Finally!

[ariddell]

Finally got my p&j back after a little over 2 months without it....

Telling ya, going cold turkey on a car for that long is one of the worst pains imaginable. :)


Still, that's it complianced for use in Australia, roadworthy checked, registered with a suitably appropriate plate and tucked up in the garage. Now all i need to do is get somewhere to wash it (which isn't all that easy with the Melbourne water restrictions!)...

I am officially happy as a pig in the brown stuff. /Devil5


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[Brunty]

Happy times!

I take it everything else is going well?

[Spirit]

Great news.......like the plate too !

[BraindG]

you'll have to get a rain catcher if the water restrictions are like that.. not that I know anything about Melbourne's weather climate.

Good news on getting the car back, and like pete said, that plate is ace :D

[ariddell]

Happy times!

I take it everything else is going well?

Loving it mate, was definately the right way to go. You don't realise how much of a constant rat race the UK is until you step back from it.

Had a new addition to the family the other week too... :)


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This is Bailey, our 6 yr old Staffy/Mastiff cross we rescued having been abandoned to the RSPCA. She has one of the largest mouths I've ever seen and is perpetually intent on putting possums in it whenever out for walkies at night. We could never have had a dog when living in London so just really enjoying the lifestyle change now we're out here..

[Nick VR4]

Ohhh nice car and congrats on the new family member :D

[Kieran]

Really glad to hear it's all going well..... Have to say, it looks like you're certainly living the good life!

Can you expand a bit on your 'Rat Race' comment? How does working life in Australia compare then? You doing something similar to your UK job?

[ariddell]

Can you expand a bit on your 'Rat Race' comment? How does working life in Australia compare then? You doing something similar to your UK job?

Yeah, pretty much - we have left the UK side of our business running as we have a good management structure in place so it doesn't really need all that much input from me nowadays on a day to day basis and I'm focusing on building up the Australian operation in the same direction.

The difference in the business environment over here is stunning, in the UK we are generally tendering for any work against up to 20 other organisations, all trying to undercut one another and clawing for every scrap of the market they can. Over here, perhaps because it is far less saturated a marketspace, we are coming up against 2-3 other companies in the same segment at most and the decision on who gets the business is based way more on the relationship you build with the customer rather than who is the cheapest/prepared to cut the most throats.

In the UK projects we run will generally be expecting people to work stupid hours to get things implemented quickly and it has all got to be now now now. Over here they appreciate that people have to have a work/life balance and things can be run and managed properly.

Basically my pace of life and levels of stress have just been cut in half which has been amazing as we're effectively back at the same place here as we were when we established the company in the UK 10 years ago and going through hell on earth building a business.

I would recommend it to anyone basically, you don't really realise the full extent of the UKs crapness till you get away from it.

Now all i need to work on is getting all my friends and family to move over too. :)

[Brunty]

Over here they appreciate that people have to have a work/life balance and things can be run and managed properly.

More life>work imbalance if the delays at Wembley are typical of Australian work ;)


Basically my pace of life and levels of stress have just been cut in half which has been amazing as we're effectively back at the same place here as we were when we established the company in the UK 10 years ago and going through hell on earth building a business.

{Genuine} Good for you.

[WildCards]

Yeah nice one Al, it's good to hear your happy.

My cousin is visiting from Brighton this week as a 'goodbye' before she moves to Australia with her boyfriend in June, she spent a 6 months in OZ and NZ travelling a few years ago and says pretty much the same as you about the place.

[stuey]

pleased it's going good for you Alastair. I intend on eventually being in Oz (probably Gold Coast:happy:), been there twice and have to agree the work ethic is just about right, and the general standard of living is superb, let's not even go into the weather...


Top number plate too, I doubt you'll bump in to many Chimaeras there either ! Hope you found a decent garage that knows RV8's ok..






Have to disagree about the Wembley stadium project. I live in the area and have heard delays were caused by shoddy local workers & contractors/local planning beauracracy/rubbish suppliers, not Multiplex the Australian building company directly.

[Brunty]

Have to disagree about the Wembley stadium project. I live in the area and have heard delays were caused by shoddy local workers & contractors/local planning beauracracy/rubbish suppliers, not Multiplex the Australian building company directly.

I was just teasing!

I neither trust the FAs judgement or managerial skills(?), and know full well how corrupt and self serving local government can be (and the FA for that matter). However the local workers and contractors (who were betting against themselves meeting deadlines in the local bookies) and suppliers would all have been approved and appointed by Multiplex - so they've got to shoulder some of the blame.