Currently on holiday in Cairns but thought I'd just commemorate our fourth anniversary in Australia.

Work
Since last year my computer repair business folded and I got a full time job in Sydney. It means a commute of two hours each way, but that's the price I'm prepared to pay for living in a such a nice part of NSW. That said, I'm digging an escape tunnel. The missus has her own web design business which is doing very well - she recently picked up her first big Australian client (as opposed to small businesses) and the future's looking good.

Play
Most of my spare time is spent at the beach, partly because it's so nice and partly because I'm the club captain at my local surf lifesaving club. The missus mainly works her arse off but otherwise enjoys jogging, going whale-watching and generally chilling out with mates over a chilled glass of Chardy. The sprog (now eight - he was four when we emigrated) has got friends in the neighbourhood and at school - they come round and knock on the door and they ride their bikes to the reserve or the river. He has virtually no memory of his old life and identifies himself as an Australian first and foremost.

Australia
We're all pretty Ausified four years down the line. The sprog has completely lost his English accent and I dare say my home counties cockney has merged into a hybrid form. Like many migrants we were very skint for the first few years and therefore didn't get to travel much, but things are slowly improving and this holiday we're currently on is our first in seven years and has been excellent. Things seem to happen fairly slowly but before you know it, you're not doing pound/dollar conversions or mentally comparing temperatures in Bondi and Bognor.

We're very settled where we are and have no intention of heading back. I'd quite like to visit the uk on a holiday to catch up with people but the missus really doesn't want to and I'm not that fussed that it's an argument.

And ermm, that's it. It's life, whatever timezone you wake up in.

What is the most amazing thing if you may call it.. have happened to by migrating to Aussie??

Great post!

Happy anniversary Hutch

I did a search for something t'other day and came across your two year post.

Congratulations on your four year anniversary!

4 years ...congratulations

Good update - time goes very quickly, four years already!

Lovely update Hutch, well done

Now, what happened to the sunshine you were supposed to bring up to Cairns???
Enjoy the rest of your hols!

Thanks for the update mate, glad to see that you're still going strong.

I totally understand the skint bit

Cheers,
Cooler

So they haven't found the bodies yet then!!!!!

nice update hutch
glad things are going your way

Jeez I'm a crap mod! Only just seen this. Good update Hutch. The rubbish happens but you have to move on without too much of a moan.

Heh - probably because it wasn't my usual epic 2000 word update posts.

Great update mate and good to hear things are coming together for you and yours. It must have been hard trying to run a business during the GFC so sounds like you are enjoying working for someone else and taking a long earned holiday

Thanks mate - but to be honest, the business folding was as much down to my own ineptitude as any downswing in economic traffic. The security blanket of a paid job is great - prior to getting my job in Sydney, both the missus and I had been self employed for 15 years. There's a feeling in the pit of your stomach you have all the time when you run your own business over whether or not you're going to be paid enough to meet the mortgage and the bills. And while I don't miss that one little bit, I plan to become self employed once more within a year or so. I can do 95% of the groundwork for the new job now and only hand in my notice once all the i's and t's have been dotted and crossed. Watch this space.

4 years goes so quick! it did for us, we are coming up to our 5th year in march 2011

great update