Roberts Family Wanted Down Under Revisited


Roberts Family

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If you were expecting your first child, could you leave behind

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the support of your closest friends and family

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to move to the other side of the world,

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because you wanted your baby to get a fresh start down under?

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This was the heart-wrenching decision faced by Keira and Andy Roberts in 2009,

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when we gave them the chance to experience the Australian lifestyle

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ahead of making this enormous, life-altering choice.

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Keira and Andy Roberts from Wigan were considering swapping

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their daily grind in the UK for a new life down under.

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Living somewhere abroad has been something I've thought about since school-leaving age.

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But newly pregnant Keira had taken some persuading and was still not 100% convinced.

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He's the one that came up with the idea in the first place.

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I was absolutely heartbroken.

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For Keira, the pain of leaving loved ones behind in the UK was hard to bear.

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It's a really, really hard decision to make and I don't suppose

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until I flip the cards, I'll know which way I'm going to go.

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But the big question is, where are they now? UK or Australia?

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The Roberts from Wigan were confronted with a huge dilemma.

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They wanted a better life in Australia, for the baby Keira was expecting.

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But that would mean leaving family in the UK.

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We gave Keira and Andy a week to experience every aspect of life Down Under,

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to see if they really could make this massive move.

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But what's happened since then?

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In 2009, Andy and Keira Roberts from Wigan were about to leave

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their family and friends, to see what life would really be like if they moved to Australia.

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I've had an opportunity to go before.

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It ended up we couldn't take that opportunity because

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we were getting married over that year and the company couldn't take Keira with me.

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After thinking about it for quite a long time, I thought,

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"No, I wouldn't want to hold him back from doing what he wanted to do", so, at least give it a go.

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Keira was currently studying for her accountancy qualifications.

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Andy was a quantity surveyor, overseeing construction projects.

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He earned £40,000 a year but was fed up with his long commute to work.

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It takes sometimes an hour to an hour and a half to get 14 miles up the road.

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When you've done a day's work and all your travelling, it's a 12-hour day.

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Andy and Keira's lives were about to change with the arrival of their first child.

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It's happened and we're both really happy about it.

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She just said to me, "I can't drink for the next few months."

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-What do you mean?

-The baby probably would have an Australian accent.

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Maybe with a bit of a Wigan/Scouse twang.

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For the Roberts, home is where the heart is.

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My sister lives seven doors down.

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My mum lives round the corner. Down the road from there are my auntie and uncle.

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There's absolutely tons of people we know.

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We all congregate to the local pub and everybody knows everybody. We all look out for each other.

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Some people might think it's a bit too close for comfort,

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but I've grown up here and that's what I know.

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Everybody's really friendly and it's a community feeling.

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We've never really had to go out and make new friends. I don't even know where we'd start.

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I wouldn't have a clue.

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There was one person who made the decision even tougher for Keira,

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her niece.

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I'm really close to Emily

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and I know she's not very old,

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but she knows who I am and...

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She reacts to you. She's just really funny.

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She makes me laugh a lot.

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It's a really hard thing to think about, leaving her.

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But there were many others they would miss deeply.

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Obviously, it'd be nice to have a support network

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even if you're just having a bad day, if you've got grandparents and aunties and uncles around,

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you can always palm the baby off, for want of a better word, for a couple of hours and she can relax.

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Over there if I'm going to be working she's going to be on her own.

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-That is a bit of a worry.

-I think not having my mum on hand

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will be a massive shock to the system.

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The baby growing up, first crawl, first teeth, first walk, first word.

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A lot of things like that, that will be really hard.

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There's a lot to leave.

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Um...

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There's a lot to give up.

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To help them consider the huge impact this mover could have on their lives,

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we sent them to Darwin, Australia's northernmost city,

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to see what to see what life on the other side of the world was really like.

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Keira and Andy were in search of a better life for their future family.

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Darwin might be the perfect place for them to build their future,

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but if Keira wasn't able to break her ties with home,

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their dreams may come to nothing.

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They only had a week to make this life-changing decision.

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The 9,000 mile journey to the other side of the world

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gave them plenty of time to consider the enormity of this choice.

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-Long. I just didn't sleep a wink.

-I thought a couple of hours, at least, I'd get,

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but I didn't get anything at all,

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hence the big bags under the eyes.

