louiset Posted June 6, 2011 Report Share Posted June 6, 2011 Hi everyone,I,ve been off the forum for a couple of weeks as I forgot my login name (obviously lost a few brain cells in the move...).Just to recap - Patrick arrived mid-April and the kids and I arrived 2 weeks ago to a very cold Canberra.We are settled in our rented home in Casey already but I still do have lots of boxes to unpack (don't worry Matt, I'll have them all out of your room before you arrive!!Life here is GOOD. To all those still waiting to come - don't be apprehensive, life is a journey so enjoy it! School is 5 minutes down the road and my boys will walk/ride bikes to it when it warms up a bit. They already ride their bikes all over our suburb on their own in the afternoons. As the Aussies say - no worries. Everything here is clean and works (except the friggin supermarket trolleys!). Traffic is a breeze and although there are lots of double lane traffic circles which look very intimidating, they are actually so easy to use and the the traffic flows smoothly. Guess what - NO POTHOLES. Enough said!Arranging Medicare, TFN number etc was very easy as the government depts are very organised here. Everything comes by post to your home address, delivered by courtesy of a postman on a motorbike. LOL.My boys are loving their new school which as a parent is a big worry. In the junior school my youngest has a fruit break at 10am, then they have a 40 min recess a couple of hours later and then still another 40 min break for lunch. School starts just before 9am and ends at 3pm but the day goes very fast and I haven't had any complaints about the day being too long. The school library is awesome and he loves his teacher, he even has a Saffer boy in his class.My oldest is in the high school and he has no complaints either. He likes all his teachers and received 7 friends requests on facebook after the 1st day at school. He is obviously behind in Japanese but the teachers say it's okay. It had better be cos I can't help him at all with it. LOL. The homework is a LOT less then RSA but the more they complete in class, the less they have to do at home.Patrick is well settled in his job but says it is busy, busy, busy. I said he shouldn't complain as that means there will always be work for him...I'm at home trying to get to grips with the housework Oh how I miss my Emily...I honestly have no complaints about Canberra except to say that it does get VERY cold here in winter. The days are sunny but the wind bites through you and somedays it even howls.A big thanks must be said to Wade and Terence for all their help over the past months, it is definately easier to move when friends on the forum are there to assist you.I look forward to meeting more Canberites.Good luck to those still in the relocation process - it will become a reality sooner than you think and is well worth all the effort.Louise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMupersan Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 Welcome to Canberra Louise!So happy to hear you're settling in well. We've been Canberrans since November last year and absolutely love it here. Yip, it is cold. We're originally from Cape Town where that wind can chill you to the bone. But have lived in Sydney and Brisbane as well so these below zero temps are colder than anything we've previously experienced. But we're loving it! Head over to Katmandu and get yourselves decent winter jackets - we bought goose down jackets and they were worth every cent! The other thing we've invested in are good quality gloves, fleece-lined beanies and thick socks. We found some great fleece-lined jeans at Seears Workwear in Fyshwick which were cheap and are VERY warm. The other thing to do for the girls is go and buy cheap leggings at Target and wear them under other pants - way cheaper than buying thermal underwear and just as effective.Very important! Learn to layer your clothes! Seriously, it can be -5 outside and inside every single building you go into, it'll be 24. If you're dressed for the arctic, you'll be sweating within minutes! Start with a vest (singlet), then a t-shirt, then a long-sleeved zip up fleece, then a jacket. That way you can take off layers until you're comfortable inside and can then pile on the clothes again when you head outside. It takes a bit of getting used to, but everyone else is doing the same thing. Another tip - always carry tissues with you for when you're outside in the cold and your nose starts to run. I suggest the Aloe tissues (available in all Woolies & Coles) - just softer on dry skin in the cold weather. And another - drink plenty of water - the cold dries your skin out. Moisturiser alone won't do the trick, you need to keep your fluid intake up.On cold mornings and driving at night, be very careful of black ice. It's when a fine layer of mist/water/dew falls on the road - just enough to wet it. Then it freezes. You can't see it - the road just looks wet. But your car will just slide when you hit it. So drive slower, increase your following distance and start breaking further away from a traffic light than you normally would. And SLOW DOWN through traffic circles. I came across this phenomenon in the UK