stu4668 Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 Well I have been asked to provide an update on my experiences so far!!!! Family of 4 - Mum, Dad and 2 teenagers (ages 17 & 18) It was initially my dream to emigrate to Australia approximately 8 years ago but my wife wasn't to keen at the time. In 2012 we decided to do a reccie trip to Oz to see what it was like, we visited Perth, Melbourne and Cairns. We thoroughly enjoyed all areas but seemed to warm to Perth. We contacted a migration agent for advice on whose skills to use for the permanent residency visa then started the process. We decided not to use the migration agent and go it alone using the advice and help from this website - the knowledge from previous migrants proved to be valuable. We were granted the 190 state sponsored visa in Feb 2013 but due to the kids doing A Levels we were unable to make the move until July 2014 so a visa validation trip was done October 2013 (more expense ) Initially my thoughts were to rent out my property in the UK and rent in Perth until we found something to buy. in the end we decided to sell the UK property and use the capital to invest in a property in Australia. The house sold within 3 months then it started to feel real!!! we completed around the end of June and used PSS to ship our house contents over (due mid August hopefully) I think we paid inflated prices for the flights due to leaving them to the last minute, we booked Emirates flying from Manchester but was lucky enough to find a code on this Forum to gain additional baggage for ANZ Bank customers (no I am not a ANZ bank customer but it worked!!!) (the code was UKANZ09) this gave each passenger 45Kg hold luggage. The final two weeks in the UK were the worst, we were a fragmented family living out of cases scattered around the county of North Yorkshire. I must admit packing up your life and moving to the other side of the world is one of the most stressful things I have done. The majority of the planning and arrangements were done by my wife as she finished work towards the end of May, however I was still working up to 24 hours before my departure flight (not advisable). The remaining weeks were quite emotional, family get to togethers etc. Its not nice having to say goodbye. Flight day - trying to cram everything into the cases and hand luggage - frustrating. I then checked on the Emirates website and it mentioned something about hold cases cannot be heavier than 32Kg ( we had an allowance of 45Kg though). My wife telephoned them and they confirmed our tickets did have the 45Kg allowance and we were allowed 7Kg as hand luggage. when we arrived at Manchester Airport we noticed they were weighing all hand luggage so we frantically removed items and placed them into our pockets. when it came to weighing our cases they were approximately 36Kg each (under the 45Kg allowance) and we were informed that they couldn't exceed the 32Kg weight - we explained we had telephoned earlier and was told we did have the 45Kg allowance but she was adamant that we must reduce the weight. Anyway what she allowed us to do was transfer items to our smaller hand luggage cases and then put these into the hold as well (Emirates website states only 1 hold case for economy customers). We have a 3 month rental in Currambine (stayed last year on our visa validation trip) which hopefully will be enough time to either find a long term rental or our own property. Day 1 - Unpacking cases, Woolies - shopping, Dan Murphys - essential liquids, Kallaroo - coffee with friends Day 2 - Lakeside Joondalup - set up our bank account, purchase a Telstra Sim, Freemantle - enrol my son at Notre Damme University and driving back stopping at car dealerships in Melville and buying a new car. Day 3 - Medicare office at Joondalup (advised to wait with registering until my daughter arrives end of July), Driving/Transport office Joondalup to obtain information regarding kids and driving, completed online TFN registration, viewed two gyms in Currambine centre Day 4 - Viewed our first property, Joondlaup Library to use Printer/Scanner, back to car dealership to provide information/docs, Apple store in Perth to try and sort out problems with unlocking mobile phone, dinner in Belgian Bar in CBD My son starts university on Monday, my wife starts her new nursing position on 28th July and I am back at work, working from home for my UK employer on Monday and hopefully my daughter arrives at the end of the month. so this is our adventure so far, there are lots of things to arrange, sort out but we are getting there slowly. hopefully in 6-9 months I will be able to report back that we are all settled in our new house drinking coffee in the Dome in Butler/Clarkson!!! I am also sure I will be asking plenty other questions along the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beandownunder Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 All the very best Stu and family, keep the updates coming...... x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu4668 Posted July 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 All the very best Stu and family, keep the updates coming...... x you will be here soon for your reccie and the kings park meet up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocolevi Posted July 17, 2014 Report Share Posted July 17, 2014 Gosh that time has gone so quick, great to hear your settling well x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 Good luck hope to see you at the end of