LaurieRiddin Posted June 16, 2014 Report Share Posted June 16, 2014 Hello All in the Eastern Cape, I hope everyone is doing well. We have just been informed that our visa to Oz has come through!! We are very excited!! If anyone else is on their way soon, then let us know as it would be wonderful to share the excitement. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadEnoughofJuju Posted June 16, 2014 Report Share Posted June 16, 2014 Hey Laurie, that's awesome news. Good luck with the rest of the journey. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crossedover Posted June 16, 2014 Report Share Posted June 16, 2014 Hi Laurie , congrats what a relief! Now the great logistic shuffle and emotional roller coaster .... There are many of us in the same situation. This forum is a God send ... Looking forward to sharing your progress. Good luck. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eva Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 c o n g r a t u l a t i o n s !! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ammie Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 Hi Laurie That is such exciting news for you guys ! My daughter and her husband is leaving next month and then as soon as they are settled we can apply for our parental visa. It is all all very nerve racking and also exciting ! Where in the Eastern Cape are you at the moment ? Which part of Australia are you going ? RegardsAmmie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaurieRiddin Posted June 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 Hi Ammie,Thanks for your post - it is great to be able to get excited with others as well!We live in Port Alfred, and are moving to Mareeba (near Cairns). My mom lives near Brisbane (Bli Bli) and she will be helping us settle in. She is retired, so she is travelling up with us to Mareeba. We have decided to take three or four days to drive up, so that we can get a feel for that part of Queensland, and to help us settle into the culture more easily. We are super excited!!Where is your daughter moving to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ammie Posted June 17, 2014 Report Share Posted June 17, 2014 Hi Laurie I see that you are just about the same age as my daughter . I often through this whole process asked them if they had doubts about leaving SA and butterflies etc , and not once were they looking back . They are just positive and looking forward to a new future in a beautiful country . They are going to be staying near my son on the Gold Coast , [ who has been there for 5 years already ] in Elenora , 30 minutes from Brisbane . So your mom was there before you ? In our case it is going to be the other way around !We are based in Port Elizabeth and my daughter and husband was from Cape Town .Good luck with the stating to pack up and selling !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MannyT Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Hi Laurie we live in Peregian Springs, not the far from Bli Bli. :)What's Port Alfred like at the moment? A friend of mine retired to Port Alfred (from JHB) recently and keeps telling me how wonderful it is....Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HadEnoughofJuju Posted June 25, 2014 Report Share Posted June 25, 2014 Hey MannyT, you've been away for a while. Nice to see you back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aneldari Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 Hi LaurieCongrats on your visa grant! Lots of exciting (and daunting...) times ahead for you guys! Enjoy the ride, it is worth it.We live in Cairns and we absolutely love Far North Qld (FNQ). Mareeba is about an hour's drive from Cairns via the Kuranda Range road.Mareeba is a small rural town in the Tablelands and serves as a gateway to so many adventures - Cairns and surrounds (Great Barrier Reef as well of course), Tablelands, Outback all within reach. The people are very friendly and there are actually quite a few South Africans there as well. There is a big shopping centre and lots of shops and services, so it is not so small that you have to buy your groceries in the next town, hehe. Mareeba is full of culture and heritage. Lots of things happen in and around M throughout the year. There are also so many things to do in M and surrounds. Just google the Tablelands and Mareeba tourism sites and you'll see. There is an actual, as real as it gets, drive-in at M, which shows current cinema movies on Fr and Sat nights. 2 movies each night for only $14 pp, with a cafe which sells typical drive in foods! You can even camp there. http://www.mareebadrivein.com/The annual Mareeba Rodeo & Festival starts this Sat till 13 July with the actual rodeo on 12-13 July. http://www.mareebarodeo.com.au/events/We also love Granite Gorge Nature Park just outside M, where you can handfeed the wild rock wallabies (so cute but cheeky little buggers)! The granite boulders are beautiful with walking tracks, can also camp there.http://granitegorge.com.au/wordpress/There are also lots of coffee plantations and wineries (fruit wines and liqueurs) around M. Few sites:http://www.jaquescoffee.com.au/https://coffeeworks.com.au/pages/mareeba/coffee_world/http://www.debrueys.com.au/http://www.goldendrop.com.au/Are you outdoorsy people? There are many adventures to experience in our area - lots of camping (from caravan parks to 4×4 spots with no facilities), hence all the 4wheel drives and rooftop tents you'll see, that's us as well); lots of fishing (both fresh and saltwater); snorkelling, diving, boating, you name it...What will your hubby be doing in M? You mentioned him bringing his tools over, trade?When will you arrive?Good luck with all the final arrangements!CheersAneldari 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaurieRiddin Posted June 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 Dear Aneldari,Wow - thank you for your reply.It makes us so much more excited!! We are arriving in Oz on Thursday next week (3 July) and will be driving up to Mareeba. My hubby is an aircraft mechanic, and he has secured a position in Mareeba.We are certainly outdoors people! My hubby loves fishing, and we go camping fairly often. I am certainly looking forward to exploring that side of the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliottdean Posted June 26, 2014 Report Share Posted June 26, 2014 Dear LaurieAre you related to Mike or Terry Ridden from Port Alfred?RegardsDean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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