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As the British economy hits rock bottom, thousands of skilled workers are looking abroad to start up a brighter, more stable life in a different economy.  

Traditionally, Australia and New Zealand have been a favourite destination for British skilled migrants, but it seems now their economies are also feeling the rippling effects of the American and British recessions.  

There has been much debate as to whether Senator Chris Evans (Minister for Immigration and Citizenship) would lower the record rates of immigration to Australia in the 2009-10 Budget in response to his country’s prospective financial troubles.  

Evans has decided to keep this year’s record 133,000 skilled visas as a ceiling until the Government assesses the country’s economic situation in time for the mid-year Budget.

This means that Australia still has plenty of places for skilled workers to move to Australia, and you could be joining the thirty-odd thousand other Britons moving to Australia permanently every year through the Australian migration program.  

Now we all know Australia has a better climate, nicer beaches, and the promise of a more comfortable, outdoor lifestyle than the UK, but, in this economic climate would skilled workers actually be better off by moving from the UK to Australia?

How much money can you earn in Australia compared to the UK

The following is a comparative table showing the median salaries for selected jobs in Australia and the UK, sourced from payscale.com (updated February 2009).   The results are based on the person having 10-19 years experience in that job, and the Australian salaries have been converted using the curencyconverter.com tool.    

A quick look at the table suggests the trend for higher salaries in Australia for skilled positions is evident, excluding the rather major difference for solicitors.  

Cost of living in Australia versus the cost of living in the uk

A higher salary doesn’t mean much if you are paying higher prices for the everyday basics.   The following table shows the cost of basics as supplied by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) for December 2008.

The table shows Australia is not the winner in every case, and in fact, the UK is the cheapest place in the world to buy bread.   Yet, although the overall picture gives the impression that the cost of living in Australia and the UK is vacillating, a closer look shows that the expensive staple items are considerably cheaper in Australia than in the UK, which would keep your wallet plumper for longer.  

For example, a family of four that consumes 2kgs of beef a week could save up to £303 after migrating to Australia from the UK, and a person filling up a car with 30L of petrol every week could save up to £280 per year.   These are substantial savings.

Whereas milk, bread and flour may be cheaper to buy in the UK, the items that you need to outlay more cash on a weekly basis (such as meat and petrol) are cheaper in Australia.

The Economist’s Big Mac index makes things loud and clear to understand.   The famous index compares the cost of a Big Mac in hundreds of countries as a way of comparing the cost of living around the world.   During February 2009, the index showed that a Big Mac was cheaper to buy in Australia than in the UK.

A cheaper cost of living coupled with a higher chance of getting a better salary in Australia means that you would have more spending power and an increased cash flow.

Australia property prices compared to the UK

In most countries, an increased cash flow means a higher standard of living and the opportunity of living in a nicer home.  

Property prices across Australia have a huge variance, particularly because there is a massive difference between rural, coastal and city houses.   The same can be said for the UK, where just in the city of London, house prices can be almost triple the cost of similar types of houses elsewhere in the UK.    

As a result, it becomes difficult to compare accurately house prices from specific regions in Australia with regions in the UK.   Yet the Reserve Bank of Australia has released a report that shows the trend in housing prices and affordability, called “Some Observations on the Cost of Housing in Australia”, written by the Head of Economic Analysis Department Anthony Richards.  

The following table is extracted from this report, which shows that Australia has been better off internationally than its major competitors in terms of income and relative house prices, despite there being a low level of housing accessibility and persistently high level of average housing prices.  

The Real Estate Institute of Australia (REIA) confirmed in December 2008 that the Australian average median house price reached $447,659 (£203,660) in the September quarter – a decrease of $459,795 from the June quarter – with only Sydney having a median house price above $450,000.   In the Department for Communities and Local Government live tables, the average median house price in the September quarter for 2008 was sitting at £233,459.  

This difference in average house prices and the trend to have better income ratios in Australia and the UK means you would have a great chance of a better lifestyle in Australia, living in a nicer home with an increased cash flow.

The Australian weather compared to the UK

It will come as no surprise that Australia gets far more sun than the UK.   In fact, Australia gets around 300 days of sunshine annually, which is 70% of the year.   Moreover, when the rains come rolling in from the ocean or across the desert plains, it is not something the locals complain about; the tropical storms can give hours of entertainment and can be a quick relief for stifling heat.  

