record, if she is still missing in 24hours then call us back. But no, they were on the case immediately doing house calls and taking the police dog around, and were just about to get the search helicopter going when she was fortunately found. She is fine BTW, cuts bruises and mild hypothermia, now OK.
Left Poynton a day late because of this incident. Were supposed to have gone to Bristol/Bath to have a look around as this is where we think we want to go back to, but had to skip that part of the trip unfortunately.
Drove to Plymouth where my family is. Quite a painful trip with our little guy sat in the back saying "I don't want to go to other grandads house, I want to go back to grandads house" (but of course soon stopped that when we got to other grandads house!). Also saying "I'm finished in the car now mummy"!!
No noticable change in the state of the traffic on the roads - still too many HGV's, and v. congested around Brum. Petrol obviously v. expensive - £50 to fill up the car. Some big changes in Plymouth - rebuilding half of it from what I could see! Hopefully the result will be good for the city. Had a delicous sunday roast at a real pub with real beer! That was fantastic. One of the things I like about visiting my family in Devon is that because it is a tourist destination, there are lots of things to do there with young children. Found that we could afford to buy a nice house there, but the lack of suitbale jobs means that we can't.
I really loved seeing my family again, and Laurence did too. But if course the day came when we had to leave, and that was harder than ever - I'm sure it gets harder each time, probably because my son is more aware of things now and that he understands that he isn't going to see them again for a long time.
Went to Bournemouth to stay with friends. Really nice to see them they hadn't changed much in the last 2 years, and they were really supportive about the prospect of us returning to the UK. Didn't like Bournemouth much though. Nice beach, but the people we encountered weren't too friendly, more of a stand-offish attitude than the people we had encountered in Stockport and Plymouth. Obviusly we may have just encountered the wrong people! A few houses within our price bracket there, but not sure what those areas must be like!
Then went to High Wycombe to stay with some more friends, and had a great time there too. Have been to High Wycombe previously but didn't realise how close to really nice countryside it is. Couldn't really afford to live there.
Then went to Cambridge. By this point, poor old Laurence wsa getting a bit fed up with moving places every day and meeting new people. "I want to go back to grandads house" he kept saying, by this point not caring which of his grandads houses it was! I like Cambridge, but the city is the university, which was fine when I was part of it (did a masters there), but now that I am not, I wasn't sure that I would like to live there again. Can't afford a house there anyway.
Then to Derby to stay with an old university friend who is still living like he did at university some 10 years ago! Didn't like Derby, the people we encountered were rude and the headlines on the local newspapers were just terrifying! The whole place had a run down feel to it. Needless to say, we can afford lots of houses there.
Then up to York where my sister lives. York is of course lovely, but the road system seemed to be unnecessarily confusing. My sister isn't well - suffers from depression and anxiety attacks. It was really hard to see her. She was supposed to be coming down to PLymouth when we were down there, but had another depression attack and couldn't make the trip. We were sure whether we could see her at all as she was just crying on the phone and saying that she didn't want to see anyone. So I went alone to see her and she was OK, but it was hard only seeing her for such a brief time and feeling helpless to do anything to make her feel better. Can afford some houses in York.
Then into Manchester itself which doesn't seem to have changed much. Still vibrant with a sharp edge to it. Piccadilly station has changed quite a bit, and the tram system grown. Have to say that it wasn't very informative for non-Mancunians, and the trams were tiny and infrequent at rush hour. I had to wait for at least 20 minutes for a tram to Altrincham to come along and then it was jammed packed after only 2 or 3 stops. Expensive too. People were friendly and cheerful. Can afford a house in Manchester.
Then finally back to Poynton via Whitchurch (yes I know it wasn't really on route). Other half's sister lives in a derelict 17 bedroom georgian mansion house in Whitchurch so we went to inspect progress. They have been living there for about 5 years now, and have moved into 3 rooms now! Absolutely fantastic house with obviously lots of potential, but not sure I could live like that for that long! They will not have finished rennovating it for at least another 10 years I guess. Can't afford a mansion house in Whitchurch, but could afford something. Not sure I liked it there though - had a bit of a stuck-up feel to it with unhelpful staff in the shops we went into - wanted a swimming costume for a 9 year old girl, not a hard task I thought....