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Keira and Andy were staying in a two-bedroom apartment

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in the affluent suburb of Nightcliff, only a stone's throw from the beach.

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First impressions counted, if Keira was going to be persuaded that a move was right for them.

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-Oh!

-It's quite flash, isn't it?

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It's quite big. It looked quite small from outside.

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-It's open-plan like you wanted anyway.

-Yeah.

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It's a bit of a TARDIS, really.

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I like it a lot. It's pleasantly surprising.

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I'm on tenterhooks now to get going.

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I'm nervous about liking it too much.

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We've already been warned actually.

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The last phone call before we came over was Keira's mum saying,

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"Make sure you come back and remember where you live" and all that kind of thing so...

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-And my dad.

-Have to make sure you don't like it too much.

-Mmm.

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Back in the UK, Keira and Andy lived in a three-bedroom house

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on the outskirts of Wigan. They had done a huge amount of work to it

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so any property in Darwin had a lot to live up to.

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They bought their house in 2007, for £155,000.

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It hadn't been valued since,

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so they were unsure of their budget for an Australian home.

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We showed them three different properties

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to give them an idea of what they might afford, if they sold their house for the right price

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and if Andy secured a well-paid job.

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The first was in the suburb of Durack.

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This four-bedroomed two-bathroom property

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was on the market in 2009 for £260,000.

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I like the way it's all open-plan.

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It makes the places look more spacious and it's huge through here.

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-Kids' room.

-Whoa. This is a kids' room, isn't it?

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It's bigger than I thought it was.

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Let's hope the baby's a girl, eh?

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It's a bit pink, isn't it?

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Bathroom with a big fan again.

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-Nothing too surprising in here except for the fact it's straight off the living-room.

-Oh, yeah!

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Which is...weird, isn't it?

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Main bedroom.

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-Red doors.

-I'm assuming these are wardrobes.

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Don't open them too much.

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Whoa!

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I assumed wrong.

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An en suite and a walk-in wardrobe.

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Where are you going to put all your clothes?

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-I spy a pool out the back.

-Let's go and have a look at that, then.

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This is a nice space, isn't it? It's just the right size.

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I can definitely see some kids running around here and playing

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in the pool while we sit and have a few beers over there on the terrace.

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I'm not too sure whether I get that homely feeling from it

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and I'm not sure whether it's somewhere I could live.

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It just hasn't quite grabbed us, but it's pretty good, I think.

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-Yeah, I do like the area.

-Yeah.

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The house may have offered enough space for them and their new family, but they both had their doubts.

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It was vital that they found the perfect house

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if Keira was going to be persuaded to move down under.

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Property two was in the northern suburb of Nakara,

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just 15 minutes' drive from Darwin's centre.

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This four-bedroom, two-bathroom house cost £293,000 in 2009.

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It was a lot more expensive than the first property

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and it would be a stretch for the Roberts with just Andy working.

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-It's quite a nice size. I like the way it goes out on to the front. That garden's lovely.

-Oh, yeah.

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And a pool.

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And fresh coconuts daily. I'm not too sure about it being right by the main road.

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-It is close, isn't it?

-Yeah.

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-They seem to have this plastic cladding in all the rooms, don't they?

-On the walls.

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-Just a bit strange.

-It is odd.

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This is lovely, isn't it?

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It's a gent's walk-in wardrobe as well, so it's not full of bags and shoes.

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-But it would be.

-I like how it opens up out here.

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This is nice. An outdoor kitchen.

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This is excellent, isn't it?

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-Fantastic!

-It's a really nice space.

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Brilliant, this.

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The design of it is certainly better than the last place.

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You're concerned about the pool being on...

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I've still got a hang-up about the pool being at the front of a house

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rather than the back by the main road.

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I quite like the place. I'm quite taken with it.

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I'm not sure about the plastic walls. We'll have to figure that out.

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That's a point. Other than that, I like the place.

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I think it's really good.

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Property two seemed to tick more of their boxes.

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But the busy roads on their doorstep may have put them off.

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Back in Durack, property three was something a bit special.

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This brand new four-bedroom house has some surprising and unique features.

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Though at £335,000, this may be over their budget.

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But if Keira needed persuading, perhaps the thought of a real dream home would do the trick.

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-This is nice, isn't it?

-Yeah!

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This is flash. It's like a hotel foyer.

