Remind me please why a year in Sydney will be fab...

[robinpud]

Starting to panic about the amount of stuff to do and to take( and we've got that easy as we are exchanging jobs,houses and cars)
The autumn colours are lovely here, the kids are happily settled in school.. I like my life here. Why will Sydney where I don't known a soul be fab?

my siser and her boyfriend went to new zealand via australia for a year.they got a job whilst there but on their visa could only stay in that 1 job for 3 months.they loved it.

they had a fantastic time, altough they didnt have kids to worry about too.they're now home and have said that it was an experience that they are so pleased they've had.

it was daunting for them at times being so far away but i know if they could do it again they would.

any more please?

Think how quickly a year goes. Even if it's crap it's only a year of your life.

But i bet is won't be and you won't want to leave. I hope you are reading the "what don't you get about Oz" thread. That will explain so much to you.

The blue mountains, Sydney Harbour, Bondai Beach, the weather, the lower cost of living...

I've only been there once, but it was great. I could deffo go for a year. In fact, I'm jealous.

Three words: lifestyle, lifestyle, lifestyle! That's what we are hoping anyway. Think good weather, beaches, being able to plan outdoor events in advance and knowing you won't have to cancel, learning to scuba dive/sail/windsurf, cheap Thai/Vietnamese/anything you could want restaurants, great wine, free outdoor entertainment, better work-life balance.

why not?? what an adventure.

Just feeling a little overhwlemed .. all my wobbly bits will chafe in the heat.. I don't have the right skin colour for the ozzie heat and there's so much to do!!!

Its only a year! Think of how fab an experience it'll be for you and your kids - what memories.

You'll slot in easily enough when you return if you're that settled too. But then you'll miss Sydney...

ok Robin pud, here's why

Firstly, you do know someone because I get there on January 20th and I'm in Randwick and I'm meeting you for coffee and cake so we can both go "aaarrrgh what have we done?!"

I am having almost exactly the same wobbles as you (even the wobbly bits, I'm dreading having to get my body out on view in that heat and have very white legs). I also love my life here, live in the same town as both sets of grandparents and we are trading a lovely 4 bed house, two cars and two good jobs for one salary, one car and probably a flat with one bathroom (all of which we have yet to organise, except the job).

My employer is almost certainly going to refuse my career break, which means I'm either giving up my job or I'm fighting them (which I hadn't anticipated and don't want).

And yes, I don't know anyone in Sydney.

But - SYDNEY!!!! Wahoooo! That sun, that sea, the colour of the sky. The parrots, the flowers, the Botanical Gardens, the marsupials in Taronga Zoo, the opportunity to see other parts of Australia, the huge strawberries, the harbour, SYDNEY!!

Come on, you'll be fine. And if you're not fine, then come and see me for a cuppa and we can miss the UK together. CAT me and we can swap details/ideas!

You'll also have the fireworks on New Years Eve at Sydney Harbour - you, and your kids will love it - it's absolutely not to be missed. Already mentioned but the Blue Mountains are fab. The beaches - not sure where your locating to but if your gonna be close to Mogwai in Randwick you'll be in the best spot - Eastern Suburbs. Bronte Beach - Clovelly beach - coastal walk Coogee to Bronte and Bondi. Nice people who in the main like the Brits. Cheap to eat out - you'll be doing it a lot. You kids will be so much richer for the experience and no matter how long it feels at the time, after being home for a week, you'll feel like you've never been away.

You will love it. Different experience for yourselves and your children. I am in Brisbane and have lots of UK families in my area. They all loooove it and their children adore it. Sure, you will miss things about home, but it is only one year. Your children are so lucky to be given this opp.

robinpud - can I just ask how you managed the houseswap, and how far in advance you organised it?? We are hoping to come to UK in Oct 2007 and haven't organised anything yet.

my mama - this is an exchange organised by a professional organisation for teachers so we have beem matched with an oz teacher and then once we all agreed, left to sort out the nitty gritty of it all. both dh and the oz teacher have done it before.. it's just me who's a virgin and this time we have kids!
Mogwai- will CAT you

Message withdrawn

oh yes please Bloss!

