wingandapray

Leaving the house now for airport hotel-not sure if I can be online-I do have wireless so maybe-Worn out with all he house cleaning-(rental) haven't slept for 3 days and now have to do a 21 hour flight!! then we will have to search for work-operation D-Day has commenced-we will prevail-Ed I appreciate your support and I will PM u if I can get online!! We are having trouble with accommodation so u are right to start a rovers return place for people to come to-we should start this ASAP.

Easterndawn

Thanks, thought it might be but then with government you just never know.

Relocateme

Welcome Wawa!...I am always amazed how us "over 50's going home" keep popping up on our thread. When I first saw your name I thought of Wawa Ontario..been through there a couple of times! So where will you be going back to?

Wingandpray now off to the airport..Bon Voyage and safe journey..I do hope there is some way you can get accomm right away..what area are you going back to?

DDL and Fishn'Chips... you guys are right in the thick of things with a bunch of work with yard sales and getting your documentation happening. At least there will be a feeling of getting accomplished with a good portion of your goods out of the way...its good in one way and sad in another to see your collections heading out the door for a pittance..I believe I only got one quarter of the price of my stuff. In the end some pple took my goods and didnt pay me at all..

Rodney..sorry to hear your June trip may have to be postponed due to your medical problems which came upon you so suddenly..rest up well and dont rush back to work..you will need everything you've got for the big push!
Will you just leave it till you know more?

I have a sore throat today...kind of knew I would get something..every trip it happens..just hoping it does not go to my chest and get worse.

Been doing a lot of reading about pensions. When I first joined the site my first question was if any single women were going back to UK from Canada between the ages of 60 and 65....I did not get one reply..

I really didnt know if I would have to continue working here in UK or not.
Since I am not eligible to collect Canadian pension till 65 I really did not understand where I stood. Now I know..I can retire now according to what I have been reading and also am entitled to a full UK state pension. As well, I am able to continue working if I want.

Funny how you get lots of advice and reading references sent your way but no clear straight answer. Well now, having ploughed through piles of material I am satisfied I have the right info.....

I do want to ask you guys your input on a settlement place.
After I have done my travels this year I intend settling on the south coast somewhere....have been looking at the usual spots Torquay, Bournemouth, Poole, Salcombe, Cornwall...but all in all nothing leaps out. Ideally a pretty, warm place not too small...get a little job, maybe with ferry to France..any suggestions?

Fish n Chips 56

Hello Rod.

There are so many cameras to choose from, I bought mine from my local camera store where you can pick them up without some security device attached, plus I like to support the local guy who will treat me right.

I looked at many over a two month period before buying, I wanted to have them in my hands and see how they felt, many camera's are so small today, some are too small for guys with big fingers, some are made of cheap plastic and delicate, some are more solid so that's what to look for.

I found ones I liked, then came home and compared features and read buyers reports online at places like Amazon, I wanted to buy one with a good track record.

I have a Canon Power Shot SD970is it retailed for $379 and I paid $350 including a 2gb memory card and bag, they are worth at least $25, so that means I paid $325 for the camera when all said and done.
It came with a lithium battery, its very small with a large screen a 5 x optical zoom and no viewfinder, my first camera without a viewfinder. I love it, since last July I have taken 3544 pics and some video with it, I do not consider it a great video camera as the sound isnt a major feature, still it took nice take off and landing video's on my trip back to the UK last July.

I was also looking at a Canon powershot SX120is, its larger and looks more traditional, it fits tightly in my pants pocket inside a carrying case, its runs off AA batteries which are easy to find, plus it has a wonderful 10x optical zoom and video, it retailed for 249 and since has dropped in price to 229, I see it everywhere for $200, its a wonderful camera for $200.

My Dad who was alive last year at this time actually went looking with me and bought the 120is for $200, we took it to the UK and it took some great pics too, you can get rechargable AAs for that camera which would be the way to go, but if you are caught out you can always find regular AAs.
I gave that camera to one of my sisters after my Dad passed away, she loves it and enjoys it more than her Nikon.

Previous to Canon I bought Fujis and enjoyed those too, Its a case of going and seeing what you like and what feels good to you.

Memory cards, The pics are stored on memory cards, you can download them straight into your computer, I was going to erase and reuse the memory cards, then figured they are so cheap I decided to delete pics I dont like and keep ones on the card that I do, so I dont have 3544 pics saved, many have been deleted, the memory cards are available in the UK so thats not a problem.
A 2gb card will hold close to 500 pics and costs around $15.

Wow Vegas is a Great place for Photo's, Bigger than Life.