There we have it. The biggest downside (after the cost) of making the trip to visit is the trip there itself - the first time we flew over it was exciting. Then each time after that it has been harder and harder, partly because our son is growing up and getting more active which is hard on a long plane trip. But also because we know what to expect from the trip now. One thing I will not miss from lving in Australia is the journey to and from the UK. I have not changed my mind about wanting to go back, rather affirmed it. We thought that in moving to Australia we would be giving our son a better life, but what we now realise is that what he needs right now is lots of loving interaction with more than just my husband and I. Interaction with our friends here is not the same as with his family. He was thriving on the attention that his grandparents, aunts and uncles were giving him, and it gave my husband and I a well needed rest too. We will not be living in the same place as our parents and do not expect them to babysit all the time, but it will be very nice when they do!
What a great opportunity for you to go back and visit all those places in UK.
How long have you lived in Sydney?
I am very envious of you and wish you all the best.
Oct 5th 2006, 3:12 am
#11
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Was Sydney, now Somerset
Posts: 400
Re: Been back to the UK for a visit
Originally Posted by paulrachel
so are you leaving Sydney for good then? and when?
What a great opportunity for you to go back and visit all those places in UK.
How long have you lived in Sydney?
I am very envious of you and wish you all the best.
What a great opportunity for you to go back and visit all those places in UK.
How long have you lived in Sydney?
I am very envious of you and wish you all the best.
Oct 5th 2006, 5:04 pm
#12
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Dec 2005
Location: uk-perth northern suburbs-uk
Posts: 740
Re: Been back to the UK for a visit
A lovely post, Mummy, (I feel strange calling you that!)
you have certainly given lots of good info for those looking at where to return to.
c
you have certainly given lots of good info for those looking at where to return to.
c
Oct 6th 2006, 7:14 am
#13
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 82
Re: Been back to the UK for a visit
[QUOTE=Mummy]Just got back from the UK where we went for a 3 week visit courtesy of Krisflyer at Singapore Airlines.
Can you tell me how many frequent flyer points it cost you.
I have 42000 krisflyer points I'd like to redeem on an upgrade to Biz class from Singapore to LHR but the Singapore website for redeeming points isn't very user friendly
Thanx
CB
Can you tell me how many frequent flyer points it cost you.
I have 42000 krisflyer points I'd like to redeem on an upgrade to Biz class from Singapore to LHR but the Singapore website for redeeming points isn't very user friendly
Thanx
CB
Oct 10th 2006, 6:15 am
#14
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2004
Location: Sunshine Coast
Posts: 535
Re: Been back to the UK for a visit
Lovely post! I am so pleased to hear that the trip helped you confirm your wish to return to the UK. I also admire your ability to write coherently with jet-lag. I returned from a trip to the UK on Sunday - I am struggling badly with jet-leg - so excuse any waffling.
Your experience just goes to show that being happy in a place is so individual. There is no point in comparing and bitching about 'where is best' it depends on who, what and how. My experience is very different to yours. My family returned to the UK for the first time in 20months. It was a very stressful and tiring visit, but totally invaluable. I was really worried about the trip because of my recent 'wobbles' about being so far from mates. I will give you a run down of our experience/findings:
The positive things I noticed: people were friendlier than I remembered, food etc cheaper. Nice to be around friends who have known you for years. The grass really is greener - very bright green grass! The weather was warm!!!!
The negatives: roads were busier and parking even more impossible, lifestyles seem to focus on going out and getting pissed (which I have done my fair share of). Damp, and dark put me off going out and about.
