Re: greener grass
 

We were never after green grass but had a once in a lifetime opportunity and believe most people would have taken it given the chance. We're in the USA which seems to be more difficult for Brits to get into as permanent residents (hmmm that would make an interesting thread) - so we felt very fortunate to have the opportunity. There have been days where my husband has said to me 'I wish we had never got the chance to leave the UK because now we have a comparison that we will always make for the rest of our lives'. We have come to the conclusion that we actually envy people that don't know any better... that they have a kind of peaceful satisfaction that we can never have and they probably don't know they've got.

Our perseption of life will always be considered from 2 different places and constantly wondering which one will give a more satisfying life for our family is plain exhausting.

If you are restless now, moving abroad carries the risk that you may end up twice as restless. I think most people on this forum would agree that the decision to move back home, oddly, is much harder than the one to leave in the first place.

Let us know what you decide.:)

Re: greener grass
 

"Peaceful satisfaction" is a good way to put it. I usually think of it as blissful ignorance ...

... and yes, I think saying that the move back is harder than the move out is not only true but if anything, a gross understatement.

Re: greener grass
 

[QUOTE=jackuk;7036093]Oz for me represents, sunshine, a swimming pool, coming home form work and joining the children playing in the pool, a healthier lifestyle, not having to habitant for the winter, and hot sweaty sex.....

Hmm, let's break that down into bite sized chunks.

Sunshine tick (skin cancer, water restrictions, having to wear a hat and sunscreen all the time and stay indoors for most of the day in the summer).

Swimming pool tick (sod of a thing to clean and chews up a fair bit of electricity, ducks seem to like crapping in it)

Coming home from work tick (you will eventually get home but the longer hours worked by Aussies and the longer commutes in our cities mean that you will spend less time at home not more)

Playing in the pool (see sunshine comments) let's say tick but only in the evenings, and the light summer evenings are shorter here due to latitude.

A healthier lifestyle no tick there, obesity rates right up there with the Americans and Maccas on every major corner in the suburbs, some people eat pies and sausage rolls for lunch EVERY DAY, too hot to do much outside for a good chunk of the year and the spread out nature of the cities mean that you will be in the car every time you need a litre of milk.

Not having to hibernate for winter tick, it's the best time of year here when you can actually get outside and try and salvage what is left of your garden and walk the dog etc.

Hot sweaty sex tick if you could be bothered in the summer, Quoll is right on the money that might be nice on holiday as a novelty perhaps, myself I have the a/c cranked up to icy for most of the summer.

So you will find exactly what you are looking for.

I could write more about how much I like the autumn and winter here though, that is a really nice time of year - and there are plenty of good things about living here, but everything except the climate could be achieved in the UK.

Re: greener grass
 

When I first came to Australia, I quickly became a born again virgin due the intense heat and mosquitoes. Does absolutely nothing for romance. The cold shower treatment has far more appeal.

I always think when people have everything but can't settle, they need to carefully analyse what it is that's missing from their lives before they go jumping into a new life looking for an excitement fix. Not least because it disrupts the lives of so many others.

I know for me, I soon get bored, if everything gets too easy. I love the challenge of having to climb my way to success. However, once I'm stood on top of my mountain, the feeling of having made it is short lived. I'm soon looking for the next mountain.
Apparantly this has something to do with me being a Capricorn but whatever it is, it's who I am.
By choice, I would never have left the UK to come to Australia but since I've been here, I have climbed a whole mountain range so to speak. I am now looking for the next challenge and I've realised that this is how I get my fix.
It does not involve though, a major physical change. It's more of a psychological thing.

I'd be careful of uprooting your whole family and settled life just to fill in a few missing gaps.:)

Re: greener grass
 

LOL there is a world of difference between hot sweaty sex and sex when you are hot and sweaty:rofl: You'll be lucky to get any at all during the summer!!!

Re: greener grass
 

I agree with this wholeheartedly, restlessness is something that can really eat away at you, and I know I suffer from that. If i compare my life with my sister who has never left the Uk I know who is more satisfied. We recently decided to move back to the Uk and were going at the end of this year but the minute we put our house on the market the financial crisis hit and we had no interest what so ever so we are still here feeling pretty fed up that after making that decision after 20 yrs of living in Sydney with that pool in the backyard !!!

