Mrs brenda barham
I will be moving to Australia in Jan 08 from the UK. Do you think I will want to stay or return to UK. I will be leaving my grown up children and grandchildren behind in UK?

I wish I knew something more about you to provide an answer to my satisfaction. But let me say this much. Australia is a good place to live. My daughter lives there with her family and I have been there on two occasions spending nearly one year each. Yes it is a good place. But my main attraction to visit Australia is that my daughter and grandchildren are there. I do not intend to stay in Australia because my two other children and grand children are elsewhere.

Yes, I would rather be closer to my children and grand children.

Hi There,

I would suggest that the balance of probabilities favours you adapting to this great change. We all branch out into new directions now and again, sometimes because we decide to and sometimes because we are compelled to by events. Usually we go along with the change and it soon becomes part of us. Of course it will be a great wrench leaving your children and grandchildren, but nothing is forever. They will visit you and you will visit them. You could even find that your relationships grow stronger as a result.
I'd also suggest that the key to your new life in Oz will be making new friends which I'm sure you will do.

It seems to me that you are having second thoughts already. Why are you leaving the UK for Australia? Is it the weather, the cost of living so your retirement money will go further or what? Living away from your children and especially your grand children may be much more difficult than you imagine. To me, missing all the family gatherings, your grand children's birthdays, etc, seems hard.
As one grows older, emotional reasons grow stronger than material ones. You probably have been to Australia to visit but how long did you stay? A holiday visit, even a very long one, is still very different from living in another country.
You have decided already to go on 8 January but my advice is to keep all options open so if you feel homesick, your return won't be too difficult. Good luck.