WelshRanger

We lived in aus for 7 years in Adelaide, Melbourne and finally Brisbane, so no one can say we didn't give it a good go. At the end of the day we always felt like outsiders, our savings had dwindled to virtually nothing, any longer and we wouldn't have been able to afford to return. Although it's been an uphill struggle to get back to a standard of life we had when we left in 95 I'm glad we did it and have no regrets

kelbelinoz

glad to hear you have no regrets!! I must admit, I'm already worrying about missing oz......stupid really as I feel like a round peg in a square hole out here.
Did it take you long to fit back in uk? Did you go back to your hometown or were you priced out?


good news from customs apparently as we have had the stuff we bought for longer than 6 months we are not going to be charged any vat, although they didn't say we wouldn't pay import duties......keep you posted!!

Munnsters Down Under

When do you head home?

Our lease is up on 12 May but we really want to go about the middle of April. We are going to Brisbane for a week or so to stay with my friend and then on home to Belfast.

Have you sold any of your stuff? We have a lot for sale and I'm looking the some advise on the best way to get rid?

I hope you are keeping well.

I have had a really bad flu for over a week and I tell you thats when you want to be home!

J

Hutch

Not true. The Wii is hardware region coded just like DVDs - only it's a hell of a lot harder to make a Wii region-free - requiring either an expensive hardware modification or Datel's Freeloader package. Any Wii games bought in the UK will not work on an Australian Wii, without the hardware modification or the Freeloader.

Bishop3912

I agree with this, we brought out UK Wii out with us and no Ozzie games work on it!!! No worries for me though as we going back soon so can by UK games again for it!!!

WelshRanger

We came back via Dublin where I got a 6 month contract, then moved down to South Wales where we've been since. We originally moved out to Aus from Weston super Mare in Somerset and are looking to move back to this area in the next yearor so. We rented when we came back, but bought back in 2004, we've now sold and renting again, property prices are due for a big shakeup here. Many Building societies and banks are withdrawing a lot of their products and reverting back to lending only 3 1/2 times the annual salary and expecting a minimum 10% deposit, which means that people can't borrow the money to buy places. Also in the next few months 1.4 million are coming off low fixed rate mortgages and will have to go on to the Standard Variable Rate which means that their repayments are going to rocket, if they can't afford the repayments they'll be repossessd, the only way out will be to sell, and to sell they'll have to reduce the prices. We're already starting to see big reductions at the auction houses with may repossesions and a large % not reaching their reserve prices. Comparing the quality of life between here an Aus I believe that it is better here, that's not to say that there aren't problems, but that goes for Aus too. I don't hate or dislike Aus just felt out of place, after all it is a foreign country and they do have a different approach to us in the UK, you can only appreciate this when you've lived in both places. You will feel an affinity with people over here who have been through the experience and returned, those who haven't been through it can't appreciate the differences . I think that to initially go back to exactly the place you left may be a mistake, and it might be worth giving somewhere else in the UK a go, unless you have very strong ties in a certain place.

Munnsters Down Under

Does this mean the Wii we bought in Oz, which is away back already with our stuff, won't work in the UK?

Bishop3912

as far as I know when we brought out our UK one the Oz games dont work on it so I am guessing it goes the same way going back the UK games wont work on the Oz one as it is Asia based. You can get them chipped though, dont know how much it costs.

brits1

we have an exbox 360 (or our boys do!!) it was bought in Aus so when we return home to the U.K if they be buy U.K games will they work on an aussie xbox 360? ALSO we might be stopping off in K.L on the way back my son bought games from K.L last Dec but do not work on his xbox360 do they work on English xbox360?
Cheers for any help.....I am going to sell things that I know will not fit into most normal size homes in the U.K and also hoping to sell things that I no longer like or need, hopefully it will all be sold and exceptional prices!!!!!!!
Good luck to all returning home......all the best
Jackie in a rainy Perth today and loving it!!!!

Munnsters Down Under

Hello Jackie in Rainy Perth

I too am in Rainy Perth today and loving it just like you!! Isn't it great to see the rain and hear it first thing this morning before having to get out of bed? I made a pot of homemade soup today and the smell of the soup cooking along with the rain outside twas just like home!

When are you guys heading back? How long have you been here?

We are here 6 months and head back sometime in the next 5/6 weeks. All depends on getting our stuff sold along with our car.

Are you looking forward to getting back? We are although we know its back to the rat race but I think we functioned better like that. Plus the education system here is a joke, my daughter has just came in from school with NO homework today again, that must be 2 weeks now since she has had homework! Joke!

Keep smiling
J

Kath & Graham

Tell you what when we stopped in HK the games and stuff where not cheaper!! we were gonna buy some stuff cameras etc and to be honest no different and in fact once the price was worked out by OH he said no cheaper. We were gonna buy Kate a DS in HK but it was cheaper in oz and UK. We thought stuff would be cheaper but no warranty and maybe we was in the wrong place (everywhere!!) but other than puppies, cats and clothes which were REALLY cheap we didnt bother.

One word of warning if you have kids please dont take them in the pet shops, OMG it was so sad all those dogs and kittens it really upset us and you know they werent looked after properly.....

brits1

Hi, it was lovely on Monda and for later I did Shepherds pie with all the veg and the boys loved it, just a really comfort thing....and it is great to hear the rain, even the birds sing when it rains here which is lovely to hear. We have been here 10 years, we are hoping to head back as soon as our home is sold.....we had our first visit back home after 7 years here in Perth as we really wanted to give Aus a "go" before we went home for a visit but for all of us as soon as we landed at the airport, it was home and our visit just got better and better, we would of sold up as soon as we returned but we had just started building our home!!! it is now finished so on the market it goes...I have just had another agent around who does seem "keener" than the agent we were going to go with....so I have to make a decision by this Friday, as soon as it's sold we are off...but we really do have to be home by no later than August as we want our boys to see their High School and College before they start the school year in Sept so if that means we go and my husband has to stay then that will have to be the case!!!! we have known all kinds of people since being in Perth (and over East) some stay and love it and some hate it and stay and some do go home eventually, I met a lady once form Morcambe (in Lancashire) and she stayed the grand total of 4 months and then went back home with her family, she said they knew within weeks it was not for them and only stayed that bit longer as people she knew in Perth kept saying "they were mad and to give it longer"...she is still very happy about being back at home and the only regret is the money the spent coming to Aus!!!! I think we stayed for the same kind of reasons really, just kept trying and if I had any regrets it would be that we should of listenend to more how we felt rather than other people here........I think we have rain forecast for the weekend...bliss, I just love a change from the sun!!!!!
Take care and good luck with everyting.....and all the best....
Jackie...who believe it or not is full of a cold!!!!

troj

'Hit the nail on the head'

Munnsters Down Under

Hello Everyone Out There

We have a lot of Household Items and Car for Sale if anyone is interested.
We are in Port Kennedy.

Please reply with email or on this site.

Thanks