I'm moving

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Some of you may have noticed that I have been a touch quieter on here than normal recently and could even be thinking yourselves lucky that I have been .

Well the reason is that I am moving house very, very soon and whilst I am used to moving house - I won't say how many times I have moved but it is well over 20-30 times now and I should be used to it, it is the first time that I have moved house internationally and despite my bad back and me being in a wheelchair when out of the house nowadays (sadly the physio has said he recons that this is probably permanent but I intend to prove him wrong there; what my right leg has to say about this remains to be seen), I am the one who is having to organise everything and get everything ready for the movers.

It is also the first time I have movers pack for me which is a touch daunting because I don't work with a 'this box was in this room' approach but more a 'what is in that box' approach. Mind you that said, it is the first time I have used a removal company. To make life even more fun, not everything we own is going and obviously we have to keep some stuff behind for us to live with whilst all our stuff is on a ship somewhere for 3 months.

Combine all of that with the fact that we are moving to a country which I think has one of the strictest importation/quarantine laws in the world and well, I'm spending rather a lot of time cleaning things and almost as much time asking the removal company about the customs declaration form and exactly what little things like "Do your unaccompanied effects contain any of the following goods, subject to animal quarantine laws, or wildlife export and import laws? .... feathers...."

Errr... well in my sleepy haze of overdoing it, not enough sleep and too much morphine I was left wondering about the little things such as feather pillows, duck down sleeping bags (6 of), duck down quilts (more than I actually need I think at 5) and a down filled jacket... which then led me on to the wonderings of if feathers are included and I have to answer yes to this question, then list every item, what about anything woollen?

I'm so glad there is someone sensible at the end of the email address who is a) used to this and b) realises that I am too tired and not thinking correctly!

However.... and this is a big however, everything that has wood in it and I do mean everything, ornaments, picture frames, stools, the only bookcase we are taking, my coffee tables, my wooden spatulas, etc all need listing and keeping aside because they will need inspecting and then there is a section for stuff made from other natural products such as cane, bamboo, plant material. So whilst my seagrass and seagrass stools are allowed to be imported, they have to be listed and inspected. So that is another list to create, and even my cane banneton has to go on this list! Ahhhhhh

Time to fly,

well actually that date is set for less than 3 weeks time. Shipping of our stuff happens next week... and where, well we are officially moving to Canberra, Australia for 3-4 years.

 

[Shaun]

Good luck and fly safe; can't wait to hear about some of the cultural / food discoveries you've made once you're settled in.

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[cupcakechef]

How exciting! Australia is my childhood home - well, lived there until my 20's when I married my husband! I hope you enjoy it there - as soon as I read "strict quarantine laws" I thought it must have been Australia before I even got to the end of your post!

 

[Morning Glory]

Some of you may have noticed that I have been a touch quieter on here than normal recently and could even be thinking yourselves lucky that I have been .

Well the reason is that I am moving house very, very soon and whilst I am used to moving house - I won't say how many times I have moved but it is well over 20-30 times now and I should be used to it, it is the first time that I have moved house internationally and despite my bad back and me being in a wheelchair when out of the house nowadays (sadly the physio has said he recons that this is probably permanent but I intend to prove him wrong there; what my right leg has to say about this remains to be seen), I am the one who is having to organise everything and get everything ready for the movers.

It is also the first time I have movers pack for me which is a touch daunting because I don't work with a 'this box was in this room' approach but more a 'what is in that box' approach. Mind you that said, it is the first time I have used a removal company. To make life even more fun, not everything we own is going and obviously we have to keep some stuff behind for us to live with whilst all our stuff is on a ship somewhere for 3 months.

Combine all of that with the fact that we are moving to a country which I think has one of the strictest importation/quarantine laws in the world and well, I'm spending rather a lot of time cleaning things and almost as much time asking the removal company about the customs declaration form and exactly what little things like "Do your unaccompanied effects contain any of the following goods, subject to animal quarantine laws, or wildlife export and import laws? .... feathers...."

Errr... well in my sleepy haze of overdoing it, not enough sleep and too much morphine I was left wondering about the little things such as feather pillows, duck down sleeping bags (6 of), duck down quilts (more than I actually need I think at 5) and a down filled jacket... which then led me on to the wonderings of if feathers are included and I have to answer yes to this question, then list every item, what about anything woollen?

