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I'm considering packing up and moving to London at the end of the year/early-mid 2010. I'm sure plenty of you have done this before so does anyone have any tips, tricks, advice, horror stories?
Lauren, I find it hard enough just moving house, let alone packing up & heading overseas. After listening to a friend & her hubby who moved to Malaysia to live, plan well ahead time, ie like now and make sure everything is properly insured. My friend is down at the end of the month so will ask her for any other advice to pass on to you.
Don't be afraid to step out in the rain. Take a chance. Sometimes the only way to get your rainbow is by getting wet.
I'm considering packing up and moving to London at the end of the year/early-mid 2010. I'm sure plenty of you have done this before so does anyone have any tips, tricks, advice, horror stories?
Thanks!
Here is a tip, do not let the horror stories scare you, and if one happens to you, do not let it beat you !!!
Delecto Oriens est odio Meridianus
To love Easts is to hate Souffs
Originally posted by Bill Shankley, Liverpool FC
At a football club, there’s a holy trinity – the players, the manager and the supporters. Directors don’t come into it. They are only there to sign the cheques.
Originally posted by Andy Raymond Commentating Souffs V Manly 18/04/09
The fireworks at the Easter show are making more noise than the crowd tonight
I'm considering packing up and moving to London at the end of the year/early-mid 2010. I'm sure plenty of you have done this before so does anyone have any tips, tricks, advice, horror stories?
Thanks!
My nieces have lived there and one of them continues to do so. Lauren, be prepared for very slow antiquated processes in regards to things like opening bank accounts etc. Be very patient in regards to red tape etc for things like this. If you need a plumber for instance, finding one at the local pub as opposed to asking your real estate agent is apparently the way to go. But it is well worth it in the end if it's what you really want to do.
One of my girlfriends came back recently after 3 years there with her husband. It doesn't always help you career wise as she felt she actually went backwards (she is a life insurance underwriter and she was overqualified for a lot of her positions) but in regards to life experience and being able to fly to Paris for instance for a weekend cheaply, who can knock that back??
"Those who care about you can hear you, even when you are quiet" - Steve Maraboli
take lots of money with you, learn to pull a beer here first, all pubs in london have aussies behind the bar?they dont tip over there so dont worry about the short tops?learn to love the rain and cold, although i still have friends living and working over there(work for the bbc)ill chat to you in the pen sunday?
Way back in 1987, I left these Golden Shores for the trip of a lifetime.....Well, I quit my job, moved to Perth for a few months then thought "go now or waste all your money". So I did. Bought a plane ticket and a Eurail pass and I never looked back.
Tips:
If you move to London, try and refrain from living with Aussies, mixing with Aussies and only meeting Aussies. I cannot see the point of going all that way only to hang out with people you just flew half way around the world to get away from. Not to say you shouldn't go to Earls Court every now and again to catch up but I saw a LOT of people doing just that.
Don't limit yourself to London. There are a lot of great places to work and live. I was in Edinburgh for 3 years. There are over 800 pubs in that city. We had 4 on our block. I also worked in a pub outside of London for about 9 months. Saved enough money to go to the US for 6 months.
As for working over there, just tell them you have all the experience (if working in a bar) as it is all pretty much straight forward. The locals are usually friendly and they love to take the p1ss out of the Aussies. As long as we keep beating them at sport, we always have a comeback.
Someone once told me "The hardest part is buying the ticket". I found it to be true. Once you have the ticket, there is no turning back.
Find a travel forum, or an expat forum and see what others are saying. Aussies living there now will be able to give the best advice.
It was a long time ago that I was there but there were always heaps of jobs for travellers. There was a magazine called Time Out (I think that's right) that had jobs in the back section and it was aimed at backpackers.
Down side:
You will miss home but that is fine. If you decide to come back "just for a few months" you are unlikely to return. Things will be just like you left them, so stick it out for as long as you can. It is the best experience of your life.
Check all the rules and regulations before you do anything as you need to know how long you can stay, how much money you need to get into the country, etc. Don't derail the trip just after it starts.
The weather is poor. if you don't like the weather, wait, it will change 4 times a day. The country is geared for it with all the pubs, etc being toasty warm. Jacket on, jacket off, jacket on, jacket off.
Get yourself a travel guide like a Let's Go or something. They are a great source of tips and you will find so many things that you never tought of seeing in there.
Be flexible once you get there. Have a plan but don't make it so rigid that you can't change it. When I got a Eurail pass, I ended up in places I never thought of going to as I met people on the train (other backpackers) and tagged along with them.
I cannot recommend it enough. Even to the point where I will make sure you get on the bloody plane...
Just do it and don't let ANYBODY hold you back or convince you to stay. You usually only get one shot at stuff like this so do it.....
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