Re: greener grass
 

Thanks for all the replies, opinions and advice, very interesting, realistic and honest,....... I do see oz with rose coloured glasses, and agree I probably just need a bloody good holiday.....however this discussion has make me feel better...just talking about it...thanks again... now back to cold under the covers sex :curse:

Re: greener grass
 

Buy an electric blanket! Much cheaper and far easier than moving to Australia!

Re: greener grass
 

It's harder shagging under the covers in red hot temps...;)

Re: greener grass
 

Hi Jack.

Since you have a good lifestyle in UK, why not if you can afford it, get a house in Southern Europe. You can do what I do, my businesses are in UK, but I live in Spain and commute, doing a couple of weeks in UK, couple of weeks or more in Spain, sometime 4 at a time. I also travel to other countries also as we now have offices elsewhere. But by living in both countries, as I have houses in both, I get the sunshine, healthy outdoor lifestyle and the wet and miserable lifestyle when I'm in UK......and all the flu germs etc, which tend to find me when I get back. :ohmy: Prior to me doing this I couldn't get over the itch. I didn't like UK, and wished to go back to Oz to live. By coming up with this solution, my itch to go back to Oz has nearly gone, and I'm not the other side of the world, for friends and family now. I personally couldn't live in UK full time, this way has solved it for me. I get the best of both worlds and positives of both countries and lifestyles.

I know more and more people now working for British companies and coming over for periods of time but living in places like Spain, France, Italy etc. Providing I have internet, phone and not far from an airport, it is like catching a train for me, and I get sun, and healthy living 20 weeks of the year and still able to earn an income. You could also do what I do and rent out your house to a company let. I make £50-60k a year, by doing that alone, and that isn't my main business. So technically I could stay in Spain all year around if I chose to do so, but I don't. I think it also would bore me if I lived there full time.

Might be an alternative solution for you without too much sacifice and going into the unknown and expense. I believe in making things happen and I didn't want to live in Uk full time and Oz was too far away in the end, but I missed the lifestyle, but missed family when over there. I found a solution that ticked my boxes and made me happier and I lost that itch, which took ages to lose until I came up with this solution. Spain isn't my long term solution, when my parents pop their cloggs, then I'll be looking for another one, probably further away and I won't be working in UK then. Life is what you make it at the end of the day and we are a long time dead, and never know when it is going to end, so it's best to live it to how we want while we can.

Nowadays, I don't think you have to give up one lifestyle for another, I think with careful planning you can have all your cake. There will be never be 100% perfection, there will always be something we don't quite like and it isn't always easy, the main thing is how long is the column with ticks in the boxes of positives to negatives. If the positives are more then it is best to focus on them, if the negatives are the main factor, then it is time to make changes.

The grass can be greener, my lifestyle in both Oz and Spain has been totally different to mine in UK and it suits me better. But it also best sometimes to remember places with affection, because often they are not the same when we return. As much as I wanted to return to Oz, I think now I wouldn't find it the same, for me, it is best to keep moving forward and experiencing new adventures and people.

I hope you find a solution to scratch that itch and get what you want. Don't give up yet, you might come up with something under those cold covers....:D

Re: greener grass
 

When a form asks the question 'sex' (enquiring as to whether you are Male or female).

I am tempted to say 'yes please' :rofl::rofl::rofl:

Re: greener grass
 

Interesting idea Mercedes.

Don't suppose you would like to do a separate thread about that and a bit more info on how you have achieved this lifestyle and how much it cost, practicalities etc etc - sounds like a great balance.

Re: greener grass
 

What a ridiculous statement.

Are you implying that only people in the UK get flu etc.?

That is a completely absurd notion....flu is a virus it has nothing to do with the weather.....and most strains originate in hot countries.

...and I, for one, never found the weather in the UK any more miserable than any other country....and I had a lot healthier lifestyle in the UK than Australia because of the more clement weather

G

Re: greener grass
 

Grayling does he means he catches stuff on the plane, there is always some snottery bugger on there spreading germs, so within 2-3 days of travelling people are often lurgied, regardless of what countries you are travelling between.

Re: greener grass
 

I know what she meant OK.....she is not a new poster on this forum