I'm so glad there is someone sensible at the end of the email address who is a) used to this and b) realises that I am too tired and not thinking correctly!

However.... and this is a big however, everything that has wood in it and I do mean everything, ornaments, picture frames, stools, the only bookcase we are taking, my coffee tables, my wooden spatulas, etc all need listing and keeping aside because they will need inspecting and then there is a section for stuff made from other natural products such as cane, bamboo, plant material. So whilst my seagrass and seagrass stools are allowed to be imported, they have to be listed and inspected. So that is another list to create, and even my cane banneton has to go on this list! Ahhhhhh

Time to fly,

well actually that date is set for less than 3 weeks time. Shipping of our stuff happens next week... and where, well we are officially moving to Canberra, Australia for 3-4 years.

I think its going to be one hell of an adventure! I really hope it all goes well. Australian food is excellent so I think you will enjoy that side of things. Good luck!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I'm currently pulling my hair out about the unaccompanied personal effects statement which has a section 8 in it that basically states list everything which has wood in it, cane in it or bamboo in it....

sounds so easy until you really start looking around the house and they only give 1 line to fill the answer!
We are not taking that much with us but this is my list so far (and this does not include the stuff made from plant material such as my seagrass or woven seagrass waste paper bins, woven seagrass

Section Eight
Furniture or other articles of wood, cane or bamboo

· 1 antique bookcase
· 8 wooden stools with seagrass seats
· 3 wooden stools missing their seagrass seats
· 1 wooden stool with red plastic seat
· 2 wooden coffee tables
· Various pictures with wooden frames
· Various carved wooden ornaments (1 dog, several children’s animals, some apples)
· 1 barometer mounted on wood
· 1 small wicker ornamental basket
· 1 axe with a wooden handle
· 1 hammer with a wooden handle
· 2 (? or 3) carving knives with wooden handles
· 1 cane banneton (for proving bread in)
· Wooden handle on lame (dough cutting knife)
· Wooden rolling pin
· Wooden salt & pepper mills
· Kitchen knives with wooden handles
· Outdoor knife with wooden handle
· 1 hairbrush with wooden handle
· 6 wooden boxes with artists pencils in
· 2 small wooden jewellery boxes
· 1 game made of wooden blocks – Jenga
· 1 domino case made of wood
· 1 chess board
· 1 cribbage case
· 1 game of super scrabble with wooden tiles and tile holders

just realised that some other bits I inherited at the tail end of last year are made of wood. My Grannie picked up various wooden cotton mill things for wool spinning, weaving and cloth making - can't think what they are called. Ahhhhh

 

[Morning Glory]

I'm currently pulling my hair out about the unaccompanied personal effects statement which has a section 8 in it that basically states list everything which has wood in it, cane in it or bamboo in it....

sounds so easy until you really start looking around the house and they only give 1 line to fill the answer!
We are not taking that much with us but this is my list so far (and this does not include the stuff made from plant material such as my seagrass or woven seagrass waste paper bins, woven seagrass

Section Eight
Furniture or other articles of wood, cane or bamboo

· 1 antique bookcase
· 8 wooden stools with seagrass seats
· 3 wooden stools missing their seagrass seats
· 1 wooden stool with red plastic seat
· 2 wooden coffee tables
· Various pictures with wooden frames
· Various carved wooden ornaments (1 dog, several children’s animals, some apples)
· 1 barometer mounted on wood
· 1 small wicker ornamental basket
· 1 axe with a wooden handle
· 1 hammer with a wooden handle
· 2 (? or 3) carving knives with wooden handles
· 1 cane banneton (for proving bread in)
· Wooden handle on lame (dough cutting knife)
· Wooden rolling pin
· Wooden salt & pepper mills
· Kitchen knives with wooden handles
· Outdoor knife with wooden handle
· 1 hairbrush with wooden handle
· 6 wooden boxes with artists pencils in
· 2 small wooden jewellery boxes
· 1 game made of wooden blocks – Jenga
· 1 domino case made of wood
· 1 chess board
· 1 cribbage case
· 1 game of super scrabble with wooden tiles and tile holders

just realised that some other bits I inherited at the tail end of last year are made of wood. My Grannie picked up various wooden cotton mill things for wool spinning, weaving and cloth making - can't think what they are called. Ahhhhh