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And the water feature.

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It's amazing.

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Blimey! I'm a bit speechless. It's as flash as anything, isn't it?

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Is this the bedroom?

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Obviously spared no expense in here!

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I like the front windows.

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I like it but I'm not too sure about having a sink

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-in the middle of the bedroom.

-No, that is a bit too much like a hotel bedroom, isn't it?

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I wouldn't want that there, but that's just being ridiculously picky!

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I think it's brilliant,

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but I think it's a bit too brilliant for my liking.

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I think it's the kind of thing you get people round to show off. It's not a home, is it?

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-As it is, the actual...

-I'm unbelievably impressed about it but...

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-The actual space itself and the house itself is set out really nicely.

-Brilliant, isn't it?

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The outside seemed just as impressive as the inside, but Andy had noticed a serious flaw.

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We've found a chink in the armour.

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-The road is straight behind, isn't it?

-Yeah.

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It sounds quite busy, doesn't it?

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It's my ideal of a home.

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Well, an Australian home anyway.

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It's making me more keen to come to Australia now because of the way that you live here.

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You can be in the kitchen seeing your kids play outside in the garden.

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It's a really, really good lifestyle.

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In terms of what they offer, better than the UK.

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Even the first one I would say was probably better and had more about it

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than some of the houses we could get at home.

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The house was certainly impressive, with its stylish features and state-of-the-art design.

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But it needed to be the ultimate house at the right price for them to consider making the move.

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Which way did they vote?

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Based on the property that we've seen so far in Darwin

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our vote goes to...

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..Australia.

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Well, Keira liked the Australian houses,

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but these properties were out of reach if Andy didn't secure the right job.

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Their big decision was in his hands.

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In 2009, a UK quantity surveyor earned between £35,000 and £55,000 a year.

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But it was the commute that Andy was very keen to change.

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He was desperate to spend less time travelling, and more time with his family.

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In Darwin, Andy was up early to experience work down under.

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And he was very aware of how important this day was.

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Getting a job is the most important thing about the trip, really.

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It's nice seeing the houses and the lifestyle you can get,

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but unless I can pay for that lifestyle then it's pretty redundant really.

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The main thing is that it pays enough for us to be able to come over here.

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The job was vital, but Andy couldn't stop worrying about Keira.

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Ultimately I would still like to come out here.

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I'm going to obviously stand by my wife and if it turns out it's not what she wants to do,

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and it's too much of a wrench for her, then I suppose I'd have to stand by that.

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So Andy's dreams of a new life down under could be dashed if Keira didn't take to Australia -

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and with a baby on the way, she had a lot on her mind.

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She went to Darwin Hospital to check out what birthing facilities were like down under.

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So how are you feeling, Keira, with the pregnancy?

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Quite good. I'm over the sickness now, so that's a good thing.

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We have two birth rooms and they're exactly the same.

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We call them bedroom one and bedroom two.

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Just to be a little bit more homely.

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-This is nice.

-Yes.

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This is completely different back at home.

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We have a double... Well, I think it's a queen-size bed.

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We have a bath straight ahead here.

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-I've noticed there's a garden outside as well.

-I know, it's lovely, isn't it?

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We have a table and chairs out there. The only thing we don't have is a barbecue,

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but you're certainly welcome to come out here

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-in your labour, day or night.

-This is really nice.

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With Keira at home full time with the new baby, Andy would be the sole wage earner.

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For any dreams of life down under to become a reality, it was essential his hunt for work went well.

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-Andy.

-Nice to meet you, is it Don?

-Yes it is.

-Nice to meet you.

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-You need to put this on and you've got closed-in shoes.

-Yeah.

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We're going to take the lift upstairs.

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Andy, this is, as you can see, in the final stages of completion.

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Is this a typical project for the company, then, or would you tend to do anything on infrastructure?

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This is fairly typical for us,

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but there are a number of projects coming up that your experience would probably be good for us to have.

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Andy was getting on well. And there was even a hint of a job for him in the near future.

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Back at the hospital, Keira was having a check-up.

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And it seemed everything she had experienced so far in Australia

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was starting to persuade her this might be a good place to bring up her baby.

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BABY'S HEART BEATS

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There's baby.

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Everything seems to be going well in your pregnancy.

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Being out here and experiencing what Australia has to offer has started to change me slightly.