We arrive late in the evening of January 19th so will be there for Australia Day. I'm quite excited about this but not sure where would be the best place to go on the day itself? Do you reckon the Botanical Gardens would be ok or Darling Harbour better? We will be staying in Randwick at the time and will have a hire car.

Because it will be fantastic.
Bet you at the end of the year you will not want to leave.

Sydnye is the most amazing city (and I don't do cities),weather,people and lifestyle (even with wobbly bits) are jsut great.

I nkowit's a long way away butitis only a year and I am as green as the greenest green thing with envy.

SO hope you enjoy it-please keep us posted.

You need Astrophe on this thread, she's from Sydney currently her dh is on placement in Derby! I shall go find her!

Robinpud, in just a few short months you wil be able to wander around the harbour foreshore, or sit lazily drinking chilled Rose while your kids play and then you can all watch the Tall Ships race and the Ferry Race on Australia Day, and walk accross the harbour bridge into The Rocks where you can shop in the lovely little boutiques.

You can go to Sydney's wonderful cafes and drink fabulous coffee in a great atmosphere. You can spend hours on the beach and the lovely warm sea.

Your kids can play in the gorgeous leafy playgrounds. You can eat fresh, cheap fruit, vegies and fish. You can catch the ferry to Manly and stand at the front and feel the sea spray on your face.

You can drive North to the summery, ice-creamy beach towns, South to the beautiful, quiet, green village-y South Coast, or West to the spectacular Blue Mountains - 2 Hours in any direction gets you somewhere beautiful.

You will have a wonderful time. If only I had Dorothy's magic read shoes - theres no place like home - I would go there now.

We have been here (Derby) for 10 months now, and its gone so quickly. I know how hard it is packing up and moving a family, but I'm sure you'll find its well worth it, so hang in there!

That sounds good Astrophe- Sydney for Derby.. hmm not sure if that's the best deal. Hope you have been to the Peak district lots and had tea at Monsal Head in the cafe there.

robinpud I am so .

you will love it, its my favourite city in the whole world, it looks like every night someone comes along and gives it a wash and polish and you get up and its all clean and fresh.

The shops are great, the cafes, restaurants are lovely and you can take your kids out late and no-one frowns at you. Theres the aquarium, the rocks (get some corn on a stick), blue mountains. Customer service is 1 million times better than the Uk.

Have a fab, amazing, wonderful time, you wont ever want to come home. I didnt, and am counting the years til i can go back to Oz

Monsal Head? Haven't heard of it. Tell me more...is there a decent cafe in the Midlands????

I am with Mosschops-bloomin' green as the greenest green thing with envy-only if I want to go will have to go through the years of rigmarole for residency----still seriously considering it.
Go and enjoy!!!!!!!

Sydney is amazing. I lived there for a year, after my now dh and I had been together for almost 6 months and his visa ran out. The only viable option if we wanted to give it a go was for me to go there. I've always been a wimp about being away from family and friends, but did it, and it was incredible. Yes, I missed them, but wow, what an experience. It's an absolutely fantastic city.....

The climate. Darling Harbour and all the amazing bars and cafes, the walk around to Circular Quay, more amazing restaurants, the sheer sights of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, all the ferries, the skyline of the City and North Sydney. The train trips across the City, especially across the bridge. The views from Mosman, yummy fish and chips at Doyles, shopping in David Jones, the amazing Superdrug-type store I can't remember the name of, the food courts....

The fab Westfield shopping malls, the sheer number of outdoor play areas, Balmain Market, Drummoyne outlet centre, DFO outlet centre, Leichhardt Italian forum, all the rugby, the great supermakets with so many different things, the Anzac Bridge, Taronga Zoo....the climate!

Blimey, someone stop me! It's amazing. I did get homesick and teary and wonder why I was there sometimes, but it was a wonderful lifestyle. I've always been such a London fan but it was a real eye-opener.

Best of luck - a year really isn't that long, you'll have a blast!!

Thanks for the CAT Robinpud, I will check out those Cafes!