cricket1again

Just out of interest I wondered why most people want to return to the UK? For me, it's not because I don't like Australia, I need more stimulus for my career plus I can't get used to the heat.
You can get out of the cold but you can't avoid the heat easily. Mostly though it's about career choices and options for me.

Mummy in the foothills

I hate the summer heat. I want to go home to be with family. I just feel more comfortable when I'm working in UK compared to US.
The cold/wet doesn't bother me, I stay inside if it's bad, it's not like when I was a kid and had to catch the bus everywhere and stand in the cold waiting for it.

Bevm

First we want to see if it still feels like home the way it always does when we visit. Second, we want to be in a geographically small country where we can explore without air travel or days long driving. Third, we're very interested in history of the type that's everywhere in England. Fourth, we want to be able to easily explore Europe. Fifth, we hope to see more of friends and family, but as they're scattered all over, and hardly any near where we want to live we're not pinning too many hopes on that. OTOH, as we're hoping to be in a lovely part of the country, perhaps they'll all come and visit! We've been taking advantage of their hospitality for 30 years.

We're at an age where we have lots of time to do things we enjoy, and the things we could do here -- sailing, skiing, hiking in the wilderness -- aren't for us. There are plenty of other activities here, but they're in England, too, as is spectacularly beautiful scenery.

Worth a try. We can come back if we want to.

Bev

Tr1boy

I once wrote that I thought living here had changed the 'shape' of me gradually, like water dripping on a rock, and if I stayed much longer I'd be unrecognisable from the person I knew myself to be in the UK (and other countries I've lived in).

It's like pulling on a favourite old coat. Sure it's shabby, got a few buttons missing and in desperate need of repair, still your favourite coat though.

cricket1again

A few months ago, I had been wrestling with the idea of staying in Oz or going home. It wasn't really helped by friends on both sides saying 'you're mad'.
In the end I read a book called Be Your Own Life Coach. Worth every penny as it points out the questions that you need to ask yourself when you're trying to make a balanced decision.
Anyway, I asked myself the question; 'what was my life about'? Then I asked 'what do I want my life to be about'?
Easy peasy really. I'm not settled here because it limits my career progress and as this is essential to my sense of well being and happiness, I want to go back to england. It's not that my career is about money, it's more to do with fulfilment and job satisfaction.
I also love gardening and as it's hard to maintain a garden here with constant water restrictions, this frustrates me too.

If I take all the things that i love doing and ask myself the question, where do I need to be to do all these things, the answer is England. In a nutshell, that's my way of solving my own dilemma.

Nu-Shooz

I want to return to be with my daughter who went back to UK last year. Also to spend time with my mum while she battles cancer. If they were here with me in OZ then i don't think i would be in a rush to go back, but circumstances make it different.
I do find Perth boring, but we loved over East, so we are not ruling out going over there once we have done our stint in UK.
Life is too short to be stuck in one place.

Baby75

I have been feeling like that I'm not me any more i feel disconnected or something

That description is very apt

cricket1again

Sad about your mum when you're so far away. I have a daughter in the UK too. I'm not sure where our relationship is. She is angry for me leaving the UK and is still not speaking to me because I haven't gone back yet.
Very hard to reach an angry person.

Baby75

Im sorry to here that a girl need her mother

hope your able to mend the rift when you do return

i notice you are on the gold coast what that like Its looking like we will be spending our last 11 weeks down there

sorry for going off topic

cricket1again

It's a nice place for a holiday. The weather has been very up and down, we've had a lot of rain and flooding, now it's cooking hot!

Baby75

we only had a bit of rain and thunder last night. is it very humid its a killer

islandergirl

Going back to the OP I just want to live in the UK again, and be able to see F&F more than once every 2 years (deep emotional reason). Also to have fab holidays in Europe (shallow indulgent reason).

kevin747

Australia is dull,intellectualy and culturally backward.It's a land of cheap thrills.
Education is very poor I would not entrust the teachers here with my children.
The obsession with sport and the work ethic.
Australians go to bed too early.
They have too many rules(much more than the uk).Backward people need lots of rules.
Jingoism.Usully spouted by people who have never been out of the country.
They use too much salt.
Phrases like "it's all good" and the American style "have agreat day"- Do they care.
The children can't count-The will be running the place soon.
Stepford Wifes.
Even more ridiculous names than in the UK.eg Jaxon,Jarrad,Jarrah,Teagan.
In Australia you can cross the road and walk into a brothel and the crime you have committed is jay walking.

Bevm

I like that!

For some people, moving's sort of terrifying, even 100 miles from where they're used to. To others it's a 1000 miles. Or the big barrier is to another country. But really, it's just moving, isn't it? At 100 miles, we still lose familiarity and regular contact with a lot of people plus having the horrors of packing unpacking, selling, buying and all that. Been there, done that. 1000 miles isn't that different to 100 as long as you can afford plane tickets back now and then.

Now I will say that the expense and flight time from NZ/OZ to the UK would be a bit much for me, but that's one reason we never went there.

Life is too short to stay in a place that doesn't suit us if we have the means to move. I think most of us dither about what we really want. There's an old prayer. "Lord, send me the gift of knowing where contentment lies."

Bev

cricket1again

I want to go back because it's 31 degrees today.