See below for a breakdown of how averages of temperature (degrees) compare in UK and Australian cities:

How many public holidays do you get in Australia compared to the UK?

In Australia, be prepared to put your feet up for longer.   In the UK, along with the standard annual leave provided by employers, the Government provides workers eight annual public holidays.   In Australia, most workplaces give the same leave entitlements as UK companies, but the Australian Government has been slightly more generous.   Each state or territory has a different amount of public holidays, but all have at least 10 days off or more.   For example, in Tasmania you’ll be given 21 days off every year, plus your 4 weeks annual leave.    

The following shows the amount of public annual holidays in the UK and each Australian state or territory:

Sound appetising?   It’s advised that you beat the Budget and submit your application before the Australian Government considers restricting its migration program, and before you know it you’ll be enjoying a beer on the beach and soaking up the Australian sun!

About this Article Produced exclusively for Getting Down Under by the  guys over at Australian Visa Bureau.     Australian Visa Bureau is an independent immigration advisory service providing advice, information and case management to individuals, families and businesses.

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It’s been a while since I’ve written a decent sized blog entry so I thought I’d spend a little time writing this one.

It was the 25 November 2006 when we landed in Australia and over one year on we still call this place down under home.

Although I’ve written a lot about life in Australia during the past year I didn’t think I would be right to give an ‘informed’ view about living here in Oz until I had at least got a full year under our belt.

We still have so much to learn about this country, its culture and its people. After all, although I’ve travelled to all the Aussie states on business in the last 12 months, we decided to call Perth our home and the majority of our Aussie experiences are based on our time here in Western Australia.

Having said all that and in no particular order. Read the full story

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Blessed with nature’s most remarkable gifts, Queensland is Australia’s second largest state; inhabiting 25% of Australia’s land mass.

Queensland has fifteen exceptional regions, where people can travel, be with their families and spend a memorable holiday. Its capital, Brisbane is an excellent base for tours. One of the famous holiday destinations at Queensland is the Gold Coast.

Famous of its attractive beaches, theme parks and resorts. Just a little farther north is the Sunshine Coast, undoubtedly, one of Queensland’s most scenically beautiful regions.

A couple of hours away from Sunshine Coast is Queensland’s whale watching capital, the Fraser Coast, having the world’s largest sand island.

Immerse yourself with Whitsunday’s breathtaking views. See the beauty of different corals at Bundaberg. Experience bush walking and bird watching at Toowomba. Witness the superb touring region of the Western Downs and how about enjoying the delicious fruits of Southern Downs?

Take a glimpse at the stunning beaches of Townsville. See the reefs, islands and mountains of Tropical North. Spectacular rainforest and national parks can be seen at Mackay. Also, don’t forget Queensland’s home of hidden treasures, Capricorn.

Take a tour on historic towns and diverse landscape at Outback Queensland. Stopover at the Centre of the Southern Reef, Gladstone, it has sub-tropical climate with islands, waterways and beaches.

Whether you are after beach adventures, walking through historical forest or theme parks, snorkeling under the sea or just having a great holiday of your life, there are definitely great treasured memories ahead of you at Queensland.

Article Source : www.nationalvisas.com.au

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Tasmania is Australia’s island state, separated from the mainland by the 240 kilometre expanse of Bass Strait.

A land of wild and beautiful landscapes, Tasmania boasts a comfortable temperate climate, quality wine and food, rich history and a leisurely, relaxed lifestyle.

Tasmania is home to one of the world’s 10 best beaches (Wineglass Bay), the world’s best small town (Strahan) and is rated third in the world for wise management of the natural environment.

More than any other state in Australia, Tasmania enjoys four distinct seasons, each with its their own special characteristics.

Both local Tasmanians and visitors enjoy the state’s temperate maritime climate. Summer is a festive season when the Launceston Festivale and the Hobart Summer Festival are held.

Autumn is a mellow season with calm, sunny days when the native deciduous beech trees and European trees blaze with a riot of red, orange and gold colours. Winter days are crisp and clear with a dusting of snow on mountain peaks. Spring is cool and refreshing, with gardens bursting back to life as Tasmania celebrates the Blooming Tasmania festival.

