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Adjusting to a more solitary life!

31/3/2023

Waking up on Friday morning, I was struck by how cold it was. Now when I say cold, I don't mean below freezing, which is commonplace in The UK, but it was noticeably colder than usual and really did feel like Autumn had arrived. Walking to work at 7am, with an umbrella and mac, I was reminded of my time living in Portsmouth. Thankfully, I am no longer there, but I suddenly felt down and a little depressed. It has been a long time since I last experienced a winter, well over a year, so the inclement weather is sadly a sign of things to come.

Apart from the rain, which is as rare as hens teeth here, I've had a pretty ordinary week. For me, that is a good thing; I've had enough drama in my life to last a lifetime, so anything that points to convention and routine is welcome. Even after being in Australia for six months, I am still waiting for word from my solicitor and the Department of Home Affairs about my visa. However, no news is good news and for now I am playing a waiting game, until the powers that be, decide it's time to make my status official.

For the most part, I am just getting on with life, building a new future in Australia. We are continuing to decorate the new house and make our home as comfortable as possible. Of course, there is something in the back of my mind that keeps on chipping away, warning me of what could happen, if my application for residency is rejected. This isn't a scenario that is likely to happen according to my solicitor, but it could, and that is enough to keep that worrying nature I have, alive and kicking.

I'm enjoying being a homeowner again, despite the expense involved. Darrell and I aim to pay off the mortgage in superfast time, so we are having to channel a lot of money into our monthly repayment. At the moment we don't have any problem with this, but if interest rates continue to rise unchecked, then we won't be able to keep these high payments up indefinitely. On top of paying the mortgage and bills, we do have to renovate the villa as well; this all takes money and a lot of time and resources. Thankfully, we have gone as far as we need to for now, making the place habitable. Over the next few years we will concentrate on each room in more depth - recarpet, rewire, paint and decorate; this isn't something we have time for presently, but we are constantly looking forwards, and planning just what we want to do with this place long term.

I am following events from back home in the UK closely; I may well be an expat living in Australia, but Britain will always be my home, and I am interested in the direction it takes after Brexit. The reality is, Darrell and I are settling in Perth, Western Australia, because of Britain's departure from the EU. Like most people, I had no idea that my original life plan of moving and living in Spain would be unachievable, after Brexit. Naively, I thought life would carry on very much in the same vein as it always had; how wrong was I.

Perth was never our preferred option, Spain was always our dream, and I do feel rather cheated as I rebuild in Australia. Nevertheless, we are where we are, and I have to live with the consequences of the vote to leave Europe. Western Australia is a good second option; in fact, if I think with my head, rather than my heart, it is probably the best option. I really don't think I would have a career in Spain, paying the huge wage I have here, and be a homeowner after only a few months. So the reality is, we have made the right choice at the right time.

Like most places we have lived over the years, it does have its ups and downs and despite loving my new life and home, I am mindful of the negative aspects of living in Perth. Darrell and I are very much on our own, and we have put in all the hard work ourselves, without the help of anyone. We have always been that way - very independent and able to survive without the bank of Dad, but we are also without our support network, that we had built up in Britain. We don't have friends around us, and I am finding that quite a struggle.

Our friends have always been our family, they were the ones there for us at important milestones in our life and without them, we just wouldn't have survived. Similarly, when I worked for Tesco, my colleagues were very much akin to family; they were the people who were close during an extremely stressful period, with the pandemic raging across the World. All the individuals, the great and good who have been a part of my life, in some cases as far back as the 1980s and my time at school, are suddenly not there and that is quite disconcerting.

Just before I left for Asia in September last year, I managed to spend a lot of time with friends. I was humbled by just how many people wanted to say their goodbyes, as we headed for pastures new. The emotions I felt were indescribable and made me realise just how much people cared about Darrell and me. That is why I found it particularly difficult to leave. Having said that, now I am well aware of where my future lies and luckily there is social media, which does help me stay in contact with friends and family. It is making the transition to a new life easier to deal with, but despite how successful we are, it doesn't detract from the people we left behind - I miss them every day.

It is important Darrell and I keep moving onwards and building on the foundations we have created, but we should always remember our roots, and the people who made us who we are, affording us unconditional love at traumatic crossroads in our life. I am happy to be away from the more challenging aspects of life in Britain, but I will forever be grateful, for the abundance of friends, who will always remain in the memories I carry with me, wherever I am in the World. Links to the past, through those who are important will always be there, unbroken, unrelenting and without condition. I am lucky to have been entrusted with such a wonderful collection of characters, and will continue to keep them close, as I finally settle down into a more sedate, relaxed way of life!

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The Hard Reality of Expat Life!

