Starting Tomorrow – Moving to Australia
"How did I get here?" - David Byrne 1980
How do you emigrate to Australia? What is it really like to go through the whole process?
Some of you visiting this blog will know what you need to do and some of you may have no clue at all. But I imagine if you read these posts then moving to Australia is something you might be considering.
Getting here is a complicated process with many different options and various types of entry visa. I can’t explain everything, there are specialists to do that. But what I can do, is run through the process as it happened for us. What to expect, the order it is likely to happen in and what to plan for.
If you are considering a permanent move to Australia be sure to read my new category starting tomorrow, Moving to Australia.
A Kangaroos Tale
There’s always someone with a better story to tell, isn’t there? As I work my way up to the baddest beast to enter my home, I hear news of a much more (ahem) serious intrusion. You may have read about this a few days ago, as I understand the story did hit the UK, but I have only just seen this. And I’m livid!
For those who haven’t heard, in the early hours of Sunday morning, a kangaroo leapt 3m to go crashing in through the bedroom window of one Mr Ettlin.
Mr Ettlin and his family, who live in Garran, Canberra, were rudely disturbed from their slumber at 2 am by the panicking 90 lb Eastern Grey. At first, they adopted the “hide under the blankets” approach.
Now I’m confused. As a regular visitor to zoos with my daughter, I just don’t get why they didn’t feed the thing some grass. They are just cute little veggie munching hoppities. Look……
Cuddly Friendly Kangaroos
We often go and see them at a place called the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, (20 mins from here) and they’re so friendly. There are hundreds of them lazing around in a big field. Small children feed them by hand and pat them on the head. No problems at all.
But, the story goes, this wild kangaroo had wandered into the back garden of the house, felt threatened by the barking dogs and panicked trying to escape. For this kangaroo, the only way out seemed to be to crash through the Ettlin’s bedroom window.
Biff# Bang! Wallop *&%$#
Hurt, bleeding, and still panicking in a big way, the 5 foot 7″ roo started tearing chunks out of the furniture with his claws before he made his way to their 10-year-old son’s bedroom. Realising that the hiding game wasn’t working, Mr Ettlin sprang into action in his underpants and put this kangaroo in a head lock before marching him down the hallway and showing him the front door.
The kangaroo ran off as fast as he had arrived and wasn’t seen again. The newly acclaimed Crocodile Dundee, I suspect, said something short, but very witty, before returning to his gooey eyed wife and ever grateful children.
Wow! Really. What a story.
I have never been to Canberra but any time I speak to someone who has, they always mention the kangaroos. Apparently the place is teeming with them. So, why the big surprise? He thought it was a burglar? Burglars in Canberra? Surely not, it’s where all the politicians live. Other than them, it’s all kangaroos! It was always more likely to be a kangaroo than a burglar. And of course the kangaroo was “wild” – wouldn’t you be? Two young children in the house and not one of them had been bought a small bag of kangaroo food to offer around. The story is full of holes.
It’s obvious Mr Ettlin saw me announce my intruders series last week and wanted to out-do me. Nice try Mr Ettlin, but we can all see through it. Especially those of us who have watched Skippy.