How the trip changed us:
Husband:
Before = loves oz, but misses 'culture' (we argue often about his definition of culture) and music (was a dj). After = realised he has moved in another direction and prefers his new lifestyle which is more about family and day time activities.
Son (15)
Before = oz had transformed him into happy, motivated, sociable teenager who claims he will never return to uk. After = confirmed he is in the right place for him. His old mates spend their weekends in a cold carpark getting pissed and chased by police. He reckons they are 'cooler' and more 'advanced' (drinking and sex) than ozzie teenagers but are all depressed. He managed to 'get off' with a few girls (yuck - please don't tell me!). However, he prefers his backward beach loving ozzie mates. Infact he was bored and wanting to go home on day 2.
Daughter (12)
Before = liked oz, but preferred UK and wanted to return. After = Likes both equally and would like to spend 6months a year in each country (ha ha ha - yeah right).
Me
Before = happy here, but recently having a bit of missing mates wobbles. After = realised where home is and was ready to come back. Wobbles cured! Feel I can now concentrate on developing my life here.
The visit cost us a fortune, but I feel it was necessary. We will not return to the UK as a family again (too expensive and too many other places to see). I certainly cannot imagine living in the UK again. Having said that - never say never cos things change.
Anyhow sorry about the jetlagged waffle. And good luck with your life, where ever you choose to live it.
Rachel
Your experience just goes to show that being happy in a place is so individual. There is no point in comparing and bitching about 'where is best' it depends on who, what and how. My experience is very different to yours. My family returned to the UK for the first time in 20months. It was a very stressful and tiring visit, but totally invaluable. I was really worried about the trip because of my recent 'wobbles' about being so far from mates. I will give you a run down of our experience/findings:
The positive things I noticed: people were friendlier than I remembered, food etc cheaper. Nice to be around friends who have known you for years. The grass really is greener - very bright green grass! The weather was warm!!!!
The negatives: roads were busier and parking even more impossible, lifestyles seem to focus on going out and getting pissed (which I have done my fair share of). Damp, and dark put me off going out and about.
How the trip changed us:
Husband:
Before = loves oz, but misses 'culture' (we argue often about his definition of culture) and music (was a dj). After = realised he has moved in another direction and prefers his new lifestyle which is more about family and day time activities.
Son (15)
Before = oz had transformed him into happy, motivated, sociable teenager who claims he will never return to uk. After = confirmed he is in the right place for him. His old mates spend their weekends in a cold carpark getting pissed and chased by police. He reckons they are 'cooler' and more 'advanced' (drinking and sex) than ozzie teenagers but are all depressed. He managed to 'get off' with a few girls (yuck - please don't tell me!). However, he prefers his backward beach loving ozzie mates. Infact he was bored and wanting to go home on day 2.
Daughter (12)
Before = liked oz, but preferred UK and wanted to return. After = Likes both equally and would like to spend 6months a year in each country (ha ha ha - yeah right).
Me
Before = happy here, but recently having a bit of missing mates wobbles. After = realised where home is and was ready to come back. Wobbles cured! Feel I can now concentrate on developing my life here.
The visit cost us a fortune, but I feel it was necessary. We will not return to the UK as a family again (too expensive and too many other places to see). I certainly cannot imagine living in the UK again. Having said that - never say never cos things change.
Anyhow sorry about the jetlagged waffle. And good luck with your life, where ever you choose to live it.
Rachel
Oct 10th 2006, 7:21 am
#15
Gutter Gob!!
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Perth
Posts: 13,098
Re: Been back to the UK for a visit
Originally Posted by RReed
Lovely post! I am so pleased to hear that the trip helped you confirm your wish to return to the UK. I also admire your ability to write coherently with jet-lag. I returned from a trip to the UK on Sunday - I am struggling badly with jet-leg - so excuse any waffling.
