London Wetland Centre 2014

London Wetland Centre

The paparazzi waited for their prey, huge lenses posed to grab a shot. Then suddenly, click, click, click, click all around us! Who was it they had spotted? It wasn’t a who, but a what – a bird to be precise – that got them all excited. We were at the London Wetland Centre and the paparazzi were bird watchers.

I can’t tell you want sort of bird it was as I couldn’t identify it quickly enough from the brochure I bought at the entrance to the Centre. But it was certainly an interesting bird, with a crest that made it look like it was wearing mini Mickey Mouse ears. It had the twitchers going for the few seconds it was there!

The 42 acres of wetlands were established in in the 1990’s from a disused Thames Water reservoir. They are home to 180 bird species, 8 species of bats, over 500 species of butterflies and moths and various other reptiles, amphibians and dragonflies.  It is a perfect place to take the family on a sunny, winter’s day. We were lured by the addition, for two days only, of an introduction to hedgehogs. A delightful hedgehog rescue lady talked for hours to kids and adults about this small creature and allowed us to see some of the hogs that she had rescued. This is Alfie, who patiently posed with a number of children to have his photo taken.

Alfie the Hedgehog at the London Wetland Centre Feb 2014

Also a big hit with both kids and grownups alike, were the otter couple that live at the Centre. Not the shy European variety, but two very vocal and certainly not shy Asiatic otters live in a glorious otter habitat. With the female reaching maturity, the Centre is hopeful that they may see some more otters in the near future. The otters are fed publicly at 11am and 2pm and the friendly keeper provides an educational and interesting talk about the pair, including stories of how they turn on him and try to bite him if he dares to be more than a minute late for their feeds!

The pair of otters in an intimate moment at the London Wetland Centre 2014

But the birds are the big drawcard here and you will see different breeds at different times of the year depending on who has migrated when. There are wetlands of the world (including one of Kakadu, complete with fake crocodile and black swans), grazing marshes, reedbeds and lagoons, complete with large hides to allow you to gaze at the large variety of birds. You have to be quiet so as to not disturb the birds and our kids found the experience captivating and peaceful.

Kakadu Wetland, London Wetland Centre 2014

Have kids that aren’t the quiet type? Head to the entrance area and upstairs to the interactive water display area. Great fun for both young and older kids as they get to splash around, shoot water and balls at things and hopefully learn a few things about water and how it impacts on our lives.

Interactive water displays London Wetland Centre 2014

This is a great spot for serious bird watchers and families. There is a café and gift shop and if you love the place and would like to visit during the different seasons, you can convert your day pass into an annual pass for a little more cash.  Our kids, aged 13 and 11, just loved this excursion and we had no complaints about ‘being bored’ at all. The only complaint I heard was from hubby, who didn’t bring a warm jacket with him and found the cooling afternoon air a little bracing!

Reservoir Lagoon

Pools in South West London – Pools on the Park Richmond

I’m a keen, but amateur, swimmer and am looking for a regular pool to go to. The first thing I’ve discovered about sporting facilities in London is that they are EXPENSIVE! We enrolled the kids in the local hockey club – 110 pounds fees, 75 for uniform and 5 pounds per game – each!

There are several pools in the Richmond Borough and after my try out at the closest one to me, it looks like I’ll visiting a few more before I find a pool I’m comfortable at and enjoy swimming in.

Pools on the Park is just out of the Richmond Town Centre and has three pools – one indoor, a small indoor training pool used mainly for kids lessons and an outdoor pool used only in summer. The website says that the pools are 33 metres long. It will cost you 4.80 for a casual swim. Yes, 4.80 – that’s $8.20 in Australian dollars! And to get a locker it’s an additional 50 pence, though this is a one off charge as you can keep the token and re-use it. So what do you get for this amount?