Tasmania’s capital Hobart is an intriguing blend of the old and the new, a city defined by the river and sea. Hobart’s maritime focus can be appreciated with a harbour cruise or drive to the top of Mt Nelson or Mt Wellington – suburbs line the Derwent River, city buildings are clustered around the historic docks and the Derwent estuary broadens into Storm Bay.

Only twenty-five kilometres from Hobart is the historic town of Richmond, home to the old Richmond Gaol and part of Tasmania’s early convict origins. The nearby vineyards and wineries of the Coal River Valley are home to many of Tasmania’s superb cool-climate wines. Hobart is an ideal base from which to explore southern and eastern Tasmania.

Hobart has more summer daylight hours than any other Australian capital city. Tasmania is the southernmost of the eight Australian states and territories, and enjoys over 15 hours of daylight on the summer solstice (22 December).

This is 2.5 more hours of daylight than Darwin (Northern Territory) receives and 1 hour more than Sydney (New South Wales) receives on the same day. Experts at the Launceston Planetarium claim that the day is even longer if twilight periods at dawn and dusk are taken into account.

On the other hand, Tasmania receives less daylight than mainland Australian states and territories in winter. Hobart has around 9 hours daylight in winter, 1 hour less than Sydney and about 2.5 hours less than Darwin.

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Broome is a remote outback town situated on the Indian Ocean in northwest Australia. It is the largest town in the vast Kimberley region to the north of Western Australia, and has become a very popular travel destination in recent years. This popularity is due to Broome’s unique history, unique blend of cultural influences, it’s magnificent beaches and landscapes and it’s fantastic tropical climate.

Broome is situated between the vast Great Sandy Desert and the azure blue Indian Ocean, along the pure white sands of Cable Beach.

Often referred to as the gateway to the Kimberley, Broome owes its existence to the discovery in Roebuck Bay in 1861 of the Pinctada Maxima, largest pearl oyster shell in the world. News of the giant oyster shells spread rapidly and pearl divers of all nationalities flocked to Broome to make their fortune, including Malays, Japanese and Chinese, who joined local Aboriginal pearl divers in the sometimes dangerous but rewarding quest for high quality pearls. Broome’s pearling industry still produces the worlds finest pearls today.

Broome has a tropical climate with hot summers and warm winters. Like other tropical areas of Australia, Broome’s year has two distinct seasons, the Wet and the Dry. Broome’s wet season officially commences in October but rain is rare before before December.

Most of Broome’s annual rainfall occurs from January to March and is sometimes accompanied by thunderstorms and tropical lows or cyclones. Daytime temperatures during the Wet average 33 C with the overnight temperatures averaging 25 C.

Being located on a peninsula, Broome’s tropical climate is moderated by reliable afternoon sea breezes during the warmer months. The Dry commences in April, when temperatures in Broome average 25 C to 30 C with overnight temperatures of around 12C. Rainfall is rare in Broome at this time of the year.

Broome provides enjoyable outdoor activities for all ages and tastes. Start exploring with a leisurely stroll along Cable Beach, a 22 kilometre stretch of pristine white sand overlooking the Indian Ocean. While there, you may have a chance to witness Broome’s large tidal movement, often over 10 metres. At the end of the day, relax with a cool drink on Cable Beach and witness a spectacular Indian Ocean sunset.

The more adventurous can experience the adventure of a lifetime with an extended cruise along the rugged and spectacular Kimberley Coast north of Broome, or with a 4WD Safari inland into the rugged and majestic Kimberley Gorges. Broome also offers excellent fishing, so take boat and go catch yourself a tasty meal off the shores of Roebuck Bay or Cable Beach, or from the Deep Water Jetty in the Port of Broome.

Enjoy the quiet serenity of Buddha’s Sanctuary, where you can reflect, meditate and enjoy the ornamental gardens and visit the pavilion which is home to a magnificent 4 metre crystal Buddha.

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Tourist attractions in and around Perth

Weeks or even months can pass in Perth without substantial rainfall. One of its main attractions are its beaches, located along the city’s coastal suburbs. Perth’s beaches are not as developed as becahes in other Australian cities.

Perth City

The centre of Perth is located on the northern bank of the Swan River, a part of the River known as ‘Perth Water’ and roughly comprises three parallel sections.