View attachment 2606

This is indeed a situation to drive anyone crazy. If it were me I wouldn't take all this stuff. Do you really need It? You could put a lot of it in storage and start life in Australia afresh. I know you won't agree! But the thing is - do you really need to take (for example) wooden stools and pictures and ornaments, a barometer, an axe and a hammer? I lived in Cairo for a time when I was younger in similar circumstances (partner seconded on a job). We shipped over a few trunks of clothes and possessions which somehow got lost in transit. I didn't really miss very much. It was refreshing to start again! Its quite surprising how little one actually needs.

I know that in the past you have travelled on bikes all over the place, presumably without much baggage. If you were moving permanently then I'd understand why you might want to take all those things...

But hey! Its up to you, of course.

 

[classic33]

I'm currently pulling my hair out about the unaccompanied personal effects statement which has a section 8 in it that basically states list everything which has wood in it, cane in it or bamboo in it....

sounds so easy until you really start looking around the house and they only give 1 line to fill the answer!
We are not taking that much with us but this is my list so far (and this does not include the stuff made from plant material such as my seagrass or woven seagrass waste paper bins, woven seagrass

Section Eight
Furniture or other articles of wood, cane or bamboo

· 1 antique bookcase
· 8 wooden stools with seagrass seats
· 3 wooden stools missing their seagrass seats
· 1 wooden stool with red plastic seat
· 2 wooden coffee tables
· Various pictures with wooden frames
· Various carved wooden ornaments (1 dog, several children’s animals, some apples)
· 1 barometer mounted on wood
· 1 small wicker ornamental basket
· 1 axe with a wooden handle
· 1 hammer with a wooden handle
· 2 (? or 3) carving knives with wooden handles
· 1 cane banneton (for proving bread in)
· Wooden handle on lame (dough cutting knife)
· Wooden rolling pin
· Wooden salt & pepper mills
· Kitchen knives with wooden handles
· Outdoor knife with wooden handle
· 1 hairbrush with wooden handle
· 6 wooden boxes with artists pencils in
· 2 small wooden jewellery boxes
· 1 game made of wooden blocks – Jenga
· 1 domino case made of wood
· 1 chess board
· 1 cribbage case
· 1 game of super scrabble with wooden tiles and tile holders

just realised that some other bits I inherited at the tail end of last year are made of wood. My Grannie picked up various wooden cotton mill things for wool spinning, weaving and cloth making* - can't think what they are called. Ahhhhh

View attachment 2606

Will the barometer be allowed on the plane, and will you be allowed the outdoor knife? Rolling pin could be seen as an offensive weapon!

Pencils may be prohibited by the way, https://www.border.gov.au/Busi/Impo/Proh
&
https://www.border.gov.au/Importingandbuyinggoodsfromoverseas/Documents/fs_pencilpaintbrushes.pdf

As are fly swatters!! And fake Credit Cards.

Tends to be more natural wood as opposed to processed timber products they go after. So your games should be safe & straight through. *Bobbins or shuttles?

Why spin wool in a cotton mill anyway?

 

[classic33]

On a serious note.
Are you able to get the same medications down under, and will they allow you through with a " reasonable amount" if any, whilst you get a source there. I know mine are not allowed into America, they'd be taken off me at the border. I can get similar whilst there but can't take any in.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

This is indeed a situation to drive anyone crazy. If it were me I wouldn't take all this stuff. Do you really need It? You could put a lot of it in storage and start life in Australia afresh. I know you won't agree! But the thing is - do you really need to take (for example) wooden stools and pictures and ornaments, a barometer, an axe and a hammer? I lived in Cairo for a time when I was younger in similar circumstances (partner seconded on a job). We shipped over a few trunks of clothes and possessions which somehow got lost in transit. I didn't really miss very much. It was refreshing to start again! Its quite surprising how little one actually needs.

I know that in the past you have travelled on bikes all over the place, presumably without much baggage. If you were moving permanently then I'd understand why you might want to take all those things...

But hey! Its up to you, of course.

