Let's catch up! House update, job update & what we are missing from Australia 🇦🇺

[@krisjames4276]

Hi Kimberley, brilliant to see your catch up video.Looking lovely . I think your feelings her perfectly normal as you settle back down. I remember being shocked by crowds and the litter on our return to the uk! Just because you came back doesn't mean Australia didn't have positive points just the same that UK has some negative. Once you have your home you can really settle and I think any doubts will go. We adore the beautiful countryside here. The crisp cold days are glorious. That's not to say I wouldn't want more sun but we can't have everything lol!!! There are great places to visit in the UK and Europe is on your doorstep. Your family are young and no door is closed to you. If in the future your feelings change then follow new dreams. We live once so have fun and enjoy! ❤lots love xxx❤❤💐💐💐💐💐💐

[@judyrobson4492]

Hello Kimberley, I find your vlogs very interesting & feel for you & your family finding what is right for you all. I’m an Australian who many years ago lived in the UK for 2 years as my husband was based there for work. I did love Scotland for a holiday. And the architecture & history of the UK is amazing. But gloomy grey skies for long extended periods was depressing for me. I missed the vast open bright blue skies of Australia even more than the warmth of the sun. Also the ease of living outside with nature most of the year is what I need. I hope you & your family find your ideal life. 🥰

[@kimberleylucas]

Thank you, this is kind of you. I hope you managed to visit Scotland in your time here :)

[@judyrobson4492]

@ yes I did, it was stunning beautiful.

[@tombaldwin7276]

Thanks for the shout out, Kimbo. Really appreciate it!! I can tell from the tone in your voice that your soo happy to be home. Give it a few months and it will feel like you never left. The insight you have given me from living in both Australia and Scotland has been very informative and helpful. Hope you keep posting vlogs and I wish you and your family the very best for the future!!!👍👍

[@kimberleylucas]

I sure am, however give me six months and i may feel very different! I said to Euan that we NEED a good summer here or my head may just turn again! haha Australia will always be there - unfortunately family will not so we are doing what feels right just now :) Thanks for following along! Kim

[@michaelmcclown5593]

Thanks for the update, great to see you looking and feeling well and I hope your house plans work out.

[@kimberleylucas]

Thank you, its nice to be home (as hard as some days are!)

[@sg4364]

Lovely to see you back on the tube and happy ❤ Family support while the kids are little is so important. Best of luck with the house hunting!

[@kimberleylucas]

Thank you for understanding - it takes a village for sure! :)

[@marionbarrie4623]

Thanks for the update Kimberly and good luck with house hunting. I understand all the emotions you are going through (been there, done that) so to speak!! Keep smiling and vloging love from Sydney Australia ❤

[@kimberleylucas]

Thank you for your kind words! :)

[@avgeek3255]

Find a specialty coffee shop if you can (avoid the chains). Coffee has come on leaps and bounds in the U.K but you have to look for it. It's easier to find in the city, of course. I'm semi-rural and there are some coffee gems a short drive away. I hope once spring comes and you're in more of a routine and you find your house, it will all come together. It's still very early days, and in time you might even come to embrace the winter!

[@leslieelizabeth219]

Can so relate to how you are feeling. Australia can change your outlook on life. I thought that the place where I grew up had changed. But it hadn’t. It was myself that had changed. We lived back in Scotland for 2 Years with my family. Then finally returned to Melbourne where we finally settled. Returning for just a holiday wouldn’t have worked. We needed to live there permanently to be able to make that decision. I love both countries. But for us it enabled my family to realise where we were better off and the wonderful opportunities that are still here in Australia. The longer you live in Australia the less the ties become to Scotland . Then it becomes your home 🏡 You and your husband are both still young and so are your children Time will make your decisions.Remember Australia will always welcome you back.🙏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇦🇺 Ps We shall be celebrating Burns Day and of course Australia Day which is on Sunday.Both just days apart from each other.

[@leslieelizabeth219]

Take care with the Storm.Don’t forget to bake some Anzac Bikkies 😂They will go down a treat🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

[@KatieHedley-jf1hs]

Lovely to see u happy ❤ no where is perfect! Enjoy the family time and good luck with the house! Fingers crossed for you!!❤

[@kimberleylucas]

Exactly this, everywhere has its own pro's and cons! Thank you for the love!