The central business district, close to the river, runs along St Georges Terrace and Adelaide Terrace and is the historical core of the city. It includes Government House and several office towers. Parliament House is on the hill to the west looking along St Georges Terrace towards the Darling Scarp.

The retail district, which has its focus on the Hay and Murray Street Malls. These pedestrian malls are interconnected by arcades and walk through shops. Over time the number of hotels in this area has declined, with new hotels being built at the eastern and western ends of the city. Forrest Place, connecting Wellington Street and Murray Street, is a popular meeting spot, and is the site of political rallies and public events. Closed to traffic and redeveloped in the mid-1980s, it is flanked by the Commonwealth Bank and GPO buildings on the west, and the Forrest Chase retail development on the east.

The entertainment and cultural precinct, known as Northbridge commences at the point where the railway land cuts through the city. It extends for at least four blocks north, and is bound at the east by the Library, Art Gallery and Museum, and to the west by the northern suburbs railway.

Kings Park Perth

Kings Park occupies 1,000 acres (4.06 km ²) of the crest of a large hill (Mt Eliza) overlooking the CBD.

Larger than New York’s Central Park (843 acres (341 ha)), Kings Park contains Perth’s botanical gardens as well as tracts of natural bushland.

During spring, Kings Park bursts into a world-class display of wildflowers, which is a popular tourist attraction. In August 2003, the Lotterywest Federation Walkway was opened in Kings Park. It is a 620 m long elevated walkway through the treetops, providing a remarkable bird’s eye view of the park and gardens as well as sweeping views of the Swan River.

Perth is a relatively green city, with an abundance of parks and tree-lined boulevards.

Swan Bells

The Swan Bells is a bell tower siting on the edge of the Swan River. It is a copper clad structure representing the sails of a ship.

It houses bells from the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields, which were gifts from the United Kingdom to the people of Australia on the occasion of Australia’s 200-year anniversary of colonisation.

The Swan Bells was opened to the public in 2001.

The government of Western Australia took a significant amount of criticism for creating the Bell Tower; it was said that the significant funding allotted for the project (millions of dollars) could have been better placed into the health and education systems, and that the structure could have been better designed aesthetically.

The Perth Convention Exhibition Centre

The Perth Convention Exhibition Centre opened in September 2004. Situated on the river foreshore, only a short walk from the CBD, the Centre is WA’s only purpose built convention, exhibition and meeting centre. It can cater for functions of up to 2500 delegates.

The Centre is expected to attract increased tourism for the state. It is jocularly referred to as ‘The Hayshed’, because of its flat and extended design which originally was intended to resemble a gum leaf.

Perth Mint

Perth Mint is the oldest still-operating mint in Australia. One of two legal tender mints in Australia, the other is in Canberra.

It is open to the public 7 days a week and includes displays and the Perth Mint Shop which buys and sells precious metal proof quality gold and silver coins, bullion, nuggets and jewellery

Islands off the coast of Perth

There are a few islands off the coast of Perth, notably Rottnest Island, a significant tourist attraction.

Other nearby islands include Garden Island (home to a naval base), Carnac Island, Seal Island and Penguin Island. It is possible to walk from the mainland to Penguin Island at low tide. All of these Islands are ‘A’ class nature reserves with restricted access.

The deep shipping channel between Perth and these islands is called Gage Roads, the site of the America’s Cup yachting challenge in 1987.

Fremantle

The historical port city of Fremantle is located at the mouth of the Swan River, and is home to many attractions including Fremantle Prison and the mammoth newly-constructed Western Australian Maritime Museum. Located on the dock at Victoria Quay, the museum houses ‘Australia II, the yacht which won Australia the America’s Cup in 1983. Also in Fremantle is the Maritime Museum shipwreck galleries, with recovered artifacts and part of the hull of the shipwrecked Dutch ship Batavia, from hundreds of years ago. A more recent vessel, the Oberon class submarine the HMAS Ovens has been retired next to the Maritime Museum.

Fremantle (or ‘Freo’ as the locals call it) is renowned both locally, nationally and internationally for it’s easy-going, laid-back lifestyle. Cafes are the heart and soul of Freo, and one cannot visit Fremantle without going to the Fremantle Markets, before having one of the many varieties of coffee on the city’s infamous Capuccino Strip – South Terrace. There are numerous arts and crafts stores to suit all tastes and budgets. Fremantle is well-known for its local Arts scene.