One of the main reasons for taking it with us is that we are very aware we may not come back. If that was the case then we would need to pick up the costs ourselves of getting these items into Australia and that is the biggest thing here. A huge number of items have already been ditched, but the outdoor knife with a wooden handle means a lot to us (not to mention the £350 replacement cost). The salt and pepper mill were a wedding present to reach other at a time when we could hardly afford their contents. Again they mean a huge amount to us. The stools are used everyday bringing items off the floor to make them more reachable for me plus they are an ongoing project reseating them with the seagrass seats and learning new skills in the process. The pictures are all my frames photographs. The ones we put into storage whilst we were out on the bikes. They are competition/exhibition wins only, plus one of my grannies, 2 paintings of my great grannies on my father's side and one a family member drew during WWI. He didn't survive it. Most of our stuff has already been recycled or given away but some things we learnt last time are simply not worth getting rid of.

Things I have inherited recently from my grannie are all being ditched that contain wood or shell such as the extensive button collection and some of her sewing cotton that is on wooden bobbins. All the pine cones (huge ones that are hand carved) are all going as is a lot of the pottery, only our best pottery is being kept like last time.

The outdoor knife, 2 of the small kitchen knives (wooden handles) and 2 small stirring sticks as well call them (aka to the test of the world as hard to come by very small wooden spoons for our outdoor stove, tranjia) all went on tour with us. We use them constantly when living outdoors. I simply don't see the point in not taking them now.

We are only taking the bikes and about 20% of what is here, if that - we have even given away 1 bike eek. Yes the hammer, axe, rolling pin, and one or two other small items could be thrown but I have got to the point now that it seems like wasting £5-10 on every such item is throwing away £100's that could be spent trying to afford to get home in August for my sister's wedding. Something at the weekend that broke my heart telling her we were not going to be able to afford to do both from the point of view of my back and financially. Even now writing those lines had me in tears again. I need to find over £2750 just for the upgrade on my flight ticket (I have to be able to recline for most of the flight because I still cannot sit upright for more than 45 mins at a time and I need the shortest time possible in the air, so 48 hrs transit time is not an option and these prices already included what the company is paying). If my husband comes back with me (given I'm in a wheelchair and still can't get around without his help this would be useful!) we need to find over £3600 and that is with him in a different class to me. Sadly ticket prices for single journeys are only £20-100 cheaper than return journeys. We were hoping not to have to upgrade me to business class, hoping my back would be better than it is now. We can afford to pay this once, but twice? I'm now being realistic about August. I'm still going to need business class then as well and flying it twice in the space of 10 days or so, I really can't do a 36hr or 48hr journey each way. 26hrs is going to be hard enough on me physically. Also I was told this week by my Physio that he doesn't think I'm being realistic to think I'm going to ever get out of the wheelchair when out of the house. I don't use it around the house except at the dining room table, it's more comfortable to sit in than sitting on a wooden chair (not ours!) I haven't accepted that bit of news and have no intention of doing so.

Will the barometer be allowed on the plane, and will you be allowed the outdoor knife? Rolling pin could be seen as an offensive weapon!

Pencils may be prohibited by the way, https://www.border.gov.au/Busi/Impo/Proh
&
https://www.border.gov.au/Importingandbuyinggoodsfromoverseas/Documents/fs_pencilpaintbrushes.pdf

As are fly swatters!! And fake Credit Cards.

Tends to be more natural wood as opposed to processed timber products they go after. So your games should be safe & straight through. *Bobbins or shuttles?

Why spin wool in a cotton mill anyway?
View attachment 2609

Who said we were flying with these items and you can fly with outdoor knives, they just have to be in the hold. These are all being shipped by sea and all paid for my the company. One of the reasons for taking 'everything' this time rather than leaving things in storage. They are paying and if we do stay then it is with us already and we don't need to pick up the cost of shipping stored items out to Australia. If we don't, which is the current plan, then the company will pay for it to be returned home. It's part of the secondment agreement.

Thanks for bobbins and shuttles... Yes they could go. The pencils should be OK because they are sold in Australia but at exceptionally high prices being the 72 and 120 pencil wooden case Derwent pencils, but I will add them to the list of things to check and declare. I had probably better ship all of them together rather than keep 1 set at home for something to do in the following 2 weeks after things go.

