Update Made it to Singapore (Heathrow check in desk personnel have to ring Australian embassy to check every exemption before they’ll let you check in!) nice quiet flight with very attentive Flight crew, even managed a few hours sleep 7 hours now in Singapore before the final leg
As a matter of interest, how did you manage to get this visa? Was it through work, or due to family, or through paying?
My wife’s job is classed as a critical skill (Financial Director) of a very large French organisation also classed as critical to Australian infrastructure,some €30Billion globally who happen to own the largest electrical brand in the Asia Pacific region, having said that the original exemption they filed back in October got rejected and only because the company have “friends” in government are we able to fly, our exemption has specified government approval otherwise we’d probably be looking at 2022 at the earliest. Just goes to show, it’s not what you know it’s who you know
I nearly went a couple of years back. Was offered a starting salary of 650k aus dollars, with a guarantee of permanent residency with in a year, but herself said it was too far, and I'm headed back to Ireland in any case once the kids finish school. Might work for a year in aus first and have a look around though. Kids godparents are fair dinkum Aussies in Melbourne.
@Nigel Machin - You will be there by now I would think Nigel, We find the jet lag is a killer for the first week, just sneaks up on you and...bosh, your asleep!! Still no nearer to getting out to Oz for us and I’m sick as a pig of the lousy weather here already, had a little spin on my Ninja 1000SX this afternoon and spent about 2 hours cleaning it when I got back! Hope you settle in easily, I find this Aussies great to get on with actually, dead friendly and laid back, one guy I ride the pushy with over there has taken me all over to show me some great local routes. Did you ship any bikes over, or will you purchase something once your settled in a bit more? Most of the Aussies in Brisbane tend to go for the cruiser type of bikes, they all seem scared of the cops who are pretty shit hot to be honest, just don’t tolerate speeding at all. Best of luck Nigel, I have a nephew in Sydney so you never know I could bump into you sometime if I’m visiting him! Keep the forum updated with your progress mate and enjoy your Christmas down under.
Thanks mate, yep, got here at 1ish this afternoon, escorted by police, including outriders following the bus! To the hotel, we’re in the Park Royal Darling Harbour, escorted to the room by the military and that’s it, we’re here for 14 days at least we need to test negative tomorrow and in day 10 otherwise it could be longer. Fell asleep this afternoon and was like a zombie. Sold both bikes as the import paperwork was just too much of a hassle! I’ll buy over here, fairly quickly just to get us around initially. 26deg and cloudy today
That was only a starting salary. They offered a first class flight round trip to come and meet them and look at the job, but I couldn't in conscience take it when I knew she was set against. Such is life.
7 days of hotel quarantine done! Starting to get into the time zone and staying awake during the day, it’s actually quite difficult when we’re not allowed out of the room. Food is delivered 3 times a day, take away style, supplied from an outside catering co. It’s decent too. No alcohol allowed but we do get turkey and Christmas pudding on Christmas Day we have had 1 negative test (day2) and have another 1 on day 10 and if that’s negative we get out on the 30th with a nice meal booked at the dinning room for New Year’s Eve, passes now required to get into the harbour area. Fingers crossed the fireworks will still go ahead but due to the new Sydney outbreak, 84 cases in the last week, that may be in jeopardy!
Hi Nigel, I had seen that there has been quite a severe outbreak in Sydney, have you heard about this new strain of Covid in the UK? ...70% higher transmission rate than normal, so we have that to deal with now, plus a lot of areas have gone into a new tier 4 category! Apparently loads of countries are not allowing UK flights to enter and France blocked our lorries from crossing the channel, leading to miles of parked lorries blocking the approach roads to the Chunnel and ferries,....it’s turning into bloody Armageddon over here, I recon you got out just in time!! We are still hopeful of getting to our daughters in Brisbane sometime after the new year, god knows how much the flights will cost us and then I take it you have to pay for quarantine hotel and food yourself? Is that the case?? I know the price of hotels around Brisbane, so I recon for the two of us , 14 nights plus food will probably be best part of £3 grand? We normally stay for 3 months, so this next trip will probably be £10 - £12 grand touch, hopefully we can sort a retirement visa out in the next couple of years. I think in the fullness of time, you will realise what a great decision you have just made, I’ve said it loads of times before, but I feel more at home in Oz than I do here.. Good luck and keep us posted with your progress!
Thanks @Poucher Yes watching with interest, still a little jet lagged so been watching Boris and Co giving the latest live uk updates. We were so lucky, we flew Singapore airlines who have now stopped all uk flights into one of the largest hubs used for Australian destinations, the other being Dubai. UK situation is now quite frightening! Sydney has seen an outbreak, currently 108 cases, the authorities jumped on it and have tested 1/4 million people in under a week. They act quickly and decisively and the public abide by the rules. We have been informed that we get a Christmas turkey dinner tomorrow and we can order a limited no of cocktails tonight, so a little more festive than the last 8 days. We have all expenses paid as part of Claire’s relocation package otherwise the 14 day charge is some $4000 for a couple (see link below) stay safe Nige https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/what-you-can-and-cant-do-under-rules/quarantine#fees-for-quarantine
Make the most of it. It's a wonderful country. I almost bought a place out on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria in the 90's. Wish I had now
Still stuck in Quarantine, we get our 10 day COVID test today, we get the results in 3 days but only if we’re positive, which is a bit of a bummer as we’re on tenterhooks all day! If negative we’re out on the 30th Been doing a bit of research, need a bike to get us around for a bit, was looking at some cheap jap stuff, Kawasaki 1000sx looked interesting, good for pillion and cheap over here, however, this caught my eye and for 12k (demo) it’s got me interested
