South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

Hi everyone and apologies for the long post in advance!!!

I now have my feet on the ground i thought i would tell my tale to you all, it may help you just like this site helped me along the way!!

If you have read the 'rollercoaster' thread i started you will know we visited in August, i loved it but didnt really need to move straight away then the boys got places in the queensland maths academies so we were on our way!!

The last few weeks before we flew were the most stressful i think of my entire life bar none- and we had christmas in between!!

Anyway fast forward to first week of Jan....

Our leaving 'do' was Sunday 6th Jan. We werent going to have one but loads of friend and family that we dont see too often wanted to wish us luck so i booked it. I am so glad we did!! I was determined it wasnt going to be a crying affair and said so in my little speech!! We werent being deported - you are allowed to return nowadays!!! Anyway there were a few tears but it was a lovely evening and one i will remember. Niavely I thought this would be the hardest part...... NO WAY!!

The movers came the next day and begun the 3 day packing & shipping task. We used White & Co who were great ( obviously the stuffs not here yet so watch this space!) Thw Wednesday morning arrived with the weird site of this massive container on my drive being loaded with my entire life!! Felt funny when it drove off too!! We were lucky enough to be able to stay at a friends house for our last 2 nights as they were on holiday and i think this helped a lot. I cant imagine how depressing it would have been to spend our last 2 days in wales roughing it on the floor.

Thursday came.... our last day & night in Wales. We were staying at Heathrow on the friday night before flying on Malaysia airlines at 11.50am on the saturday morning. We had a lovely evening with a few close pals, again an emotional night with tears but they were happy tears and i will remember that evening too.

Friday now..... We hoped to go about lunch time but there was no way that was going to happen!! A million and one things still had to be done - i hadnt even changed address at the bank!! My best friends called in and now there were tears.... it was the last time i would see them for a year and only now did this hit home. However i am obviously a hard nut so the tears still werent mine!!

Ready to leave for London at 5pm!!! By far the hardest thing i have ever done in my life......

Going to say goodbye to my parents:(:(

I hope i never ever have to do that again.Even though we all knew it was a great thing we were doing it was still heartbreaking ( tears are in my eyes now while i type this)

we then went to the in laws which i am sure was just as hard for Chris with his parents as mine were to me...

By the time we got to London, had food, several wines i felt better and thoughts turned to the adventure ahead - I thought the worst was over...

NO WAY!!!

The airport experience was a nightmare!! I took too much weight (149kgs!!!:eek:)so we had to buy 2 travel bags at the airport and send 29kgs by freight!! This took so long to organise that we were last on the plane with 10 minutes to spare to take off and i hadnt had enough time to phone my parents to say goodbye :(:(:( At this point i realised the massive step i was taking and how far away i was going to be from everyone who i had discovered over the previous few weeks were really important to me. I felt as if someone had died!! The flight was long and hard as to be expected but we did it. I think this day was one of the hardest of the whole process. You are in limbo a bit and have th 24 hour plane ride to think of the sad goodbyes from the day before...

Today.... Wednesday 16th Jan 2008.

We have been here 3 days now and i feel no homesickness at all!! I havent since we landed either!! We looked at houses yesterday and found the boys schools and i am enjoying every minute!! I have spoken to the handful of important people in my life every day so far and while its great i feel no inclination to return home. I look forward to them visiting but am looking forward to my new life here in Queensland. I am sure you i might get 'down' days once the boys go to school and Chris goes to work but i dont feel that way at the moment.Even during the darkess moments of the goodbyes and the flight not once did i think 'i want to go home'. I know everyones experience is different but if youre on a downer day i would say hang on in there - itll be worth it in the end!!

Again, sorry for rambling and i will keep you posted in the future.......

Re: South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

Hi,
We are also from south wales and now living near gold coast since nov 2007.
We also feel exactly like you, and know that this is our home from now on.
Goodluck for the future and hope everything continues to go well.

Ally

Re: South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

Good luck. I hope everything goes well for you.

Re: South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

Thanks for posting, enjoyed reading it with tears in MY eyes LOL :D

Re: South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

Thanks for the post, i'm glad it's all going well, makes you stop and think about what the reality is gonna be like when it finally comes around!

Re: South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

what a great post. it must be gut renching at the point when you actually say goodbye:(. thats something I am not looking forward too.
well you certainly sound happy and I wish you the best of luck
bec:thumbsup:

Re: South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

I love reading posts like that - when it all comes good in the end! I try not to think about how upsetting its going to be when we eventually leave (hopefully) in September. I just wish I could fast forward and skip the emotional bit. Its nice (!) to read that others go through the same feelings as me and get through it. Congratulations on your move and I hope that your new life Down Under is a success. Take care, Clare

Re: South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

ive just read your post...i how glad i'm to hear it all worked out in the end:thumbup:

so from another welshtaffy to another..all the best and happieness to you and your family:thumbsup:

and keep updating us ;)
clare & dean xx

Re: South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

p.s..ive also noticed thats it lots of clare's on here and from wales...:thumbsup:

Re: South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

P'nawn Da. I'm from Wales too. A Gog though

Re: South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

Just sarah, best of luck to you, we'll be down the Goldie in March to show my mum around.

Re: South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

hi sarah & chris

thanks for your email...and yes its a small world..:rofl:

ive sent you a email back...and hope to hear from you soon.


in the mean time hope all is well...with job and house hunting and the boys starting school.

love clare & dean xx:thumbsup:

Re: South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

Another Welsh family here!

We arrived in Caloundra in Sept and are loving it so far...

I still feel like I did when we arrived and have felt no home sickness at all, although I miss talking 'face to face' with people I know!

My sister has just gone back to the UK after visiting us for nearly 4 weeks and that was harder than leaving the UK, I think because we we suddenly the ones left behind!! :sad_smile:

Good luck to you all :thumbsup:

Sara x

Re: South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

My sisters coming in march......:omg_smile:

thanks anyway:D:D

Re: South Wales to Gold Coast - my tale!!
 

Hi,

I am also from South wales, my fiance is an Aussie and we are heading back to the Goldie after being in the UK for almost 2 years!! We met while I was over Aus on a WHV in 2006, its been a fab adventure, but now we just want the visa in our hands!!Had my meds on Tuesday, they freaked me out, so quite stressed @ mo and excited and nervous all @ the same time!!
Fingers crossed we wil get my very hoped for Golden ticket - we are getting married also in July @ a beach called Rainbow bay - im sure you all know where that is - woo hoo !!:thumbsup:

So very glad you are all settling in and loving it - remember you are living the dream - if it hadnt of been for my family and friends we would have never of come back, but alas I needed to come back to realise what I wanted - or should I say what we both wanted!!
Congrats to all of you, especially peeps who have done it all on their own, not knowing anyone when you get there. Its easier for us as have OH family and our friends on the GC , but its still nerve racking starting over again!!
Hugs to you all :thumbsup: xxx