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I really love the place and obviously the weather makes a big difference.

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It's absolutely beautiful out here.

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Still a bit nervous about being so far away from home.

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Obviously something that's life-changing.

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It would be difficult and make me feel sad that I'm not just around the corner

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from my friends and family.

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It's not the same them being on the end of the telephone or the internet.

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It's completely different.

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But it's definitely something I'm considering a bit more.

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I think this experience is just making me move more towards coming out here in the long term.

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Andy would be delighted to hear that Keira was warming to the idea of a move to Australia.

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But he had some important questions.

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What are your general working hours at the company?

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We have core hours from 8.30 and till 5 o'clock.

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We need to be able to get work done and meet deadlines

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so sometimes that may require additional hours of work.

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What's the general salary I'd be expecting as a cost manager?

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We would expect to be able to negotiate somewhere between 90 and 100.

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With similar working hours

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but better pay than his job in the UK, how would Andy vote?

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The wages themselves are actually a little bit better

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so you could be up to £50,000 which is more than I'm on just now. A significant amount more, actually.

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Based on the work I've seen today... My vote goes to...

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Australia.

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In the UK, the Roberts owned a three-bedroom house on the outskirts of Wigan

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which they bought in 2007 for £156,000.

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In 2009, we sent two estate agents around to value their home.

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If Andy and Keira were to make the massive move to Australia,

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everything hinged on this valuation.

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It's not a typical semi-detached house for this area.

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They are mostly more like your dormered semi three bedrooms.

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It's larger than that because, thanks to an extension at the rear.

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For a quick sale I'd have to recommend it on the market

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-at just under the 150, 149.

-It's not great, is it?

-No.

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That was over £5,000 less than they originally paid for it.

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There was so much riding on the value of their home, a second opinion was crucial.

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If you needed a quick sale you'd probably think

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that you'd be looking around the 149,950.

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Same as last time, isn't it?

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I think 150 is a little bit lower than I hoped.

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I was hoping we'd maybe be looking at the amount we paid for it a couple of years ago, which was 155.

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I'm a bit disappointed at the price that they've come up with.

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But I suppose it's to be expected, really.

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The valuations hit Keira and Andy hard. This was not what they were expecting.

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The move to Australia was in jeopardy, if they couldn't sell their house.

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We provided the Roberts with some detailed information

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on the day-to-day costs of living in Australia.

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That is expensive for the air conditioning and that kind of thing.

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-Obviously, you don't need air conditioning in the UK.

-That's expensive.

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Private health care, if that's a month, that's really high.

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Is it? Have to put it together and see what spits out at the end.

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There doesn't seem to be anything too shocking.

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They needed to take into account the cost of living in Australia.

0:19:360:19:40

What Andy could earn and what they could get for their UK home.

0:19:400:19:45

When they crunch the numbers, the reality of living in Australia hit home.

0:19:470:19:51

I just expected, and I'm sure many other people expect, Australia to be cheaper.

0:19:510:19:58

It doesn't work out like that.

0:19:580:20:00

It was a lot more expensive than they thought, but how did they vote?

0:20:000:20:04

Did they think they could afford a life down under or was home the better option?

0:20:040:20:09

Having looked at the cost of living in Australia our vote is...

0:20:090:20:14

BOTH: Australia.

0:20:140:20:16

Just.

0:20:160:20:17

Andy and Keira were determined to experience some of what

0:20:200:20:24

Australia had to offer, so they went to a nearby nature reserve.

0:20:240:20:27

If the lifestyle was not what they had imagined,

0:20:270:20:31

a move down under for a better life was pointless.

0:20:310:20:34

While Andy took a dip, Keira reflected on her changing feelings.

0:20:340:20:38

My biggest fear and concern was that I was going to like it and I do really like it here.

0:20:380:20:43

I didn't really want that to happen because I thought if we came over, I wouldn't like it

0:20:430:20:48

and it'd be a straightforward answer.

0:20:480:20:50

It wasn't for us and I could say no, that would be it.

0:20:500:20:54

Things have changed slightly now and we'll have to work through that when we get back home.

0:20:540:20:58

But I do see me and Andy moving to Australia in the near future.

0:20:580:21:03

Keira was sounding positive,

0:21:030:21:05

but this was an enormous decision, not to be taken lightly.

