Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
#46
Victorian Evangelist
Joined: Sep 2005
Location: Melbourne, by the beach, living the dream.
Posts: 7,704
Re: Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
BB
#47
Re: Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
Just a quick belated update:
Returned to the UK in October for a holiday with my wife and kids, we all had a fantastic time it was brilliant to have all the family together again. Days out, reunions, eat like kings and treated like royalty!!
It confirmed for me that I had made the wrong decision and never should have moved, The UK felt like 'home'.
But as I have 'made my bed' I must lay in it!!!
I haven't got a plan B!!!
Returned to the UK in October for a holiday with my wife and kids, we all had a fantastic time it was brilliant to have all the family together again. Days out, reunions, eat like kings and treated like royalty!!
It confirmed for me that I had made the wrong decision and never should have moved, The UK felt like 'home'.
But as I have 'made my bed' I must lay in it!!!
I haven't got a plan B!!!
#48
Re: Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
Just a quick belated update:
Returned to the UK in October for a holiday with my wife and kids, we all had a fantastic time it was brilliant to have all the family together again. Days out, reunions, eat like kings and treated like royalty!!
It confirmed for me that I had made the wrong decision and never should have moved, The UK felt like 'home'.
But as I have 'made my bed' I must lay in it!!!
I haven't got a plan B!!!
Returned to the UK in October for a holiday with my wife and kids, we all had a fantastic time it was brilliant to have all the family together again. Days out, reunions, eat like kings and treated like royalty!!
It confirmed for me that I had made the wrong decision and never should have moved, The UK felt like 'home'.
But as I have 'made my bed' I must lay in it!!!
I haven't got a plan B!!!
#49
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
Just a quick belated update:
Returned to the UK in October for a holiday with my wife and kids, we all had a fantastic time it was brilliant to have all the family together again. Days out, reunions, eat like kings and treated like royalty!!
It confirmed for me that I had made the wrong decision and never should have moved, The UK felt like 'home'.
But as I have 'made my bed' I must lay in it!!!
I haven't got a plan B!!!
Returned to the UK in October for a holiday with my wife and kids, we all had a fantastic time it was brilliant to have all the family together again. Days out, reunions, eat like kings and treated like royalty!!
It confirmed for me that I had made the wrong decision and never should have moved, The UK felt like 'home'.
But as I have 'made my bed' I must lay in it!!!
I haven't got a plan B!!!
#50
BE Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 369
Re: Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
I am now an expert on separating dreams from reality... I may start running lectures on it
#52
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: South Australia
Posts: 503
Re: Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
Steve, I can relate to a lot of what you have experienced. I have lived here for 18 years and have always felt torn. I feel that my heart will always be in the UK. It is 'home'.
Australia is where my security (financial and relationship) is but it is not 'my' country or people.
I have made the most of the opportunities presented to me whilst living here and there has been a mixture of good and bad times. I neither love it nor hate it. It is what it is.
I have come to the conclusion that there is good and bad in both countries. It is the extent to which one or the other suits you personally.
Good Luck for the future
Australia is where my security (financial and relationship) is but it is not 'my' country or people.
I have made the most of the opportunities presented to me whilst living here and there has been a mixture of good and bad times. I neither love it nor hate it. It is what it is.
I have come to the conclusion that there is good and bad in both countries. It is the extent to which one or the other suits you personally.
Good Luck for the future
#53
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,253
Re: Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
There were picnics and days out, long fun filled days ending with drinks on the lawn during the long balmy summer evenings with family and friends who I hadn't seen in years. You knows those rare summer evenings in late June in England when the weather is still and perfect, the smell of freshly cut crass and the sound of laughter and BBQ's sizzling, that is how it was.
Me and the wife retired to bed after these long fun filled days and wondered to ourselves why did we ever leave? All memories of pre 2002 and all the planning and reasons were forgotten in that fun filled holiday period.
