Happy Birthday...

hello again,

apologies for the delay between blogs - no real excuse, apart from moving several thousand miles, a few time zones and into a different hemisphere - apart from that it's the same old same old.

For those of you that are contemplating flying out to visit us at some point in the future the journey was a piece of cake. For those of you who have no intention of ever travelling any further east than Skegness then the journey did get a bit gruelling towards the end. I think that was mainly due to the in flight entertainment - after rom-coms and a couple of 'big gay movies' even the most hardened traveller is going to start feeling a bit queasy.

Of the flight, George had been hoping to carry out a scientific experiment whereby he flushed the toilet either side of the equator to see which way the water went down. Unfortunately the part of the flight when we crossed the equator was the only time that George went to sleep so we never got to execute the experiment. I don't think we would have been able to do it anyway because the queues for the toilets were massive, not sure whether they were taking comfort breaks whilst going for David Boon's record or they were planning on joining 'the club'.

On arriving in Perth we were very kindly met at the airport by Wendy's new boss and a work colleague who gave us a tour of the area and a lift to the apartment.

When we got to the apartment it was a very weird sensation, the only thing I can compare it to was coming home from the hospital with George when he was a baby. It was the feeling of being very tired with the knowledge that you've done something really special, that you are very very fortunate and that you don't have the first clue what to do next. Lets hope that's where the analogy ends because George cried solidly for six months and we didn't get any sleep until somebody told us we were supposed to feed him.

The first few days here have been great fun - we've been to a barbie and seen kangaroos, yutes, parrots and members of the indigenous population but no clouds. We joined in the Australia Day celebrations on Saturday by sinking a few tinnies by the Swan River whilst watching the fireworks. It was still about 30 degrees when we walked back to the car at 10 o'clock in the evening.

We went into Perth city centre on Friday to sort out our bank details and have a look around the shops. We went into a store to look for a book on Australian birds (Kylie, Natalie, Nicole, etc) and found the Australian edition of 'The Dangerous Book For Boys'. In this case it is definitely correctly named, it tells you how to deal with all sorts of dangerous creatures such as crocs, snakes, spiders and the scariest of the lot... girls. It still tells you how to build a go-cart though.

Today (Monday) has been declared a Public Holiday due to it being my 40th birthday - very kind of them don't you think. Spent most of the morning on the beach - I can't remember having spent my birthday on the beach before. Mind you there are several days around the time of my 20th birthday that I can't account for, which might have involved a beach - but as I say I can't remember. We have invested in a body board to take down to the beach - I'm considering investing in a body for the same reason.

Right, we are just about up to date with the news now - not sure when we will get chance to update the blog again because getting an internet contract requires having a permanent address - but its quite tricky finding a place to rent without internet access.... catch 22.

Most of you appear to have worked out how to post comments on the blog, well done (hope that sounds condescending enough). Obviously, the ones that don't say how brilliant my blogs are are not going to get published.

Finally, I would like to apologise to all those people I sent texts to at 3am (GMT) last Thursday - it was totally intentional. By the way I turn my phone off at night and the number is about to be defunct.

We now have..

... no house, no car and no job - its like being back in the early 1980's (bit of social comment there).

The packers really were efficient but a little over zealous several things that should have gone on the plane with us got packed up and shipped - namely cuddly toys, various household items & Hattie (sure she'll be fine - there were holes in the top of the box). Once the house was empty it reinforced the idea that it really was the right time to leave because it was evident that every room was in need of decorating.

We will be going on line early tomorrow morning to choose our seats on the plane ready for the flight on Tuesday. As we are flying on a Boeing 777 it might be advisable to get a seat near the toilets - especially if the landing is like the one at Heathrow last week. In fact, it is probably the best time to go on a 777 as they will be carrying out pretty extensive safety checks this week - well thats what we are telling the kids anyway.


Luckily, my send off at work was very low key and I managed to get out without anyone noticing me - due in the most part to the fact that I left the building at the same time as Elvis. They very kindly bought me an England cricket shirt and hat as leaving presents - quite whether I'm brave enough to wear them when I go to the WACA ground is debateable. At least the Aussie cricket team have managed to find losing ways to make me feel at home.

As I write this on Saturday evening I am still trying to compehend the fact that Doncaster Rovers have beaten Leeds Utd at Elland Road for the first time ever. Unbelievable.
Next week I might have to stay up until 1am to listen to Sports Report through the internet. Rather disturbingly, Wendy has discovered she can watch Coronation Street on line - apparently there is no escape.

Apparently, we are getting word back that many of you are struggling to work out how to post comments about the blog. We have set our best IT boffins on the case and will look to report back with our initial report within the next 6 months. I should point out however that someone who is old enough to remember Dick Barton has figured out how to do it, so how hard can it be.


Right, not sure if we'll manage to post another message before we go - so the next one could well be from oz. I have decided to take a stab at beating David Boons world record for in flight lager consumption on the journey - something like 52 cans. I either go for that or try to join the mile high club... the lager it is then.

Moving Day...

Well, this is it then, the packers are in and are boxing up, bubble wrapping, dismantling everything! On a couple of occasions I've had to rescue some items that aren't being shipped - they're fast workers!! Apparently the container is arriving at 1pm tomorrow.

My job today has been to stand by the kettle (but I don't drink tea or coffee!?!!?). I did sneak out at lunchtime to get something to eat, oh yes and book a facial and massage for tomorrow afternoon - well, there'll be no more cups of tea to make after 1pm tomorrow!!

I have managed to get to the bottom of the 'to do' list now, including making appointments with the bank and school in Oz. Kids will start school on 4th Feb, which is when the new term starts. We've also received an invite to a picnic south of the Swan River on 26th Jan (Australia Day) to watch the fireworks after sunset...

Will squeeze in another post before we fly on Tuesday.

xx

just a quickie

Brilliant news - we have exchanged contracts on the house and the flights are booked.
So, we are now officially... very excited and a tad nervous, as well as being run off our feet. There are 1,072 things to do before we fly next Tuesday.

Luckily I have only been allocated two tasks:
Firstly I have to disinfect anything that has ever stepped foot outdoors - its proving to be slightly troublesome because I have to go outdoors to do it thus creating more cleaning, its like painting the fourth bridge.
Secondly I have to clear the rooms of furniture. In doing so I have discovered that there is something in life worse than assembling flat pack furniture, namely dismantling flat pack furniture. It really wasn't created with taking apart in mind.
Obviously, I've chucked a couple of bolts away so that it will be even harder to put together at the other end.

The packers are coming to take over on Wednesday and Thursday so it might calm down again then. Although Wendy is still on the phone cancelling things... insurance, pensions and my subscription to Big Busts (its an art magazine about large sculptures).

We are very grateful to David & Sarah for agreeing to put us all up and put up with all of us, for the best part of a week, once our furniture has been whisked away to litter a beech in Devon.

Hopefully, I will get a chance to blog a bit more later in the week - if I can find a chair to sit on... so if you think your heart can take it join us again for the next exciting episode. (for those of you old enough to remember insert the theme tune for Dick Barton - special agent here).

Very official

The passports arrived back from Australia House today, complete with visas!! A little slip of paper stuck in the back of our passports, which allows us to stay as permanent residents in Oz - fantastic!

So, I got straight on the phone to the travel agents and have provisionally booked our flights to Perth - leaving from Manchester airport at 10am on Tuesday 22nd January. The shipping company came round yesterday and we will be filling a 20 ft container, which will be filled w/e 18th January. This is also the day that Harry leaves work and the kids finish school.

Just need to sort out some accomodation in Perth now!!