Bibbs : Year 1 - Update
 

Well, actually 14 months.

We landed in March 2011 with nothing more than 2 bags of clothes and our last months pay cheques and the money from selling our cars.

We went out and bought a Subaru Outback the first weekend we were here. A wagon so it was a good size to lug stuff about. But it was hard work to fork over that amount of cash for such a poor car (coming from the UK where we sold a Hilux and an SLK for less than this).

The wife had a job offer before we arrived, I found work after 6 weeks. Took a while with dealing with recruitment consultants, then after a month I went out and did it myself. The wife is in office admin, and I'm in IT.

Friends put us up for 8 weeks (they offered 6 months), and then we moved out into an apartment as soon as we'd both been paid.

For the first month all we had was an Ikea bed, 2 camping chairs and a TV/PS3. The first thing we got was a puppy, get the priorities right. :lol:

Since then all our belongings arrived (with some damage - which took 9 months of hassle to get any money back), and we've added a few other items like sofa, fridge, office equipment etc.

We also then chopped in the Subaru for a new Hilux. Good to be back in a proper car that isn't falling apart after too many Ikea runs.

So now we are at the end of the financial year and I've just negotiated a new contract with a 40% rise, and the wife has just sent off the details to turn her Probationary Visa into a Permanent Visa.

In the last year we have done the following (in 'boring' Perth) :-

2011 V8 weekend, 2012 V8 weekend.
Soundwave Festival, Big Day Out festival, Foo Fighters, Roger Waters, Florence + The Machine, NKOTBSB.
Saw Aus vs Ind in the cricket, a few AFL matches.
Also been on the Helicopter ride across Perth, the zoo a couple of times, dozens of wildlife parks. Even headed to the horse races (and won a few hundred bucks).
Been down to Margaret River, Denmark and a long weekend out to Hyden (Wave Rock).

In general, loving it. It's hard missing friends in the UK. Very hard. But you just have to think 'Tough' and get on with it.

I'll add in a few pics here ..

The view from the apartment :

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...11640600_n.jpg

And at night :

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...33980848_n.jpg

Down the dog beach :

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...91744557_n.jpg

By the river :

http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...18692043_n.jpg

The new motor (after 60km of unsealed roads and a massive thunderstorm) :

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...25921289_o.jpg

the V8's :

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot...61918997_n.jpg

Re: Bibbs : Year 1 - Update
 

Awesome update - cool news on the music stuff as thought Perth might be too back of beyond for that - though was that New Kids on the Block you snuck in? :p

Mind you hubby has a Hilux now and he hates it - much preferred his battered 10 year old Defender but guessing they're few and far between in Perth!

Re: Bibbs : Year 1 - Update
 

We have a few friends who get free tickets to the concerts. I wanted to see Roger Waters (ex Pink Floyd, wrote "The Wall") and she didn't, so I had to return the favour by seeing a band she wanted to.

I think I'll have been to more concerts and festivals than I managed in 20 years in the UK, I've just booked "Steel Panther" and "Slash" for later in the year.

I've seen the occasional Defender. But they appear to be new and very looked after. Doubt they have seen a curb, never mind off road. I'm not a real fan of the Defenders after spending a lot of time being driven around sitting in the back of them, cold, wet and hungry.

The Hilux is very comfortable over the long distances and will take a load of luggage too. I really want an HSV, but we are saving for a house at the moment.

Re: Bibbs : Year 1 - Update
 

Cool sounds like you have the dream send some over to me lol. Nice to hear sucess stories too

Re: Bibbs : Year 1 - Update
 

I wouldn't say "success".

It's a long road and we have just started.

But we are defo looking fowards, not backwards.

Re: Bibbs : Year 1 - Update
 

Glad to hear its going well for you.I know that it isn't always easy but you seem to be getting on with it.Good for you.:fingerscrossed:

Re: Bibbs : Year 1 - Update
 

Well it's been a busy time for us.

After 18 months of looking (the last 6 months solidly) we've put in an offer on a house, been accepted and had our finance approved.

Homeowners in October, move in November.

Off to Bali for a week now to celebrate and get away from this awful weather.

Re: Bibbs : Year 1 - Update
 

Photo of the car appears to be missing but apart from that, great update. May your lives give you what you want!

Re: Bibbs : Year 1 - Update
 

Well we've completed on the house. 4 weeks till we move in.

Only other thing of note was I got my tax/super completly wrong (first year of running my own company).

So I managed to give myself a big bonus that paid for the entire Bali trip, a new Breitling and a few bits for the house (new fridge, TV etc).

Can't complain.

So now it's about getting the new house sorted for the inlaws who arrive in 6 weeks.

Re: Bibbs : Year 1 - Update
 

Nice update and great photos.

Re: Bibbs : Year 1 - Update
 

And so we've started to move in.

Been acting like a vulture it seems and buying furniture off Poms that are heading home. So a nice sofa (in a style we wanted but couldn't find over here) and a few other things like cabinets etc.

Getting adelivery of new houshold goods (fridge, TV, microwave) tomorrow. So it's moving furniture, cleaning our rental and painting the house.

Also got a call from immigration today to confirm a few things and inform me that the wife's PR has gone through. So a few glasses shall be drunk tonight.

Re: Bibbs : Year 1 - Update
 

Glad to hear that it is all going well. :thumbup:

In I.E.8 all your photos show up as a red cross, in firefox they aren't there at all???

Re: Bibbs : Year 1 - Update
 

Congrats on the wife's PR.:thumbsup:

Re: Bibbs : Year 1 - Update
 

Damn. I'll look into it. I think FaceBook has changed the locations.