So it looks as if I'm not going to have my visa before we go to Sydney - they don't have a problem with that - but I need to go to another country to pick up visa when it's finally ready. 5 days... where? NZ, anywhere else? Never been anywhere in th...

[Jackaroo]

So it will be 5 days. Me with DS (2.6 ish), and possibly bestfriend or MIL... any ideas of good/easy places/normal sort of temp.s somewhere around Easter next year!

This has been a huge relief to know this is possible... but of course 5 days away so soon after we arrive is a bit of a nightmare financially/in terms of settling both me and DS. Need somewhere easy, undemanding, not too expensive.

Any ideas? Ta!

am in NZ (Auckland), plus points - Easter weather should still be nice (not too hot and not raining yet), English speaking, lots of free things to do with children, parks, beaches, ferry rides to islands etc and museum cheap, once you are in Oz you might not venture over (fiji, Rarotonga tends to get the edge ), flights reasonable now Virgin fly and can always book accomodation on wotif.com so cheaper, downside - well unless you would rather spend 5 days lazing on a white sand beach being served cocktails around the pool in fiji there's no competition

brilliant sibble, thank you... yes, I must admit, white sand beach with cocktails does sound like heaven on earth (although I always think of Muriel's wedding, presumably it's not actually like that ) but prob. not with DS in tow ...

anymore?

How come you won't get your visa in time Jackaroo? [panic emoticon} We're off at Easter too, and are just renewing our passports. Then have to get visas!

lol, didn't mean to spread panic among the ranks!!

Several reasons. First, I was honest and stated I had postnatal depression. This sent them into a tail spin, and they've sent my medical stuff off to Oz for special assessment!

Second, my police check still hasn't come back. TBF it hasn't been 40 days yet, but I was told it would actually take about 10...

Third, in all the time I spennt working on the pdfs I'd printed off I didn't see that new stuff had been added re: Australian Values statement.. have almost worked through the booklet, and of course you could just sign the form, but what if someone asks you something...

They were querying the fact that Jack isn't yet an Oz citizen despite having an Oz dad.. !!

Anyway, nothing huge, but all enough to hold it up even further.......

Hope that puts your mind to rest. Oh, btw, I'd crack on with as much as possible now, it took me forever to get everything together.

hth

Thanks Jackaroo. And I've just seen that this was in living overseas, not longhaul hols, so I can stop panicking too!

Ah, yes, a different kettle