Moving from London to Adelaide in 2011 - having (usual) doubts - any advice

[Etienne123]

Good evening, Goeienaand, Sawobona

My wife and I have been living in the UK for the past 10 years and we now hold dual citizenship (SA and UK). I have wanted to move to Aus for some time now, back to the sun and sea. And now that we obtained Aus immi visas through SA state sponsorship we will be heading out there to live in mid 2011.

Make no mistake, our lives here are very easy, we make quite a bit of money and we travel a lot (Aus, Singapore, Hong Kong, Greece and and an extensive USA roadtrip all in 2010), we own a lovely house and have many mates (UK and Saffas), access to SA shops, and we feel at home here. Life in the UK is also quite inexpensive and getting things done is VERY easy.

Yes the weather is crap most of the time, but for 3 months of the year London is just the best city on earth (and to be honest the weather is not all that crap - we complain, but there are many places with far worse weather).

BUT having been to Aus (incl Adelaide), we find it so much like SA, and we would like nothing more than to go home. But as we cant (I will not live in a place where Malema gets away with the sh1te he does), Aus seems like a good second choice. My problem is that life in Aus seems quite a challenge. It seems VERY expensive, there is less work security there compared to the UK, and deal with life's general difficulties such as bank charges you simply do not have to worry about over here in the UK.

I am however sure everyone has second thoughts when reality kicks in. Has any other Saffas moved to Adelaide (or even Aus in general) from the UK? Pls Gimme your thougts :-)

Thanks mense!!

Et

[SANZOZ]

Hi Etienne.

I doubt they are on the forum but I know of a few couples that have moved to Aus after spending about 6 or 7 years in the UK. They are settling perfectly well. I would think it actually makes adapting so much easier having lived somewhere other than SA for a few years. Its also perfectly normal to have these kinds of doubts a little while before leaving, you start second guessing whether you really want to leave or not. I cant comment on Adelaide because I haven't been there, but I don't find life to be a challenge here any more than it would be in another country. Personally I love Aus.

Perhaps you need to write down your reasons for wanting to move so that you can look back at it whenever you have doubts (and it will still happen a lot before you go!!). But ja, the doubts are all part of the process.

She'll be right mate!!

[Nix]

I agree with SanzOz - you need to be very clear on the reasons you want to move, and make sure that they are enough to get you through and to stay motivated when you miss the "easier" life. We too went through this - we spent 10 years on a Caribbean Island - AMAZING living. We were also financially secure and moved to Aus .......financially WAY more difficult. But our reasons were very clear....

You have to have a strong "WHY".....and only you can answer that.

Good luck!

[HansaPlease]

My problem is that life in Aus seems quite a challenge. It seems VERY expensive, there is less work security there compared to the UK, and deal with life's general difficulties such as bank charges you simply do not have to worry about over here in the UK.

Hi Etienne,

I lived in the UK (mostly London) for about 8 years, and have been in Melbourne for nearly 4 years now.

Australia is expensive, but I think the salaries are starting to catch up with those of the UK - and in some cases overtake! I don't think there are any less job opportunities in the big cities over here as there were in the UK.

My wife and I both earn more in Melbourne than we did in London - but that being said, I've found that there's a large variance in what people can earn over here in the same job. What you earn seems to depend on the timing of your appointment, their desparation to hire/ your negotiating power, etc.

I don't think there are less opportunites or job security in Australia at all - especially since the GFC. Australia held it's own pretty well - especially compared with the UK. Almost anything is possible here if you're prepared to put in the hard work.

I don't think life is difficult in Australia compared to the UK. It's just different. Sure, there might be an extra form or two to fill in compared to the UK, but on the whole, it's about the same. Bank charges totally depend on what bank you're in - I think I pay about the same over here as I did in the UK. They've gotten better over the years in relation to charges. Paying charges for withdrawals, cheques, etc, is becoming a thing of the past.

We had a great social lifestyle in London, and that was hard to leave, and hard to re-create over here - it takes time. But on the other hand, I love the outdoors lifestyle over here. So much more to do in terms of beaches, camping, mountain biking, running, etc. Driving is a more pleasant experience and (non-European) cars are cheaper.

