Thursday, October 05, 2006

One Year On...

We find it hard to believe it, but today we celebrated the anniversary of our arrival to Australia. We actually left on the 3rd October 2006 but arrived on the 5th.

We landed in Sydney at 7:30pm with:



  • 8 suitcases
  • 5 visas
  • 3 kids
  • zero house
  • zero car
  • zero mobile phone, credit cards, accommodation, etc !

Update - found a photo of us arriving at Sydney airport:
















We also arrived with a tremendous amount of excitement, expectation and a desire to put down roots in this new hemisphere.

12 months on and:

  • 3 kids with Aussie accents
  • 2 rental houses
  • 1 car
  • 1 house being built
  • new schools
  • some new friendships
  • plenty of grey hair on Byron
  • suntans
  • 1 speedboat

If you've followed our adventure over the past year, you know that it hasn't been a complete bed of roses (generally, only the good stuff makes it to this blog...). Just letting you know that we're happy, feeling very settled and totally accepted into the local community - we don't regret making our decision to emigrate, but of course miss our family and friends more than anything in the world.

So, how did we celebrate the anniversary of our arrival?

First up, as it's the school holidays we took the little ones to The Wizard of Oz play at a young people's theatre in Newcastle that they thoroughly enjoyed. We then spent a few hours at a great local beach where Sian collected shells, and Gareth and Rhiannon made a home for 'Hermie' the hermit crab...

The night was rounded off by a great meal in a local restaurant while the children were looked after by babysitters.

Tomorrow we plan on catching a train to Sydney. There is a wall called the Welcome Wall in Darling Harbour where anyone who has emigrated from another country can pay for their name to be carved into the wall for future generations to remember. We think this is a fitting way to mark our arrival.

Thanks to everyone who has read our blog so far and for all comments that have been left! Here's to another 12 months of blogging.

Byron and Gina xxx

 

10 comments - click here to leave your comment:

  1. Anonymous On 4:40 am Wrote

    Congrats. to you all. You've achieved a lot in the last year.

     
  2. Anonymous On 5:04 am Wrote

    congratulations! consider it a good sign that you remember the exact date of your arrival. can't say i've remembered mine. i think our 5 year anniversary of moving to england is coming up soon...

     
  3. Anonymous On 7:36 am Wrote

    cheers, we can't believe its been a year, we miss you all dearly, plus fab barbys great wine but mostly your incredible hospitality, you deserve the very best, please keep up the blog and gina fab pics with new expensive camera luv julxxxx

     
  4. Anonymous On 7:46 am Wrote

    Well Done Mr & Mrs B! Have been and witnessed your new life and as friends are happy that you did the right thing!!! Looking forward to seeing the new house progress and the continued whereabouts and wherefores of the baynham family!!! Lots of Love Jo & stef and family xxxx

     
  5. Anonymous On 2:18 am Wrote

    Congratulations on a year which I cannot believe. We have all got more grey hair but at least you have more sun which should be doing a good job of bleaching it. Do your kids lift their intonation at the end of every sentence like they do on neighbours? Does everything sound like a question? Oh good, because we've got Northampton accents in our kids to deal with?
    love Lesley n Alan

     
  6. Anonymous On 3:52 am Wrote

    Happy anniversay! If I ever see Byron with dark hair I'll know he's been at the Grecian 2000!

     
  7. Anonymous On 8:10 am Wrote

    Wales & Ireland's loss is our gain.

    Congratulations on all you have achieved.
    We love you and look forward to a busy & happy future.

     
  8. Anonymous On 8:19 am Wrote

    A year ago this week an eagle & a turkey arrived in Australia with their little Joeys in tow. A year on & I've still gotta ask the welshman "whatdidyasay" & I look & wonder at where the Irish girl breathes from, but at least the kids have got the Aussie accent right.
    Would'nt have missed the last 12 months for quids, loved every minute of it.

     
  9. Anonymous On 8:33 pm Wrote

    Congratulations. It's so good to see that you've got on so well in the past year. Please keep the blog up-to-date and we'd like to see photos of that house as it starts to take shape. Enjoy many more successfuly years.

     
  10. Anonymous On 8:23 pm Wrote

    Hello Baynhams
    I just can't believe its a year. Its been wonderful to read the blog, and follow your adventure You have done wonderfully well, and my, how the kids have grown
    What a lovely thing to have your names put on the wall too.
    God bless you all, your success very derserving
    Love Bella x x x

     

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