Start with a surly girl at the counter. I explained that this was my first time here and could she please direct me to where things were? I got “change rooms through there – you’ll be able to see where the pool is”. Right. Thanks for the help. So I head around the corner to the change rooms and there is a man standing there blow-drying his hair. Confused, I look at the door, but no help there. Then I see a woman and realise that it’s a communal change room. The room has a series of tiny cubicles that you can get changed in and then you can spend a minute trying to figure out how the lockers work (put the token in the box on the inside of the locker door and then it will lock for you).

She was right about being able to see the pool – it’s right next to the change rooms. There are a row of showers you walk through to get to the pool with a request that you shower first. It takes a while for the hot to come through, so expect a cold surprise if you step straight under. The pool is old and was made up into 4 lanes. It could be a 6 lane if all the lanes are roped up. The training pool is full of toddlers having lessons, some enjoying it, some not…

The water was about 24 degrees, so a decent temperature to swim in given that’s it’s 10 outside. But the water wasn’t very pleasant and it was one of those pools that you keep your lips tightly sealed while swimming, so that the minute debris on the surface isn’t swallowed. I swim breaststroke, so I chose the slow lane. I was overtaking the people doing freestyle in the fast lane next door! After 11 laps, I was asked to move out of that lane as two toddlers were starting a lesson in the first 5 metres of the lane in the shallows. I hate having to overtake swimmers as breaststroke is quite a wide stroke and I always end up whacking someone with my leg or arm, so I got out. Back to the showers – they are the only showers it turns out, so you can’t strip off your bathers, unless you get a kick out of personal exposure, since you are in full view of the pool! It’s quite a challenge to get wet bathers off in a tiny cubicle as I found out. There are some parents/child cubicles as well, which are double size. I noticed several elderly people using them as there’s no way they could manage the regular sized ones.

There is a café onsite and a gym and sauna which you can sign up to. There are (very expensive) packages available that allow access to gym, pool and the fitness classes.

This pool is likely to be a great place to visit in summer when the outdoor pool is open and the kids can have a swim and muck around in the sun, while we relax on the grassed area. The location for me is a 5/5, as it is within walking distance of our house. Sadly, on facilities and price it’s a 1/5. I handed in the locker token on my way out…hopefully the next pool I try will be of a higher standard.

Madame Tussauds…what can I say

Shrek in wax at Madame Tussands Copyright L Debnam 2013

The cult of celebrity is in full swing at the bizarre place that is Madame Tussauds. Thousands of people queue to enter a venue filled with wax figures that they then have themselves photographed with.  I’ve now been twice and it’s a strange, strange world…

My daughter was able to choose where she wanted to spend her 11th birthday when we arrived in London. The choice was Tussauds, where she wanted to have her photo taken with her idols, One Direction. Sadly, once inside we searched fruitlessly and were finally told that the boys were “out”. Cue one very disappointed 11 year old. Full marks to the customer service department who responded to my email explaining the situation with 3 tickets to return once the boys were back. This explains why I have been twice in the past 10 weeks.

The first time we went it was August, summer, during school holidays…you can imagine how packed a major tourist attraction such as this was like. We booked a slot online and duly turned up at our allotted time (you get a discount if you book online btw). Don’t panic if you are late for your allotted time – it will take you over an hour in a queue to get inside. In the sun. On a very busy street. With heaps of grizzly, bored kids. Are we having fun yet? Our visit on a Saturday in October was a half hour wait, still busy, but not claustrophobic like the August visit.

Once inside, you head up a set of stairs into a lift to start at the top. It’s packed and for some reason, some people think it’s appropriate to bring young children in huge strollers (called buggies here) to a massively overcrowded venue where the children spend their day in terror at being crowded by unknown legs and the unknown legs spend a day having their ankles sliced and bruised by the buggies!

You start with a series of celebrity models on the first floor. You’ll find Colin Firth, Johnny Depp and Posh and Becks, to name a few, in here, along with some very popular (with the Indian audience) Bollywood stars.

