From East London to Eastern Australia

Twelve years ago before my my first visit to Australia, as well as nervously anticipating meeting my new boyfriends family for the first time, I was also concerned about how I would get to the bathroom during the night without encountering snakes, spiders, cockroaches and other deadly creatures that littered the hallway. 

I emigrated to the Gold Coast with said boyfriend and our two young children 6 weeks ago and have visited 3 times before and I’m still yet to encounter any deadly creatures, unless in the nearby wildlife sanctuary, or have I had to dodge kangaroos as I drive my car around. The reality of daily life was a little different than I had envisaged once I arrived for that first holiday 12 years ago. Don't get me wrong the risk is still real! I’ve only just stopped checking around the bed and under pillows for anything menacing when I go to bed. Although I’m still wary when picking up any piles of cloths or towels left on the floors for any creatures lurking within. 

Six weeks and 3 bottles of suncream later and we seem to be settling in ok. I’m just taking each day as it comes, The major shock has been having the kids 7 days a week after leaving my cozy 3 day a week job in the UK, while my youngest was at nursery and my eldest had already started school in September. We hit the ground running and the dust is still settling. My other half amazingly got a job within a week of arriving leaving me to be a full time mum to 2 under 5’s - a whole new experience, in a whole new environment. This experience has been the main focus in our change in living, Australia has just been the backdrop. As Jack starts daycare 2 days a week and Erin will start school next week I’ll be able to immerse myself in my new surroundings and actually take a look around this new land. It is beautiful here. It feels like a magical tropical paradise, especially dusk with the fruit bats swooping and the rainbow lorikeets squawking.

The question I get most is - how are you coping in the heat? I think I’m acclimatising slowly but surely. On week 4 I actually added a tiny bit of hot water in my usually 100% cold evening shower.

It's good to know Australian people struggle with the heat as well, I like it when I hear them complain about the summer and the yoga teacher in the class talks about how it’s so humid. So then I know its just just me because I’m British. I can’t say the night time heat is great, especially putting the kids to bed at 7pm when its still plus 30 degrees. The good weather has meant we have been outside a lot more than we would have been in the UK. I have mentally added ‘air conditioning’ to my list of essential items when looking for property! I’m really looking forward to seeing my first Australian winter, which has been described by many as a beautiful time of year.

I’ve already had my first Australian Christmas. It was a perfect 27 degrees with a cool breeze which started with a 7am beach swim. My eldest exclaimed that ‘this is the best Christmas ever’ as she jumped through the waves. Then the eating and drinking began. On the whole it wasn’t that different to a UK Christmas. After the massive stressful task that was the immigration process it wasn't a big deal, just a nice relaxing day and I didn’t cook a thing or clean up so it was perfect really.

Heres to the end of the school holidays and beyond…