First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

Well, we got here! eventually!
The first observation is that someone needs to find a way of getting here that doesn't involve 20 hours in the air! but hey ho:D. In fact I was a little worried about the flight, as niether of our kids had flown before, and if one or the other (or god forbid both!) had been frightened I'm not sure how I could have dealt with it!....but as we took of from Heathrow and I looked over at them bouncing up & down in the seats....shouting Weeeee! and making airoplane noises I calmed down a bit!:D (I dont suppose the other passengers did but still!)
6 hours at Hong Kong airport was a bit of a drag but we managed to get a shower, and the noodle shop was good! To anybody going that way, and certainly if you are going to be there for any longer than we were, I would look at booking into one of the "lounges" but they weren't cheap!

We finally arrived at Cairns at 09:00 (a good time really) and to brilliant sunshine!, and things started to get better! I discovered I hadn't quite forgotten what my wife looked like:D and the reunion was complete! A point of logistics here for anybody elses consideration, K had to get a friend to come with her in another car to pick us up....3 of us and our luggage wouldnt fit in a normal car! ( I had to hire an estate the other side to get us round the "rellies" and to HLR....well I asked for an estate....I got a Nissan Pathfinder.....I've seen smaller front line battle tanks! but it did the job!)

After the trials & tribulations of "losing" our rental just before we flew, the place K got for us....via someone elses blind date!....is about perfect. It doesn't have a pool, but that was easily made up for on the first morning watching the wallabies "breakfast" in the back garden!
And as for the pool thing..."The Lagoon" in Cairns is fantastic....and free! The kids have hardly been out of it!. Now we finally have them started at school (more of that later) we often stop for an hour on the way back from picking them up for them to have a swim.

Well I have to go & pick K up from work...and this post is getting quite long so..
TO BE CONTINUED!:D

Re: First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

Okay.
I'm ready now.
Got me popcorn :thumbup:

Re: First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

You must be back by now. Get on with it. Pass the popcorn Bix:thumbsup:

Re: First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

Great first instalment but want more please!:thumbsup:

Re: First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

Yes Please - we are now ready for some more

Re: First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

Windog previously advised of his early adaption to the laidback FNQ way of life.

So the next installment will come sooooon.....ish after all the important things are done, like a swim, :beer:, swim, :beer:, beach walk :beer:

Personally, I'd leave it at that to keep them guessing:rofl:

WW

Re: First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

WW, you are correct about my "FNQ" sleep habits but you also have to add to that I live in a house with 3 females....and only one computer! (thank god we now have 2 bathrooms!:rofl:) so my "access" tends to be limited!

Anyway...where was I...

I think the rental may have spoiled us for when finally we can buy...sat on the veranda with a gentle cooling breeze( I have noticed, cyclones aside, it can get quite windy in Cairns!...when you buy a hat you have to make sure it fits snug!) looking at our wonderful sea views> Of course when we buy it'll probably be a rundown house sqeezed in to a small plot, miles inland and no wind! but I can dream!. I am quite amazed at just how much "residential" building is going on in Cairns, and while some of it is quite nice, a lot of it seems to be...how to get the largest house on the smallest block! (note to self...I have to remember to call it a "block"...it seems a "plot" here is somewhere you get burried, and no-one can understand why I need one 1000M2 !:D)

In our travels so far arround Cairns I think our first guess that the "Northern suburbs" were the favourite has turned out to be correct, but they do seem to be in the main "established" with less building going on and so what is available is getting more expensive. (From a commuting note, for those that may be interested, from our rental in Trinity Beach, which is nearly at the beach & so as far from the main road as you can get, it takes K not much more than 15-20 mins into the hospital, and that is even true first thing in the morning) Redlynch ( Hi! Mr & Mrs Bix:thumbsup:) is a bit like the curates egg, good in parts...there is quite a lot of building going on there, and some of it is very nice, but some of it does look "crammed in" with no space at all! (No Bix, your house was nice! but some of the others seemed to be trying to fit the same on in half the block!) but, it is also quite a good area for a bit of breeze, less danger of flooding, and close to what seems a good school. Flooding does seem to be a consideration when looking for property arround Cairns, some of what has been released for building is ex cane fields, and a lot of it seems to be likely in the flood plain of the Baron river, and we have seen in the uk what can result from these sort of developments (and yes it does rain in Cairns...we've got water!:p:D)

Still, house searching will be an ongoing saga, particularly untill the sale of our UK home has finalised, so I will tell you more of that anon

And so on to the highlight of our arrival in Cairns....We have finally met the Bix's! (I am sure Cairns council ought to pay them just for living there!) And thank you both for your hospitality as well as all your help & support:thumbsup:

Well this post does seem to be wandering a bit....probably a lack of beer! I will have to go & rectify that, and do some of my chores, and if I can Wrestle ownership of the laptop:D, I will continue later

Re: First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

:thumbsup:Looking forward to next instalment!

