alant

We have arrived safely but what is all this wind and rain about?? This is not what I signed up for !!

Hello, we are sitting at the departure gate in Singapore airport waiting to board our flight to Perth. We've had an amazing 3 days here in Singapore - such a brilliant place and we will definitely be back! We are so excited to start out Australian adventure!

Good luck to you and your family - we are in Singapore airport waiting at the gate to board our flight to Perth.....we are so excited - I may even burst!!!!

Hi Kerryandsteve, we're not too sure where we will end up - it will probably be determined where we get jobs as we are fairly flexible!

Hello, we flew Singapore airlines from Heathrow to Singapore (staying in Singapore for a few days before heading to Perth on Friday). We had arranged the double luggage allowance (40kg each) before we left the UK. We took a copy of the email confirmation 'just in case' - there was no need as the check in agent was brilliant and even let us away with being a few kg's over in one of the cases. From what I understand, the double allowance only relates to permanent residency visas; not temp working visas, however, it is best to check directly with the airline itself.

Good luck sun lovers - hope you have a safe flight! We flew out on Monday via Singapore. We're having a fabulous few days in Singapore then flying to Perth on Friday morning...we can't wait!!! We are staying in Waikiki (SOR) with friends until we get sorted, which hopefully won't be too long!

Flight was brilliant Rangerboy - staff were brilliant and food was amazing. The selection you have for the TV etc is quite extensive and will keep you entertained. We we downstairs but in the middle and it was superb. We had a 3 seats between the 2 of us so my wife was able to stretch out without any problems! We thought about changing our seats to upstairs (which was nearly fully booked) as we heard the service was slightly quicker but we decided not to as we thought it would be better downstairs as the flight wasn't full - we weren't disappointed! Are you staying in Singapore or travelling right the way through? I must say, its an amazing place from what we have seen so far! We are off to China Town and Clark Quay tonight (going on a river boat cruise) to try and keep the jet lag at bay!!

Good luck up you both on your impending moves! We are currently in Singapore fighting off the jet lag! Not sure who you are flying with but we have went with Singapore Airlines and they were amazing - no issues with checking in the extra luggage allowance (even though we were slightly over!!). Had a bit of drama as we arrived in Singapore, in that when we walked towards the baggage hall in Singapore we walked past a man, who looked unwell sitting down - he proceeded to collapse and (as it turned out) had a heart attack!!! My wife is a nurse and went towards him to see if he needed help and due to his condition (he's now lying collapsed on the bench and looks dead...proper dead) she proceeded to give him CPR, screaming for help and then has to shock his heart with the defibrillator. Luckily, after what seemed an age and 4 bouts of CPR, some mouth to mouth and 2 shots of the defribilator, my wife managed to get his heart started and a pulse going.....what a start to our adventure! It turns out the guy was a pastor off on an internal connecting flight - he's a lucky guy that we walked past him when we did or he might not have survived! Anyway, we are staying in waikiki with friends when we arrive in Perth on Friday. Where are you both heading to? Tomorrow we head to universal studios on sentosa island - hopefully that will get our adrenaline going (again) and help keep the jet lag at bay!!!!

Thanks everyone - we are at Heathrow, bags are checked in and we are beginning to relax!!! We are both getting very excited to start this new chapter in our lives!!

....that's us just arrived at the airport hotel for our flight in the morning. We have had an emotional day saying cheerio to our best friends and their kids....I have never cried as much in my life!! I'm an emotional wreck just now but I know we have made the best decision for us!! We are really excited about the move but today has reminded us who we are leaving behind.

Will do.....it's been a long journey but hopefully will be worth the wait!!

That's me just finished my last day at work in the UK - for the first time in my life I'm a social loafer....feels quite liberating!!!

That's really quick - my daughters medical was referred and it took 98 days to be cleared....what a frustrating time!

Thanks for the kind words! We are heading down to Waikiki to stay with friends - where we actually end up will be dependant on where we get jobs! Where are you living SJT?

....and ready to go!! That's all our worldly possessions been packed up by the shippers to start their journey to Oz. Our journey starts on Monday.....I cannot wait!!!

12 days for us....such an exciting time!!!!

Hi jandh, thanks for your reply. I've had numerous calls with Michael Page. I have got 6 or 7 meetings arranged with various agents the week that I arrive so hopefully I get something organised work-wise. 2 weeks today we will be on our way - we both can't wait!!

Hello, we are using the Melbourne quarantine for our cat, Cody. The shippers we spoke to said its smaller than Sydney but we feel that will be better for him as he might get to see less people and a friendly face for longer - so hopefully that might help him settle better....plus it's a slightly shorter flight to Melbourne. The flight price is slightly cheaper from Melbourne to Perth too!

We went through the why didn't we do this earlier stage - there's no point in having regrets or think I wish we had did that.....we are only here for a visit so you need to make the most of it! Worse case scenario is that we hate it or we can't get jobs - if that happens we can go somewhere else....the world is so much smaller these days!!!

September 2014 will be here before you know it!! We were in th same position as you guys last year and we are now 'ready' to go....it's such an exciting time!

Hopefully Kezzles - when are you heading out?

Hi Beandownunder, Travelchic is correct. You will get an invite with 60 points but it will take longer if you had the extra 10 points for work experience but if you're happy to wait then I'd go with the 60. My wife, who is the main applicant, had 75 points but she waited 12 weeks for her assessment via ANMAC. However, once it came through we lodged our EOI on 26th November and got our invite through on 6th December - so for us it was worth the wait for ANMAC as it meant we had very little waiting time for invite. Like you bean, I'm an accountant too (CIMA) so it'll be interesting to see how I quickly I can get a job - I'll keep you updated! I have meetings arranged with about 6 or 7 agents within the first 3 days if arriving so hopefully I won't be unemployed for too long. Good luck and best wishes to you both in your visa application process - I hope it goes smoothly and quickly!!

Thanks everyone - the way I look at it is its not goodbye but see you in a wee while!! We have decided not to have a farewell party but decided to have a nice meal and some drinks with a select group of friends - we feel it'll be easiest way to deal with saying Cheerio!! We have a stopover in Singapore for 3 nights so that's something else to look forward to!! Good luck and best wishes to Laurahen & Neenie - where abouts in perth are you both heading to? Me, my wife Carol & our boy (Cody the cat when he gets here) will be staying SOR with friends in Waikiki

Hello, my wife & I fly out on Monday 26th August.....not sure how I feel.....I know I am excited but everyone I speak to expects me to be nervous...but I'm not - should I be???? Bring on the adventure is what I say!!!

We are flying out on 26th August - my wife delivers our boy, Cody the cat, to the pet shippers on 20th August, container arrives 21st August and I finish work 23rd August.....it'll be a busy few days...more so for my wife than me!! We are staying in Singapore for 3 nights before heading to Perth. We wanted to go via Hong Kong but Cathay Pacific wouldn't guarantee the double baggage allowance from HK to Perth for unused visa holders (sad times) so we decided that Singapore would be an excellent 2nd choice! Once we get to Perth, we will be staying in Waikiki with friends, which will allows us some time to sort a rental....but we have the joyful task of getting a job as soon as we land.....should be fun!! Good luck Neenie and all others who are making the move in the next few weeks & months!!!!