Madame Tussauds on a quiet day. The Music and Political Leader section

You move through different sections and in October, to my daughter and her friends delight, the next section held their beloved 1D. It also had the most fabulous attendant ever. This young lady had so much enthusiasm for her job it was infectious. She sang and joked with the girls and encouraged them to sit next to all the boys – not just run in and out (luckily it wasn’t busy when we went through this section) . What a joy she was.

The world’s most popular boy band with a very happy 11 year old fan

If want to buy any of the pictures that are taken by staff at the most popular displays, prices start from 10 pounds.

The next section is Sports stars and you get to pose with stars of many disciplines. Doing the Usain Bolt victory pose is a favourite! Then comes people who made a difference – scientists, writers (Oscar Wilde is here), etc. Most people seem to walk through this section quite quickly, not appreciating who these people were and the effect they have had on the lives of many. Too old, not famous, not beautiful enough. But so, so important!

Then comes the Royal Family, Music and Political Leaders. I so very much wanted to drape a rainbow scarf around the homophobic neck of Vladimir Putin…

The wax figures are really quite creepy, but is creepier is how popular this venue is. We seem to be so obsessed with celebrity that we’ll be happy having our photo taken with a celeb, even if they are only a wax version. On my second time through, I got my daughter to take my photo with a couple of figures to see what it was like. They’re wax; you get nothing from them. It’s quite an uneasy feeling, quite voyeuristic in a way.

The figures do get changed quite regularly. Judi Dench was there the first time I was there (on the back of a Bond film being out) and not the second. I have to say that of all the figures, I thought she was the most convincing. Maybe because she is such a fabulous, multi dimensional actor – her complexity shone through even in wax.

It’s not just wax figures though. Given the prices to get in – family of four is 108/81 pounds (at the door/online), you would expect a bit more and there is!

You also get to go through a Chamber of Horrors, including an interactive section with actors jumping out at you, a historical display about the lady herself and a looped recording and series of displays featuring Beyoncé who takes you through how her figure was made.

Is it ironic that Madame Tussaud has a wax effigy?

There is also a trip on a ride that takes you through a potted, very abridged version of the history of Britain. It includes a steampunk version of Queen Victoria, sitting among some of the machines invented during her reign. Curiouser and curiouser said Alice…

Steampunk Victoria

After a trip through the Marvel Superheroes section, you are ushered into a 4D theatre that sits under the famous domed roof. The movie is good fun and there are squeals throughout as people are jabbed, sprayed and whooshed with air.

Before you leave the building, there is, of course, the obligatory gift shop to negotiate your way through. If you ever need a fake Oscar at short notice, this is the place to come.

I doubt I will ever go back to Tussauds in any country. Maybe I’m just not into idolising celebrities that much? Maybe the people I idolise aren’t there? What I can appreciate though, is the incredible work of the artists that create these sculptures and displays. They are all works of art that showcase the work of talented artists.

So if you want to see their work, or just snuggle up to a celeb or two, I suggest not going during peak periods such as school holidays, especially if there is inclement weather forecast as you will be in it for a while before you get in. Enjoy!

Walks in London – Terrace Gardens, Richmond

Recently Sir David Attenborough was asked where his favourite place in the world was and his answer was ‘Richmond’. Indeed, whenever we are asked where we are living, the response to ‘Richmond’ is always along the lines of ‘verrrry nice’. It’s a beautiful part of London. It’s still on the Tube line (OK, I admit it’s the last stop on the District Line), has a villagely, friendly feel about it, but still is a vibrant place to live. For your little known facts, it has the highest life expectancy in the UK and the lowest amount of tooth decay in the under 5’s. I’m sure you wanted to know that. It is also a very pricey place to live.

There are many fantastic walks to do in the area. One of them is along the River Thames to the Terrace Gardens which run up from the riverbank to the top of Richmond Hill.

There is a path around the edge of the River that runs from Richmond. Walk down to the river from the town and turn left and head under the Richmond Bridge. Walk a few hundred metres and you will be at the bottom of the Terraces. It’s not a huge park, but it’s a very beautiful place to visit.

