Garrick's Mini-Migration Blog

[Garrick]

Ok... so my parents in Ramsgate phoned my mother's cousin in JHB and he went around last night to help my wife out...seems there are still problems with the line though...but at least we can email.

Last night I booked my driving test online. I don't mind the wait so much now as May 17 is some way off and allows us time to settle. Hope I get it first time... after all... I did my K53 in 1992 and then again in 2003 when I returned from the UK - I was there during the ID Book to card migration...so had to redo both my learner's and drivers in a week...

Just 2 weeks till I get to hold my girls.

-G

[Garrick]

So... a fault logged with Telskum... who we all just know will only go work on the line on Sunday - you know how they love their overtime pay - and then it will mysteriously start working within 5 seconds of the guy getting there...

Just another reminder of why we're leaving really...

-G

[Neola]

HI

I really enjoy your blogging here on the forum. Glad that you got a job so quickly and soon your family will join you.

Take your wife up in the Dandenong mountains and show her Melbourne from the Skyhigh Mount Dandenong restaurant. You can see the whole of Melbourne from there in a beautiful surrounding.

Hope Melbourne is all you ever dreamed.

[Garrick]

And there we go... iPhone orderred and approved... spent a week doing research on contract bundles and now it'll arrive sometime next week, deliverred to my door.

Just orderring one for now...so that Michelle can see if she likes it.

-G

[Garrick]

So I missed The Storm... we were out in Point Cook...and it rained...that's it. We return to the City and notice that thinks don't look so peachy... lots of leaves, broken glass, and Etihad's roof near one of the entrances collapsed.

On Sunday I decided I wanted to go to Chadstone... so I dared the public transport and headed off in the direction the Journey Planner told me to go. I knew where to get off the train, and what bus route to catch...and then it was hoping that it all fitted together. Took around 45 minutes from Southern Cross, and the bus dropped me off inside Chadstone. The return leg took over an hour.

In Chadstone I finally managed to locate a giraffe buddy harness; visitted my first ever Apple store...wow was it busy. But there was this awesome bit of techology. I was standing in the queue, and one of the staff came over to me and asked if I was going to pay by card. I said I could, so I stepped out of the line and he had a hand-held device which he used to scan the items, and then swipe my card. He asked me for my email address and hey presto, the receipt was emailed to me, no paper. He then gave me a bag and I walked out the store. Awesome.

Monday we went to a Westfield - Southland one I think? Anyway, found this awesome fresh fruit/vegetable store next to the Coles there. Bought myself 4 Navel Oranges from the USA. Had one last night, man, was it so nice and sweet. Took a look in the Ted's for lense protectors for my Canon...meh... $43 each...not happening just yet...

I've moved my driving test to April 12th...so hopefully pass and then get a car shortly afterwards. Oh yes... we went and picked up a 4-in-1 cot I bought through EBay, on Saturday morning. Took like an hour to drive out there and it's big. But it looks awesome. Converts to a todler bed and then a double bed. $420 for that and a foam mattress.

On Point Cook. The new areas certainly do look modern, and Sanctuary Lakes has some rather large houses. Definitely going to take Michelle out there to look...just the problem being that we can't go look yet without some form of transport for the 3 of us.

-G

[Search]

Awesome! We rent in Sanctuary Lakes and you get so much more for your money compared to the east or the cbd. Really nice area and can highly recommend!

Give me a shout if you need help or a lift

[Garrick]

Well, last night I spent some time searching through www.realestate.com.au and found so many options in Point Cook for under $400 a week...not too many in Sanctuary Lakes though.

A question for those that live out there... how big are the bedrooms generally?

On Friday, I decided it should be easier to get a contract with an iPhone over the internet...since I didn't feel like sitting and filling out a form in a store several blocks away. So I filled in an online form from the comfort of my desk at work. About 2-3 hours later I got a phonecall from Virgin saying that it had been approved and that I'd get my phone (and sim?) deliverred to me at work (my delivery option) within 1-3 business days. Right. Today is Thursday, and we're half way through the day. Not a peep out of Virgin, even though I logged a call yesterday afternoon. No phone. Maybe it would have been easier to just spend the time in the store filling out the paper form... dunno... but it's annoying sitting here without it. After all, I don't have any airtime on my pre-paid because I planned to have the phone this week.

