Missing the UK sooooooooooooooo much

[melbournemum]

hi everyone
just wanted to say hello. we moved to Melbourne from London in March after six years living in wonderful Pimlico where I had a brilliant mums group and my two darling ds's had lots of little friends (3 and 14 mnths). I am just so sad and lonely and miss just about everything about our life in the UK. We now live in a brilliant spot by the beach and have bought a great house and have family closer etc etc (we are Australian) but I just feel a bit heart broken really. sounds silly I know! Surely it gets better??

you're in a great country! uk is too blinkin hot at the moment, everyone's moaney, country is in a right state im quite jealous

Bet you don't miss the rain xxx

I did hear it was a bit wretched there at the moment. Its cold here but we still managed fish and chips at the beach today (even wtih coats and hats)

Now THAT sounds very british!

doesn't it! :-0 funnily enough, the weather didn't ever really bother me in London. I'm sure once summer comes here and we are at the beach all the time the reasons we moved back will seem more obvious! back to back winters was just not a clever move!

Hi Melbournemum
Just wanted to say hi, I am an aussie and have lived in london for the past 5 years with my DH and DS 2.5 we are moving back to Melbourne in November and I too am worried as we are settled here, toddler groups and lots of friends etc.Just wanted to say I am sure it will take a while to get settled just as it did when I moved to London and a big effort on my part to join new toddler groups,take DS swimming to help us make new friends.Did you live in Melbourne before coming to the UK?Hope you start to feel more settled and happy in Melbourne soon.

Hi Melbournemum, ooh yep know just how you feel. We have just moved from Holland to New Zealand, it's beautiful here, got a lovely house by the beach Dp's family etc, sound familiar? BUT...two winters on the trot is really taking it's toll with us, I feel dried out and moody tbh. But as you say...it takes time, come summer things will be so much cheerier and I'm sure that your children will be your ticket to new group of mums and kids, in time.
I am considering taking some floridex or the like myself to help me through this eternally long season....keep your chin up

Hi Melbournemum, ooh yep know just how you feel. We have just moved from Holland to New Zealand, it's beautiful here, got a lovely house by the beach Dp's family etc, sound familiar? BUT...two winters on the trot is really taking it's toll with us, I feel dried out and moody tbh. But as you say...it takes time I'm sure, come summer things will be so much cheerier and I'm sure that your children will be your ticket to new group of mums and kids, in time.
I am considering taking some floridex or the like myself to help me through this eternally long season....keep your chin up

I have the same thoughts at the back of mind Melbournemum, when we move back to Brisbane in Nov, after 11yrs overseas. Most of it has been spent in the UK, except for a year in US/Canada. I'm Australian and dh is Sth African and both dd's are English, so will be a big move but we are looking forward to it, especially as dd1 will start school there next year, and girls will have a similar childhood to what we both did, outdoors and in good weather Another UK winter at home with children would do my head in I think I did live in Melbourne for almost 3yrs before coming o/s so I know that it has winters almost like London, so don't envy you having back to back winters, but once Spring arrives, you'll feel more settled, I'm sure.

morning everyone
thanks so much foryour lovely messages, sometimes it helps just to chat about it. I don't really feel like I can go on too much to people here about how much I miss London as it could sound like I'm not happy to be back with them! Which is not the case. its just hard but we know it was the right decision for lots of reasons.
lukesmama, i did live in Melbourne for a year before going to the UK, which helped as I know a few people at least. it would be great to meet up when you return! good luck with the move and enjoy the summer there!
Kjaysmum, I really know how you feel. funnily enough I took myself off the homeopath a few weeks ago and she gave me floridex (as well as vitamins and fish oil!) it really seems to have given me a much needed lift.
scully, 11 years, wow! thats huge. Brisbane is great though as you know, my sister is up that way in Murwillumbah. We were in a tiny two bedroom flat in Pimlico with the boys so we just couldn't stay any longer in London and it was either move right out of London to get something bigger or move home, so we opted to come home, as tough as it was to make that decision, we know for the boys in particular, growing up here by the beach will be brilliant
xx

great to hear you sounding more positive Mbm, it goes like that doesn't it. You are so right about your boys and the beach, when I was living in a third floor apartment in A'dam I dreamt of my DS (2.2) running down NZ beaches and today he was, mind you it still doesn't stop me missing my family and friends.
It's very nice to find a thread by a fellow southern hemesphere person as the time difference can make it difficult to get envolved in the uk threads. Still find it a little confusing to see uk time on our posts though, IYKWIM

Hi Melbourne mum
How are you? would be great to meet up when we get to Melbourne. I lived in Melbourne for 2 years prior to coming to London so know a few people but no one with any young kids.
I must say the last few days I have been having a dilema about moving, some days I am really excited and other days I worry if we are doing the right thing as all my DH's family are here in the UK.But in the end I know that my DS will have more opportunities and a better lifestyle than what we could have if we stay in London.
Where abouts in Melboune are you? you mentioned the beach so I just wondered. I lived in East Brighton before moving to London.

Know what you mean Anniemac, I had a great group of friends when dd1 was a baby, who I lost contact with after returning to work. Now I'm home with dd2, haven't really found anyone I've clicked with in this area, so it doesn't always happen. Hoping to a few nice 'mum' friends after we move back to Brisbane.
MbneM, we also had that decision 2.5yrs ago, to stay in a flat in Sth London or move out of London to get more room. We moved to Surrey and I have wished every day in the last 2yrs that we hadn't. We were both still commuting into London, with dd1 in nursery and you're too tired in the evenings/weekends to really appreciate living in a nice area. You made the right decision I think, going back to Aus, rather than just moving within the UK.

hi everyone
feeling a bit brighter today, the weather is gorgeous so we've been playing outside in the backyard and it was warm enough to have lunch out there and watch the boys enjoying the sunshine.
lukesmama we live in Sandringham, which is not far at all from East Brighton. Its a brilliant area around here. Where will move back to in Melbourne?
It is a huge adjustment scully isn't it when you work and then stop, I worked 3 days a week in a job I loved in London but am home full time now which is great in many ways but a tough adjustment in others. I completly get what you are saying though anniemac and do feel blessed and grateful to have that choice

Hi Mlebourne mum
Glad to hear you had a better day, it makes you feel so much better when the weather is decent.
Oh Sandringham is lovely, I loved East Brighton and around Bayside when we move back we will probably look at areas around Bayside or Camberwell.Is it nice and family friendly round where you are, when I lived there I was single and carefree so never took any notice of facilities for families.
Anniemac I know what you mean about making friends.I didn't really make any close friends till I was pregnant with DS and I have been fortunate that I have not had to work fulltime so have been able to keep up these friendships.
Scully hope all goes well with your move to Brisbane.