At nightfall, Fremantle is a music-lovers’ paradise. Venues such as the Fly by Night Club and the Newport Hotel offer intimate, but venerable paradises for concerts, other events, or merely chilling out. Fremantle showcases the best in local and international talent. In addition, Fremantle offers many opportunities for clubbing with venues as the Harbourside, Millennium and the Metro.

Other must-see attractions include the Fremantle Arts Centre, as well as the historic precinct around the Round House – Western Australia’s earliest remaining building.

The Aquarium of Western Australia

Perth is home to Australia’s largest underwater walk-through aquarium, AQWA (The Aquarium of Western Australia), at Hillarys Boat Harbour, about 20 km North of Perth.

AQWA first opened in 1988 as Underwater World, but changed its name in 2001 to emphasis it’s links to Western Australia and to avoid confusion with the Underwater World in Singapore, has over 400 species of marine life including fish, sharks, fur seals, sea dragons, turtles, crustaceans and stingrays in a natural like environment.

Following the closure of the Atlantis Marine Park in Yanchep, Underwater World was the home to performing sealions and dolphins. In late December 1999 all of Underwater World’s dolphins died, with forensic tests revealling that the cause of death was deliberate poisoning. AQWA is also used for rehabilitation of injured or sick sea creatures, mainly sea lions, turtles and seals.

Whiteman Park

Whiteman Park is situated in picturesque bushland 25 minutes North East from the City Centre, it forms the western boundary of the Swan Valley wine region. The Park covers an area of more than 42 square kilometres (16 mi ²) with nearly half of this classified as high value conservation bushland or wetland. The Park also protects the southern portion of the Gnangara Water Mound – a large underground water source that supplies up to 40% of metropolitan Perth’s drinking water.

The Park takes its name from Mr Lew Whiteman (1903-1994), a prominent local identity and enthusiastic collector of artifacts. His family settled in Guildford from England in the late 19th century and Lew acquired some land around Mussel Pool in the 1940s. This, and other land held by a variety of private owners, was purchased by the State Government in 1978 and combined to form Whiteman Park.

All native wildlife in the Park is protected and more than 100 bird species have been identified. Along with 32 reptile, 7 amphibian and 8 mammals. The Caversham Wildlife Park, containing over 2000 animals and birds of 200 different species, recently moved into an area of park near the Village. There are also a number different collections of transport and machinary equipment as well as working historical tram and Rail lines

Swan Valley Wine Region

The Swan Valley wine region is approximately 16km East of Perth and is Western Australia’s oldest established wine region. It is home to over 35 wineries, many of which have restaurants or cellar-door facilities that are open to the public. Bus and boat tours of the swan valley run regularly from the city.

Perth Beaches

Relatively warm water and mild to large swells make beach-going a popular activity during the warmer months of the year.

Perth’s Indian Ocean beaches stretch for 30km north of the Swan River. There are also inshore beaches along the Swan River at Crawley, Nedlands, Peppermint Grove and Mosman Bay on the north shore, and Como, Canning Bridge and Applecross on the south.

Swimming beaches include the popularCottesloe , near the Cottesloe train station, City Beach, Swanbourne Free Beach, which has nude bathing, Scarborough Trigg and Hillarys.

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Geography

Perth is set on the Swan River, so named because of the native black swans. A Dutch expedition in 1697 captained by Willem de Vlamingh led to Vlamingh naming the river after the black swans. It is a city that fills the sandplain that lies adjacent to the Darling Scarp known as the Bassendean Sand Dune Ecosystem. The metropolitan area extends to Yanchep in the north, Mandurah in the south, total distance of approximately 125km by road. From the Coast in the west to Mundaring in the east, a total distance of approximately 50 km by road.

The coastal suburbs take advantage of Perth’s oceanside location and clean beaches. To the east, the city is bordered by a low escarpment called the Darling Scarp. Perth is on generally flat, rolling land – largely due to the high amount of sandy soils and deep bedrock. Perth metropolitan area has two major river systems, the first being the Swan and Canning Rivers. The second is that of the Serpentine and Murray Rivers, which discharge into the Peel Estuary at Mandurah.

Water supply

In recent years, climate change has resulted in reduced rainfall in the region, reducing inflow into dams by two thirds over the last 30 years. The lower runoff into Perth’s dams and groundwater supplies, coupled with Perth’s relatively high population growth, has caused concerns that Perth will be “out of water” within ten years.

