Hello. I'm new here so this is by way of introduction. I'm in Adelaide Australia and have been considering moving back to the UK (where I was born) as I've never really liked it here and have stayed for family reasons -- especially caring for elderly parents. My plan was to go back for a month or so on holiday at the end of next year to check things out and make sure it would be the right move before making it permanent, but Covid restrictions means Australia is basically a prison camp now and we can't leave unless it's for three months or longer. Hopefully, that will change before the end of next year but there is talk of it lasting longer. I may have to just up sticks and move back without the holiday and without an opportunity to check out where I would relocate to first. I have family in Yorkshire and friends and relatives in the Netherlands, so thinking maybe Hull or Newcastle where there are ferries to Amsterdam, or down in Kent somewhere. It's a year away so things could (and probably will) change before then. I'm just feeling trapped and frustrated at the moment, so busy making plans anyway and hoping for the best.

- who's the 'we' in we can't leave unless........ ?

If you have an Aussie wife your first task might be getting a visa for her......

As I read it, the "we" is just "people living in Australia". Everything else is "I".

If you have people to stay with in the UK or nearby, that's a huge plus. I'm a bit in limbo myself, for covid and other reasons, so I get it. Vaccines are on the horizon, things will improve.

Hi
Will you be retired or looking for a job in a particular field because, if so, that will presumably be a factor in deciding where to live.
At least this way you’ll have plenty of time to do research!

That's right. Permanent residents and Australian citizens can't leave the country. I'm a dual citizen.

Thanks. Fortunately I'll be retired so I can basically live anywhere. And yes, I'm doing lots of research online. That's why I joined this forum

Thanks. (I love your name BTW). I think there must be millions of us in limbo at the moment and it seems never-ending. But as you say, the end is nearly in sight, hopefully.

The 'we' is everybody in Australia who is either a permanent resident or citizen. I don't have a wife to worry about . I'll be going alone and am a dual British/Australian citizen and will have both passports. I want to go for a holiday first to make sure I'm not suffering from some rose coloured glasses thing. I've been in Australia a long time and have only been back a few times. I mainly joined this forum to find out what others have experienced in going back.

Have you had a look at the "Back Home" forum?

I think your plan for a holiday is a good one. The year after we retired we had a 6 months long holiday in a rented house in the town we thought we might move back to. Even after 29 years away it felt like coming home. We didn’t actually move back until 5 years later, taking the intervening years to do a lot more traveling.

No, thanks for that -- I'll go off and find it and have a look.

Another reason for wanting a holiday first is I'll be bringing a dog with me. It's not as bad as it used to be but still stressful. It's a hell of a long way! I plan to do a lot more travelling when I get to the UK as it's a lot closer to everywhere than Australia is.

It's another section in the MBOTTUK - https://britishexpats.com/forum/back-home-158/

Totally depends what you're looking for, imo. I've been living in the US a long time, although with regular holidays back until covid struck. If you're hoping to find the UK you left, or expecting to feel the way you did when living there before you left, you almost certainly won't get either and may be unhappy. Being away so long has changed you, and the country has changed too. The way I look at it is going on, not going back. I am different, the place is different, but it's still the place that made me and I expect to have many new adventures there. My son, Chicago born and bred, is at uni there and having a whole other set of experiences. I would suggest looking at it with new eyes and enjoy a new relationship with the place.