Leaving Soon

[GottaGo]

So, after 5 years in Perth we will be leaving for Scotland (my husband's place of birth) in a couple of months time.

For the first time in ages I have a spring in my step and renewed excitement about the future. I have posted here before about not being happy in Australia (shock, horror) and not relating to the culture.

Good luck to all of you who feel at home here, but Australia is not for us.

Sally M.

[GottaGo]

House sold. Tickets booked. Leave on August 1st for 10 days in Cape Town and then off to the UK.

Can't wait!

[GottaGo]

Quick Update from Scotland...

Been here a month today (after a wonderful visit to Cape Town to see family). We are just really thrilled to be here and everything fell into place so smoothly. The day we landed in London I had an email from the local village school in Scotland saying they had a place for our son. It's a really small school (only 75 kids total) and a great warm, nurturing environment where all the kids look out for each other and the teachers are warm and friendly o that lead to us extending the lease on our holiday let (which is top notch) for another 6 months.

I have made a couple of friends that I have been meeting up with once a week for a coffee and they are a mine of information on all things local.

I'll be starting an art class in the next village to ours and we are a quick 30 mins on the motorway to wonderful shops in Glasgow.The dog made it in one piece too!

All up our living expenses are about a third of what they were in Oz. (We're on a meter for electricity and it's working out to roughly just less than £2 per day.)

Phone contracts ridiculously cheap. So much choice for everything. The only thing that is much dearer is the cost of fuel. Hubby has a diesel VW for work and I got a 2nd hand polo for £4,500 but with the school a couple of miles away won't be doing much just yet. Although I have my eye on a Franchise business that we are investigating. We have enjoyed a few of the local village pubs for meals out. Fantastic atmosphere.

My son is loving it and there is SO much to do with kids it is hard to choose come weekends.

In short, we really are loving being here and have not missed a single thing about Oz AT ALL!

For us, this is the right place. It just took us a while to find it!

[AndreaL]

It's lovely to hear you have settled so well and spring is such a lovely time with the blossom, crocus and daffodils. Funny isn't it, there is a place for us all, we just need to find it, as you say.

What is the name of your little village, are you in Ayrshire?

[GottaGo]

Hi Andrea,

We are renting a lovely cottage on an estate between Beith and Lochwinnoch in North Ayrshire. It is pretty rural and we have found how very rural it seems when one is very close to Glasgow itself. There are some fantastic parks within the city itself eg Pollok Park which is 100's of acres big.

We have seen deer outside our window and have horses in the field nearby.

We had some lovely dry, sunny, blue skies since arrival BUT the weather has been blustery today and definitely getting cooler. It's Autumn we're in, though, not Spring! My son can't wait to go sledging in Winter!

We've booked for the Xmas Panto but lots to come before then like October mid term and Halloween and Bonfire night. Be lovely to see my son in a school Christmas concert as his school in Perth did not have one.

[AndreaL]

Of course! I'm so caught up with how we don't seem to have had a spring but have gone straight to summer...................ah harvest time then autumn, still the trees are beautiful at this time of year.

I lived in Galston, close to Kilmarnock, South Ayrshire for sometime, my Dad is Killie born, so often went shopping in Glasgow on my days off, just wait until Xmas with all the lights and see how lovely the city looks....................brings back some memories.

We always made a Guy for the bonfire and my mother would make treacle toffee for us.

You have some beautiful Lochs near you too. My Dad is fiercely patriotic, so any holidays when we lived in England,we would drive to Scotland to camp and he would stop at the border ( we all had to cheer when we entered Scotland) and we'd have our photo taken.

One of our best holidays ever was a trip up to Fort William and then onto Mallaig, it has a sheltered bay and the sand is so white and the water clear, you just wouldn't expect it in the Highlands

[GottaGo]

Hi Andrea,

Your memories sound wonderful. Hope we can create some lovely ones for my son, too. Thanks for the pic and the tip re. Mallaig. I will look it up. Some of the images isles look heavenly in Summer. Hopefully we can make some camping trips next year. Very much looking forward to all new traditions. Rather nervous about driving in the Winter...eeek.

Enjoy your start of Summer!

[AndreaL]

Don't worry the gritters come out if there is snow and as long as you drive slowly and don't hit black ice, should be fine.

