The Move from the UK to Cairns, Australia

The move from the UK to Cairns, Australia has been relatively easy. When you fly for 20 odd hours you kind of expect to arrive somewhere very different culturally. But it feels very similar to the UK so it was less of an adjustment.

The kids have travelled a lot so they were used to asking if they could drink the water, use the toilets in a normal way but there were very few differences.

Aside from the heat, the humidity and the sound of the birds there were not too many changes to worry about.

The first thing my son observed was that the heat was different. You expect to be warm in the UK if the sun is out, but here in Queensland the air is warm all the time. There is no escaping from it whether the sun is out or not!

We have noticed one very key difference to Australian people. When they talk about these killer animals, whether it be crocodiles or sharks, or stinging jellyfish they always use the word “should”. When we ask if the nets keep us safe from the crocs for example we hear a “Oh you should be ok!” As true Brits we would much prefer to hear a bit more certainty when they talk about these dangerous animals!

The main adjustment for us is living in a city. Cairns has a population of 161,391 in comparison to the Welsh hamlet we used to live in of 289 people and a lot of sheep. We are not used to all of these people and buildings and shops everywhere. I had to adjust to driving an automatic car instead of a manual and get used to city driving again. To start with the noise of the city and the stress of driving was exhausting but it didn’t take too long to cope with it.

Thankfully we have been getting out of the city a lot, to the rainforest, waterfalls, beaches, creeks and other natural places that are quieter. These are when it becomes a truly magical experience. Seeing cassowaries, kangaroos, rock wallabies and a number of other beautiful creatures roam around their natural habitat has been special. This is when I appreciate my little brother who makes the best tour guide, taking us to all the spots that locals use.

When you travel with kids and a business there is always a delicate balance of time, emotions and work to be had. It’s never just the dream that people show on social media. I travelled with my parents this time so I could have some babysitting and I am currently managing to work 2 days per week with a few hours here and there just to keep things ticking over. 

Prior to this trip I set on a new team member, helping support my social media and to have 2 women working on this area now has made a massive difference to my stress levels. I have had previous 3 month trips where the stress to make money has ruined my enjoyment of the trip. So far the balance seems to be working well here.