Opening the gates - at last!

We both love Australia and NZ so will definitely be coming back. We usually only have one holiday abroad each year but stay for a month. It's been ten years since we were last in NZ and five years since OZ, but we did live in Sydney for three years. I find after moving around all my life I am less inclined to have holidays abroad now, and really can't be bothered with a week here and there. We're considering 'training' around Europe too as I love trains and they're so much nicer in Europe than in the UK.

We travelled regularly to Aus and NZ for family. The family is in NZ but it was always nice to have a few days in Australia on the way to and from. We probably won’t travel to NZ for a while until things change. I would go to Aus for the Tim Tams though.

Certainly won't be making a long trip by plane but then I don't have family living in Australia or N.Z can understand people taking a long trip if they do. Hate airports, selfishness comes to the fore in bucket loads there. Fed up having to make sacrifices for others on the plane too eg paying extra for specific seat only to have to give it up as someone (in 50s)is going to have a panic attack being separated from friends and again paid extra and someone else's seat was broken so had to be moved and can only sit in the kind of seat I was in, just happened to be near her friends, again. Person couldn't sit in any other seat, just mine. Offered extra drink as compensation no thanks.
Cabin crew word is law, no comeback. Never again. And that's before thinking of all the pollution.

WA not open yet so not booking to see my brother!
I must admit I seem to have lost my thirst for flying long haul at the moment! I really want to visit my oldest friend in NZ as well ! She lost her husband last year to cancer and I really wanted to be there for her! I suspect I shall wait another year and do both countries together ?‍♀️

We have family in Australia and are discussing the possibility of a trip in 2024. (It will be to celebrate a big birthday for DH and me, so worth pushing the boat out).

Go for it JillyJosie2!
In March 2016 I was fortunate enough to to visit Australia with my hubby. We spent 10 days in Sydney before flying on to Cairns where we picked up a motorhome we hired for two weeks to traveled the Bruce Hwy coast road to Brisbane. It was the most incredible experience of my life! Waking up each morning in a different beautiful location was truly amazing! We flew over the Great Barrier Reef, sailed across it, scuba dived it… you name it we did it!
The Whitsundays’ were unbelievably beautiful, the Daintree Rainforest absolutely breathtaking and the people were all so friendly, kind and helpful…. And no language barrier! I’m so glad I did it and hope to return there in the not too distant future before I get too old! Just wish I’d done it sooner ?

I haven’t seen my son, his partner and 2 grandchildren since January 2019. Was booked to go April 2020 but Covid put a stop to that.

I’ve just booked my flights to go for Easter and cannot wait to be able hug them all again. It will be worth the long flight to be able to do that again. Very excited

My passport ran out almost a year ago and I wonder whether it’ll ever be renewed. I enjoy travelling and have been fortunate in being able to have seen a few countries. There are a couple of places I should like to have seen, but my bucket list now is exclusively places in the UK. Hoping to start visiting some of them in the coming years, health allowing.

I can't see any good reason for me to visit Australia. There are plenty of unvisited places nearer home!

I am visiting my dear son and his gorgeous wife hopefully in a couple of months and I really want to do the direct flight, Heathrow to Perth. Fares are horrendous at the moment tho!!! I was there in 2020 and had to leave early when all the airlines started cancelling flights due to the onset of the Pandemic!

I have a DS and DD in Perth, and a DS in Sydney, and have visited many times over 23 years. Since my DH died, 6 years ago, I've been over twice on my own. I arrived back from the last trip just as this Covid palaver started, and couldn't get back, as planned, for the birth of my latest GC. in May 2020.
I've booked to go over in April, for my usual 3 months, and hope that there aren't any hiccups.
I agree that the flight is very tedious, and I can never sleep on the plane. When I see all the smiling faces waiting for me at the other end, though, it's worth every boring minute.
As for the criticisms that some people have mentioned about the airport staff......well, I have never met anything but courtesy, though I have been patted down a few times! ?
This may well be my last trip to Oz. At 82 I'm not sure if I will be up to it again, in a couple of year's time. However it's difficult for the family to get enough time off work to make a visit over here worthwhile. In fact I've told them not to come rushing over if I 'pop my clogs!' Let the 2 who live near me deal with it. The arrangements are all in place. They did come when their Dad died, but they had no children then.
So, fingers crossed, I'm off on my travels very soon, and looking forward to lots of hugs at the other end!