Yesterday I mailed off a DVD of Amy, when she was younger, to Australia's Funniest Home Videos...everyone that saw it said it was hilarious. She basically refuses twice to eat off her spoon, but is more than happy to eat off Michelle's fork when Michelle takes some food from the same bowl. Anyway... $500 if they air it... $10,000 if it wins that week... and $250,000 if it's the best one for the year... worth it I guess.

-G

[Eva]

Yesterday I mailed off a DVD of Amy, when she was younger, to Australia's Funniest Home Videos...everyone that saw it said it was hilarious. She basically refuses twice to eat off her spoon, but is more than happy to eat off Michelle's fork when Michelle takes some food from the same bowl. Anyway... $500 if they air it... $10,000 if it wins that week... and $250,000 if it's the best one for the year... worth it I guess.

-G

Good luck.... certainly worth a try.

[Garrick]

Oh good grief...

I decided to phone Virgin and find out where my phone is. Um... It doesn't exist. Virgin, country-wide it seems (I had them check with the store in Melbourne central) they don't have stock of iPhones...

That's really, REALLY annoying...because I planned to have it ready for Michelle to use to get around (Maps, trains, trams...).

*sigh*

So they have no idea when they'll get more stock...

-G

[Garrick]

Oh the joys of moving to a new country.

Right... so order cancelled with Virgin... and I went to Vodafone, as they have a similar contract now that is only $5 more - also unlimited calls and texts to Vodafone network people. So I check with them over the phone, and they have stock. Great. So I start the process with them... only to have their credit check - kind of expected? - fail saying I need to provide photo-id (my learner's license) and a copy of my letter of employment. Ok... except, the finance guy here has my letter and isn't here.

Ok... maybe a bit concerning now as I've been here almost 2 weeks and I'm still waiting for them to sign the contract... or is this how things are done here?

-G

[Eva]

The joys of starting life over... hope you get sorted soon!

[elleneo]

Hi Garrick..glad to hear you coming right with interent,phones etc

I remember when hubby and i started hunting for a rental we didnt have a car yet..it made it very very difficult..we kept missing the inspections! We then decided to buy a little run-around and then inspected 4 houses on one day in point cook.

Size-wise our place is comfortable..3 bedrooms (2 are large and one is small) and a separate study/fair sized 4th bedroom, a living area and a separate dining area,laundrey,double garage. We are opposite sanctuary lakes in "Lincoln Heath"

Size will reallyl depend on what house and whether its a town house....thats why its best to try inspect a few on the same day ..try RPM realestate...i explained our situation to them and they gave us a few sets of keys and we went to inspect on our own.

I say take search up on his offer for a lift..even if its just to inspect some places...id offer my tjorr but its a tiny 3 door ford festiva

[Garrick]

I'm actually going to head out there on Saturday by my lonesome to try take a look at some... no license yet, so that means working out distances and times and getting to see as many as I can in the day by foot. I'll take Search up on his offer when Michelle gets here.

It's part of the beauty of Australia... that I'll be just fine and safe walking around the suburbs... will give a really good feel of the place.

-G

[Garrick]

Ok... a good morning. I got my signed contract last night, and this morning went into the Vodafone Collin's Street store and spent an hour and a half there getting my phone (bloody credit check...). So now I have one. Time to get it set up and used to it.

Will be useful for taking pictures of the places tomorrow as I then don't have to take my big camera with.

-G

[Search]

ps. Aircraft station does not have any cabs hanging around but Laverton station which is <1km down road (towards city) have plenty cabs, also for in future a monthly pass for Aircraft station falls into Zone 1 and 2 which mean about +-$160pm where Laverton still fall in Zone 1 which is about $110pm so already save $600 per year

Distance from Laverton to say SC entrance approx 5km.

