kris maynard

Finally we have broadband so thought it only right to give you all an update as i remember how other peoples kept me going while i was waiting to come home!!!

OMG i cant believe how happy i am to be back in England from the flight landing over Heathrow and seeing the Thames and all the landmarks i knew i was coming home!!!
We all couldnt get over how green everything is, the girls are all now settled into school and my eldest is doing so well (her grades in Oz really started suffering) they have all settled back with their old friends and it just feels right, We did have concerns before we left the usual are we doing the right thing is it just homesickness would we feel more settled if we gave it a bit longer and i can honestly say at the moment i have absoloutly no doubt we have done the right thing, i no longer feel like im waiting for something to happen or searchng for something to change so i would feel settled, i now have a constant excited feel in my stomach and just feel at home.
I love the choice i love the countryside and I LOVE TESCOS !!!!!
Before we left for Oz ,like many we slated the uk and its problems which are still here but to be honest they are now in perspective and really they dont interfere with my daily life ,i think we thought the grass would be greener , dont get me wrong we loved our time in Oz and there are things we miss and the really good friends we made and dont regret for one minute going it has opened our eyes and made us realise how great the uk is.
We have booked to take the kids to lapland for the day on 23rd December this xmas is going to be the best ever , was at lakeside this morning and the xmas decs are going up and they are amazing i get soooo excited i see so much more now than i used to im sure before i left for Oz i walked round with my eyes shut!!!
I think ive babbled long enough but so far so good !!!!
Oh and its end of october and its so bloomin mild we have the back door open!!!!

Take Care All
Most of all be Happy lifes to short not to be xxx
Kris xxx

Jerseygirl

Thanks for the update. It's good to hear you and your family are settled. Sometimes you have to live in another country before you appreciate all that the UK has to offer. All the best.

Marmalade

It is so nice to hear that you are so happy being home. Thanks for the update. I especially agree with the eyes opening after being away for some length of time. Everything seems much different. Good for you and your family

Twigstar

Stop it....I want to go home I want to experience the seasons, the first frost and Sainsbury's.... 4 years away is enough for me. Have been on monster job and applied for loads of jobs, even one for M&S but I after answered all of the questions it invited me to an interview this Thursday or Friday I had to cancel out of it....

brits1

Lovely news and really know how you feel about being back home...we are planning on returning im March 08, we were home for 10 weeks in March -May 07 this year and just loved it all the more....people (who did not know us...ie shop assistants etc) did think we were mad when we said we were planning on coming back home...they said they would love to live in Aus but when you have been away from your home (U.K for us) for a while you do start to see things a lot more clearer...in a different light etc..and we did appreciate things that before we left we took for granted.....
We have two sons 13 and 16.....both want to return home...we are just waiting to okay things first with our oldest sons education...he wants to go to a college near where we lived (a few of his old friends go there) fingers crossed all will be fine.

How long were you in Aus? and how old are your children?.....Christmas at home...nothing like it......we even miss wiping the frost off the car windows in the mornings.......honestly!!
Hope all goes well and thanks for posting...it is lovely to hear from people who have returned.....now we have made the decision it feels life will get back to normal after all the worrying and your post helps people like us who are going through all the stress etc that comes with a move......thanks
Enjoy life in the U.K....no place like home!!!
Jackie in Perth

mandtooz

Oh kris great to hear from you, and such positive post. I could ditto all that you have said, particularly about your eyes being open now! amazing isnt it?

I think time abroad should be mandatory for all, english people would, i believe be far more happier and grateful for what they have got!

best wishes and hope it continues

p.s we have been back nine weeks now and loving it too, cant wait for xmas!

mandx

TraceyW

Another happy to be home person

Long may it continue xx

USAGypsies

I don't know you from Adam but I am so happy for you. I never feel envy when I read posts like this but I do get a little watery-eyed - I really am pleased for you and I'm looking forward to having the experience you are having now in the not too distant future.