Fast forward to Autumn 2005 and there we were at Manchester airport in the rain permanently arriving back after selling up on our life in Australia with memories of the 2004 summer holiday fresh in our minds, we were all smiles and joy even if the weather wasn't so welcoming.
We quickly got a new rental and both started new jobs. The same people we had seen the summer before came to welcome us back and spirits were high. Then we got back in to the grind of things, people get on with their own lives as we all tend to do. From 2005 - 2010 I seen my sisters no more than twice a year, and yes I did try and initiate more times to meet up. We seen more of some people in the space of 3 weeks in 2004 than I did in the entire period from 2005 - 2010. There were some people we only seen one more time!
The truth is a holiday back in the UK does not give a realistic version of how it will be when you move back there, not for us anyway.
We may well even go back to the UK again to live but hopefully we have learn't our lesson regarding moving based on holiday experiences and get back to planning our lives based on reality and what it is we want.
Last edited by Jon77; Mar 30th 2014 at 5:13 am.
#54
Re: Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
Upon retirement buy half a place each in the Southern part of France..... Then the respective relies can come visit you/I, Pretty sure they'll come if you find the right locale...... Plus you've got the rest of your lives to explore Europe, "by road" as you wish, from your French Seasonal base and spend the rest of the year back here in Aus
Last edited by ozzieeagle; Apr 3rd 2014 at 1:35 am.
#55
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,253
Re: Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
Upon retirement buy half a place each in the Southern part of France..... Then the respective relies can come visit you/I, Pretty sure they'll come if you find the right locale...... Plus you've got the rest of your lives to explore Europe, "by road" as you wish, from your French Seasonal base and spend the rest of the year back here in Aus
I pretty much accepted a good few years back that the relationship I have with members of my close family in the UK will never be very close. Not blaming anyone, just the way it is, perhaps if their is blame then a good portion of that will fall at my feet.
Also I am still around 30 years from retirement age so that kinda makes all that sort of thing hard to think about.
Last edited by Jon77; Apr 3rd 2014 at 4:35 am.
#56
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
I can confirm this. We lived in Australia from 2002 - 2005, then went back to the UK, and then moved back here April 2011. We went back to England for a family holiday in 2004 and were treated like royalty. My sisters who I never had such a great relationship with were warm and welcoming and even cooked me meals for the first time ever!
There were picnics and days out, long fun filled days ending with drinks on the lawn during the long balmy summer evenings with family and friends who I hadn't seen in years. You knows those rare summer evenings in late June in England when the weather is still and perfect, the smell of freshly cut crass and the sound of laughter and BBQ's sizzling, that is how it was.
Me and the wife retired to bed after these long fun filled days and wondered to ourselves why did we ever leave? All memories of pre 2002 and all the planning and reasons were forgotten in that fun filled holiday period.
Fast forward to Autumn 2005 and there we were at Manchester airport in the rain permanently arriving back after selling up on our life in Australia with memories of the 2004 summer holiday fresh in our minds, we were all smiles and joy even if the weather wasn't so welcoming.
We quickly got a new rental and both started new jobs. The same people we had seen the summer before came to welcome us back and spirits were high. Then we got back in to the grind of things, people get on with their own lives as we all tend to do. From 2005 - 2010 I seen my sisters no more than twice a year, and yes I did try and initiate more times to meet up. We seen more of some people in the space of 3 weeks in 2004 than I did in the entire period from 2005 - 2010. There were some people we only seen one more time!
The truth is a holiday back in the UK does not give a realistic version of how it will be when you move back there, not for us anyway.
We may well even go back to the UK again to live but hopefully we have learn't our lesson regarding moving based on holiday experiences and get back to planning our lives based on reality and what it is we want.
There were picnics and days out, long fun filled days ending with drinks on the lawn during the long balmy summer evenings with family and friends who I hadn't seen in years. You knows those rare summer evenings in late June in England when the weather is still and perfect, the smell of freshly cut crass and the sound of laughter and BBQ's sizzling, that is how it was.