The Western Australian State Government has responded by introducing mandatory household sprinkler restrictions in the city. The State Government has also begun the process of constructing a sea water desalination plant in Kwinana (expected to be finished in late 2006).

Due to the emission of large volumes of greenhouse gases involved in sea water desalination, this plan has been criticised by some as environmentally unfriendly. The state government considered piping water from the Kimberley region, however this proposal was rejected in May 2006 due mostly to the high cost. Other proposals under serious consideration are extracting 45 gigalitres per year from the Yarragadee aquifer in the south-west or constructing another desalination plant.

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Australia is a popular destination. Gone (or nearly) are the associations with convicts from Mother England and bars filled with muscle-bound sheep-shearers (women not allowed). Now if you ask for someone’s impression of Australia they’re likely to say “cosmopolitan”, “outdoor living”, “beaches”, “scenery”, “Great Barrier Reef”, “sophisticated” even. However, if you want to go there, unless you are a citizen of New Zealand, you are going to need a visa or travel permit.

There are different visas depending on your reasons for wanting to go to Australia.

For social or recreational reasons including a holiday, sightseeing, visiting family and friends or other short term (less than three months) non business or work related reasons, you can apply for an Electronic Travel Authority (Visitor) or a Tourist visa or a Sponsored Family Visitor visa.

If you wish to participate in Australia’s Overseas Student Program, you will need to do a registered course full-time and in order to do that, you will need a Student Visa.

For business visits of less than three months you will need a Business (Short-Stay) visa, which will permit you to visit Australia for the purposes of conferences or business meetings. If you are actually organising a business event or conference, you may need a different visa. For longer term employment in Australia, you will need to be sponsored by a company who are prepared to employ you for up to four years.

If you are between 18 and 30 and fancy working your way around Australia, you can participate in the Working Holiday Program which allows you to take up casual employment.

A visit to Australia for medical consultations or treatment requires that you have Medical Treatment Visa.

You can also get a Retirement Visa if you wish to spend some of your retirement years in Australia and a Transit Visa if you want to stop over on the way to somewhere else.

If you want to immigrate to Australia permanently, you will need to participate in the Migration Program which covers people with special skills who will contribute to the Australian economy and people who have family members already in Australia and who are prepared to sponsor them. There is also a Humanitarian Program for refugees.

If you are permanently resident in Australia but are not an Australian citizen, you will need a Resident Return Visa to allow you back in, should you leave on a temporary basis.

Each visa carries different conditions and may require additional paperwork to accompany the application. The one thing all the visas have in common, however, is that you will need to be specific about the length of your proposed stay. If you apply for a visa for three weeks but once you arrive, decide that you want to extend that to two months, you may have a problem.

It is possible that you will have to undergo a medical examination and/or chest x-ray in order to complete your visa application. This is unlikely, however, for a stay of up to 3 months, unless you already have a serious medical condition.

The best place to start for detailed information is the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs website.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Australian Visas

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Well, since we had our house valued the other week, we’ve had a second valuation and thankfully they have confirmed a similar price.

We’ll therefore be putting the house on the market early next week (the chaps coming to take photo’s of the house on Monday).

This feels like a really big step for us as we finally appear to be getting somewhere. The house continues to get de-cluttered and looking better and better every day.

Went to Blackpool this weekend to see some relatives. Had a great time although a little too much red wine last night.

Got up this morning and took the dog for a walk on the beach. The beaches at Blackpool are beautiful, the tide hadn’t long gone out so the beach looked really clean. Still bloody freezing though. Saying that at time of typing its only 50 degrees in Perth so theres no great difference.. Oh, other then the fact that its late Autumn there and Summertime here.

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Well g’day from down under

I was hoping that I may still be able to post small updates and it looks like, due to the wonders of technology I can.

Well, actually, thanks to the wonders of smartphone technology.. For anyone remotely interested. I’m currently using my SPV M2000 to post updates to getting down under (google SPV M2000 for more info).

I had roaming activated on the phone so I’ll be posting via the Vodafone Australia network. I wasn’t sure if the roaming had been activated in time as I never got the SIM update I was promised but thankfully it appears to have worked.

