Lookin2Oz

Hi there,

In terms of weighing up should we return to Scotland we are interested to hear your views on Scottish weather. How did you rate the summer of 2008 and did you get many sunny days and what outdoor activities did you manage to do?

Being a Scot I have fond memories of the Scottish outdoors but as a family (my missus s from South Africa) we are looking at various factors of where to from here (currently in NZ and not settled).

So, would love to hear you comments good or bad, let’s hear it.

Cheers the noo

G586

This summer was very poor but I think that was true of all of the UK, not just Scotland.

Didn't get out much at all, Sept was better but it's very wet again now and my Mum in Wales has had her fields flooded again.

Lorna at Vicenza

summer in Scotland? Often a contradiction of terms.

Patrick2007

I wouldnt give a hoot about the weather mate so long as i got myself out of Hicksville.

aasmith1957

went to scotland at end of may for 10 days then onto rest of uk.spent a few days in inverness(one sisters)weather not too bad but had flu anyway.spent a long weekend at aviemore with family and we were wearing teeshirts and summer pants.no need for cardigan in evening.not much snow was left on the cairngorms which surprised me.apparently scotland isnt getting as much snow nowadays

Marmalade

I was in the Scottish Borders the first two weeks of June, and the weather was for the most part lovely. Nice and sunny for most of the time I was there. But, my family from there have told me that it has been pretty dull and rainy the rest of the summer. However, I love rain, so that doesn't put me off in the slightest

That would definitely not stop me going home, though, as I'm off back home next June

Lookin2Oz

Yes, we are 100% moving on from New Zealand ( Hicksville ) but looking at our options and trying to put together a planned approach and making informed decisions.

The other factor is the financial crisis and reading the online news sites re Scotland is probably not the best time to be job hunting in Scotland. We reckon we will sit tight for 6 – 12 months and watch and remain hopeful of a positive recovery and in the meantime we do the research and make our decisions.

Part of our plan is a trip / look-see to Oz this year.

Cheers

kporte

summers are never extreme, one way or the other.
can be quite wet, but with a good spell the long nights are fantastic. it can still be light at 10pm. we had a miserable summer the last before we left. it was a huge factor for me as i got a bit down in the winter in scotland, counting the days until the clocks changed again. this and the lack of work in my trade were the push factors for me in leaving.
scotland, and the rest of the uk have a massive amount to offer, although i realise most of you on this forum are aware of this!

Lookin2Oz

Although I haven’t lived in Scotland for 20 odd years I do remember those long nights well and sadly living in the southern hemisphere have only been able to visit Scotland in their winter the last few times we have been. The memories I have of most of Fife, Perthshire and Tayside are certainly areas where there are just heaps of things to do and you make the most of the weather.

We were three in Jan this year - yes it was cold but hell it is still one beautiful place – as you know.

I see you are in Brisbane, are you settled there now?

Are there lots of Scots there? There are heaps of Scots in NZ and apparently Dunedin is more Scottish than Scotland!

How do you take to being labelled “a Pom?”

Cheers mate ………

kporte

very settled in bris, however if you'd like to help with the house reno.......

lots of scots around i must admit , some get upset by being called a pom but i have a thick skin! I note you are on a thorough fact finding mission about where to go. any further forward?

Lookin2Oz

Yes, doing lots of forum work and as you know you can get confused with it all.

Bottom line is that some folk can make a go of some place others can’t - we are very clear about not staying here in NZ.

We will do our look see later this year to Brisbane and maybe Sydney.

Once we have our look-see it will cement a few things for us. In the meantime we continue to gather “opinions”.

If only Scotland had better weather

AudsFrmSA

With 'Global Warming' happening, I'm sure Scotlands' weather will improve in years to come! I think once you'r blood has got used to the different climate you adjust and don't feel the cold too much. I for one, certainly have felt colder (indoors) here in South Africa in Winter months, than I ever remember feeling in Scotland! Friends of ours left SA just over a year ago to live in Scotland (Nairn), they are so happy and don't make the weather an issue in their lives, their only regret is that they didn't make the move sooner!

Lookin2Oz

Hi Auds,

Mr L2Oz here( as I know my missus has been chatting to you).

Nairn, ahh yes, know it well , in fact went to primary school there for a wee while ( Long story) and that is a stunning part of the world. Interesting to hear that your friends from SA have moved there and regret not doing it sooner.

I must admit that as soon as you head north of Perth ( Scotland ) it becomes really Scotland and these areas are the ones that tug on my heart strings. What a really beautiful country.

I have been looking at the job market in Scotland and a few very well paid jobs on offer, one recently offering an OTE of £150 k in IT sales. I am positive that if we were bringing that kind of money in we could have our Mediterranean holidays like the rest of the Brits.

I kinda know inside that I could be REALLY happy in Scotland and settled but I am really worried on the other hand that the weather gets to us. I know that sounds woosie like but I experienced SAD syndrome here in NZ during winter and I was near depression. I agree with you re the SA houses in winter and we have the same problem here except that it is plagues with damp and is very unhealthy.

Our visa status in NZ is that we could do a year or two in the UK and if that bombed out we can return, we have IRRV status ( Indefinite Returning Residents Visa) and we could make up lost time again ( the amount of time we are out of NZ) and work towards out NZ citizenship and get into Oz that way.

I am very keen to do that as we still have three years to do here before citizenship and that is a very long time when we are both unhappy. The trip to Oz is to have a look-see and if we say that is for us then we hang in here, do the time and move over in three years. I am over 45 so applying for PR in Oz is out.