0:21:050:21:09

The Roberts were keen to experience Darwin from every angle,

0:21:090:21:12

so they took a boat trip to see the city from the sea.

0:21:120:21:16

Keira was distracted, though.

0:21:160:21:17

Her worries had changed to how she was going to break the news of a possible move to her family.

0:21:170:21:23

I think it's going to be a big thing I'll have to think about when we get back.

0:21:230:21:29

I've got no idea how I'm going to tell them.

0:21:290:21:32

I'll just have to be completely honest and come straight out with it.

0:21:320:21:37

They'll probably think we've been looking at it in a view that it's a holiday.

0:21:370:21:40

That's not why we came out here. So I think we've given it a good chance.

0:21:400:21:45

I'll just have to broach it when we come to it, I suppose.

0:21:450:21:48

The priority is the baby, really.

0:21:480:21:50

The life for the baby will definitely be better here than it is back at home.

0:21:500:21:55

Keira was looking like an Aussie convert, but Andy was starting to have serious doubts.

0:21:550:22:01

I'd miss my friends... It might sound strange, but I'd miss the pub culture.

0:22:010:22:05

Although all this is outdoors, which is brilliant, I am used to meeting my friends in the pub

0:22:050:22:09

and that's something that doesn't seem to happen, or at least not on the same scale.

0:22:090:22:14

It had been a full, emotional day - and they'd had a good glimpse of the Australian lifestyle.

0:22:140:22:19

But...was it worth moving halfway around the world for?

0:22:190:22:24

Based on the lifestyle we've seen in Australia, our vote goes to...

0:22:240:22:29

BOTH: ..Australia.

0:22:300:22:32

Keira and Andy had huge concerns about bringing up a new baby so far from home.

0:22:370:22:41

So they sought reassurance from some local new parents.

0:22:410:22:45

-Hi, I'm Keira.

-Hi - Richard. How are you?

0:22:450:22:48

Is this something you generally do of a weekend?

0:22:480:22:51

Most weekends it's here or it's at the markets.

0:22:510:22:54

There's picnics coming up... It's very family orientated, it's a wonderful place to bring kids up.

0:22:540:22:59

I think that's one of my main concerns, is coming over and not meeting anybody.

0:22:590:23:05

Everyone's in the same boat. I've got no family up here.

0:23:050:23:08

Your friends become your family. They become your network.

0:23:080:23:12

They help you with babysitting,

0:23:120:23:13

with entertaining yourselves and your children and stuff, so that's how it works.

0:23:130:23:18

They were really nice people, actually, weren't they?

0:23:180:23:20

We were speaking to the family we met -

0:23:200:23:22

they initially started off in New South Wales, and they've lived in a lot of places around the world

0:23:220:23:28

and they've chose Darwin as a place to bring up their family

0:23:280:23:31

because of the area that it is and the lifestyle that they have. I can see why

0:23:310:23:36

they've chose to live here.

0:23:360:23:37

Spending time around all those young children

0:23:380:23:40

reminded Keira how much she was missing her niece back home.

0:23:400:23:45

Of course I'm thinking about Emily... I'll start crying!

0:23:450:23:49

You all right?

0:23:510:23:52

It's really hard. And when...

0:23:520:23:55

..when you mention things like

0:23:590:24:01

how I'm feeling about Emily

0:24:010:24:04

and what it would be like leaving my sisters, and the baby...

0:24:040:24:09

..again it hits home.

0:24:110:24:13

Because when I'm here, what I'm thinking about is how much THEY'D like it,

0:24:130:24:18

and how much Emily would love doing the things that these children are doing as well.

0:24:180:24:24

-And she won't be here, will she?

-No.

0:24:240:24:26

But that for me... It might sound a bit callous, but that for me is

0:24:260:24:31

the reason why we're coming - because we're coming for OUR child.

0:24:310:24:35

We'd love it if Emily was here as well,

0:24:350:24:37

but we've seen the benefit of it, and we've got to look after our own child, at the end of the day.

0:24:370:24:44

It's still a big if, but if this is the best thing for our child,

0:24:440:24:48

-then that's what we'd have to do, I think.

-Yeah.

0:24:480:24:50

The reality of a move was starting to hit home.

0:24:500:24:53

Based on what we've seen so far and the social life in Australia, our vote goes to...