Not sure how much the GPRS roaming costs will be but the posts won’t be that big since using the small thumb keypad on the m2000 isn’t particularly conjusive to typing massive entries.

Anyway, here I am in Sorrento Perth. Its 6:50 am which is a whole 2 hours later then it was when I woke up yesterday morning. Jet lag is a curious thing but I slowly appear to be getting over it.

Staying at the London Heathrow Hilton was an interesting experience. Nice hotel but damn, very expensive. The plan was to use the Hilton to reduce the stress of rushing to the airport first thing in the morning. The hotel links directly to terminal 4 at Heathrow airport so you can stroll over from your room, check in and then stroll back to your hotel room to relax until about an hour before departure where you can then wonder on back to your departure gate for your flight.

Only problem was, Singapore Airlines departs from Terminal 3 at Heathrow airport. Doh!

So, one train ride to terminal 3, a taxi back to the hotel to check out and a second train ride back to terminal 3 later, we were checked in.

Then we had to wait 45 minutes to get through security (due to some increased security checks…cue increased stress levels) culminating in a 1 mile run to the gate (literally).

The gate was displayed as ‘closing’ as we made our final dash and we could only run so fast due the the limited sprinting abilities of our 3 year old little boy. .

It reminded me a little of an old TV program that I used to watch called ‘treasure hunt’ presented by Anika Rice (spelling!) where she had a set amount of time to find clues which she would do before shouting ’stop the clock, stop the clock!’ But we made it, and theres nothing like getting yourself, hot, bothered and sweaty in preperation for a 17 hour plane journey!

The flight itself was excellent. We have flown with Singapore Airlines 6 times now and I would highly recommend them. The inflight entertainment is excellent although with a three year old to look after, we didn’t see that much of it.

The flight time was a little shorter then I was expecting. Just over 12 hours from London to Singapore and then 5 hours flat from Singapore to Perth. It’s longer by about 2 and a half hours on the return (something to due with jet streams apparently).Our little boy slept for approx 4 hours of the first leg and 2 hours of the second which really helped us with the flight. Last year when he was just over 2 he didn’t sleep at all! Saying that, neither myself or the missus slept this time, however, reduced inflight stress made this flight a much better one and we were both really proud of how well our little boy did this time around

So, we’ve landing in Perth, go though immigration and get our visa’s stamped. Two years of blood sweat and tears and we’ve made it. We are now officially Australian Residents!!

I actually thought our Visa’s (the sticker they insert in your passport) would be stamped. However the lady in immigration just stamped our passports as normal.

She explained it’s the date on the stamp which is this important thing. The paper Perminant residency Visa is the Actual Visa but the date on the stamp in our passports validates the visa as it was dated within 12 months of issue.

We now have a further 5 years to settle perminantly in Australia although we know it will be much sooner.

So, the perminant residents pick up the hire car from Hertz and drive the 45 minutes north from Perth Airport to the beautiful town of Sorrento.

The drive was great and we were thankful for the aircon. It was 32 degrees C when we arrive at 2:30pm but who’s complaining. After the miserable weather we’e had in the UK of late it was a seriouisly refreshing change.

The layout of the highway network in and around Perth seems really well organised and pretty logical, almost modular. With my co-driver/primary navigator at the side of me, it wasn’t long before we came over the brow of a hill and caught our first glimpse of the Indian Ocean and Hillarys boat harbor…Stunning!

Off to the estate agents to pick up the keys for the house were renting here in Sorrento. Get to the houe (nice!) drop the bags off, back in the car again to find a shop for some grub (it was getting near dinner time) and some wine of course! Back to the house and time to finally sit down and relax.

First impressions of Sorrento? Fantastic. Compared to the East Coast of Australia Sorrento seems so much more chilled out. Lots of people chatting and walking along the beaches. There are mainly residential areas lining the beaches in Sorrento. Dee Why beach near Sydney where we stayed last year by comparison seemed alot more commercial. More cafes and shops.

I know there will be places more like Dee Why in Western Australia to, but for the time being I’m liking what I’m seeing.

Time to check out now, typing on this small ‘thumb board’ is going to leave my thumbs permanently deformed if I’m not careful. However I’ll post further updates as our Aussie adventure continues.

Small sidenote: My roaming charges came to over £100! Next time I’ll get an Australian SIM card

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