Overseas travel is definitely not as cheap over here as it was in the UK - we miss that.

We enjoyed our time in the UK, but it had a time limit - the lack of space, the weather, the crowded cities... we couldn't see ourselves settling there - but Australia on the other hand is the type of place to have a family and grow old.

For the record, we really like Adelaide and plan to move there in the next year or two. Jobs are harder to come by there than Melbourne, and salaries are lower, but property is cheaper the lifestyle is more what we're after.

Hope this helps.

[rozellem]

Ettiene, my twin from another mother. We lived in London from 1997 - 2008, made money like bossies, travelled like there was no tomorrow (filled 3 RSA passports with visas), then got UK passport as well, played the London property market (still have 2 flats there), and generally partied our socks off. Then the big 35 mark loomed and I wanted to have a dog, and maybe a bicycle and maybe a kid one day when I grew up. Our lifestyle was way too selfish for a pet, I hated the crazy London kamikaze cyclists (being a crazy London Vespa driver myself) and would hate a kid of mine becoming a spoilt, mini adult like the children I encountered there. My husband matriculated in Durbs too and we had/have such great friends in London, RSA's and people from all over the world. But I remembered commenting, when I arrived in London, that the locals seem very blaze about what they have access to, almost numb. Then one day I realised that I had become numb like them, not going to all the concerts, shows, festivals and places of interest I had hoovered up in the first years. I was starting to moan and bitch like them too, and people had become very aggressive there. I especially noticed the aggression when we came back from another trip, and you could hardly catch someone's eye by accident and they would go off on you. We had also become stuck in a rut to an extent, and things needed to be shaken up a bit. So we got PR, sent 15 boxes, of mainly art, to Aus and embarked on a 8 month around the world trip on our way to Sydney. We arrived with no jobs and knowing precisely 4 human beings in Sydney. We absolutely LOVE it. We joke and say that Sydney Water put Prozac in the water supply. I earn much less that before, my husband about the same and accommodation in Sydney is probably more expensive than in London. It is about double to fly from Syd-CT-Syd than Ldn-CT-Ldn, especially over Dec, but it is a small price to pay from life here. Dont know about Adelaide but we think Sydney is a mix of London and Cape Town. Pretty much everything you need is here. I tell you what I miss of my previous life: those vacuum packed, cooked beetroot they have in supermarkets in the UK (nothing like it here, its either raw or in tins!), cheap smoked mackerel, a couple of weeks of London summer when the parks come alive with music etc, Glastonbury, summer in Europe. That is it, I actually dont even think of it at all. People there ask me when I will come back for even a visit and I say never, been there done that, dont miss it at all. Then I invite them to come visit me instead. BUT, you need to be finished with the place, and you need to have made up your own mind. You cant just pop back for a little visit. We now think of Asia as our Europe and cant wait to explore it. There are loads of RSA shops here too, things just work like they should in a first world country, people have manners and have respect. To be honest only people who have never been to the UK talk about the weather there being a issue, it is really minor, if I had to make a list of things I did not enjoy in the UK, weather would be way, way down on the list. We actually found our first winter in Sydney damn cold, and that after getting rid or our coats and winter gear, stupid I know. I dont know why you would think Aus does not have work security? May I remind you that we did not go into a recession over here. I cant speak for your professions and Adelaide, though. Bank charges is such a non issue, completely forgotten about it till you reminded me. The pros out way the cons any day. There is quite a few people on the forum that have lived in the UK for a while, then a lot went back to RSA, but people struggle with adapting back there, lots of them have moved on, some to Aus. Hope my ramblings helped a bit. Sterkte.

[Etienne123]

Hi guys

Thank you so much to SANZOZ, Nix, HansaPlease and rozellem for your replies. I think the reasons rozellem mentioned for moving sums up our reasons 100%!! Nothing wrong with London, in fact its great, but it has become stale (thats the best way I can describe it). I have a house here, and its right by the station so its very commutable, I should not have a problem renting it out and that's what we intend to do. Being a landlord has its own headaches, but we will go for landlord insurance just as a fail safe.