0:24:530:24:58

..UK.

0:24:590:25:01

I don't know!

0:25:010:25:02

I don't know.

0:25:030:25:05

Cracks were starting to show.

0:25:070:25:09

So far, Andy had been extremely positive about Australia. But things were beginning to change.

0:25:090:25:15

I think what we've seen today is encouraging.

0:25:150:25:18

But I look at it as the friends we would be making here, off the bat, would be kind of thrown together

0:25:180:25:24

because we're families and that's what we've got in common.

0:25:240:25:28

It's not what we've got in common in terms of personalities and as proper friends.

0:25:280:25:32

I voted for the UK on that basis -

0:25:320:25:34

because I've got close friends and I'd like to have a laugh with them.

0:25:340:25:37

In 2009, thoughts of leaving family and friends in the UK

0:25:410:25:46

were playing heavily on both Andy and Keira's minds.

0:25:460:25:50

So, to remind them just what they would be leaving behind,

0:25:500:25:53

we showed them some messages from their loved ones back home.

0:25:530:25:57

'Hi, you two. I hope you've settled in.

0:26:010:26:02

'Hi, you two...'

0:26:020:26:04

Hope you're having a great time. We're missing you like crazy.

0:26:040:26:08

-Andy's a nice guy...

-You're a nice guy.

0:26:080:26:10

He's very clever. He knows what he wants in life.

0:26:100:26:12

At first, I don't think she liked Andy very much.

0:26:120:26:16

He was a little bit cocky...

0:26:160:26:18

'I love her very much. She's a very loving daughter.'

0:26:180:26:21

She's a lovely girl.

0:26:210:26:23

Yeah, she is. And she loves Andy very much.

0:26:230:26:26

'She's a superb daughter-in-law.'

0:26:260:26:28

She really is. She's like my third daughter.

0:26:280:26:31

Keira's my older sister.

0:26:310:26:33

There's, erm...

0:26:330:26:34

I think there's 18 months between us, so we're very close.

0:26:340:26:37

I don't want her to go - but I know THEY want to go.

0:26:370:26:40

I think the most important thing is that Keira's now pregnant and she's about to have a baby,

0:26:400:26:45

and it would be very difficult to see our grandchild if they were in Australia.

0:26:450:26:49

Them not being here with a grandchild of ours is not something we would really look forward to.

0:26:490:26:57

I think it's going to be ten times worse now that she's pregnant.

0:26:570:27:01

When I was pregnant, she supported me a lot through the pregnancy -

0:27:010:27:04

but we're going to find it really difficult knowing that she's so far away

0:27:040:27:09

with a little baby that we want to cuddle, and can't.

0:27:090:27:13

'I just think it's a time... The first year of a child's life,'

0:27:130:27:18

I think it's a time when you need family support.

0:27:180:27:20

'Enjoy it. Find out everything you can about it.'

0:27:200:27:24

Whatever they decide is fine by me.

0:27:240:27:28

Selfishly, I hope you don't go - I'll miss you -

0:27:280:27:31

'but I really think you SHOULD go because it's a great opportunity.'

0:27:310:27:34

Hi, K. Hi, Andy. Obviously, you knew what was going to happen.

0:27:340:27:37

We hope you have a fab time in Australia,

0:27:370:27:40

but not too much because we want you like crazy.

0:27:400:27:42

I do hope you'll make the right choice...

0:27:430:27:46

WE don't want you to go.

0:27:460:27:48

We would rather you stayed here.

0:27:480:27:50

We hope that you choose to come home to your family,

0:27:520:27:55

and bring up our grandchild at home here in sometimes sunny England.

0:27:550:28:01

Are you all right, though?

0:28:060:28:08

Yeah. I expected it, I...

0:28:080:28:11

It's just hard seeing it.

0:28:110:28:13

Yeah.

0:28:130:28:15

It's nice to see that there's a lot of support anyway.

0:28:150:28:19

Yeah.

0:28:190:28:20

-Quite honest, isn't it?

-Yeah.

0:28:210:28:23

Your mum and dad were good because they were honest, weren't they?

0:28:230:28:26

I just think... Even when I saw Katie and Emily then, I started crying.

0:28:260:28:31

They didn't have to say anything.

0:28:310:28:33

You're starting to miss them now, aren't you?

