Is not doing a LSD trip crazy??

[JoVincent]

Hey all,

 

Just a quick one - how many of you didn't end up doing a LSD trip before emigrating to Aus?

 

My husband is of the belief that we shouldnt do it, as obviously it will make budgeting the move that much harder, and we have decided on Australia already and in the process of applying for a visa.

 

Just curious on people's thoughts on this.

 

Thanks

[WayneACT]

We didn't do a LSD. At no point in this process did we ever consider trying it out first. We figured we wanted to move, and focused 100% on that. Didn't want to entertain any doubts and create any "easy" outs. As Yoda stated, "No! Try not! Do, or do not, there is no try" 

 

Having said that, each person/family is different, so you must do what works for you.

[OubaasDik]

I didn't.

 

But I had a job lined up in Perth, so there was no chance I was going anywhere else.

 

I was on a 457, though.

[Guest]

We had been on holiday to Perth before and because we had friends and family there we wanted to stay there. We had also visited Sydney but only for a week. We actually ended up In Melbourne as my husband took unpaid leave from South Africa for 2 month's and in that time he got work.

 

I don't know whether a LSD is really all that necessary. You can do quite a bit of research on areas here and online, but ofcourse there are things that you just need to see for yourself. Australia isn't a one size fits all. There is so much difference between states, weather,affordability, lifestyle etc. Not doing a LSD saves you alot of money though. We never came to Melbourne before and we love it here, but are now moving back to Perth.

 

Do as much research as you can and then if you still feel you need to see the places with your own eyes then make a trip. If not just hop on the plane. ?

[RedPanda]

I think it really depends a lot on your personality. We would not have made it, going to a totally unknown place for the first time when we are moving there permanently. But then we also lived together before getting married...hahaha... The point is, people are all different. Some can handle one-way trips into the unknown, some can't. We found it very comforting that when we got to Belgrave we already knew the shops, the local baker, the delicious noodle shop, the local Woolworths...and when we went in to the CBD we could go around and revisit our favourite shops. We already knew how the public transport system works, we had a decent grasp of the layout of Melbourne.

But if you've already decided that it's going to be Australia, end of story, then an LSD trip is a bit of a luxury, so you need to look closely at your own situation and think about it. It's true that the internet has made distance research A LOT better, so there is a whole lot that you can find out before you go, and that you can prepare from that side.

Good luck!!!

[JoVincent]

Thanks all for your comments! I forgot to turn on notifications so I didn't see them until now. I agree with all of it - it depends on personality and how you handle the unknown, but there is also the affordability to consider. I am still trying to figure out the first part, my fear of the unknown ;). I think we will rather save the funds we have for when we get there, especially given the expense of the move (agency, visa, flights, the dog  - list is endless!!). We are positive and just seeing this as one big adventure of life. I am probably the bigger worrypot compared to my husband, hence the question. But in my gut I know it is the right decision and no LSD trip will really make much difference, except for having a great holiday :). 

 

Thanks again & hope you're all having a great weekend! 

[DXB2OZ]

Whatever you do in this process, some will have done it the same way, others will have done it differently, and each section will have loads of reasons why theirs was the right choice and loads of horror stories why it was absolutely the worst decision ever.

 

We did an LSD and I was really pleased we did. Other friends didn't and had a great move.

 

Go with your gut - you have so much else to worry about, so don't worry about this too much.

[EmNew]

We didn't do an LSD trip. The very first time we stepped foot onto Aussie soil was on our one-way trip here to both activate our visa and settle in as a permanent resident.

 

If I could wind back time, would I do an LSD?

No.

 

It really boils down to personal choice and personal circumstances. There is no right or wrong way - it's what's best for you.

If you feel you need that additional confirmation and it won't financially strain you, do it. If you've made up your minds, come hell or high water, what's the point? More stress, additional costs, delays actually getting here permanently is how I see it.

 

The reality is that nothing really can prepare you for living in another country, other than actually living in it.

 

[PhatMyles]

I am only doing an activation trip, not really LSD. We would move straight away if we had saved up enough, or if we got jobs. I think the internet gives enough information to decide where to go even before getting there...

[Alchemist]

I have been to Oz 5 times, worked there in 2003 for 10 months and honestly a trip doesn't do it justice. We only did a LSD to activate the visa last year because my hubby is not ready for the big move yet with his business (and he was there for first time but he would have moved no matter if he saw the place or not). So it depends on WHEN you go as well. Remember a quick look see doesn't mean living there is easier or harder, that depends on other things totally. Agree its dependent on how many years you wish to go in, what visa you get and certainly your personality. What does help, is getting in to contact (if you can) with people you know who are there. I have many friends from the various trips and living there, so its nice having ppl there to ask advice and help. Join the expat groups on FB they will help a lot especially when there to ask the how to do things. Even on our trip last year, they only really interested in making the effort once you actually arrive so dont get turned off......

[bushlovers]

We didn't do one.  Really how many people have you heard of that think Oz sucks in the first, what two, three weeks, of moving here?  Will you feel at home after two weeks? 

 

It certainly depends on your personality.  if you have the cash why not, but I certainly wouldn't.

[ChrisH]

We're not going to do an LSD trip, we're already in the process of applying for a 189 and the first time we go over will be to activate the visas.  We do have friends in Brisbane though which probably helps.