We have been sponsored by the SAus gov so have to reside in Adelaide for 2 years, but having been there, it presents us with a break from mad-crazy-London, and if we like it, we might stay, if not, then 2 years is not such a long time. We too have UK passports, so besides the headache of carting all our belongings and our little Max (the most kick-ass cat in the world) back here, we can always come back if we hate it.

Great!! And thanks again.

PS - hope you guys are all behind the Bokke and Sharks this weekend :-)

Cheers almal!

Et

[rozellem]

Look no further than Home Minders to manage your property. This is all they do, not a estate agent with rental on the side. They are worth their weight in gold. All mature ladies, geeze they should run the country! We were recommended by others and everybody I know only have good things to say about them. They charge as much as all the other agents and do so much more. We have never had any problems, such a relief when you are far away. Get them to come look at your property and have chat, then you can decide. They will not just take your place to have another one on their books, also ask them about mortgage options, tax implications etc. They will give you the best advice. Contact Ros Davie.

HOME MINDERS

52 POLLARD ROAD

N20 0UD LONDON, LONDON

Phone: 020 83614555

fax Fax: 020 83617666

[HansaPlease]

hope you guys are all behind the Bokke and Sharks this weekend :-)

Of course, and of COURSE!

[MannyT]

Of course, and of COURSE!

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!The Wallabies..........................

....and on the main topic, there is currently an ex South African (PE) family, who have been living in the UK (for the past 10 years) and are here on a LSD visit, as they have decided to move to Adelaide........... and they love it here Taking them to the Barossa Valley for the day tomorrow

...can't really understand why some people are nervous about relocating to Australia..........it's an absolute haven....in relative terms...

Enjoy!

Manny

[Etienne123]

Look no further than Home Minders to manage your property. This is all they do, not a estate agent with rental on the side. They are worth their weight in gold. All mature ladies, geeze they should run the country! We were recommended by others and everybody I know only have good things to say about them. They charge as much as all the other agents and do so much more. We have never had any problems, such a relief when you are far away. Get them to come look at your property and have chat, then you can decide. They will not just take your place to have another one on their books, also ask them about mortgage options, tax implications etc. They will give you the best advice. Contact Ros Davie.

HOME MINDERS

52 POLLARD ROAD

N20 0UD LONDON, LONDON

Phone: 020 83614555

fax Fax: 020 83617666

Dankie vir die advies, ek sal hulle kontak!!

Et

[Bob]

While my wife and I am travelling around this big country (Australia), our house has been rented out to a great couple from the Western Cape who also lived five years in London and two years in Berlin.

They own property in London.

They came to Adelaide from the Western Cape early last year, shifted into our place and are putting their roots well and truly down in the Adelaide Hills (the hills district immediately to the east of the city and suburbs of Adelaide).

It doesn't appear remotely like they are interested in going back to London or Berlin.

I think for some coming from the hustle and bustle of busy London, Adelaide may be a bit of a culture shock.

Adelaide doesn't have that frantic feel about it that London has (Adelaide is really laid back and has that cafe lifestyle a bit where folk enjoy a coffee sitting at tables outside the cafe, it doesn't have the size of London (biggest city in Europe), nor the number of interesting theatres or famous places (St. Paul's, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre replica, the Tower, West End theatres, etc.), but once you've seen the Tower and seen Buckingham Palace, how many more times do you want to go to them?

Adelaide does have a heap of festivals that just keep coming one after the other once the New Year kicks in (the Adelaide Arts Festival, the Fringe, the Clipsal 500 motor car race, to name a few) that are of interest to folk who love to get out there and kick on a bit.

If you only want to go to theatres and the like for the rest of your lives, then I guess London or New York are the places you'll always gravitate to, but once you get to Australia, the "outdoors" type of bloke gets to do stuff that nobody in London can do. . . . 4WDing across the biggest desert in the world with parallel sand dunes (the Simpson Desert with over 1 100 sand dunes, including "Big Red" which will really test your 4Wd out!), visit the Flinders Ranges which has Brachina Gorge (520 million year rock formations and about 5 kms / 3 miles long), sit around a camp fire on a cold winter's night and check out billy tea and damper, go surfing at Boomer Beach each weekend (just over an hour's drive south of Adelaide), enjoy a weekend on a paddle steamer or houseboat up the River Murray.