The Terraces are on the site of a former brickworks. Working their way up the Richmond Hill are a series of garden beds and rockeries which have been established alongside sweeping lawns and beautiful trees.  You’ll find sculptures, including a voluptuous Aphrodite nicknamed Bulbous Betty by the locals, as well as a small tropical conservatory. Halfway up the hill is the delightful Hollyhock Café, tucked away in the trees.

Café sign, Richmond. Copyright L Debnam 2013

Hollyhock Café, halfway up Terrace Gardens, Richmond. Copyright L Debnam 2013

It’s a steep climb in places and not recommended for people who require disabled access. I did, however, see Yummy Mummies – or maybe they were the au pairs – getting prams down the hill.

The stepped section seemed to be very popular with local fitness trainers as they exhorted their charges to run up and down the stairs.

The steps beloved by fitness trainers, but maybe not so much by their trainees. Terrace Gardens, Richmond. Copyright L Debnam 2013

I took the more leisurely path option which enabled me to spend time with a rather tame, friendly squirrel that came running when it saw my camera and started posing. Seriously. Everyone wants to be a star…

Make sure you get my good side! Squirrel experienced in posing for the camera, Terrace Gardens, Richmond. Copyright L Debnam, 2013

 There are many benches to rest yourself on, all donated in the memory of someone who loved the area. My favourite is this one towards the top of the hill.

One of the many benches in Terrace Gardens, Richmond, commemorating a local resident who loved this park. Copyright L Debnam, 2013

The top of the hill gives you a sweeping view across South West London across to Windsor. Allegedly, you can see the Castle on a clear day, but I’m yet to verify that!

As it is now autumn in the UK, the trees are starting to change colour, leading to a kalidoscope of autumnal leaves before your eyes (and under your feet). It’s an easy walk back to the Town Centre down Richmond Hill Road. They may not be famous like Richmond Park or Kew Gardens, but the Terrace Gardens are just perfect for a quick walk, rather than a day out.

View from Richmond Hill. Copyright L Debnam, 2013

Getting a UK bank account and leasing short term properties

Southfields Underground Station, Wimbledon Park Road. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We had heard of the catch 22 situation with regards to getting a bank account in the UK – to get an account you needed a UK address and to rent a place you need a UK bank account.

It turned out to be quite simple in the end. If you are moving here, seek out a short term lease with a real estate agent and be prepared to pay the rent up front. This will give you an address and will enable you to open a bank account (presuming you have a UK passport or appropriate visa).

Short term leases are more expensive than a long term lease, but everything was included in ours – tax, electricity, gas, water and wifi. If you are going to be in London for a few weeks, it’s far cheaper option than hotels and holiday lets.

We leased a property in Zone 3 in Southfields (near Wimbledon). Easy access to the city via the Tube, but you get to escape the craziness of Zones 1 and 2 which can become overwhelming. A 2 bedroom fully furnished flat with all facilities cost us £700/week.

So look for a place to live either before you move here or start looking as soon as you get here and bring the cash to pay up front and this part of your move to the UK should be quite simple.

Next blog – how to lease a long term property – not so simple! Hint – it’s going to cost you more than you think…

Regents Canal, Camden Lock and Camden Markets

If I had thought that Spitalfields Market was crowded last week, I was very much mistaken. In the vein of Crocodile Dundee, Camden Markets took one look at Spitalfields and declared “that’s not crowded – THIS is crowded”! On a sunny London day, we decided to visit the famous Camden Markets.

Regents Canal has a towpath running along it that allows you to walk between Paddington and the Thames – a distance of almost 14 kilometres. Not wanting to drag two complaining kids along for 14 kilometres, we opted to head for the Edgeware Road Tube and join the towpath for the Jubilee Greenway section at Lisson Grove, which is about a three kilometre walk.

As you enter from Lisson Grove, you are welcomed by these somewhat alarming signs! However, they refer to the electrical sub station next to the path thank goodness.

