Jon the Hat

PSS. Shipping is all over the place, so our container came on a different ship from Singapore to Fremantle than originally booked.

Right now I miss the ability to buy a cheap decent car. A combination country / covid timing issue.

Defo to the Nursing reg before you come, but everything else is pretty much a case of turn up with loads of documents. Get your drivers license sorted quickly it helps with everything else.

It is a worldwide problem, and Australia has some specific issues with reduced container and ship capacity. The prices are out of their hands, as is the timing. We came the other way, but out stuff was collected - then took a month to be put in a container. Then 3 weeks to get on a ship. Then 3 weeks in Singapore waiting for a space on a ship to Perth. Then 3 weeks for clearance. I think this is about as good as it gets at the moment. So all in we slipped about 9 weeks from original plan, and about GBP2k cost increase.

Availability and cost of shipping containers is expected to remain very challenging for the rest of the year. There is also I believe fewer container ships routing to Australia as there is more money in Asia / US routes at present. Assume whatever they tell you it can be 2-3k more come the final invoice. It isn't their fault, it is just the market.

I bought mine when I got here, its a little cheaper imo.

Studland Bay possibly? Lovely beach although can get very busy.

There are some lovely beaches in the UK, but they are not circa 30 mins from where most people live like they are in Perth, and you can't rely on the weather. The later is the reason people go for some summer sun in the med etc. I used to laugh at people who sat on a beach for two weeks, but I must say as life becomes busier and work more stressful, I can see the appeal of stopping and chilling somewhere beautiful.

WFH is not helpful when it comes to making work friends, and that is as true in the UK as it is here. I can only suggest you really push yourself to get out there and join clubs. Think of something you never did but always wanted to, and go along to a try out or something.

I would encourage you to do a few viewings and even if you don't offer, chat with the agents, they might well help you out. We ended up renting a house we hadn't considered which has worked out well.

You are welcome.

Send them to the email address which requested them I guess?

I literally got my Land Rover last Friday after import via Iron Lady, can highly recommend. The gold service means you essentially just have to go and get your plates at the end.

We found it easier to get them in asap, they had already been off school for months last year due to lockdowns, and then 3 months since they broke up for the summer. Obviously if they are just out of term in the UK a month or two won't matter. Makes sense on the budget front. The catchment primary has actually been really good for our son, and his teacher is lovely.

I have to say importing the car was very easy because of the help from Kristian at Iron Lady. It’s not cheap but works for us due the difference in price uk to Australia for our car, plus we love it!

Good to hear! We are pretty settled apart from work! Rental, schools, medicare etc all sorted, and I was very close to a job which unfortunately I missed out on a month ago. Have to be patient as there are not many jobs at my fairly senior level around. We also go our car this week. Have spent A LOT of money since we arrived, so getting a job sooner rather than later would be good!

Be aware that you may well need to have a 12 month lease signed to get into a good catchment area secondary school. They won't even accept the application without proof of residence. Primary schools are a bit less militant, but we had no luck trying 4 out of catchment schools which are closer to the high school and not in the opposite direction We are in Perth. I would also say it might help if you can starting them at the start of a term, ours have been upset by missing a few weeks and then finding they can't catch up and then getting low scores on tests. Waiting until Feb wasn't an option though as they stopped school in the UK in July!

Same here now! Arriving in Freo on the Margaret River Bridge on the 23rd December, so will be Mid Jan I think before we get anything. Our container is spending 17 days in Singapore now. Our car was transhipped in 3 days.

It is very tough, I went through this after a 4 year relationship when I was younger and that was tough. They say there a three pillars in a really happy life - family, friends and work. It sounds like you have been reliant on two for some time without much of a social group (lots of us are especially when we migrate), and that makes it tougher. Be careful though before you take out the work one (assuming you are happy at work) and assume the family / friends one in the UK will take up the slack. I would agree moving out is critical, and getting past the "she might take me back" takes time and is much harder if you are right there all the time.

Sell it. Lovely cars but too big in the UK in most places, and will cost you the same in road tax ~£600 a year plus 50% more for fuel. More importantly as noted values are high here at the moment, whereas in the UK not so much.

Just be prepared for things to take longer than normal. Our house was packed up on the 8th September, made it into a container mid October, and finally shipped on the 8th November. Will arrive in Australia just before Christmas, but we wont get our stuff until early Jan at best I think, so close to 4 months. We were lucky to find a furnished rental quickly (there aren't many about). Without it I am not sure what we would be doing. We will have to store about half our stuff when it comes until the end of our lease, but it beats buying half your stuff over again. Even in furnished we have probably spend about $10k on stuff already, although that has included long term outdoor furniture and BBQ purchases.

You are absolutely doing the right thing. You have made some great memories, doing something most people never do, and you will always have those! Move on with life!

We've had this question before, and it depends entirely on what your expectations are. Will you be able to buy a house after a year or two, live within 20-30 minutes commute of the city and also the beach on that money? Not a chance, just like the equivalent ~£50k in London. Might it be fun for a few years if you are up for it and not expecting to save any money along the way? Yes. Personally we decided to move to Perth rather than struggle to achieve what we want in Sydney on ~$200k.

Dinner out twice a week, once fine dining, bought coffee daily, cafe breakfast once a week, gym membership, nice wine a few times a week, two holidays a year plus city breaks in Sydney or Melbourne. A new car every 3 years. That should bring it up a bit

We quite enjoyed Vigil on the bbc if you haven’t watched it.