and believe it happens here in winter too.Hope you thoroughly enjoy exploring your new surroundings.Mrs Mupes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&L Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 Hey Louise!!! So good to hear from you!! Even better to hear how well you and the family are! Thanks for the update. You making me feel all excited again!! Once can get so caught up in the actual planning of the move.I can imagine how hectic it must be at the moment for you, trying to settle down and get some sort of sense and order again. It really does help with things work, it makes it alot less stressful so thats great news. Also happy to hear the kids are happy in school. Its such a good thing!!Shame, thanks again for your help for when Matt arrives. Ag, Im sure he can sleep between stuff, and its not problem We really do appreciate your help!I just cant beleive we almost there already, its less than a month away!!!! We had a big scare with our house a few weeks ago, our buyers buyer could not get a bond and our house offer almost fell through, but we crossed every finger and toe we had and luckly it all came through in the end. House still on track to transfer month end. The good news is, we dont have to move out this weekend, we will move out upon transfer which really is much better for us. Although we will be moving and Matt with be leaving all on the same weekend!! So far so good on this end. Just hope this continues till Kendall and I arrive beginning September hopefully! YAY we so excited, might even miss the freezing cold weather Chat soon LouiseRegards, Lorinda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serendipity Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 Welcome to Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cramer Posted June 7, 2011 Report Share Posted June 7, 2011 Its my Pleasure, Glad to have you here.Just to add a bit about the cold, yes it gets cold but I have been colder having lived in Escourt, Bergville and Bloemfontein. So dont let the cold put you off. This place is geared up for it.Wade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toitjie Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Hi Louisecongrats with the arrival. Its always a weird feeling when you know someone is on their way, then they go all quiete for a couple of weeks, so you know they are "in transition". But Im glad it worked out, and that your kids like their schools. I think that would be my biggest worry.Please let us know once in a while what you are up to...I would love to hear about the people there, work, weekends, whatever.Enjoy!y Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meintjies Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 I am so glad to hear that the kids are settled in... that is one of my biggest worries, but most people say that the kids settle in very quickly and easy We have less than 3 months left, counting the weeks and very excited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMupersan Posted June 8, 2011 Report Share Posted June 8, 2011 Looking forward to meeting you at The Triple C Louise! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louiset Posted June 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2011 Looking forward to meeting you at The Triple C Louise! :-)Hi guys,Absolutely looking forward to the Triple C at the end of June.To those still on their way - we'll all meet you in person soon!!!Louise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riekie Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 Everything here is clean and works (except the friggin supermarket trolleys!). :lol: Welcome to Australia! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deon-Louise and kids Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 Welcome to Canberra, It really is a great place to stay! Glad to hear the kids are settling in well.From Another Louise Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdelaideAdi Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 There must be someone with entrepreneural desires who can solve this dof trolley problem. Can't believe how an advanced country so readily accepts such a stupid, and I would guess, easy to fix problem. Or am I missing something. :lol: Welcome to Australia! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rozellem Posted June 10, 2011 Report Share Posted June 10, 2011 There must be someone with entrepreneural desires who can solve this dof trolley problem. Can't believe how an advanced country so readily accepts such a stupid, and I would guess, easy to fix problem. Or am I missing something.In a country where labour is expensive, this IS their solution to the problem. One guy can steer a long snake of these trolleys back to base. How many guys does it take in RSA? Never even picked up the unlocked back wheel issue myself, until I read about it on this forum. Maybe I am the dof one, but of the 43 countries I have been to, I can honestly not tell you which countries trolleys have fixed back wheels or not. How fortunate are we if trolleys become one of our few gripes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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