[Dora]

That's so true @bushlovers - going on a trip and moving somewhere is totally two different things, because chances are that you will like what you see. It is doing or getting use to life there that can be daunting in the first two years...but I'm also saying this with hind sight.  When we went over the first time, I didn't want to just settle in a place just because I had family there. I felt that it is such a big and life changing move that I want to make an informed decision. That said, I also didn't like Brisbane at all and I've ended up there eventually and at the end of the day l fell in love with the city.  Which brings me back to my first thought, I don't know if paying for a whole family to do the trip will make a difference...unless you are loaded with $$$$

[Guest]

In contrast to some of the other replies, we will effectively do two LSD trips before our hypothetical move. The first is to see Sydney (we leave in the next short while for our two weeks in Sydney, and will pop across to Canberra as well for a short trip), and based on this, we will decide whether to apply for our 189. Then, our activation trip would involve going to Brisbane and Melbourne to see how we feel about those places in particular, before the third (and final) move.

 

This is definitely a costly way to do things, but spread over a few years, it will be manageable for us, and quite frankly will just have to work. I have been to Aus twice before, but hubby has never been. For him it would be too much like moving to Mars. He would not be able to make the move with any kind of confidence. Different strokes. It depends so much on contextual factors, personalities, what needs to be wrapped up to move on, what still needs to simmer, etc. Our timeline is not such that we could apply, pack up and move within a year.

 

Saying all this, I am envious of those who have enough faith and organisation to make the move in one leap, and can fully imagine why so many arrive without ever previously having set foot on the continent!

 

P.S. I am not sure that any LSD can ever do a place justice. As others said (sorry guys, tags don't seem to be working), a few weeks anywhere is still quite a holiday. At most one will get an impression.

[AFreshStart]

4 hours ago, bushlovers said:

Really how many people have you heard of that think Oz sucks in the first, what two, three weeks, of moving here?  

 

Funny story. I first visited Aus more than 10-years ago. I had a TERRIBLE experience, almost laughably so. I told myself I'd never come back and after an amazing time in New Zealand had planned to move there.

 

We then DID move to Sydney, 10+ years later and we couldn't be happier! My brief holiday experience in the worse part of town, in a horrid backpackers turned me off completely though.

 

We DIDN'T do an LSD, my wife had never been here and I was going off my poor experience, glad we did.

 

Cheers

 

Matt

[SurferMan]

@AFreshStart

 

Same here, passed through Aus in 2007 on the way to Fiji to buy land and I hated it. I did no LSD when we got here in 2010 and I loved it from the time the wheels touched ground. Go figure.

[Waylander]

Every person is different - I know some people who would rather die than move to another country they had never visited before.  None of us had ever been in Australia prior to our activation trip.  We spent 2 weeks here on our activation trip and loved it - 6 months after that activation trip we landed for good and have not looked back since.

[dlmonnink]

I didn't do one. Arrived in Melbourne in March and started applying for jobs that evening, got a job the next day luckily.

Network on here and the Facebook groups for South Africans in whichever city you land. That's how I managed to land my job.

Also wanted to live in Brisbane but thought it would be safer and easier to get a job in Melbourne - wasn't wrong

[monsta]

They make you inspect a rental property  before you sign on the dotted line... 

 

I guess what I am saying is, if you see Aussie for the first time when you migrate here and hate it... that's going to be tough. It gives you an easy excuse to go back to RSA. You can say things like, "I didn't know the public trains were that packed during rush hour! If I had only known that I wouldn't have migrated..."

 

 

[Riekie]

If money is an issue and you're the adventurous, open-minded, let's make it work type, then don't do the LSD trip. 

 

If you're still anxious about whether you're doing the right thing, if you struggle to adapt to change, if you like to be in control or plan everything to the last dot, then do it.

[WayneAndMel]

Agreed with @Riekie. It can come down to you as a person psychologically and what options are open to you.

 

There are variations on the theme but one different perspective is from a couple we know in Sydney. They never did an LSD trip and went straight to Sydney, only to discover much later on a chance visit to Melbourne that they absolutely loved the latter.

 

They however claim they'd struggle to uproot everyone yet again and move there. They weren't specific as to why but hinted for them it would be as hard as emigrating yet again.

 

Yet many others can easily pack up and head to a different city within a month.

 

[ChrisH]

My wife was initially happy that the 189 visa gives us 5 years to move to Australia as she didn't want us to rush into anything.  Now that things are getting closer and closer the move date is also being moved sooner and sooner!

 

The other day she actually said.... Do we really need to go to Aus on the 1 year activation trip and then come back, why don't we just stay there?  

 

I reckon the day our 189 visa comes through we're going to struggle to find reasons to stay any longer than necessary.

[Mel-B]

We did an activation trip (house was not sold in time to move). And it was good in the sense that the last month or 2 before the final move we were VERY stressed out /anxious /unsure. It was the knowledge of where we are going that kept us on track.

 

Did it help in any other way? Nope. Holiday here and living here are so different. It was a FREAKISHLY expensive trip (we WAY overpaid on tickets/rental basically everything....  ) and was not worth it in any way as a prep. as we ended up doing nothing the way we planned it after our trip.

 

It was however a carrot for us and offered us peace every time the anxious WHAT IF's hit us.I would however rather have had that trip's money saved up - so if I could redo I would skip the trip and make the move (but its ballsy).

 

 

[dlmonnink]

This is exactly what happened to us. We were only planning on landing end of this year or the year after. We went to the travel expo at the Dome at the beginning of the year and they announced over the intercom that they were having a special on flights to Aus so we bought them and left 1.5 months later. Knew I was doing the right thing when 2 weeks later our home was broken into, all our stuff including car stolen and insurance refusing to payout.

 

Got new passports and swapped our visas over with 1 day to spare. Left and have never looked back  I can honestly say that it must be rather disappointing having to go back to SA after and LSD trip, but I wouldn't know LOL

[ChrisH]

7 minutes ago, Mel-B said:

I would however rather have had that trip's money saved up

That is my wife's thinking as well.