I have fabulous memories of Scotland, fly fishing, visiting the amazing castles, you can go skiing at Aviemore, or just tramp up and down the various glens and tell the kids stories about Loch monsters. The place is rich with history and tradition.......actually this is the first time in years I've actually wished I could visit.

P.s I meant to say the gritters are great if you can first scrape the snow off your car and the street clearing trucks have already been.....lol

I remember one winter was so cold that the water froze in the pipes and we had to put snow in the kettle......that's when Mum and Dad dragged all the mattresses down to the lounge and we all slept there warmed by the coal fire.

Yes, life was all wellies and parkas then

[debbieschutte]

Good luck with the move - everybody has different needs, tastes and things that make them happy. If you go with the right attitude anywhere in life you will make a success and be happy.

[GottaGo]

I'm slowly buying all the warm weather gear, Andrea. Amazon is great! Our postman (who I still cannot understand!!!) has been very busy delivering our orders.

Thanks for the good wishes, Debbie. I just want to say that we did set off for Australia with a very bright outlook and positive attitude. In our case, though, it was not enough for the long haul. Our positivism lost it's ability to overcome the things we could not adapt to. Actually, the attitudes of others often left a bad taste.

However, onward and upwards and moving forward now. We can put it all down to learning and it got us where we are now, so although I was really unhappy at times in Australia in a funny way I am grateful, as it makes me appreciate this second chance even more!

[Sibella]

Aaah now I am nostalgic for winter in the UK - bonfire nights, Christmas markets with the smell of roasting chestnuts in the air and the crunchiness of snow underfoot...

Luckily fleeting!!

[Orion25]

GottaGo, I've just read this whole thread (it's been a while since I was on the forum) and I must say, so glad you gave Oz a try and are now happy in Scotland, my life motto is NO REGRETS, rather try and not have it work than forever live with the "what if's" at least you can say you have been here and it wasn't for you and now you are happy.

Let no-one judge you for your move after all it's your life and happiness and that's what counts. Good luck for the future and have a wonderful White Christmas - that is something on my bucket list.

T

[GottaGo]

Thanks, guys, I will post some pics now and again.

Hope everything goes well for you all Down Under too.

[qwerty]

Have only been to Edinburgh, but I must say that I would easily go live there if it was at all possible.

[B007]

Yes enjoy and keep us all posted.

[GottaGo]

Hello all,

Quick update.

I can't believe we have only been in Scotland for 3 months now. Truly weird in that it seems like we have been here much, much longer and Australia is a distant memory.

Halloween and bonfire night were great. So much on for the kids over that time and we felt privileged to be invited to go "guising" with the village children and their parents. This was the origin of "trick or treating". Kids here don't just go and knock on the door and get a handful of sweets. It's an old tradition involving going inside the houses of the older folk in the village and the children have to recite a poem or tell a joke in order to get their treats. It was warm and friendly and just wonderful to be included.

Fireworks in the village & a big bonfire for Bonfire night.

I have just the week before last got back from a week of training down in England for the new franchise business I bought (a kids activity franchise) and I am just finding venues and will then be up and running in January hopefully. Not going to make me a millionaire but is something I love doing and for the first time in ages I will feel fulfilled and productive.

My son is loving the school. Nativity play coming up soon and he is a shepherd and a census taker. Will be very cute. School just so warm and wonderful. We won a prize for our Halloween outfit and they had a family Halloween disco at the village hall as a fundraiser.

Husband's job going well. No more phone calls at weekends is a plus!

Anyway, I was invited to join some of the village ladies at a fundraiser dance in the neighbouring village this evening so must be off to get ready. It's certainly got chilly now and we have had to invest in the de-icing sprays for those frosty mornings but I wouldn't trade it for the heat and we still need to head into the city for The Christmas Market and the Lights and ice skating under the stars...lots still to come for Xmas and if my son gets his wish it will be a white one.

Hope you're all enjoying the start of your Aussie Summer!

I'll post pics of our snow when we get it.

So long!

[followmylead]

I love Australia, but swoon over the Scottish and Irish accents. Best wishes. Home is where the heart is and yours is clearly in Scotland.

[McCabes]

I am so happy for you that you have found your place in the world, and are happy and thriving - all of you!

Best wishes for a wonderful, white Christmas, and for the launch of your new business in the new year.