Tuesday, March 28, 2006
UK moves to Australia
Just after I posted the last blog I went to Thomas cook to find some info on travellers cheques and the Thomas Cook rep is moving out to Australia in September.... and then a phone call from a colleague I have been working with for the past 2 years...he has decided to move to Australia after being offered a job....anyone else want to come along?!
Australians Everywhere
Seems like everyone I speak to these days knows an Australian or has family living in Australia. Call to cancel BT and the reps brother is in Sydney. Phone a bank and speak to an Australian who used to live in an area of Sydney we are looking to move to, Eastern Suburbs.
It is still very surreal that we are leaving the UK in 14 days. The preparations continue...this week the process of cancelling accounts began. It was not a fun activity... too much waiting around and selecting options. Almost done. We found out this last week that the letting agent had found another tenant for our current property which means we can be released from our 6 month contract early! It would have been very expensive if they hadn't! Given that we signed a 6 month contract in January shows that we had no intention of moving until at least June......
Well tomorrow is my last day at work! I feel quite relaxed about it really. More relaxed than I thought. I have enjoyed my time with the company, it has some great people that I will miss working with. It is the right time for me to move on.... Tomorrow will end with a leaving speech from my line manager and then a meal out at Sams Chophouse in Manchester.
We spent the past weekend in Penycae catching up with family and friends and saying our first "goodbyes" or "see you in September's". It was a great weekend of talking, relaxing and eating! We ended the weekend at the Browers for supper with a load of friends from church. As expected - fantastic food! "Why are we leaving should a great group of people" was the question in my mind at the end of the night?
I have also been spending time exploring Sydney on the Internet, how to get around, health insurance, how to get hold of a mobile and finding out where I will be working....the 27th Floor of this building, 7th highest in Sydney! should be great views.
It is still very surreal that we are leaving the UK in 14 days. The preparations continue...this week the process of cancelling accounts began. It was not a fun activity... too much waiting around and selecting options. Almost done. We found out this last week that the letting agent had found another tenant for our current property which means we can be released from our 6 month contract early! It would have been very expensive if they hadn't! Given that we signed a 6 month contract in January shows that we had no intention of moving until at least June......
Well tomorrow is my last day at work! I feel quite relaxed about it really. More relaxed than I thought. I have enjoyed my time with the company, it has some great people that I will miss working with. It is the right time for me to move on.... Tomorrow will end with a leaving speech from my line manager and then a meal out at Sams Chophouse in Manchester.
We spent the past weekend in Penycae catching up with family and friends and saying our first "goodbyes" or "see you in September's". It was a great weekend of talking, relaxing and eating! We ended the weekend at the Browers for supper with a load of friends from church. As expected - fantastic food! "Why are we leaving should a great group of people" was the question in my mind at the end of the night?
I have also been spending time exploring Sydney on the Internet, how to get around, health insurance, how to get hold of a mobile and finding out where I will be working....the 27th Floor of this building, 7th highest in Sydney! should be great views.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Visas
Some good news, our Visas have been approved so we can now stay in Australia until 2009! Although we did not expected to be rejected (given the number Aussies we allow into the UK!) its still a relief that it is confirmed.
Work has been quite strange recently, mainly because I have been stuck behind the same desk for 10 days straight. After dashing around the country most days for the past 3 years I am already feeling a bit frustrated being in the same place every day. I am hoping my new job in Sydney will allow me to do a bit of travelling around... It has also been strange not to be answering both of my phones all day long and having emails pouring in. It is good not to have the business I have got used to but very strange at the same time. Having said that I feel much more relaxed and seem to have much more energy and time to think.
Also decided now would be a good time to take up photography again and have ordered a new camera ready for our travels. You can expect a few more pictures on here in future months!
We also finished 24 Series 3. Jack saves LA with seconds to spare, again!