Danger of Death sign Lisson Grove
Copyright L Debnam 2013

This section will take you past moored canal boats overlooked by opulent mansions towering over them on the banks of the canal and the London Zoo – see if you can spot the warthog! It is a dual use path in parts, so you need to be aware of bikes suddenly appearing behind you. The first part of the walk is pedestrian only as many permanently moored boats have elements of their life spilling out on the towpath – pots of herbs, garden beds of veges, outdoor tables and chairs.

Boats moored Regents Canal
Copyright L Debnam 2013

The path will take you up to the Primrose Hill entrance. This brought back memories for me as it was here I was taken by friends for a walk after I first landed in London almost three decades ago. As I walked the same path up to Camden Lock, I reminisced about days gone past and what I felt on my arrival in this overwhelming city so long ago. This is such a pretty walk – you see a diverse range of sights from tourist canal boats, live-in canal boats, kayaks and even a punt boat!

Regents Canal towpath Copyright L Debnam 2013

Once you reach the Camden Lock, walk up onto the bridge to watch the Lock in action. The kids were fascinated by the boats being raised and lowered via the water.

Watching the boat rise in the Lock
Copyright L Debnam 2013

After watching several changes, we finally made it into the Markets. I defy anyone to not find a food that they like in this place! In addition to the usual suspects like Italian, Chinese, Indian etc, you can find Jamaican, Spanish and even US food in addition to many others from all corners of the globe.

But be prepared for an overwhelming experience if you visit on a weekend. The Markets are spread over a large area and consist of a series of winding corridors and halls with a huge range of different stalls, absolutely packed with people. In particular, you can easily get lost in the Stables section which winds and meanders underground.

There are all sorts of stalls, some with wares that are difficult to explain to the kids (“why is that shop dummy wearing a black leather mask Mum?”)! Many have amazing pieces of fashion and I envied my kids for their future outfitting in great gear that, sadly, I’m too old to wear anymore.

Food stalls at the Market
Copyright L Debnam 2013

So for a very pleasant walk, head to Regents Canal. Combine the walk with a delicious lunch at Camden Lock and brave the Markets if you’re up to it! Or if it’s all to much, you can head back out to the street to catch the Tube from one of two stations – Camden or Chalk Farm. Simples, as the Meerkat would say.

Old Spitalfields Market

In 1638, Charles I gave permission for a market to be created at what was then Spittle Fields. Through the centuries, the market has changed and evolved and now it finds itself in a plaza area bounded by restored Victorian buildings and a modern office complex. It has developed into one of London’s most popular markets.

Old Spitalfields Market
Copyright L Debnam 2013

The market is open 7 days a week and you can find both established shops in the buildings surrounding the covered market, which is packed with a huge variety of stalls. As with any market, there is the usual cheap dross, but there are also many funky stalls offering vintage, reworked and original fashion, jewellery, accessories, delicious food and a few unusual stalls with wares of days gone by, such as vintage cameras and printing press letters.

Metal letters used in printing presses.
Copyright L Debnam 2013

We went on a Sunday for lunch and it was packed. There is a large range of food available, from sit down restaurants/cafes, to market stalls offering tantalising goodies.  We chose to try out a Square Pie. I can recommend the Beef and Guinness pie – smothered in gravy! Yum!

Beef and Guinness Pie. Ask for the gravy!
Copyright L Debnam 2013

There are many other great food stalls offering delicious goods and there are tables that you can sit at to eat take away food at. I would also recommend the chocolate brownies and Portuguese Custard Tarts!

Food glorious food at Spitalfields Market.
Copyright L Debnam 2013

Nearby you will find other markets such as the Petticoat Lane Market. This is where you go to find super cheap clothes most probably made by wage slaves in third world countries. Prices start at one pound which says it all. Old Spitalfields offers special days such as the upcoming Art Market 1-4 August 2013 and the Saturday Style Market in which up and coming artists and designers offer their work for sale.