[@maggief1137]

Awe thank you so much Kimberley for the update and congratulations to Isla on her first day at school, also thank you for recognising my comments greatly appreciated, it will be hard at first relocating back home it is quite normal to compare countries, it will get easier for you all with time, I hope you get your dream home fingers crossed, and you are correct you can choose to stay anywhere in Scotland, the light nights will come soon which is one of the things I do love about Scotland, I also think for you and the family you have done the right thing as without a doubt it is so expensive in OZ especially on the visa you were on, it was nice to see the Kelpies there on your video, looking forward to you doing some vlogs of your travels in Scotland, love to you and all the family take care and remember you are doing well one day at a time 💐🙏💕💕

[@kimberleylucas]

You are so welcome, i love reading all the kind supportive comments :) fingers crossed we aren't waiting too long on our house! catch up soon :)

[@aye70aye]

Kim!🧡Thanks SO much for the kind shout out! Aww I will always have your back. So sorry you had some awful media BS but rest assured those of us with any brain cells will know places like the Daily Mail are not reliable sources and just trash. I am with you all the way on older houses, I live in one in Worcester thats built in the 1880's and just love the old character features and soul it has. Yes we have a list of things that need doing (and no money to do them!) but honestly dont care that all the sash cord windows need replacing and the gaps in the doors can fit the cats arm through! I would LOVE to see your area when settled, some nice walks and of course mountains and lochs, any wildlife too. I did think about you this xmas period when parts of Scotland got down to something like -20C. Just moved my eldest son out to a new area to start his new job next week and my Mum heart is breaking 💔we both cried so much! But Im also excited for him and 2hrs away is ok, hes already planning a long weekend home. Take care and much Love Jessie x

[@kimberleylucas]

oh my darling! i can imagine saying goodbye would have been hard for you. sending you the biggest mum squeeze to get you through the beginning! Once he is settled you will feel much better. Just look forward to him coming home and you spoiling him for the weekend! Thank you for all your kind words - i'm praying we get the house we have offered on, its just full of history and character and i need something to call mine! anyway, i'll keep you posted and catch up soon! x

[@allanahquinn7277]

Kimberley you were a victim of click bait headlines which we all have to not get sucked into. So pleased you are looking at a place near your family. Grandparents are so important in your kids lives and gives you and hubby a little break occasionally. Maybe you can have little holidays in the sun closer to home to lift your mood. It was not long ago that our playgrounds were not so great but over the past decade have been replaced by the ones you enjoyed so eventually they may catch up in Scotland. Looking forward to you showing us some of your favourite places in Scotland as I plan to visit again this year. Hope you get that house 🐨🇦🇺

[@kimberleylucas]

Definitely enjoying the support from parents and our kids are over the moon (getting spoilt of course!) My mum has a house in Spain so i'm sure she will have a new visitor very soon! haha

[@thereseelizabethries1083]

Glad that you as a family are back in the right place for you guys

[@kimberleylucas]

Thank you!

[@rh9940]

Thank you so much for your honesty Kimberley, I've been following you for a long time, and your videos have been sooo informative. My husband and I discuss the prospect of moving daily, we are NHS employees and the job prospects we have on offer in WA are soo much superior than the UK and of course the lifestyle (I think we are on our 4th named storm of this winter here 🙁) so we are looking to apply to WA later this year, you highlighted so many useful pointers such as the education being subsided on a 482 now which I had no idea about for WA, so just a thank you for giving such detailed videos. Best of luck for your move and house hunt. Scotland is such a stunning part of the world, and you can't replace family support❤ for me it's a even I don't go and try it, I'll always have the "what if" in my mind, and you gave it a brilliant go and it just wasn't the right set of circumstances for your family at the moment, best of luck for the future xx

[@louisaklimentos7583]

Please ignore the media . They always distort informations . Your parents were very happy to have you return home . We loved you here in Australia and miss you . Every time I visit Sussex Inlet , I think of you . Scotland is beautiful and so are you and your family . I was born in England but never visited Scotland . I hope you return to Australia for a holiday. I am glad you are settling in . Look forward to seeing more content on Scotland 🌺♥️.

