To move because I hate the weather where I live

[bluetongue]

I live in Australia which I’m sure is a dream for some but I hate the weather where I live (Adelaide). It’s hot, dry and effects both my mental and physical health (migraines).

Moving to Tasmania or the South Island of New Zealand has been on the radar for me for years. No guarantee I’d be happier there but I feel I need to give it a try. I’m also feeling very stale in my job, we’ve recently moved offices and I hate it there.

I’m single with a dog and have lived in my current mortgaged house for five years. No kids. Renting is out because of my dog

A complication is I have suspected ASD so I’m not great at making friends. Very close to my family here.

Does this sound crazy? ?Selfish?

Not really. I grew up in a very wet area which I found a bit depressing. maybe you could visit those places first to see how you find it

Why would you not be selfish in the circumstances you describe? You can literally please yourself.

Could you do a six month stint to check it out before committing yourself as you don’t sound as if you know either location that well?

I’m in London and some of my friends fantasise about Australian weather every year

I think it’s a valid reason to move but quite a big change to be far from family.

We left the UK, partly because of the climate. We live somewhere where we get hot summers and snow in the winter and so many more hours of sunshine. It has made a massive difference to my DH who I suspect suffers from SAD.

Definitely look at trying a different area. If you don't enjoy the heat, it must be torture living where you are

Can you rent your house and try it for a bit? What are your chances of getting work? Probably easier to try Tassie so you are still in the same country for tax, Medicare etc. I'm in Sydney, partly because UK weather made myself and DH miserable so the idea of choosing somewhere wet is odd to me but if it makes you happy go for it 😊

I’ve never actually been to Tasmania even though I’m fairly sure it’s my type of place. I have been to New Zealand a few times. Love the mountains and snow there. Obviously moving country will be more expensive and difficult.

It’s not just the high temperatures that I find difficult it’s also the dramatic changes. Two days ago it was in the high twenties, yesterday it was 42 degrees (not a typo) and today the high was 22 (perfect for me). This weather plays absolute havoc with my migraines and it’s not like I can avoid the weather.

I think next step is to organise a trip to Tasmania and check out some locations. Maybe in the short term I should look at getting a new job here so I’m not quiet so miserable.

Good to see I’m not the only person to consider weather in a location move.

I’d love constant steady rainfall all year and lovely green everywhere (shame I can’t move to Ireland ).

Job wise I’m in a permanent state government admin job. Actually pretty well paid for what it is but I feel the security is a bit of a double edge sword. I’ve stagnated there and become bored. Still it does have transferable skills I’m sure and I work with a lot of important people which helps I guess.

I’d be better off just selling my house rather than putting in the money and work needed to make it rentable (would really need a new bathroom and kitchen.)

Good lord it sounds like a great idea, why selfish? Selfish to who exactly?

You definitely need to visit first though.

Selfish to my family, okay mostly my mother. I’m not sure how well she’ll take it and she never has been good at hiding her feelings

If nothing else I really feel like I’ll regret it down the track if I don’t try living somewhere else. I had a working holiday visa to the UK which I never used (long story) and I still regret that years later.

It’s hard in Australia because everywhere is far away from where I live. It’s not like the UK or Europe where I can just hop on a train and visit my family for the weekend.

I did forget to mention one thing. I can take leave without pay from my job for 12 months just in case it doesn’t work out.

Absolutely! I had to leave the UK because of the constant damp which saw me get severe bronchitis a few times a year. Never had it since I left.

It's very unlikely I'd live in Australia again (I'm Australian) and a large part of it is the heat. Yes, family get a bit upset when you move far away but that's how life goes sometimes.