Originally Posted by Babsw

brisbane but we haven't settled on an area yet, we're going to have a reccie this summer ( winter for you!!!) and try to pin it down a bit. I quite like the look of Mango Hill/Redcliffe that way but need to see prices etc, real estate.com gives a rosy glow to everything. Cleveland is also a choice but we're keeping an open mind till we get there. Have you any suggestions?

Originally Posted by s-jmelbournewannabe

Nice post good to hear you are getting settled in ok.

just an idea but you could still live on the outskirts if you put the kids in kindy nr work instead of home?? long commutes but not bad if in the car.. we have 3 pre-schoolers and one at school. its tough but still a goer.. cheaper too.


Have a blast!

S-j x

Originally Posted by kerikerr

Our journey begins in my bestfriends livingroom, where my heart was breaking saying goodbye to my mum and dad, bestfriend and my lovely godchildren - I don't want to do that ever again!
We hired a minibus to take us to the airport cause we didn't want any tears and snotters at the airport, we wanted that to be the beginning of our adventure! So we arrived at Glasgow airport laidened with 4 suitcases, 4 trolley cases, a buggy, a car seat and 3 small children, luckily a nice stewardess came to our rescue when she could see how much we were struggling and gave us a hand into the airport. Had to pay £111 for 3kilos excess baggage which the check in guy apologised for but said Malaysian airlines were strict and would send them nasty emails if they didn't charge us!!!! We flew to Heathrow ( which was a nightmare with all the luggage) and then onto Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian , had a 3 night stop-over which was great then another night-time flight to Brisbane. Had been dreading the flights but the kids were brilliant, they all slept most of the journey and Malaysian airlines were great, no complaints at all! Staff at KL airport were very helpful and they have a free portering service to help with bags etc. We left most of our luggage at KL airport during our stopover, think it was about £100 or so but well worth it. As for the strictness of the excess with Malaysia - nonsense, when we checked back in at KL airport the checkin staff let us put 2 of our trolley cases in the hold as well as they said we had enough to carry!

Arrived in Brisbane on the 22 Jan 2008!!! Again staff at the airport were helpful and we were directed to a Maxi taxi to take us to our accomodation! We stayed at Newmarket Caravan Park for the first week until we found a lovely rental in Ashgrove, more expensive than we had planned for but we really wanted out of the caravan park and had been told that it was really difficult to get a good rental, so I think we jumped at it, but we're really happy in it (will be happier when our furniture arrives). Bought airbeds and cheap crockery and cutlery from Ikea so we've at least got somewhere to sleep.
We hired a car for the first week and bought a second hand car the following week without any problems at all. Spent the first few weeks getting completely lost, Brisbane is much bigger than I had anticipated and it would take us an hour to find somewhere literally 5 minutes away. One thing that I found highly amusing was my husbands brilliant sense of direction was totally a**e for T*t, well we are upside down remember

Medicare was really easy to organise, just went to local Medicare centre and the lady was very helpful and we got our cards about 10 days later. Have applied for our TFN online, again which was easy to do. Today we got our Australian Drivers Licences, just took our ID filled out the form and you get it there and then - $67.50 for a 5 year licence.

Our 5 year old has started his new school, which he is loving because it's got a playpark, a swimming pool, a jungle area and tennis courts, so he thinks it's brilliant. The school have been excellent and very big on community and parent involvement, I was worried about the education side of things but I needn't have been, I have been thoroughly impressed so far. I need to find childcare for my younger two, which is proving more difficult as there are waiting lists for most baby places, so I'm still working on that! I'm due to start work at the Royal Brisbane Womens Hospital in 2 weeks, went up for a visit yesterday and they all seemed very nice and accomodating, so I'm kinda looking forward to starting work, I think then it will feel more real because just now I still can't believe that I'm actually in Australia. My Hubby is looking for work just now and had an interview last week, so hopefully we'll hear by the end of this week if he's been successful or not - to be honest he's enjoying the time off - a little too much if you ask me

Anyway, I'll stop rambling on now and conclude with, so far so good, we moved for a better life for the kids and from what we've seen up to now, we've made the right decision!

Originally Posted by kerikerr

Cheers folks! I noticed Destinationsydney your from Glasgow, where abouts, I'm orginally from Greenock, although I don't like to advertise that fact!!!!!

