Eight Years On.... A Xmas To Remember

[jerryd]

Eight years ago today I landed at Brisbane Airport with my family and four suit cases, We'd left England for a new adventure, my brother was supposed to have arranged an apartment for us, but had decided to go to Canada for xmas and forgotten to book it :eek:
We'd left -2 degrees and arrived to about 38 degrees, we eventually managed to find a room in a grotty little motel where we just sat in front of an air con unit and thought we were going to die :D It then started raining like we had never seen before.........what had we done ?? It certainly was a xmas to remember.

Well eight years on it's certainly been an adventure, good times and bad times, happy times and sad times. If I could go back and start again I'd know to do some things differently, but we still love this great country and the people we've met so far. Do we regret emigrating to Australia........not at all.

"Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year" to you all :twobeers:


SLADE - Merry Xmas Everybody (TOTP 20-12-1973) - YouTube

[Landy Smurf]

how old were your family members when you left and what prompted you to leave?

[V8Ian]

Jerry, this country is richer thanks to your presence and your decision to migrate doubled the mean intelligence quota of both countries. :p

[sheerluck]

Jerry,

Our story is very similar to yours, with our arrival date behind yours by about 23 months. We arrived on the 5th November, moved into a rental 3 weeks later, and made some really good friends. Spent our first ever "hot" Christmas on the beach at Surfer's, and the evening and Boxing Day with our new friends.

Would we ever think of going back? Hell no. This is a beautiful country, with a warm and friendly population, and no way in a million years would we want to go back.
People ask "Don't you miss home?", and the answer is "How can we miss home, when we are home?".

So a very merry Christmas to all, and for making some foreigners welcome, our gratitude.

[jerryd]

how old were your family members when you left and what prompted you to leave?

My boys were 7 + 4 years old, the wife and I were getting on a bit :angel: The main reason was to give the boys a better lifestyle and security, I think we must have been going through a mid life crisis too, as we were at a crossroads of where and what to do. We did think of buying a B+B in Wales (great off roading) but decided Australia would be better and warmer :D It took two and a half years and a few $$ to get visas but was worth the wait.

[Landy Smurf]

how did you get the visas here, do you have family here?

[justinc]

welcome to 'home', jerry:)

i was brought out here at age 5 1/2, went back a few times in '78 and then '81 but this is really my home, too. couldn't imagine living there now.

jc:D

[jerryd]

how did you get the visas here, do you have family here?

My wife is the brainy one :D so we got permanent residence visas on her qualifications, I have a brother here too who sponsored us. Next on our "to do" list is "citizenship"

[Chops]

Jerry, Dave and Justin, welcome to our humble abode,, (yeah I know, but better late than never ;))
I suspect making a huge decsision such as shifting countries is a difficult one, but in this case it sounds like you've made a good one.

[Landy Smurf]

ah that makes sense now. Have you been back to England since being here?

[sheerluck]

Jerry, Dave and Justin, welcome to our humble abode,, (yeah I know, but better late than never ;))
I suspect making a huge decsision such as shifting countries is a difficult one, but in this case it sounds like you've made a good one.

Thanks Chops, I know in our case it was a very easy decision, we were looking to leave the UK and go somewhere, and considered a number of places, France, Cyprus, Gibraltar, several Caribbean islands, before deciding on Oz.

I was lucky enough to secure a job during our reccie mission, and they paid for relocation, visas and a number of other things. The decision was very easy!

My wife and I made a pact that we would take 6 months to decide whether we like it and wanted to stay. It actually only took 6 weeks to come to that decision:D

So all of you that think the grass may be greener elsewhere, take it from someone who has done a Fair bit of travelling and moving in his life, there Is nowhere I'd rather be.

(Apologies if I've hijacked your thread Jerry!)

[UncleHo]

G'day jerryd :)

Glad you and family like the place,and Dayboro is a nice area :) and you have that fantastic series Landy :D

My wife came out here in 72 with her ex-husband, went back to visit her mother in 96,and do the "James Herriot Walk", but said she was glad to get back home


Have a happy and safe festive season

cheers

[Landy Smurf]

I have not been to England besides London so i guess it does not really count. I do have a few friends who have been over there and want to go back permanently.
I personally think Australia is the best place on earth, but each to their own.
Congrats to both of you and your families for making the move and it seems like you have both settled in nicely and had the right attitude to the whole thing as i know some people come over and do not or do not try to adapt to the new customs at all.
Good to 'av ya 'ere!