Me and the wife retired to bed after these long fun filled days and wondered to ourselves why did we ever leave? All memories of pre 2002 and all the planning and reasons were forgotten in that fun filled holiday period.
Fast forward to Autumn 2005 and there we were at Manchester airport in the rain permanently arriving back after selling up on our life in Australia with memories of the 2004 summer holiday fresh in our minds, we were all smiles and joy even if the weather wasn't so welcoming.
We quickly got a new rental and both started new jobs. The same people we had seen the summer before came to welcome us back and spirits were high. Then we got back in to the grind of things, people get on with their own lives as we all tend to do. From 2005 - 2010 I seen my sisters no more than twice a year, and yes I did try and initiate more times to meet up. We seen more of some people in the space of 3 weeks in 2004 than I did in the entire period from 2005 - 2010. There were some people we only seen one more time!
The truth is a holiday back in the UK does not give a realistic version of how it will be when you move back there, not for us anyway.
We may well even go back to the UK again to live but hopefully we have learn't our lesson regarding moving based on holiday experiences and get back to planning our lives based on reality and what it is we want.
What does it mean to be treated like Royalty? Is it red carpets, mounting dais (plural), being steered in the right direction both physically and in conversation, and assuming the world smells of fresh paint?
#57
Just Joined
Joined: Jul 2014
Location: Austraila
Posts: 10
Re: Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
Well you can't live like there like you do in your home country. Even i miss mine but i can't do nothing so my advice is make it your habit that what i can to you. best of luck for your life there.
#58
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Adelaide
Posts: 716
Re: Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
Steve, I can relate to a lot of what you have experienced. I have lived here for 18 years and have always felt torn. I feel that my heart will always be in the UK. It is 'home'.
Australia is where my security (financial and relationship) is but it is not 'my' country or people.
I have made the most of the opportunities presented to me whilst living here and there has been a mixture of good and bad times. I neither love it nor hate it. It is what it is.
I have come to the conclusion that there is good and bad in both countries. It is the extent to which one or the other suits you personally.
Good Luck for the future
Australia is where my security (financial and relationship) is but it is not 'my' country or people.
I have made the most of the opportunities presented to me whilst living here and there has been a mixture of good and bad times. I neither love it nor hate it. It is what it is.
I have come to the conclusion that there is good and bad in both countries. It is the extent to which one or the other suits you personally.
Good Luck for the future
#59
Re: Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
Oh yes we've talked!!!
As I said before my wife and kids LOVE Australia and wouldn't even think of leaving, Were all going back to the UK for a holiday in October and I will either love it even more and wish I was there or think 'forget it', either way the family this side are not interested......
It would be interesting to find out how many relationships have broken up due directly to migrating, I know of several long standing relationships that are now 12,000 miles apart, with kids losing a parent only to see them on Skype or Facetime....
As I said before my wife and kids LOVE Australia and wouldn't even think of leaving, Were all going back to the UK for a holiday in October and I will either love it even more and wish I was there or think 'forget it', either way the family this side are not interested......
It would be interesting to find out how many relationships have broken up due directly to migrating, I know of several long standing relationships that are now 12,000 miles apart, with kids losing a parent only to see them on Skype or Facetime....
#60
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 369
Re: Life Happened While I Made Other Plans - 8 Years On
Just read my original post from February 2013.... Things have deteriorated since then, I think in Feb I saw a glimmer of hope... that has gone.
My eldest daughter has just left for a four week Contiki tour of europe, yet again another sad farewell at the airport. This time it has really made me think that for the past ten years I have either loathed, tolerated or accepted my isolated existence in Australia but very rarely enjoyed.
Australia is just too bloody far away, and the longer I stay here the further it is getting.
My eldest daughter has just left for a four week Contiki tour of europe, yet again another sad farewell at the airport. This time it has really made me think that for the past ten years I have either loathed, tolerated or accepted my isolated existence in Australia but very rarely enjoyed.
Australia is just too bloody far away, and the longer I stay here the further it is getting.