The Markets are in the Tower Hamlet area of London and are easily accessed via the Tube. Get off at Aldgate East and look for the Commercial Road exit. We walked past the Ibis Hotel to head in the right direction, which will take you past Petticoat Lane. It’s well worth a day out if you are looking for something different to the standard fare offered by the chain stores.

And a last word on the goat sculpture standing on packing boxes outside the market. I wondered what it referred to – was it the original market established by Charles I? Was it some famous goat that did something remarkable? No, here is the statement from the Spitalfields Art website on the publicly voted winner:

“The winning design of the Spitalfields Sculpture Prize 2010, Kenny Hunter’s hand-sculpted goat stands atop a stack of packing crates to create the 3.5 metre high Goat, which was inspired by Spitalfields’ rich, ongoing social history.

Spitalfields Goat Sculpture
Copyright L Debnam 2013

“Goats are associated with non-conformity and being independently-minded. That is also true of London, its people and never more so than in Spitalfields.” said artist Kenny Hunter at the official unveiling on 20 January 2011.”

Or was it inspired by this event, established five years ago by some of those non-conforming, independently minded Londoners he refers to? Fabulous stuff!

http://www.thegoatrace.org/

The last few frantic weeks before moving overseas

Yes, it’s perfectly normal to feel completely overwhelmed in the last few frantic weeks before the big move. I have just arrived in the UK and since I’m up at 4 in the morning, as my body clock thinks it’s 11am, I can take time to reflect on the craziness of the past three weeks.

Once I finished work (I’m a teacher), one large stress was lifted. No lesson planning, no marking – yippee! After saying goodbye to my wonderful colleague and students, I had time to sort the house into “take”, “store”, “donate” and “chuck out”. This is a great process for anyone to do in their lives. You get down to having only core belongings in your life – things that really matter – and the other stuff is released back into the world for others to utilise. Having less stuff is really liberating. Truly – try it!

But it is exhausting, no doubt about that. I commented to my husband, who was already in the UK, that he should not make any comments when the “take” boxes finally arrive and get unpacked. The removal company did the overseas pack and I did the rest. After 10 days of packing and chucking out, I got to the stage of not caring so much about every single item that was coming overseas, if it meant me not having to pack it. It will be interesting to see what arrives in October…

It is OK to feel an overwhelming panic about what you are doing, as in “what the heck were we thinking – I’ve changed my mind!”. This will pass as you get through everything and regain your mind once it’s all done.

You must try and start the moving process as far in advance as possible. Having two weeks to pack meant it was crazy, but not impossible for one person to do. If (or when) you wake up in the middle of the night panicking about something you’ve forgotten, either get up and do it, or write it down so you can get back to sleep. Work steadily and it will all get done. If all else fails, hire a skip bin and chuck it out:-)

Once the removalists had started, I did enter the “what the heck” phase as described above and felt like calling the whole thing off. It does pass, but I have to say that it wasn’t until I was on the Tube in London that I actually felt comfortable with our decision. In the last week before we left, I had the absolute pleasure of staying with some wonderful friends who are looking after our cats, Max and Stripey. Although I was still rushing back to the house most days to let in the painter and various types of cleaners, being away from it really helped me to step away from our old life and let go, as well as spend time with my lovely cats and help them to get settled into their new home.

Of course, nothing went completely to plan – the painter didn’t put the dryer back up on the wall (thanks go to our fabulous strong bloke from around the corner who did that for me since I couldn’t even get it one centimetre off the floor, let alone lift it over my head), the removalists missed taking a large painting from our bedroom wall, a couple of dishes that I didn’t want to chuck out got missed – but with the help of great friends and family, these minor items were sorted quickly. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You’d be there for your friends if they asked.

I’ve set up Skype so my kids can talk to their friends and I can talk to mine and say hello to my cats (don’t judge me!) I try and imagine what it would have been like for people moving away from their friends and family pre-internet era. It’s so easy for us to keep in touch now. We may not be physically close, but we can still be part of each other’s lives. The bravery of immigrants of the past astounds me. It was painful enough saying au revoir to so many wonderful people who I enjoy having in my life, even though I know I’ll see what they’re up to on Facebook or talk to them via Skype. The thought of stepping onto a plane and not being able to do that would be unbearably heart breaking.