Edited March 12, 2010 by Search

[Garrick]

Well, Point Cook is nice, I like the modern houses and there's lots of space. The parks don't seem too well "developed", in the sense that I don't recall seeing "jungle gyms". So Michelle needs to go see for herself.

Tomorrow Michelle and Amy arrive, and I can't wait. Then our adventure begins in ernest.

My new manager started yesterday and this morning I found out he is going through the same situation as I've just been through - his wife and 20/21 month old little girl will only come over in a few weeks. Shame, if he's like any father, I know what he must be feeling right now.

Looking forward to the picnic on Sunday too. Just have to run around on Saturday and buy "picnicy" stuff.

-G

[Jill]

That is really exciting, enjoy the reunion with the "girls".

[Garrick]

You know... that was one of the most amazing moments of my life. Kneeling down and watching my little girl run across the floor towards me. Like nothing else in the world mattered to her other than getting to daddy, and to me nothing else mattered other than to wait there with open arms - not even the fact that Richard Branson was standing 100 meters away giving a speech to the media about his flight. It felt so strange to pick her up. After the initial minute or so...she just seemed in shock.

She was just so happy last night...she didn't want to let me out of her sight. She even gave up her dummy to dad for most of the evening and sat on her bum the whole bath. Of course... sleeping was another story. She had her bottle at around 21H45 and then went to sleep next to me...but to her it was her mid morning nap...so that went on for 2 hours, with a little tossing and turning...and then bam...ended. Time to get up daddy... So daddy tried for a bit, but failed... then mommy very kindly took her for 2 hours or so, so that daddy could get some sleep. In the end, with much effort from mommy and daddy spending a bit of time with her in the lounge, mommy finally got her to pass out - though this was after 5am, and pretty much equated to her sleep time in RSA...

I woke up at 7am and got dressed for work and had some breakfast... then tried to get Michelle's laptop set up with internet...only to find that (a) her battery was dead and ( I don't have a 3-pin adapter for her charger... so no internet for her for now...but she'll have the apartment to sort out anyway. She also has my phone, so technically she could surf the net on it...but I haven't had time to show her how to use the iPhone.

Anyway, when I left at 07H45, they were lying next to each other on the bed, almost in the same position with their hands above their heads...was so cute. Decided not to wake them and snuck out.

Missed them within minutes of leaving.

-G

[Jill]

Gave me goosies just reading your post, I can just picture your cute little girl running to her Daddy, glad you are reunited.

Enjoy your new lives together....

Jill

[Garrick]

Ok... 2 nights in... Amy's not sleeping well - to be expected I guess. Yesterday I went home early and we went to a park nearby...she was so quiet. She wasn't the same little bundle of energy I had left behind just over 6 weeks before. We decided to go do some shopping and Amy fell asleep in her pram. After we started shopping we woke her up, and then I saw a bit of my little girl... "talking" away, watching us, doing her normal little antics.

Last night she fell on one of her cheapy toys - a little wheeled pegasus that when you wheeled it around the wings banged together... broke the rear axel in two places. She was almost in tears... I felt so bad that I had none of my tools (glue) around to try fix it... so I tried to hide it away...but she saw it later and was a bit miff again... but then Michelle was making stirfry and we had bought chicken kebabs to use in it. So I figured I could use one of the sticks as a replacement axel... so I switched the front "multi angled" axel to the rear and put the replacement stick one at the front...then it kinda worked...

Amy had another restless night...my dear wife had to deal with her. At either 22H00 or 00H00 Amy woke up crying - seems she gets lots of gas at night. And it was so sad, she didn't want me to hold her, just wanted to go lie on top of mommy. I lay there in the dark, watching my little girl cry in her sleep on top of her mommy and I felt what so many fathers and mothers must feel when they move their children. Utter guilt. I know we are doing this for her... but I felt guilty that I had left her alone for 6 weeks. You would be a liar if you said it didn't affect her. I can see how it has changed her... and I can only pray that in the weeks to come we can peel away the damage and bring out our little girl that used to be so happy all the time and who slept the whole night alone in her cot without a care in the world...because mommy and daddy would be right there in the morning.