25/3/2023

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This week has been a bit of an eye-opener for me in many respects. After buying a car over a week ago, we have returned it to the garage where we purchased it; It was unroadworthy and a danger. Today, we are still waiting for a reply from them, let alone on the road to getting our money back. In all fairness, buying this vehicle was a big mistake, we know that now. As Expats, relatively new to Perth, we had no idea, just how bad the car market was; had we known, we would never have paid money for it. This place is full to bursting with con merchants, and Darrell really should have walked away instead of purchasing this road hazard. All we can do is just keep waiting and hoping the bank returns our money, so we can buy a new car. Personally, I don't have much hope and certainly have no faith in the legal avenues open to us; we may well just have to write this mistake off to experience!

Now that we are settled in Perth, I have also started the process of moving my life, lock stock and barrel, over to Western Australia. As you can imagine, this is a particularly time-consuming and complicated business. Most importantly, I have begun migrating my British pensions over to an Australian Superfund. Now, this really is where things get complicated. In order to move my pension funds over, I have to do it through an HMRC compliant company here in Australia, or a (Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme.) My current Superannuation fund, is with Plum Super, which sadly isn't accepted by the tax office in the UK. This means I will have to find another organisation who will accept the transfer.

Consequently, I have contacted various financial advisers in Australia, who I believe can help in this process. For me, it is necessary to move this money over, and although it isn't worth a great deal, it is important for the powers that be, that I show commitment to my new life in Perth. That isn't the only reason, of course. If I leave my pension pot in Britain, I believe I will be liable for tax. Drawing the money will also be more difficult, especially when one considers the exchange rates and costs involved in converting UK pounds to Dollars. Later on in life it will become a real headache and I feel it would be best to move it as soon as possible.

I do keep a close eye on my UK pension funds, and I am shocked at how badly they are doing. I have been comparing these pensions with equivalent superannuation funds in Australia, and there really isn't any comparison. Any money I have in the UK, would be much better off here than back in Britain.

This week, I also found out more about the UK state pension, which I am still able to get when I reach UK retirement age. It appears that the money I get each week will be based on how much I am entitled to today. In seventeen plus years time, when I officially retire, it will be worth absolutely nothing. With the way things are, my state pension will be worthless, and I should discount this income long term.

I am still at a loss to understand why my contributions are frozen at today's prices. If I stopped working in the UK now, but still lived there, the amount I receive would still go up in the same way everyone else's does. I am being penalised for moving abroad, but more importantly, to Australia.

Australia has no social security agreement with the UK, which does create problems for expats like me. My state pension will remain frozen at the levels they are today for this reason alone; if I had moved somewhere else, where a reciprocal agreement was in place, then this wouldn't be the case. Once again, I am being punished because I am living in Perth, and that isn't right. Not every expat is wealthy; I live on relatively modest income and will have even less when I retire. It is up to me to save hard over the next decade and a half, in order to have enough money when I am older. However, looking at our situation long term, I am not sure if it will be possible to live here in my dotage. It may well be better to sell our home and move back to Europe. A lot can happen between now and then, so the only plans we can make for now, are for the immediate future, a long term strategy is just not possible!

Pippa continues to settle in to her new home with us and appears to be growing stronger by the day. Her life was clearly very traumatic, and it will take some time before she has adjusted to her new circumstances.

Over the last week, she has been suffering with an unfortunate eye infection. Last Sunday, we took her to the vets, after noticing she had a swollen eye. After she was examined, the vet informed us that she had herpes. Apparently the condition was brought to the fore because of the stress she has been under. For Pippa, moving from her foster home was a big deal, and she has been under an enormous amount of stress ever since.

We have stopped visitors from coming into the house at the moment, in order for her to feel comfortable in her own home, and we are sure it won't be too long before she is able to enjoy a full and happy life.

Looking after a damaged animal isn't easy, but we knew that when we took her on in the first place. We wanted to give her a good home, when no one else would, affording her the life she deserves. We are certainly under no illusions about how difficult this process will be, but the reward is to see her happy and content; for that reason, we are happy to keep on trying to bring the best out in her. Like all our other cats before her, she is more special than she will ever know; she is the light in our life and a reason to care!

...and finally, today we had Sunday lunch at The Stirling Arms in Guildford, celebrating my Mother-in-Law's Birthday. It was a special day for all of us, being here in Australia with Mum at this time. She has spent far too many Birthdays alone, but thankfully now we are back, that will not be happening again.

Like us, I hope you've all had a wonderful weekend!

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The Curious Clapped Out Car Con!

18/3/2023

From a new life in spain, to an old life in britain, 'roaming brit' documents uncertain times!

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