We also feel that we should wait a year or so for the dust to settle from this financial thing.

I wish it wasn’t so far & expensive to get to the UK from here, it is around 20 hours flying time and with the time difference it takes a good couple of days each way to stabilise. If it was nearer we could pop over for a couple of weeks in Dec but you really need at least three weeks.

Anyways, my missus is typing you an email and going to send you some pics from Scotland. Cheers

PS: Any news of selling the house

AudsFrmSA

Hi Lookin2Oz,

We are not sure where we will end up in Scotland, but Scotland it will be - sounds a bit irresponsible not knowing where we are going to settle - but we have been thinking about Perthshire or Edinburgh (surrounds), mainly coz I'm thinking there would be more job opportunities for hubby. My Dad & Brother live in Carnoustie and I'd love to be close to them, but earning a living is a priority. I have this image in my head of staying in a bungalow/cottage type house in a semi rural location, surrounded by fields, where the kids can run and play without a care in the world, and maybe one day a few horses!

I grew up in Arbroath (Angus) and Ellon (Aberdeenshire), but there is nothing there to really pull me back accept good childhood memories. I have to agree that Scotland is a really beautiful country, I never realised it when I was younger, but looking at website and doing research, I notice just how breath-taking some of the scenery is.

I have registered my hubby with a few on-line recruitement agencies, and have been also looking at the job market in Scotland. Hubby is in Sales and although I don't think he'll earn as much, in Scotland (working for a boss anyway) as what he earns working for himself here, it's fine, as we'll have a 'simpler life' and be debt-free (initially anyway!!! ).

I know exactly how you feel, when you say you know inside that you could be REALLY happy in Scotland and settled but are really worried on the other hand that the weather gets to us. It is a niggling concern, and I've asked my friends from SA about this constantly, and they say it honestly doesn't get to them, and that is from people who have lived in SA since they were 3yrs old.

It's a fact that dull dreary weather can affect a persons moods, but Melatonin is supposed to help with that - or you could book a long weekend to France, Italy or Spain, for a bit of sunshine and heat if it gets really bad.

You know what; Time goes so fast these days. My hubby (because of the insecurity he feels) is seeing this whole move to Scotland, as a 3yr stint - if (worse case scenario) it doesn't work out, for whatever reason, then we'll look at our re-evaluating our lives again, after that period, but we are both hoping and going with a positive attitude that it will work out and become home permanently. I think putting a time-frame on it, somehow, makes it easier for him to 'digest'.

The financial economy is messed up everywhere right now, the rate of exchange - is scary right now!

We were thinking of going over for a 'research trip' when we first talked about leaving SA, but eventually we decided 'what's the point - we do want to leave SA, and no matter what Scotland looks or feels like, we're going and we'll make the most of it, so we decided against it and will just do our 'research trip' when we arrive on our one-way tickets (hopefully soon).

Had a couple look at the house over the weekend, first potential buyers in ages, and they seemed keen, and I kept over-hearing them say 'dit is mooi' etc etc, then the agent phone later to say they loved the house, but it was between ours and another, the agent said she'd get back to me as soon as she hears something but I'm still waiting.

Got e-mail from 'T', and yes I do have 'ADSL', (think it's the same as Broadband), and will reply to the email soon. My daughter is off school today with sinus infection (thanks to the dry dusty diry air we have in JHB. - we need rain!!!!) so got my hands full.

Can't wait to see some pics from Scotland.

Lookin2Oz

Ironic

Thanks for the update & we will hold thumbs for ya with selling da hoose.

When we were there in Jan ( Scotland) I was so impressed with the road system there ( lekker ) , if you based yourself between Glasgow & Edinburgh you could live rural and feed into both cities.

Aberdeen seems to offer good wages ( also looking in sales) but property is higher priced.

Yes, we would really want to live more rural in Scotland with some space and views if possible. We have looked at real estate online and it is not too expensive in places. I notice a lot of the sales jobs in Scotland offer a work from home ( home based) but would entail a bit of travelling.

Missus has been scanning her pics from our trip and I must admit it is such a magic country. We went the one day to Dunkeld and it was cold , frost on the ground, we walked around, over the old bridge and headed back to the wee toon for a pub lunch, what a place. It was a hotel, not flashy but character, big stone fireplace and musical instruments all up on the wall. It is a bar where musical folk just get together have a few beers and make music and I thought WOW, how amazing and I would love to be there – one night !

The best meal & service we had in YEARS was in Aviemore, the waiter was superb, as we were undecided what to have he brought us a tray with wee bowls of samples of the different meals and it was still a decision. We both chose the Haggis and it was AWESOME, the best I have ever had. We were later offered a tour of the rooms upstairs and I must admit, character again and not too pricey.

My point is that one of the big attractions for us is that the is just SO MUCH to do there and you don’t have to go to anther country. We found that we spent so much time outdoors and there was just so many places to walk and not being worried if you were going to upset a farmer if you were on their land.

We got out every day and most times just drove and explored. One of the magic places is Pitlochry, the forest trails where you can walk or cycle, man it was beautiful. The loch was frozen solid and our wee lad threw stones on the ice for hours and for us that was great as that is what I did when I was a nipper AND it gets them away from the Play Station

I guess I sound like I am talking myself into moving to Scotland

Better get back to reality, it’s 23.00 here in NZ

Ciao for now