Today Michelle and Amy will hopefully see their cousins and feel better.

My advice to any families with small children that are planning to move over... do it together... don't split your family up unless there really is no other choice. Even if it costs more, your children need both parents, and they will be too young to understand where the missing parent is.

-G

[Eva]

Ah Garrick, your posts are so sweet! Don't beat yourself up about it, in no time she will be her usual self and she is young enough that she probably won't even remember...

[21yearsoutofrsa]

Hiya Garrick

I've enjoyed your posts over the last little while.

I don't have children so do not speak from an expert point of view, but I think you're beating yourself up a bit when it comes to your decision to be the "advance party". Think of all the things you have done to make the landing "softer" for your two ladies. It's always impossible to measure the activity you decided not to do, but try to think of the stress you may have passed on while you were looking for employment, while you were arranging all those other things and so on. That may well have had more of a disruptive effect than your absence, but like I said it can't be measured.

[diner]

Love reading your posts!

I wouldn't worry too much about Amy, she will settle eventually, everything is new and her body is still out of time with Melbourne. When we came over last year for a visit I had 3 that tagged teamed us through the night! The oldest was pretty good but the middle one (then about 18 months) was running laps at 2 in the morning on wooden floors with Granny sleeping down stairs!! (She did not get much sleep either!!) and the baby was also not so keen on sleeping! It did pass after about a week but it will take longer to settle properly....my kids did not settle fully the whole time we were there (6 weeks)...you know, different beds, places, noises and the like! They did however go back to sleeping through the night quite quickly (except the baby of course!)

Hope things all get sorted quickly and you can then settle down nicely into some sort of normality...NB for kids, I think! (You seem to have done a great job so far!)

[elleneo]

Dont worry..little ones get jet-lag as well but tend to recover quickly!

About the "jungle-gyms'..maby its sanctuary lakes that dont have many?? we have 4 different parks to choose from within a 2 to 3 block walking distance from our house and the keep building more ! maby on sunday you guys should drive through the suburb a bit more and specifically keep an eye open for playgrounds...the picnic venue wont disappoint...there are a few in the reserve.

[Garrick]

Ok... it's been a few days since I last posted. Well... seems it was almost 2 weeks ago... Most of my posting was done late at night, but now I hardly ever take my laptop out it's bag at night anymore, as Michelle is working hard at finding us a place to rent and I have my little girl here.

This last weekend was a bit interesting. We arranged to be taken around Point Cook (and 1/2 properties in SL) to look at around 7 or 8 properties. The first was quite nice, but the yard was just weeds and building rubble... after that, we just found that the bedrooms would be a bit too small for us or they didn't have enough living room space. Then we found one that had a really nice garden - "astro turf" and a unique "passage-less" house which gave it far more space for the rooms and kitchen area. It was $400pw, but on the far western side of PC, so we decided that we would pass up on it, because of things like distance to public transport (bus or train) and general daily life stuff we just felt we would enjoy more in the east.

Michelle has now shifted focus to hunting down a place in the east...it won't be as big of course, but it'll be closer to family and where we had originally (back in August) planned to be. Who knows, maybe we moe to PC in a few months or years, and we'll still come out to the BBQs I'm sure.

Today we got our joint account debit cards and registered for Medicare (It was better to wait for Michelle and Amy to get here and get put on 1 card while I was still coverred by Discovery Health).

We're staying in one of the Darling Towers buildings, and I have to say that it's quite noisy. We've had guys standing outside drinking/smoking/eating one night till 5am, and then the people above us at present seem to like to rearrange (drag around) their furniture above us after 23H00 at night. So we'll be a bit happy to get out of there and into somewhere else where we can finally get our household stuff back - it apparently arrives on the 1st of April...on a different ship to the one it sailed on.

This weekend will be Amy's first easter with her Australian cousins and we're going to try do an easter egg hunt with her.

-G