[@kimberleylucas]

Thank you - i appreciate all your support x

[@krisjames4276]

❤

[@susannemurray7416]

Glad you guys are getting settled ❤ Exciting times

[@RefurbIshment-z7l]

I have travelled to Europe a month or two at a time. Any longer and I just can't manage it and happy to be back on the plane to Oz. Although I've never been to Scotland, so I'll lookout for some new Zealand like scenery in your videos, maybe I'll get there one day 🤙🇦🇺😅

[@kimberleylucas]

Home is always calling! Australia is beautiful :)

[@RJS4287]

Interesting - thank you for your frankness. Strikes me the critical issue for your return was the absense of support from family and friends, made worse by the restrictions and limitations of a 482 visa - I think the 482 only really works for singles or childless couples. Australia is a long way from anywhere else - I got used to it and regard a 22 hour flight as "normal" now after decades. I suppose the longer term issues are the economic prospects for the UK and whether you can get used again to the climate. Maybe when the kids are ready for secondary school and your skills are in demand that you might consider it again as you know what it is like. Good luck!

[@RJS4287]

PS I saw the articles - really showed up the worst of the UK "middle brow" press. They might have asked you and printed a response! Ironically one paper describing your husband as a "tradie" rather than a professional engineer just added to their sloppiness as a newspaper. If he were a tradie he probably would have finished by 3:30 pm after an early morning start and he would have been guaranteed overtime by his union/industrial agreement.

[@kimberleylucas]

i completely agree, couples or singles! If you have children, especially children 0-5 years old, then it makes settling in over there VERY difficult. However, without it we would never have had the opportunity to live in Australia, and i have to say this is something i am very grateful for. :)

[@Hyfun7]

Hey Missy, fun word of the Day is ‘uhtcearu’ [ucht-kay-aru, with the 'ch' as in the Scottish ‘loch']: Old English for ‘the sorrow before dawn', when you lie awake in the darkness and worries crowd your mind.

[@Hyfun7]

Another one I mention often. To have the ‘mubble-fubbles’, in the 16th century, was to experience a fit of despondency or low spirits - another name for the Sunday blues. Give yourself a pause.

[@Hyfun7]

Also; ‘Respair’, from the 16th century, is fresh hope, and a recovery from despair. Here’s to a few drops of respair in 2025.

[@teamclarke6999]

Great to see the sparkle back in your eyes. ❤️ Sounds like it's going well. Good luck with the house, I have my fingers crossed for you, that will be a great watch as well to see how you progress there. I know what you mean about going home, I'm the same when I go back to Manchester, everything looks a bit shoddy, but that's because Ireland are like Australia for tidiness, but look, it's not the worst thing in the world 😂 we'll cope I suppose 😂 it looks like you're really getting on top of things especially with Ewan getting his job and Isla in school. You're doing great. ❤️ Was lovely to see my name on your thank you list ❤️ but I want to thank you as well, because you helped me to advise my brother on his journey. And for that I will always be grateful ❤️ He came home at Christmas and went back in the new year, he feels the same Kim, he's really lonely 😞😞 he's finding it hard to make friends because of the type of work he does (FIFO) it's mad hours so he's not really in one place long enough to set down roots. He was going to go for his PR, but I think his best bet is to forget that, and work towards making enough money in his 4 years to come home to UK and buy a house in Manchester. I get so upset when I think about him on his own over there. 😢😢 Anyway, I look forward to your next vlog as always. I hope you get the house!!! Exciting times now. Good luck. X

[@kimberleylucas]

ahhh I was thinking of you all over Christmas but im glad to read he was home! Bet that was lovely - but yes, equally hard for him travelling back. He's doing amazing and like you say - focusing on the money side of it seems like a great thing, being able to come home and buy his own house is a great achievement - if thats what he chooses to do. I'll keep you posted on our journey for sure! Take care x

[@teamclarke6999]

@kimberleylucas ❤️

[@shanekopacka2945]

Loving the weather in Scotland and the beaches and clean parks

[@RaiseHell92-t8u]

You do realise it's winter in Scotland right now?

[@wallywombat164]

G'day Kimbo. I'm made up for your Dear Dad. As for the rest, HAWHAWHAWHAWHAWHAWHAW.

[@user-sp1ri]

Yes interesting one, yes its been 200 years of anglophille governments and immigration departments trying to keep the joint as white-anglo and loyal to the UK as possible, just look at the demographics, flag, head of state even national and memorial days. So many of those south seas poms they take it personally when one of their own would rather live at home in the UK...not in the black mans country.😀

[@wallywombat164]

I'd like to say how happy i am for you kimbo but, i CAN'T and i refuse to.

[@kimberleylucas]

wouldn't expect anything less 😆