month meet up in Freo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wee_me Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 Re your cases- your case can't be more than 32kg for health and safety but you could have split your weight between two cases and had 45kg each that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aligard Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 Well done stu, great to hear you are settling well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druid Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 Good to hear all is going well for you, are you getting charged for Uni fees for your son, heard that unless you are a citizen you have to pay full fees, sound expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu4668 Posted July 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 Re your cases- your case can't be more than 32kg for health and safety but you could have split your weight between two cases and had 45kg each that way. it doesn't say that on the Emirates website - economy passengers only one case each in the hold. We found that out at the airport by the check in staff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu4668 Posted July 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 Good to hear all is going well for you, are you getting charged for Uni fees for your son, heard that unless you are a citizen you have to pay full fees, sound expensive. we do have to pay the fees up front but because we have permanent residency visas we only pay domestic fees rather than international. Semister 1 is costing approx. $3500 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROB T Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 [quote so this is our adventure so far, there are lots of things to arrange, sort out but we are getting there slowly. hopefully in 6-9 months I will be able to report back that we are all settled in our new house drinking coffee in the Dome in Butler/Clarkson!!! Drinking coffee at Dome Butler Stu? Good man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu4668 Posted July 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 we will be when you open Rob, must catch up for a beer sometime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portlaunay Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 Thanks for the update, the journey can be enormously stressful but you're here now and hopefully settling in. If you need anything you know where PP is and as Deb says, hope you can make the meet in Freo and share stories and experiences (next week I think). Will your son commute from Joondalup to Freo? That's a heck of a journey. What's he studying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jo and scott Posted July 18, 2014 Report Share Posted July 18, 2014 fab update stu ! I love reading the updates :-)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu4668 Posted July 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 [quoteso this is our adventure so far, there are lots of things to arrange, sort out but we are getting there slowly. hopefully in 6-9 months I will be able to report back that we are all settled in our new house drinking coffee in the Dome in Butler/Clarkson!!! Drinking coffee at Dome Butler Stu? Good man. We have met your daughter Ellis today at Dome currambine, where do dome advertise vacancies as my son is wanting a part time job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROB T Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 Yeah Stu Ellis just txt to say that you popped in. You have my mobile no via PM so give me a call and we can discuss for your lad. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druid Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 Yeah Stu Ellis just txt to say that you popped in. You have my mobile no via PM so give me a call and we can discuss for your lad.Rob We go to Dome Currambine all the time, last time was last Tuesday for a full English, I feel sorry for those girls walking up & down the stairs with full plates, didn't know your daughter worked there, so she's fully trained now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROB T Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 Fully trained Druid? Maybe at work but after cleaning her bathroom this morning for her while she was at Dome I think perhaps not..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu4668 Posted July 20, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 Yeah Stu Ellis just txt to say that you popped in. You have my mobile no via PM so give me a call and we can discuss for your lad.Rob Hi Rob, Ellis gave Matt an application form to complete which he handed back in to her before we left. He starts Notre Dame University on Monday but I think they are half days, he has previously worked in the hospitality trade working in a kitchen doing food preparation etc. He would prefer to be working front of house doing waiting on etc. He has expressed an interest to work Saturdays & Sundays and afternoons/evenings Monday to Friday. What do Dome typically pay 17/18 year old per hour? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROB T Posted July 20, 2014 Report Share Posted July 20, 2014 Yeah Stu Ellis just txt to say that you popped in. You have my mobile no via PM so give me a call and we can discuss for your lad.Rob Oh yeah Stu and to arrange for a beer or two..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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