Life just takes on a whole new direction if you want to find out what the Adelaide lifestyle has to offer.

It may not always be in the glossy mags and advertised at the tourist bureaux because it's what the local folk get up to on their times off and doesn't get to cost a $ million each and every time.

So . . . . I guess the only way to find out if you're really going to enjoy Australia, or more particularly Adelaide and South Australia, is to try it for size for a couple of years.

It'll be tough for the first two years, with feelings of loneliness and the hassles of starting lives all over again, but once two years has gone by, you'll be able to better judge whether you want to stay or go back to London for the rest of your lives.

If you're still young, have no permanent ties to the place such as family and old mates, then what have you got to lose?

It seems to me that if you're finding London going a bit stale on you, then you're in for a lifestyle change and Adelaide may be what you're hankering for.

Get out there and enjoy!

[Etienne123]

All you guys have convinced me, now the hard graft starts

[Annette]

Etienne

I'm going to add my two cents and risk putting my foot deep into my mouth as usual. We moved from PMB to Great Malvern in the UK in 1998 and moved to Adelaide in 2006. All the replies above pretty much encompass what I would have said as well, especially RozelleM. In short - we love Adelaide. It was the best move we ever made. We would never move back and haven't even contemplated visiting (either the UK or South Africa). However I worry about painting too rosy a pcture and I am not someone who is going to tell you how wonderful everything is going to be and 3 years down the line you say "Why didn't anyone tell me?".

If there's one thing I've learnt it is that in emigration, you have to be very, very certain that what you're leaving behind is what you absolutely do not want in your life. It doesn't matter as much where you go as that you totally commit to the move. Leaving escape clauses like "if we don't like it we can always move back" very seldom contribute to a successful move. You have to be so clear what it is you want and what it is you are leaving behind. The most successful emigrants I have met have almost without fail been people who have specifically moved for a total change. Emigration as you already know is not for sissies but so much more so in my opinion when you move to Australia. It is tough. It is expensive. You will have to give up a lot of comforts and material goods, European travel, etc. You must want to give those up. You must be very clear in your mind that the struggle to find a job (and it is hard in Adelaide), the financial hardships, the loneliness, the unheated and poorly built houses, the 40 degree heat in summer, all that must be exactly what you want. You must crave it. You must look forward to the adventure and you must know what you want out of it at the end of the journey. You must realise that it is better than what you are leaving behind, that you will be a stronger person at the end of it, but there will be times where you will not be able to see this.

I know you don't have a choice as to where you go, so make the most of Adelaide. We who love it, love it with a passion, but I cant help but think that if you loved living in London, you will find it very, very different, and too often, especially in the minds of people who have suffered through the emotional trauma of emigration, different becomes "I hate everything about the place, it's crap".

When push comes to shove a positive attitude can take you far and you seem to have one, so good luck mate and we are looking forward to welcoming you to Adelaide.

[Sibella]

I know you don't have a choice as to where you go, so make the most of Adelaide. We who love it, love it with a passion, but I cant help but think that if you loved living in London, you will find it very, very different, and too often, especially in the minds of people who have suffered through the emotional trauma of emigration, different becomes "I hate everything about the place, it's crap".

When push comes to shove a positive attitude can take you far and you seem to have one, so good luck mate and we are looking forward to welcoming you to Adelaide.

[Etienne123]

6 months till we land in Ads, and we both cannot wait. Keep the beer cold peeps!!

[Bob]

Mate!

This is Australia.

Do you reckon Australians are going to sit on beer for that long, keeping it cold?????

. . . . . not with the long hot summer months just around the corner.

[Etienne123]

Good point!!

Mate!

This is Australia.

Do you reckon Australians are going to sit on beer for that long, keeping it cold?????

. . . . . not with the long hot summer months just around the corner.