MY daughter Vicki headed off to Australia on New Year’s Day this year with her husband and their three sons.
Family members from both sides went to Cork Airport to see them off and there were some emotional scenes which the children couldn’t understand.
As far as they were concerned, they were just going on a holiday, so what were all the tears about?
It was cold and wet when we arrived at the airport, and we got a drenching as we hauled five trolley loads of bags and baggage to the departure lounge.
If they had any lingering doubts about making the move, the weather certainly helped to reassure them that they were on the right track.
The kids had no concept of the distance involved, how far they were about to go, or the length of time they would be away. Cooper, the nine-year-old, told my son Colin that they could still meet up in Liverpool to go to the football matches.
They were full of excitement and couldn’t wait to get on the plane. Their first leg of their journey was from Cork to London, and I could imagine them landing in Heathrow and wondering where all the kangaroos had gone.
Vicki and Ian had spent a few years there before they had children and only came home when Vicki became pregnant for the first time. The third boy is now two years old, and they decided the time was right to give it another go.
They’ve gone to Brisbane, which is where they were previously, so they’re familiar with that part of the world. They also know what they are facing into, and they want the kids to experience the climate and the quality-of-life Australia offers.
Their plan is to stay there for a few years and see how it goes, and the best of luck to them.
It wasn’t an easy decision and I admire them for having the courage to take the plunge.
There will be challenges. For one, Vicki is terrified of spiders and that’s one thing they’re not short of down under.
Australia has its fair share, like the Sydney funnel-web spider, which has highly toxic venom and large fangs that can even pierce through nails and toenails. According to Australia Geographic, it has a reputation for being the deadliest spider in Australia, and maybe even the world.
Found in New South Wales, they can wander in backyards and sometimes fall into swimming pools. They can be quite aggressive when threatened and their venom can attack the human nervous system and alter the functioning of all organs and, when coming from a male, can kill.
Sounds cute.
A more common variety of spider found widely in Australia is the huntsman. They are the big scary, hairy, black spiders that bolt out from behind the curtains.
In reality, they are reluctant to bite and more likely to run away when approached, and their venom isn’t considered dangerous for humans.
Despite their intimidating size, huntsman spiders can be an ally in the house as they help with pest-control by eating smaller insects. They may be harmless, but they are enormous. I’ve seen one up close and it frightened the life out of me.
It was galloping down the hallway in the place we were staying, and I heard it before I saw it. I say galloping because you could have put a saddle on this thing and its legs went on forever.
Despte harbouring all these creatures, the Australian authorities didn’t make it easy for my aughter and her husband to enter the country. It was a lengthy application process with oodles of paperwork and interviews, and once the visas were sorted there was still lots to be done.
They had to find somewhere to live, secure employment, arrange schools for the children, and sort out transport, but they did it.
Some of their old contacts stepped up to the mark to help them out, and I was surprised at how well organised they were before they even set foot on Aussie soil.
Before they arrived, their new neighbours had invited them onto the neighbourhood WhatsApp group and helped them to settle in when they arrived.
So, it’s been all good so far.
They’re not the only ones to take this step. According to The Times UK more than 21,000 permits were issued last year as young Irish people fled the cost-of-living crisis here.
The Australian Department of Home Affairs said 21,525 working holiday visas were granted to Irish citizens between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023 - which is more than double the year previous when 10,491 were allocated.
At the peak of the recession, there were 12,847 visas allocated in 2008 and 8,416 in 2007. Travel experts are now anticipating a further increase this year, with higher salaries and a better standard of living enticing many young people down under.
It shouldn’t be any great surprise really and some experts say they expect the number of Irish people heading to Australia this year to increase by 30% due to the opportunities in the jobs market there.
The climate, better salaries, a more attractive cost of living, and a better housing situation add to the lure.
While I’m delighted for them in their new adventure, it’s not all good news. It means I will have to make that trip again if I want to see them.
The ink is hardly dry on their visas and my wife is already making plans. I’ve been there twice already, and I swore I would never fly that far again.
It’s not easy. Whatever way you cut it you’re looking at a long haul. About 30 hours’ travel time, and when you arrive at your destination, you’ve got to deal with the jetlag. Not to mention the spiders.
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