and of real estate agents. The deed had been done, first thing sorted. We were quite lucky - sold it pretty quickly. We then had to organise how we were going to move our belongings, what to take, what to leave, how to dispose of what we didn't want. SorThe letter arrived in April 1985. This was the one that my wife and I had been waiting for. This was the letter that was going to change our lives. Our final OK had been received for us and our two kids to migrate to Australia. A big step you might say. After 20 years, it fades into the mist of memory but, at the time, after the initial happiness and excitement we had to get down to the question of removal - relocation to another part of the world. Almost as far away from where we were in the UK that was possible - with the exception of New Zealand.

Where do we start: first of all we had to decide what was the first thing to do, a fairly obvious decision really, put the house on the market. But then, what price do we ask, what work to we need to do to it to sell it quickly. You might say; what's the panic. Why do you need to stress out so early in the piece? Did I forget to tell you, we had to be in Australia by the end of August!

So we decided to sell the thing ourselves and not put it in the hand of real estate agents. The deed had been done, first thing sorted. We were quite lucky - sold it pretty quickly. We then had to organise how we were going to move our belongings, what to take, what to leave, how to dispose of what we didn't want. Sort

After 20 years, it fades into the mist of memory but, at the time, after the initial happiness and excitement we had to get down to the question of removal - relocation to another part of the world. Almost as far away from where we were in the UK that was possible - with the exception of New Zealand.

Where do we start: first of all we had to decide what was the first thing to do, a fairly obvious decision really, put the house on the market. But then, what price do we ask, what work to we need to do to it to sell it quickly. You might say; what's the panic. Why do you need to stress out so early in the piece? Did I forget to tell you, we had to be in Australia by the end of August!

So we decided to sell the thing ourselves and not put it in the hand of real estate agents. The deed had been done, first thing sorted. We were quite lucky - sold it pretty quickly. We then had to organise how we were going to move our belongings, what to take, what to leave, how to dispose of what we didn't want. Sor

possible - with the exception of New Zealand.

Where do we start: first of all we had to decide what was the first thing to do, a fairly obvious decision really, put the house on the market. But then, what price do we ask, what work to we need to do to it to sell it quickly. You might say; what's the panic. Why do you need to stress out so early in the piece? Did I forget to tell you, we had to be in Australia by the end of August!

So we decided to sell the thing ourselves and not put it in the hand of real estate agents. The deed had been done, first thing sorted. We were quite lucky - sold it pretty quickly. We then had to organise how we were going to move our belongings, what to take, what to leave, how to dispose of what we didn't want. Sor

it to sell it quickly. You might say; what's the panic. Why do you need to stress out so early in the piece? Did I forget to tell you, we had to be in Australia by the end of August!

So we decided to sell the thing ourselves and not put it in the hand of real estate agents. The deed had been done, first thing sorted. We were quite lucky - sold it pretty quickly. We then had to organise how we were going to move our belongings, what to take, what to leave, how to dispose of what we didn't want. Sor

and of real estate agents. The deed had been done, first thing sorted. We were quite lucky - sold it pretty quickly. We then had to organise how we were going to move our belongings, what to take, what to leave, how to dispose of what we didn't want. Sorting the kids' things out. Making sure we got rid of all the old toys. Imagine telling them, particularly the eight-year-old, that they couldn't take all their toys - you'd think that the end of the world had come when we broke the news.

We then had to decide on an agent to physically transport the goods from the UK to Australia. We did the usual business practice thing, chose three or four from the Yellow Pages, had them come in and give us quotes and made our choice of operator. That was quite easy really! At this time, we fitted in buying our air tickets for the big trip.

Things you have to face and don't realise is how do you get rid of your car. Do you take it or not? Well that's not really a decision. It's not really practical to take a five-year-old car made in Europe to a climate like Australia, so we decided to sell it. But when? We needed it right up to the day we left to "run around in". So we had to ask friends to sell it for us when we left.

The big, emotional moving day arrived.