Re: First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

best of 2 falls, 2 submissions or a knockout....and I've got the laptop back!

The first week here K had off work so we "played tourist"! Well the truth is for us "latecomers" it still felt like a holiday, the permanency of the move hadn't really sunk in! We went to the beach ......all of about 500 yards (sorry,,,meters....must get used to that as well!). Its stinger season so you have to swim inside the nets, but thats no hardship....as long as they're there, since then they've been taken up, untill the risk of "cyclone Guba" has subsided, but I digress...I looked at the info board at the beach and it gave the temperature as 28 degrees....no not the air temp...the water temp! now I dont know if that was accurate, but it did feel bloody warm! lets be honest..I'm a woos, even in the south of France I think the sea is cold, but I walked straight in ....without even that "sharp intake of breath" as the water covers your.....er.....swimmers!

Fortunately, being a "slaphead" (and since being here I've made it worse...I've shaved the bloody lot off!) I was already well aware of the need for suncream (It became obvious in the South of France one year when I managed to get sunburn on the top of my ears!), but even so, the heat of the sun helps to remind you it is something to be constantly aware of, especially with the kids, who lets be honest, wouldn't think of it themselves untill they'd been hospitalised at least twice!

We drove up to Port Douglass, stopping at various "lookouts" to admire the views ,much to the annoyance of the kids...to them once youve seen one view you've seen em all! Except for one stop when a pod of about 5 dolphins had come close enough inshore to "put on a show" leaping & tumbling for us! Port Douglass itself was very pretty...very "touristy" but then thats exactly why its there. It probably would be a nice place to live, but just too far out....and I bought myself a "kangaroo skin" Aussie style hat....I wanted the one with crocs teeth on the band but I think my family wouldn't have stopped laughing all the way home!:D

One thing I have been pleased about is how easy it has been to "acclimatise" to the heat, I have to admit I was worried about it, but it really hasn't been an issue ( whilst I realise I havent actually had to "work"in it yet!) The house has aircon, but in 2 weeks we've only had it on for about an hour, and really that was more to try it out! I would have to point out to those saying to bring loads of bedding because its expensive.....occasionally it has got so cold here, I have actually had to sleep under the sheet instead of on top of it! (not a pretty sight, but comfortable!) But it does show that one important factor when looking for a house here in FNQ is "does it get the breeze" and is the house designed and aligned to make use of it

anyway, have to break off & feed the "hordes"....more ramblings later!

Re: First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

Oooh I love a good update. Do I need to bring the bedding then windog?Ive had another panic as I havent found us a home yet I know its early but these things come over you, its sophies birthday the family have been round for a tea party. Its homely and I need to know Ill have that in cairns. A home i mean!

Re: First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

Hi not sure if im even on the right site. I was wanting to talk and get advice from people who have moved to oz.Am i on the right track:(

Re: First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

Hi K W, welcome to the site.
This Australia\Update area is for people to give big rambling stories ( like this one ) of how their emigration has gone so far.
The Australia\Immigration site is for Visa advice, and the main Australia forum is for general chat and advice about australia.
Hope that helps, and your not too lost.
Have fun.

Re: First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

Lucky people...I've only time for a short addition at the mo...been a bit busy!
One thing I would have to warn you of is the "red tape" It is probably worse than in the UK! Not that its a problem if you are prepared for it but it took quite a bit of "running about" to become a "proper person"! Once you get your first bit of Aussie identification it gets easier, but it seems quite a job to get the first bit! Ours I accept was more complicated because, with our rental problems, it was quite difficult to give a permanent Aussie adress and they like to see something with your adress on before you can get the next bit of identification. A rental contract in the first place would be very useful! but as ours was an informal arrangement we didnt have this! K had to sign a stat dec that I lived somewhere so I could get my driving license! but after that it got easier. The other piece of advice is to get a bank account sorted within 6 weeks...in this time your passport is sufficient identification on its own, but after that they want lots more! (I was thinking of having my inside leg measurement notarised just in case!). Also this means the bank will start sending you letters, so you have something with your adress onit then, and that starts to make the whole process easier.
anyway, off to pick up K and have a barbie & a swim at the lagoon
more later

Re: First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

It's a hard life!:lol:

Re: First weeks in Cairns...The OH version!
 

What an intersting thread... I like it, I will be in your shoes in March/April time