Darn the fly swatter. I had wanted to take our electronic one!

On a serious note.
Are you able to get the same medications down under, and will they allow you through with a " reasonable amount" if any, whilst you get a source there. I know mine are not allowed into America, they'd be taken off me at the border. I can get similar whilst there but can't take any in.

We checked my medications before even agreeing to the post. There are 3 that I haven't been able to find info on. 1 I can import without issues (sterile hypertonic saline solution for my nebuliser). 1 is available in IV form and I've come across naming issues with it in the past. The likelihood is that it is available in tablet form and that I've simply not yet found the correct name for it, something we have encountered before. There is an alternative I can have which is available but not the best option.

The 3rd is more interesting, a bit of a risk but is available in the 100mcg dose just not the 250mcg dose that I can find - one of my inhalers. I can take oral steroids if needed but the inhaled ones are a lower steroid dose and preferred option. We have met this issue in other countries before.

If needed I can import 3 months of all my medication every 3 months (by mail) up to a maximum of 15 months of medication every year without applying for a personal import licence. I have checked. The medication I expected to have issues with (epilepsy meds for nerve issues and my morphine) ironically are not a problem! I have also found a Harley Street GP practice that I can have a Skype consultation with and they will post my medication to me. If they will only do the UK, families on both sides are used to it so can help when around.

I'm allowed 3 months through with me when I fly and that is 3 months at the manufacturers maximum dose. Only 1 item an I on over that dose but I can deal with that.

Luckily we have a family friend (whom we didn't know but suspect we will very soon!) in Canberra who is helping us with things like this and getting an Aussie bank account setup before we arrive etc.

Thanks everyone. Thankfully my wool and woollen blanket are not an issue, but the bamboo stoppers on the end of the circular needles and the actual needles themselves will have to be declared! They are part of a kit rather than individual needles and much nicer than metal ones so I'm loathed to throw them (actually can't for the stoppers because they hold the unfinished blanket onto the circular needle itself). Ironically my more sustainable lifestyle using less crude oil based products and more natural resources is making life harder right now. The irony hey!

 

[Duck59]

Don't do what I did when I went to Eritrea for two years; my hand luggage was heavier than my hold luggage.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Don't do what I did when I went to Eritrea for two years; my hand luggage was heavier than my hold luggage.

I'm allowed 2 lots of cabin luggage plus a laptop as well... not to mention my wheelchair goes free....
the plan is that I'll only have a cabin bag. plus there is likely to be an oversized item because I need a back support wedge for when we get there (plus here in the UK until we leave) and there is no way I can wait until one arrives in the post (purchased in Aus) because I won't even have a reclining chair when we get there. so the back physio wedge will have to go with me, and if that is going I may as well take the pillows (vacuum packed) that I need to go with it. It is not easy travelling with a bad back unable to sit upright at all!

Worse still is the fact that I don't think I am going to be able to get a disabled parking badge in Aus, but I will have to look into that when we get there.

 

[classic33]

Daft thing is, wooden handles aside, there's no restriction on bringing an axe in. The knives are classed as offensive weapons, but not the axe!
Down to who ever stops you on the day.

Some of the names & e-mail addresses on that list are out of date.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

The knives are classed as offensive weapons

The knives are permitted. They are single sided fixed blades and not daggers (which are double sided). I've travelled widely with these outdoor knives and there has never been an issue. Just put them in the hold luggage and don't do anything like try to take any knife into the cabin and you are fine. Plus I won't actually be taking them on board any airplane. These items are been shipped by sea in a sealed container. Port Authorities have no issue with that.

https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Ente...k-Weapons/Can-I-Bring-Fixed-Blade-Knives-Back

More info
Single edged fixed blades are typically allowed into Australia. This includes items like kitchen knives, hunting or fishing knives.

Examples
Kitchen knives, hunting knives, fishing knives, skinning knives

 

[winterybella]

Let's just say I don't envy you. Be safe and do the best you can under the circumstances.

 

[Rosyrain]

That sounds like an exciting adventure for you and what a great country to move too. I look forward to hearing about your discoveries once you get there. That does sound like a monumental task getting all of your personal items over there. I used to think that the US had strict customs laws. Some states you can't even transport fruits to and from because of the insect quarantines.