Work has been quite strange recently, mainly because I have been stuck behind the same desk for 10 days straight. After dashing around the country most days for the past 3 years I am already feeling a bit frustrated being in the same place every day. I am hoping my new job in Sydney will allow me to do a bit of travelling around... It has also been strange not to be answering both of my phones all day long and having emails pouring in. It is good not to have the business I have got used to but very strange at the same time. Having said that I feel much more relaxed and seem to have much more energy and time to think.
Also decided now would be a good time to take up photography again and have ordered a new camera ready for our travels. You can expect a few more pictures on here in future months!
We also finished 24 Series 3. Jack saves LA with seconds to spare, again!
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Count Down
Did I say time was moving slowly at the moment?! it's not, time is flying by. Esther kindly reminds me each Saturday morning how long we have before we leave for Sydney. Just 4 weeks remain.
Packing is now well underway, all CD's have been converted to MP3s and the huge suit cases have been bought...Esther has even packed all of her summer clothes into the suitcase! I feel that I am trying to fool my mind into thinking that I am not going anywhere at the moment and that things will continue as normal...this, of course, will not be true! I am going through what I would call a mental preparation stage!
I am amazed how the pieces of the jigsaw are still coming together for our move. About two years ago I worked with an guy from Sydney (Chris) another from NZ (Graeme) and Dan (from Manchester) I knew that Dan was in touch with Chris, however I was surprised this week to find out the Graeme was also living in Sydney (He moved from Mcr back home to NZ a few years ago). and that they all went surfing together last Saturday morning! They are all offering us support and are being a big help answering the many questions that are rushing around our minds at the moment. Chris has kindly offered to pick us up from the airport and show us around the City during our first week. This will be a big help as the thought of arriving the other side of the world with our lives in a couple of bags does seem odd, if not scary! Anyway their hospitality has helped to ease our minds.
Just 13 working days left! I have to admit it is getting more and more difficult to concentrate on work when there are so many other things to do.
Took some timeout to catch up with our friends on Saturday afternoon at Barburrito - a tasty Mexican Grill in Piccadilly Gardens. It's these 'meet up for coffee' time's that Esther and I are going to miss lots.....it will be hard moving away from such a great group of friends.
24 is our other means of escaping the "stuff that needs to be done" at the moment. We are determined to finish series 3 before we leave. 3 DVDS to go! Series 3 started off quite poorly compared to the others, we are mid-way through and it is now getting much better! Series 4 is packed!
Packing is now well underway, all CD's have been converted to MP3s and the huge suit cases have been bought...Esther has even packed all of her summer clothes into the suitcase! I feel that I am trying to fool my mind into thinking that I am not going anywhere at the moment and that things will continue as normal...this, of course, will not be true! I am going through what I would call a mental preparation stage!
I am amazed how the pieces of the jigsaw are still coming together for our move. About two years ago I worked with an guy from Sydney (Chris) another from NZ (Graeme) and Dan (from Manchester) I knew that Dan was in touch with Chris, however I was surprised this week to find out the Graeme was also living in Sydney (He moved from Mcr back home to NZ a few years ago). and that they all went surfing together last Saturday morning! They are all offering us support and are being a big help answering the many questions that are rushing around our minds at the moment. Chris has kindly offered to pick us up from the airport and show us around the City during our first week. This will be a big help as the thought of arriving the other side of the world with our lives in a couple of bags does seem odd, if not scary! Anyway their hospitality has helped to ease our minds.
Just 13 working days left! I have to admit it is getting more and more difficult to concentrate on work when there are so many other things to do.
Took some timeout to catch up with our friends on Saturday afternoon at Barburrito - a tasty Mexican Grill in Piccadilly Gardens. It's these 'meet up for coffee' time's that Esther and I are going to miss lots.....it will be hard moving away from such a great group of friends.
24 is our other means of escaping the "stuff that needs to be done" at the moment. We are determined to finish series 3 before we leave. 3 DVDS to go! Series 3 started off quite poorly compared to the others, we are mid-way through and it is now getting much better! Series 4 is packed!
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