I am not well travelled. I didn't have a Passport until I was 63. Now at 81 I don't intend to travel far. I hate the wasted time spent hanging around in airports. Maybe I will go on Coach tours instead.

I have family in Aus but have never visited. Too far, too much travelling and too expensive.

I have a friend in Australia and have always wanted to see NZ but I can't face the long journey, and family responsibilities mean I couldn't be away for more than 2 weeks. I'll just be happy if I can get to see DS and family in Canada this year, it's been 3 long years since we last hugged.

Not too sure how safe Australia will be now - it's been so sterile that it seems to me to be easy pickings for any version of corona - I think it will be very interesting to see as the level of natural immunity which is much better than any vaccine protection is extremely low (if any) - no such thing as herd immunity.

Callistemon21 you can get Tim Tams here in the UK just Google them! Do you bite the two corners opposite ends and use it to suck up your tea or coffee but pop in your mouth quickly before it dissolves yum!

when you are retired you do have the freedom to go as and when you please and many of us visited children abroad because it was helpful for them not to have m use all their holidays coming to us. However they also need to play their part. We have done what we can and it seems to me that it is now their turn to consider us as we get older and it takes more out of us to do long haul flying. I do think it is sometimes thoughtlessness where they just assume we can continue doing all the travelling as they dont really acknowledge that we are getting older and maybe we might need a little thought and effort as we have done for them in their lives. I think gentle reminders in emails and letters where we mention that we no longer drive up to inverness or down to cornwall or whatever and that friends are going by train now as they dont want to do long drives etc. Everyone has to weigh up their decisions, as we have all had to do over these past two years with the covid situation. We can only do our best , and we have to live with the consequences. so the most important thing to me is not to put myself under a lot of extra pressure as I know that keeping as well as possible and getting enough sleep etc help me to deal with both the cancer and the diabetes. Pushing yourselves past what is wise in your situation, will not help your family and if you become ill whilst abroad that adds to the problems. It is a difficult decision to make whatever you end up doing but I do think that it is sensible and not selfish to work out what you feel you can comfortably deal with. There is no right or wrong answer but it has to be what you feel you can cope with and not what your children or anyone else pushes you into. You know your own limits and no one knows you like you! Good luck to you all

Not been anywhere other than supermarket and today went to Costco! I cannot get enthused about going anywhere , although I did a rash thing other day and booked 3 nights at Alnwick castle lodge in April! Look at me adventurous!? I can't see the point anymore, blowing money wandering around like I do at home-only the view's different..........and blowing copious amounts of dosh for the privilege!

Madeleine I understand where you're coming from. My family certainly don't put any pressure on me to visit. They have been back to the U.K. a few times, but it's a long way to come for just a few weeks, and expensive too. It's my choice to pay for one fare, and visit 2 DS, 1 DD, 2 DIL, 1 SIL, 2 GC plus various in-laws and friends I've made over there. Great value for less than £1,000. I spend little while I'm there, and save on my bills at home, so it's money well spent.
I know that when I can't get over there any more they will make the effort to come here. At the moment, with small children, it's not very practical. I'm very fit, for my age, and love to visit them all en masse, with no pressure from them to do so.

I've never travelled that far but hoped to as money, health and children allowed. Dreamt of Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Will we do it now? I seriously doubt it

sweetcakes

Callistemon21 you can get Tim Tams here in the UK just Google them! Do you bite the two corners opposite ends and use it to suck up your tea or coffee but pop in your mouth quickly before it dissolves yum!

Oh, thank you!

I've never tried that ?