[justinc]

Jerry, I had little choice as i just followed the parents on to the plane:p

But VERY glad I did.

Since I really have no real early memories of 4 and 5 in the UK, I am totally taken with this place.
:D

JC

[Gooner]

Well it's good to have you and your family here Jerry.

I married a Scot and I entered a world where people still feel the pull of their homeland and their rich memories after decades out here. Her family loves Australia and what it gave them, but it must be a tough one all the same.

All the best.

[Barefoot Dave]

Jerry, glad to have you around.
The country can always use more quiet gentlemen, such as yourself
:-)
Will catch up in the New Year.
Dave.

[Milton477]

Similar story but we did it cold then hot.

Left South Africa in November 1996 for the UK & the cold. Many times during those first few months we questioned the move but as things steadily improved we came appreciate being in the center of the world with all it's opportunities & adventures. Thanks UK for the education you gave to our kids & the opportunities for travel & experiencing other cultures.

But its too blooming cold in the UK so after much paperwork & money, we were accepted into Qz - the holy grail of immigration. Arrived Brisbane airport in November 2006. Looked at my wife while waiting for a taxi & commented that we had no house, no job & all our wordly possessions were in containers somewhere. Just for a moment, I felt extremely desperate. At least the weather was warm.

6 years later & we are having a ball. THANKS OZ! Have a very Merry Xmas & a prosperous new year.

[juddy]

We too are 6 years on, wish we had done it 20 years earlier too.

And looking forward to Australia day, as we are now proud citizens..

Happy Christmas. :p

[dullbird]

Hey Jerry it was 7years for us in Nov when we emigrated form england the only difference being it was -4 when we left england and it was 45 when we landed something like hottest day in Sydney in 75years or something..

we were fortunate as we had a friend put us up for 2 weeks but the mooment we landed we picked up a ****box corrolla that had the windscreen the size of great Britan and acted like a massive magnifying glass and the aircon blew hot air!!! thats what you get for renting a bomb.

would I go back to the UK no way I love this country to the point where I feel no connection with the UK other than the family left behind and the passpot I hold

I feel like I was born here I feel so strongly about the place. :)

[Bushie]

Hey Jerry it was 7years for us in Nov when we emigrated form england the only difference being it was -4 when we left england and it was 45 when we landed something like hottest day in Sydney in 75years or something..



So that would make it New Years day 2006.

I landed here with my parents, aged 13 in 1969, 2 days before Christmas. Haven't even wanted to go back for a visit. Talking about it with my father the other day I rate it as one of the best decisions they ever made.
Citizenship one Friday night in August 1982, then straight in the Rangie to go camping at Yadboro arriving around 2am :D:D:D:D


Martyn

[dullbird]

no it was in Nov 2005 but I bloody remember new years day 2006!!!perhaps it wasnt 45 the day we landed I was sure it was as everyone was talking about it on the radio..

perhaps it was predicted.....I cant remember now I just remember it being bloody hot and it was definately a bloody hot day because that all they crapped on about while we drove around with the hot aircon which was mildly cooler than outside

[Davo]

Funny the OP should mention that - as eight years ago I was flying into Perth airport, returning after trying out Canada for seven years. It was great to be back . . . and it didn't hurt that I could finally see my fiancee again!

[juddy]

The one thing I can tolerate is the heat, 35 years of the cold was enough for anyone, lovely if you are only there for a short time, but try living there, in -10 in winter, and very little summer time weather, the south was better for us, my cut off point for wearing shorts was 15c, in summer. we once had a 20c temp in November whilst living in Somerset.

England will always be my past home, and amongst the political rubbish, and scum bags who have ruined the place, theres still some beautiful places to visit, if you have never been go and enjoy, for me I now want to enjoy this amazing place called Australia...