Jamesy5008

Whit???????????

lins and Stef McLachlan

Yes, the Pandemic has influenced our decision to return to the UK, but its not the only reason. The Pandemic is, after all, Worldwide. In ten years we have struggled to settle, yes we live here in Canada, but we have not been able to make many friends, in the main due to not really socialising, having jobs which have shift working hours. We also have no shared history with anyone here, no family here. My husband lost his brother two years ago and I lost my brother last year, that has impacted us as well......to be so far from remaining family and friends. If we stay, old age will be a lonely time for us and what happens when we are too old to make the trip back periodically. Retired, with low income, we would not be able to afford additional healthcare things like prescriptions, dental, vision as they have been Part of my husbands benefit package. He is diabetic with high blood pressure and his meds are very expensive, so that will be a big issue going forward. We are also not in a position to downsize as smaller properties are selling for more than our current mortgage. At the moment it is a sellers market here, With properties going for much more than their asking price due to being driven up by people from Toronto and other similar places, choosing to sell there for too $ and more down to where we are with a lot of money to out bid locals creating a bidding war.

So, what happens though, when people start losing their jobs due to the Pandemic and the Gov. no longer giving the same financial assistance. Properties will be repossessed, there is an influx of properties suddenly on the market and it then becomes A buyers market and prices drop. As it is, going back to the UK the $ to £ ratio is brutal. We have decided that we would be happier being in the same country as our remaining family and friends. Public transport in the UK is World Class, unlike Canada, where we live in LaSalle, Windsor, Ontario......there is a very scant bus service, which is a recent addition, but does not come anywhere near where we live and a train service which can only be described as a Branch Line and takes longer to get to Toronto than driving there. The upshot is what happens when we can no longer drive and dont have enough friends to either help or support us in our old age? We are currently in the twilight years.....I will be 59 and my husband is will be 56 soon. We cant grow old here, so the move back needs to happen sooner rather than later..

Lion in Winter

Here:

https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/leaving-australia

freebo

That describes the current situation, no mention of it lasting for 2 years.

I think it will last until there is a vaccine and/or very efficient airport testing, but hope that at least one of these occur much sooner than 2 years.

In terms of Covid's affect on our plans its solidified the decision to move back, as have some other unfortunate events this year.

Our current plan is to move back in about a year, but very dependent on the global situation and actually being allowed to leave Australia.

jenninedinburgh

A friend of mine flew to Serbia to see her family. She remarked that she had never seen the airports so clean in America and that there was no one there...pretty empty flights as well. You may be okay on carriers that do not sell the middle seat, if don't take your mask off the whole fight (very limited eating drinking), wipe everything down when you sit down and don't use the loo (may be difficult, but if I were flying, I would try this as the loo is just too small on planes and definitely a breeding ground for Covid as a small, poorly ventilated area).