Originally Posted by Babycatcher

Hi Keri
Thanks for your post and glad things worked out for you. Did my reccie last year and LOVED Ashgrove. It's still just a dream at the moment (long story). Anyway being a nosey parker - what you doing at RBWH? Have you started? I visted them as a potential employer last year and they were lovely
Babycatcher

Originally Posted by kerikerr

Hi,
Am a nurse at the RBWH - just started orientation week today so haven't actually started proper work yet - but so far everyone has been very nice and it seems like a good place to work! Ashgrove is nice - but house prices are a bit mad at the moment!! Hopefully your dream will come true and you'll be out before you know it!! Good luck!

Originally Posted by Babsw

brisbane but we haven't settled on an area yet, we're going to have a reccie this summer ( winter for you!!!) and try to pin it down a bit. I quite like the look of Mango Hill/Redcliffe that way but need to see prices etc, real estate.com gives a rosy glow to everything. Cleveland is also a choice but we're keeping an open mind till we get there. Have you any suggestions?

Originally Posted by yvonnemidwife

that is all fab info, we re aiming to come out next January too and it sounds fab, any recommendations you get pass them this way!! i ve applied to mater mothers so anyone working there i need friends !!! love lots yvonne

Originally Posted by kerikerr

Our journey begins in my bestfriends livingroom, where my heart was breaking saying goodbye to my mum and dad, bestfriend and my lovely godchildren - I don't want to do that ever again!
We hired a minibus to take us to the airport cause we didn't want any tears and snotters at the airport, we wanted that to be the beginning of our adventure! So we arrived at Glasgow airport laidened with 4 suitcases, 4 trolley cases, a buggy, a car seat and 3 small children, luckily a nice stewardess came to our rescue when she could see how much we were struggling and gave us a hand into the airport. Had to pay £111 for 3kilos excess baggage which the check in guy apologised for but said Malaysian airlines were strict and would send them nasty emails if they didn't charge us!!!! We flew to Heathrow ( which was a nightmare with all the luggage) and then onto Kuala Lumpur with Malaysian , had a 3 night stop-over which was great then another night-time flight to Brisbane. Had been dreading the flights but the kids were brilliant, they all slept most of the journey and Malaysian airlines were great, no complaints at all! Staff at KL airport were very helpful and they have a free portering service to help with bags etc. We left most of our luggage at KL airport during our stopover, think it was about £100 or so but well worth it. As for the strictness of the excess with Malaysia - nonsense, when we checked back in at KL airport the checkin staff let us put 2 of our trolley cases in the hold as well as they said we had enough to carry!

Arrived in Brisbane on the 22 Jan 2008!!! Again staff at the airport were helpful and we were directed to a Maxi taxi to take us to our accomodation! We stayed at Newmarket Caravan Park for the first week until we found a lovely rental in Ashgrove, more expensive than we had planned for but we really wanted out of the caravan park and had been told that it was really difficult to get a good rental, so I think we jumped at it, but we're really happy in it (will be happier when our furniture arrives). Bought airbeds and cheap crockery and cutlery from Ikea so we've at least got somewhere to sleep.
We hired a car for the first week and bought a second hand car the following week without any problems at all. Spent the first few weeks getting completely lost, Brisbane is much bigger than I had anticipated and it would take us an hour to find somewhere literally 5 minutes away. One thing that I found highly amusing was my husbands brilliant sense of direction was totally a**e for T*t, well we are upside down remember

Medicare was really easy to organise, just went to local Medicare centre and the lady was very helpful and we got our cards about 10 days later. Have applied for our TFN online, again which was easy to do. Today we got our Australian Drivers Licences, just took our ID filled out the form and you get it there and then - $67.50 for a 5 year licence.

Our 5 year old has started his new school, which he is loving because it's got a playpark, a swimming pool, a jungle area and tennis courts, so he thinks it's brilliant. The school have been excellent and very big on community and parent involvement, I was worried about the education side of things but I needn't have been, I have been thoroughly impressed so far. I need to find childcare for my younger two, which is proving more difficult as there are waiting lists for most baby places, so I'm still working on that! I'm due to start work at the Royal Brisbane Womens Hospital in 2 weeks, went up for a visit yesterday and they all seemed very nice and accomodating, so I'm kinda looking forward to starting work, I think then it will feel more real because just now I still can't believe that I'm actually in Australia. My Hubby is looking for work just now and had an interview last week, so hopefully we'll hear by the end of this week if he's been successful or not - to be honest he's enjoying the time off - a little too much if you ask me

Anyway, I'll stop rambling on now and conclude with, so far so good, we moved for a better life for the kids and from what we've seen up to now, we've made the right decision!