Good Luck on finding a Camera, Take Care...

wingandapray

We are going BACK to Leighton Buzzard Bedfordshire-nice market town-cant believe thi is happening,quite surreal actually!!

sallysimmons

Plus they have no idea that most people just can't do it legally. You can't just up and move anywhere you like and expect to be allowed to work, but Americans especially seem to believe that they could live anywhere they wanted. Of course they wouldn't, because as they repeatedly tell us, they already live in 'the greatest country in the world.'

I was actually surprised at how easy it sounded to get a visa for your husband. I didn't find anything quick and easy about the process here in the US - my green card and my citizenship both took several years and many visits to line up in government offices. Thank goodness I'll never go through that again!

Welcome WaWa and Britgurl. This is a great group of people with lots of fantastic advice.

Mallory

I guess you haven't read the immigration section of this forum! Flooded with Brits wanting to move over to Florida, and start up a pool cleaning service!
They want to know what's the easiest way to do it - never mention visas! I think the lack of knowledge about visas is universal.

between two worlds

So you would recommend my USC husband takes the LIfe in UK test ahead of doing the visa application, if he happens to be on a visit in UK? There's a benefit to passing Life in UK ahead of time?

sallysimmons

Ha! I bet people in Florida never thought of pool cleaning as a business. They'll be so glad of the help!

Fish n Chips 56

Hello Wawa and Britgirl, Welcome to you both, isnt this the greatest thread, without it many of us would be lost.

Wawa its good that your husband is willing to go along and give this a try, good for you.

Britgirl.
I read the Daily Mail article, I'm not sure what to make of it, we all have different circumstances and who's to say what view the British Govt would take, Asylum seeker seems a like a drastic term for someone born in the UK, this just might be one of those extreme cases were the papers like to get involved, still it does make you think.
I'm not sure what position it would put you in, but we all need to have some money in order to go back.

I loved how some brits were willing to help an ex pat versus someone that had no brit connection.

Good Luck to you both.

Mallory

My hubby is a native Floridian, and nope he never was interested in cleaning pools for a living, leave that to foreigners eh!

Fish n Chips 56

Ive been following your progress, I see you are on your way back, Good for you, I hope its a dream come true for you.

I see you have lodging problem, don't worry pal thats what motels are for, you wont be out on the street.

Again Good Luck.

Mummy in the foothills

Consider the source it's the daily Fail!
All sensationalizing.
They had an article like this in the local paper at my Mums, a man and his wife and child came back from somewhere.
Parts of the story were missing, you can apply for child allowance but it takes three months from when you enter the UK and take up residence again, thats how it was for my son and I when we were back many years ago.
She probably is eligible for job seekers allowance but that wasn't mentioned. Sounds like the wants the essex council to hand her a house and pay her to live in it

jasper123

WAWA
A huge big welcome to you, you say your children are in UAE, stupid question maybe but where is UAE?
And you say all your family and friends are in UK, thats good, all my family are in UK too, I will be living with my 90 year old Mum, I am 65 in June, Im hoping to get out of U.S. as soon as possible, I booked a flight and all fully paid for leaving Vegas November 30, I booked it a few months ago but now recently I have changed my mind and want to go back earlier, so will have to change flight date soon, so its a mad rush for me to take care of everything ASAP
I just so really want to get home with my family,
You know the biggest obstacle that we all have to overcome is getting in the frame of mind that there is not a single doubt in your mind that you want to return to your birthplace, and that you absolutely know that this is what is right, and this is what you want to do,
All the rest you can take care of in the move, and when you get back home even though it will be tough at first it will all work out for you both and then years later you will look back on where you are now and be so thankful that you made the decision to go home,
Take good care, and you know that we are all here to help you and give advice on anything ---- or just chit chat if you want too,
I personally would not be in the stage I am in now if it were not for all the wonderful people on this thread, they have each helped me sooooo much in there own way with advice and encouraged me and inspired me,
Take care, and keep posting,
Rodney.

Beedubya

Eileen have you thought of doing a coach trip to the south coast? I had that on my plans for the summer, but as you know I never got to fulfil them.

There are a few coach companies out there, Shearings is the only one I can think of offhand, but they do all in coach tours, which include hotel room, breakfast, dinner and entertainment. You should be able to find other companies who do the same. It is much cheaper to do this than say get a train, hotel, and 2 meals a day, there is no way you could do it as cheaply as they do!!

It will give you a feel for the place and really nobody else can advise you where to live, you will have to click with the place yourself. I have only been to Torquay a LONG time ago and I remember being amazed that palm trees grew in England!!!