Your experience just goes to show that being happy in a place is so individual. There is no point in comparing and bitching about 'where is best' it depends on who, what and how. My experience is very different to yours. My family returned to the UK for the first time in 20months. It was a very stressful and tiring visit, but totally invaluable. I was really worried about the trip because of my recent 'wobbles' about being so far from mates. I will give you a run down of our experience/findings:
The positive things I noticed: people were friendlier than I remembered, food etc cheaper. Nice to be around friends who have known you for years. The grass really is greener - very bright green grass! The weather was warm!!!!
The negatives: roads were busier and parking even more impossible, lifestyles seem to focus on going out and getting pissed (which I have done my fair share of). Damp, and dark put me off going out and about.
How the trip changed us:
Husband:
Before = loves oz, but misses 'culture' (we argue often about his definition of culture) and music (was a dj). After = realised he has moved in another direction and prefers his new lifestyle which is more about family and day time activities.
Son (15)
Before = oz had transformed him into happy, motivated, sociable teenager who claims he will never return to uk. After = confirmed he is in the right place for him. His old mates spend their weekends in a cold carpark getting pissed and chased by police. He reckons they are 'cooler' and more 'advanced' (drinking and sex) than ozzie teenagers but are all depressed. He managed to 'get off' with a few girls (yuck - please don't tell me!). However, he prefers his backward beach loving ozzie mates. Infact he was bored and wanting to go home on day 2.
Daughter (12)
Before = liked oz, but preferred UK and wanted to return. After = Likes both equally and would like to spend 6months a year in each country (ha ha ha - yeah right).
Me
Before = happy here, but recently having a bit of missing mates wobbles. After = realised where home is and was ready to come back. Wobbles cured! Feel I can now concentrate on developing my life here.
The visit cost us a fortune, but I feel it was necessary. We will not return to the UK as a family again (too expensive and too many other places to see). I certainly cannot imagine living in the UK again. Having said that - never say never cos things change.
Anyhow sorry about the jetlagged waffle. And good luck with your life, where ever you choose to live it.
Rachel
Your experience just goes to show that being happy in a place is so individual. There is no point in comparing and bitching about 'where is best' it depends on who, what and how. My experience is very different to yours. My family returned to the UK for the first time in 20months. It was a very stressful and tiring visit, but totally invaluable. I was really worried about the trip because of my recent 'wobbles' about being so far from mates. I will give you a run down of our experience/findings:
The positive things I noticed: people were friendlier than I remembered, food etc cheaper. Nice to be around friends who have known you for years. The grass really is greener - very bright green grass! The weather was warm!!!!
The negatives: roads were busier and parking even more impossible, lifestyles seem to focus on going out and getting pissed (which I have done my fair share of). Damp, and dark put me off going out and about.
How the trip changed us:
Husband:
Before = loves oz, but misses 'culture' (we argue often about his definition of culture) and music (was a dj). After = realised he has moved in another direction and prefers his new lifestyle which is more about family and day time activities.
Son (15)
Before = oz had transformed him into happy, motivated, sociable teenager who claims he will never return to uk. After = confirmed he is in the right place for him. His old mates spend their weekends in a cold carpark getting pissed and chased by police. He reckons they are 'cooler' and more 'advanced' (drinking and sex) than ozzie teenagers but are all depressed. He managed to 'get off' with a few girls (yuck - please don't tell me!). However, he prefers his backward beach loving ozzie mates. Infact he was bored and wanting to go home on day 2.
Daughter (12)
Before = liked oz, but preferred UK and wanted to return. After = Likes both equally and would like to spend 6months a year in each country (ha ha ha - yeah right).
Me
Before = happy here, but recently having a bit of missing mates wobbles. After = realised where home is and was ready to come back. Wobbles cured! Feel I can now concentrate on developing my life here.
The visit cost us a fortune, but I feel it was necessary. We will not return to the UK as a family again (too expensive and too many other places to see). I certainly cannot imagine living in the UK again. Having said that - never say never cos things change.
Anyhow sorry about the jetlagged waffle. And good luck with your life, where ever you choose to live it.
Rachel
Excellent post Rachel.