So now I am sitting in an apartment in Wimbledon at 5am with my 10 year old daughter, whose body clock is also operating in between time zones. There are no magpies or cockatoos chortling away as the dawn breaks. The adventure begins!

A farewell message from my cheeky High Performance Year 9 class that greeted me in my classroom on the last day. I love their sense of humour and it was a privilege working with such a great bunch of students. The world is safe in the hands of people like them.

In five weeks I will be a single mum…temporarily. On getting a visa for the UK.

English: Qantas Airbus A380 (VH-OQA) takes off from London Heathrow Airport, England. The main and nose undercarriage doors have not yet closed. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It’s now only 5 weeks before Hubby heads off to the UK to find the all important job. Until he does, I will be a single Mum. Yippee.

It’s not that I haven’t done it before in short bursts. Living in WA, there’s a good chance that one half of a partnership is involved in the mining industry and that usually involves the notorious FIFO and our family is no exception. That’s Fly In Fly Out to anyone not familiar with the acronym. You fly into the mine sites, do your work over how ever many days your contract has you working, then fly home again for a break. But soon, for our family, it will be just FO.

One of the problems we have hit during our planning to live in the UK for a couple of years is me getting a visa. OK, so I’m Australian. But all my great grandparents came from the UK. And the Queen of England is still our head of state! But does that mean anything? Nope!

My hubby was born in the UK, so it was no problem for him to apply for a UK passport. With their father born in the UK, it was also no problem for our kids to get UK passports. But me? One too many generations Australian to qualify. All I needed was one, just one, grandparent to be born in Old Blighty and I’d be fine. No such luck.

The Brits have really tightened up on non-British spouses entering the country. I was a bit shocked when I read the Home Office website and saw questions like “have you ever met your husband?” However, after wading through the myriad of baffling pages online, I still had no idea of what the best way was for me to proceed.  I suspect that it has been obscurely written to eliminate people with poor English skills from applying. I’m an English teacher and even I couldn’t figure it all out.

Alternatively, it is written so you have to ring the enquiries number, which, strangely, is located in New Zealand for Australians. $12 thank you very much. But the lady who answered knew what she was talking about and I finally figured out the best visa for me. Actually, it turned out to be the only one I could get.

So here are your options if you are in my position.

1. Apply and get a job in the UK. At least, as a teacher, I am on the list of professions allowed to do this. Not an option for me, because we need to know where hubby will be working before I could apply. No point in him being in London and me in Manchester.

2. Deposit close to $100 000 (varies with the exchange rate) into a bank account for 6 months. I wish.

3. Be a celebrity or sports star. Enough said…

4. Have your spouse get a job offer for a position that will pay over 18600 pounds per annum.

We’ve gone with 4. So it means that he has to travel to the UK and get that all important job offer before I can apply for my spousal visa. Then I will be allowed to stay in the country for 33 months. Of course you can’t apply from the UK on a tourist visa, so I’m stuck in Oz with our two kids until the visa arrives. They advise you not to book flights until it does arrive, so you can see the dominos all lined up, just waiting for the push to get everything rolling.

Deep breath….

Without the job offer, I can’t apply for the visa, we can’t book flights for the me and the kids, we can’t give a date that our house can be leased, we can’t lease a house in the UK (until we know where we have to be living so hubby can get to work in less than an hour) so we don’t know what furniture to send over and what to store, we can’t apply for schools (because you need a leased property before you can put an application in)…and so it goes on.

So in five weeks I will be a single mother when hubby flies out to start the job search. I don’t know for how long. Then I have the joy of packing everything up once we know what and where we are going to and then get us all over there. As I said …Yippee.

Follow my journey…or breakdown…as we head into the unknown:-)