Oh do come on Australian High Commission...I'm getting really impatient to hear from you! Sure, it's only been two days, but still. I'm dying of suspense here! And I want you to let me know before I go to New York next Tuesday!
Also, Zoe has a cool new job that will most likely involve jetting off to such destinations as Tokyo, London, Cannes, Texas, New York and LA. She'll probably have more opportunities to visit the UK than I will!
So as you can see, I got something back in the post for the Met Police this week, and it's nice to know that I don't have any criminal convictions. Just as well that they couldn't prove that I was responsible for the disappearance of Lord Lucan and Shergar.
Ignore the fact that the scan to the left says "Fraud". The 100% genuine copy is already with the Australian High Commission. Honestly.
Speaking of the High Commission, 'Sandra' isn't particularly great with the communication. I thought for all the evidence and form-filling, not to mention the £700 application charge, I'd get an acknowledgement when they receieved the stuff I'm been sending through, or at least a response to my emails enquiring as to how everything is progressing. But there has been no mention of interviews or anything like that, so I guess my case is pretty straightforward.
Yesterday morning I had my medical. It took no time at all, and I'm come away with the conclusion that being a private doctor who specialises in that is a license to print money. £170 for pretty much half an hour, of which barely 10 minutes was with the doctor, and half of which which filling in forms.
First was the blood & water tests with the nurse, an Aussie by the name of Simone who was from Melbourne but also possessed an accent like no other I'd ever heard in Australia. It was really drawly, and seemed to be some weird Aussie-Southern-State American hick combo. Apparently I was dehyrated, so I had to go away, drink copious amount of water and then come back an hour or two later and try again. I passed second time. To think after all the paperwork, deliberation and money spent, my urine could have proved my undoing...
However, I did some away a few centimetres taller than I thought I was (182cm) and a kilo or two lighter (80kg). All this time those IKEA scales in my bathroom have been telling me little white lies...
So pending the test results coming back ok, the only thing outstanding is the Police record check. Most exciting.
Each trip to Norwich gets tougher and tougher now. There’s an air of inevitability about everything…which for me is very exciting on the one hand, but it’s tough when I go to visit my Nan (who is 83), and know that there is the possibility that she might not be around the first time I come home once I move out to Australia. And of course I don’t even know exactly when that would be. As each visit passes and each time I get back on the train to London, I wonder when the next time I make that trip, see those places and the people in them will be.
Also, it’ll sound really corny but I seem to notice couples more when I’m out and about, and noticeably more so in the past month or two. I’m excited about having that again…just wandering around the shops, going on day trips, long weekends, or even just lounging around at home if we fancy a lazy day. I’m craving new experiences and new opportunities with new people in a new place, but also new adventures with one particular person who is responsible for pretty much all of my happiest memories so far.
My birth certificate went off to the Australian High Commission this week, the police check should come through in the next couple of weeks, and I’m having my medical next Saturday (in Harley Street don’t you know… check me out). From there, I’d be pretty surprised if the visa isn’t sorted by the end of April. And then there’s May to start making real plans, or to continue laying the foundations for them depending on when my actual departure date will be.
I’m imagining leaving the country at the very end of June, maybe the very beginning of July. I guess it depends mostly on my notice period at work and whether I’m allowed to cut it down using my outstanding holiday entitlement. It’s actually going to be quite tough leaving there as I’m a loyal person, but this is about much more than work…
"I aim to finalise the processing of your visa application as quickly as possible"
Well, that's good news isn't it!?
This morning I got an email from someone called Sanda (who I inevitably replied to and re-christened Sandra) saying that my application has been received and that all they needed from me was my full birth certificate, police criminal record check, and medical results.
Today I booked the latter, which should consist of a full medical, radiological examination and HIV test. It also costs £120! This emigration is an expensive business...
Yesterday the application was posted, today it arrived at the Australian High Commission. I'm guessing I'll hear from them next week!
It's because I've been doing stuff! Everything is now pretty much sorted apart from the official certified copy of my birth certificate and Passport, which will both be sorted out tomorrow. And then it'll all go in the post on Tuesday once I've taken an electronic copy of the whole thing. It must be a good couple of hundred pages long with all the documenation and supporting evidence - it's just as well we're both really anal about keeping all our bills, bank/credit card statements, phone bills etc etc.
To say I'm getting excited now is an understatement. Later this week my credit card will be the best part of £600 poorer (the cost of the application fee) but I'm hoping it'll be the best money I've ever spent.
Talked to Nic in Melbourne the other week, and it's great to hear that her move over there has worked out so well, and that gives me a lot of hope for not feeling too homesick. It'll be great to have a friend who works in the same industry as me, is in a very similar situation, and I know outside of Zoe's family and friends.
Oh, and I also told my my housemates today.
Originally I was thinking I'd be out in Australia by the beginning of June at the latest. But that was about a month ago when I was expecting to have the paperwork in by the end of February. And now it's not looking like it'll be the 3rd week in March at the earliest. Given that they quote anything between 3-12 weeks for a visa to be processed, I guess I just have to wait until the application goes in and hopefully they can give me some kind of indication as to how long mine specifically will take. And I'm not really going to book flights etc unti I have some idea as to what that date will be. Just like I won't seriously approach companies, recruitment agencies or whatever until I know when I will be available. Obviously I'm doing research right now and have made a few preliminary enquiries...but I can't do much more on that until I have a few more hard and fast plans.
If the Visa takes more like the upper range of the time period they quote then we'll be talking early July, which could mean I go to Glastonbury as a "last thing I do in the UK". And as for my bonus - it gets paid on the 26th May. I've said before that it's not that much of a priority because of the Aunt Kay inheritance money, but if staying an extra two or three weeks gave me an extra money to pay for this whole expensive business, I'd be crazy not to - it's over AU$4000!
I'm just thinking out loud...I want to be in Australia v soon (I actually want to be there now. Or last month or something) but I don't want to rush out without having planned things properly. I want everything about this move to be a big success and as such I'm not going to do things by halves. If my visa does get granted within three weeks, then great and I will definitely be out way before Glastonbury, but I have to make plans to see everyone and tie up all of my loose ends here - I can't just run off overnight. I don't even know how much flights are a short notice...
Sunday is normally trans-continental phonecall day, and usually takes place either side of Greys Anatomy on Australian TV. Zoe starts her new job on Wednesday, and now that she actually has a proper job, she feels a lot happier about filling in the form. Not that a temp job would have disqualified us or anything...but it just looks better this way.
I also spoke to Nic this morning, who is an old friend from work in London and who emigrated to Melbourne last Novemember to be with her Aussie boyfriend. She always talked with an bit of an Aussie twang, but she's already getting (or should that be 'gedding') lazier with her pronounciation, especially the t's. But yeah, it makes me even more excited and less scared to know that there is a friend out there who works in the same industry and is in the same situation as me. We shall be drinking buddies again no doubt.