Kath & Graham

Glad to hear you are happy to be back. We outta here on Monday (hopefully forever)

Packers in Thursday and Friday dogs go hoping life is good as we had before coming here

Marmalade

Good luck Kath and Graham; oh how exciting for you

Nu-Shooz

Hi Kris, you lived up the road form me in Perth. I was contemplating moving back to UK when you first mentioned it too.
But unfortunatley OH wants the citizenship, so i have to hang around
But we have just come back from UK from a 3 week holiday and it was brilliant. So this has helped us decide that we will be going back next year.
Like you we were amazed at the lovely green grass and fields. The sunshine isn't everything is it??? we need abit of life too
All the best and happy returns.

brits1

Kath it will be only better as you will appreciate the little things we took for granted when we lived at home...meet up in March 08 at the Trafford Centre so bring your purse!!!...take care have a great flight and a brill time in Hong Kong and don't worry about the dogs too much they will be fine and will enjoy the cooler weather for this time of year when they arrive!!
All the best
Jackie...gulp!! boy oh boy do I wish it was me!!!!

brits1

Hi Nu-Shooz...could not agree with you more all the sun and sea (if you live near it) does not always give you the life you want...we to went home for a while this year (our 2nd visit in 9 years away...gulp) and it just made the decision a lot easier to make...we are now planning on March 08 for our return home...sooner (as everone must know by now) if we win the Lottery!! why is it that I have only lived near one person I know has gone back home..and they were only here for 8 months!!!! I am surrounded by people who love it hear which is lovely for them but it would be nice to know someone south of the river who is going back home....anyone out there......!!
Anyway good look with your citizenship when will you get it?
Jackie who must be the only family this side of the river who wants to go home!!!!

Nu-Shooz

Hi Jackie.
I live up North and many here want to go home too. There are only 2 i know that want to stay.
Talking of the Trafford centre......i went there last week on my hols. My god!!!that place is fantastic. I bought so much stuff for the whole family. I even bought all my Christmas presents in UK and i have left them there for them to open on the day.
The Xmas spirit was already buzzing there. Back here nothing seems to have kicked off yet.
When we landed back in Perth, driving on the roads back home was a strange feeling. It was so empty and dead. Not a soul to be seen. It was an eye-opener to the realisation that we didn't want to be here. I am glad i spent 10 grand back in the UK, money worth spent.

brits1

Yep...the Trafford Centre takes some beating and now they are to open the Ski centre next door...who needs Dubai when you have Manchester!!! We felt the same...we arrived in Perth and drove back home....everything just seemed too quiet...we really felt unsettled this time and it has just not gone away so our plans are to return in March.....I read in the Western Aus on Saturday that a lot of people are complaining about the Christmas decorations that are being put up in Perth...they say it's way to early etc....that's what does it for us...just little things like that...life's for living and while we have had a nice time here it is time to go home.....your lucky to know people who want to go home...I have to keep very quiet (and that is pressure in it's self!!) about saying anything about home...not a sole do we know who want to go back...and that makes it hard at the moment....so thank the lord for this site!!!!!
I bought lots of things while back home and lots of people have commented...like my jean from Next 25.00 pounds and they are lovely...my sister in law sent some more (different style same price) and the quality is fantastic...we spent a fortune (not because we found it expensive) we just bought things you cannot buy here or if you can they cost the earth..hence my husband is now working up on the mines (for the first time) and we are saving up like mad to go home in March for good....I keep saying if we had not of gone back for the last visit we could be packing up now...but well I suppose we needed that second visit to finally see why Perth has never really felt like home....
Did you go down to Salford Quay's? what they have done to that area and other parts of the City centre is a credit to Manchester but then again most of the major Cities we visited have all had major work done and they look great.
Jackie in Perth....still in my P.J's so I gotta go for now!!! (did not realise that was the time...I was looking at homes around Manchester on the internet...how sad am I ?)