Littletoe

You know I've been banging on about getting to NZ for months now. Its been a really stressful time and I kept saying to Steve, as long as the flights are booked, I'll have my focus and feel a lot better. So he calls today and amid the worry over availability, he's booked flights for the 5th March. And you know, I just waaaaaaaaaaaa'd like a baby!! Seriously! I've lived internationally a lot, and saying goodbye to friends and family is like a second nature now! But this time, instead of going into organising mood, I just keep thinking about friends and family I'm leaving behind! The night before I leave I usually have the 'Am I doing the right thing?' panic mode, but by morning its over and off I go on my merry way and no looking back. Isn't it weird?

Ah well, just thought I'd share, feel free to psychoanalyse.

Nikki

wmoore

Not me. You've got me

After booking the flights out to Oz, I wasn't really affected. I was just ready to go after the months of planning and waiting. We recently booked flights for a trip back to the UK and I feel more nervous now than I did then Figure that one out.

Littletoe

You're in Darwin! I lived there in Fairway Waters, Palmerston. My daughter was born there also. Gotta say, I don't miss those temps! Only left in 2004.

wmoore

We moved here in Nov last year (from Brisbane). Everyone said we were crazy to even visit here at that time of year We're still finding our way around a bit and (as you'll be aware) lots of stuff is closed for the wet season We are going to the mud racing at Hidden Valley tomorrow though - looking forward to that.

What made you leave Palmerston then?

Littletoe

Well, during pregnancy I felt the heat was too much for me and the healthcare was pretty lousy. Our landlord was a real arse as well. After Caitlin was born, she had a heart problem, so we decided to relocate to NZ for a bit (my husband's home) before returning to the UK.
I said I'd never miss it, the services were slow, the people really backward, but I actually do. I think it was just down to the fact that I arrived and fell pregnant straight away. We owned a landrover series 3 and loved off roading there. Have you been to the Rookes Drift pub in the town? We used to go there a lot! My husband worked for the NT Government, I used to temp there for a bit, and worked at the council in Palmy for Annette Burke. Our furniture is still in storage on the Stuart Highway!! - Hope it survives! Whereabouts do you live and what do you do there?

wmoore

I can't remember if we've been into Rorke's Drift or not. When we first got here, my mate took me on a pub crawl (a rarity in Oz!) so we might have

I'm in IT. I work for the biggest IT solutions provider and integrator in the Territory (sound like a good sales pitch?). We do a lot of work for the NTG actually - I've been working on some proposals this week to take even more money off them

We're in Cullen Bay. When we first went to Brisbane we said we wanted an apartment with a balcony overlooking the water, in a complex with a pool. But when we looked at some, they were just so small for the cost so we ended up in a house (then another and then another in just over a year). So when we came here we said we were going back to that plan and we have. We get a view of the marina and harbour and if we were on a higher floor we could see Mindil Beach. We have a pool in the complex too, which for some bizarre reason, nobody else seems to use I'm not complaining you understand .....

Littletoe

Cullen Bay is awesome I love it there. Apparantly when it was built it was really cheap and now people have made a fortune there. The houses are really nice. The restaurants on the marina are nice. Have you been to Katherine? I bet when you go back to Brissie you're freezing!!

wmoore

We stayed in Katherine for a couple of nights on the way through. We headed for the gorge but it was so damn hot (42C) we didn't do any of the walks we planned. We will go back there in the dry and do a boat trip. Cullen Bay is nice, though the restaurants and cafes at the end of the road are expensive. The apartment block we're in isn't mega expensive but it aint cheap either. We're happy to rent for now and we're looking at the possibility of buying into backpacker accomodation as an investment. We need to get some pro advice on that one really but it's one of the options. Buying a property to actually live in here is looking like a distant prospect due to the cost. A recent study found Darwin to be one of the most expensive cities in the world based on income / house price.

We will get back to Brisbane some time this year (during the AFL season so I can get a game in at the Gabba ) so it will be interesting. I think we will feel a chill if we go in winter.

Littletoe

We did the gorge, I was heavily pregnant at the time - not one of my best ideas! i can also recommend Edith Falls. What about the infamous croc?? You stayed there? you an old backpacker then? The places aren't so nice there, so if you up a nice one, you'd have little competition. Throw a package to Uluru and you're laughing. I didn't know that about the income/house prices. Steve probably should though, he was the economist there! Are you happy there then? do you consider it your home now?

wmoore

It's early days but it's home for now. I'm not a backpacker but we did do some travelling before we got here. In fact the plan was to leave Brisbane and go anti-clockwise right around the country in a motorhome. It was going well until this job came along, 11,000km ito the trip So we haven't really done Kakadu yet because that was for on the way out of Darwin. We should be somewhere in SA by now We did go to Uluru on the way here though, which was a dream come true for me. I've wanted to go there for as long as I can remember and don't mind admitting I had an emotional moment when that huge monolith crept into view over the horizon. It's just a big rock really but I can't explain what it's like to be under it - awesome. We haven't sold the motorhome yet so I'm not making any promises

As for the backpackers - the option is to invest in an already running concern. We wouldn't have to do any work as such, it's all managed. Short term it would cost us (and possibly medium term too) but in the long term, a property investment is rarely a bad one. I reckon if we can break even - mortgage + costs versus income for 10 years, it will be good. I need to speak to somebody who knows about these things before making a commitment obviously.

Am Loolah

CONGRATS!!!! Hubby booked ours yesterday, but I only found out this morning!! We're a month behind you! We fly on April 5th!!! Spooky!! Later than I'd thought we'd go, but the kids get to have the end of term at school and the obligatory send off that'll go with it! Just provisionally handed in my notice!

Didn't cry as was at work when I found out and am big, brave girl. May cry after bottle of celebratury (sp?) Bolly or 2 tonite tho - but if I do it will be with joy!

Slightly scared now too!!!!

Littletoe

I totally understand about the Uluru thing. Prior living in Darwin, I backpacked Aussie in 99/2000 and went there. I was with a group and we BBQ'd near the rock one evening and slept under the stars. It was awesome. I climbed the rock as well, I know its against the Aboriginals' wishes, but I couldn't bear to visit without the climb. There was a yank on the top shouting into his mobile, 'Your'll never guess where I am.' Grrrroan! Why the backpacking industry, how come you don't fancy a hotel or B&B equivalent?

Littletoe

Hehe! We shall also be toasting tonight! I'll think of you!

I feel a bit more excited now, except for thinking about the girls on a long haul flight! And how tired we're to be! Oh my GOD! We're GOING TO NZ!!!

Am Loolah

helinuk

CONGRATULATIONS to Littletoe and loolah on booking your flights!!!

I have just spent 2 hours trying use airmiles to get us to NZ and BA online is saying there's no flights available so i phoned the exec club no and spent another 40 mins on premium No and found I could go via Singapore- Melbourne- Adelaide- Auckland!!!!! and hubby only has 2 weeks leave so I said no thank you!!
This is so frustrating we have over 200,000 airmiles I can't seem to use!