0:28:330:28:37

Yeah.

0:28:370:28:38

-Well, this is the acid test, isn't it?

-Yeah.

0:28:440:28:47

-Harsh!

-Yeah, but, er...

0:28:470:28:50

..one thing is, it'll be worse than this when you're waiting to get on the plane.

0:28:510:28:56

So, you have to take that into account as well.

0:28:570:28:59

-Yeah.

-You might calm yourself down in five minutes, but, er...

0:28:590:29:04

it'll be that a hundredfold if we make the decision, so...

0:29:040:29:09

you have to be sure you're all right with that.

0:29:090:29:12

Well, it was the end of a long and emotional week in Darwin for the Roberts.

0:29:210:29:25

I do see me and Andy moving to Australia in the near future.

0:29:250:29:28

Andy and Keira loved the experience and the lifestyle which Australia offered their expanding family.

0:29:280:29:35

The priority is the baby, really.

0:29:350:29:37

However, the messages from their family

0:29:370:29:40

came as a stark reminder of what they'd be leaving behind -

0:29:400:29:43

and the difficulty they'd face raising their first child WITHOUT the support of their family.

0:29:430:29:48

-It's just hard seeing it.

-Yeah.

0:29:490:29:52

It had always been Andy's dream to move to Australia -

0:29:520:29:55

but he was worried that it might prove too much for Keira.

0:29:550:30:00

Before we started this little adventure, it was always going to be the family that was going to

0:30:000:30:04

be the problem, and I think that's still the case now.

0:30:040:30:08

The main thing for me is how much Keira may have been swept

0:30:080:30:11

away by things, and how much this may have set her back.

0:30:110:30:15

Seeing friends

0:30:150:30:18

that I've grown up with, and...

0:30:180:30:21

family,

0:30:210:30:24

it just changes things.

0:30:240:30:26

Because the way I'm feeling now,

0:30:280:30:30

it would be a constant if we came out here.

0:30:300:30:33

Ultimately, the reason I'm here is not just for me,

0:30:330:30:36

it's for Keira and for our new family.

0:30:360:30:40

The most overriding thing is for a better life for our kids.

0:30:410:30:45

It's a really, really hard decision to make.

0:30:450:30:48

And I don't suppose until I flip the cards

0:30:500:30:53

I'll know which way I'm going to go.

0:30:530:30:55

They had such a positive start to the week,

0:30:560:30:59

but the prospect of leaving friends and family behind and bringing up

0:30:590:31:03

their first child alone had made this huge decision even harder.

0:31:030:31:07

It was crunch time.

0:31:070:31:09

Will Keira and Andy choose a new life down under,

0:31:090:31:13

or was there too much tying them to the UK?

0:31:130:31:15

Based on everything we've seen here in Darwin, our vote goes to...

0:31:150:31:19

BOTH: ..UK.

0:31:200:31:23

I'm shocked that you voted for UK!

0:31:230:31:26

-I know. But there's a big caveat to that.

-Go on.

0:31:260:31:31

That I think Australia is my long-term vote, without a doubt...

0:31:310:31:35

but not having your mum and dad around when the baby's an infant

0:31:350:31:43

I think would be too hard for you.

0:31:430:31:45

I absolutely love it here,

0:31:450:31:46

but I couldn't do it without my family and friends.

0:31:460:31:49

Having your first child is going to be hard enough without having

0:31:490:31:52

-your mum and my mum and your sister around you at the time.

-Yeah.

0:31:520:31:56

-Yeah.

-Maybe, I think it's a timing issue.

0:31:560:32:00

Maybe.

0:32:000:32:02

I think at this moment in time, it's probably just...the wrong time.

0:32:080:32:13

For me, I don't think the book's closed.

0:32:130:32:16

I still want to come out here and I think everything we've seen

0:32:160:32:19

just makes me want to come out here even more, really,

0:32:190:32:22

but I think the timing isn't quite right really.

0:32:220:32:25

I think it would be too hard raising our first child on our own.

0:32:250:32:29

Give the child a couple of months and see how we feel then.

0:32:290:32:32

Maybe six months down the line, we'll feel differently.

0:32:320:32:35

I still think it's on the horizon in the short to medium term, hopefully.

0:32:350:32:40

So, in 2009, the Roberts voted for the UK.

0:32:460:32:51

We've caught up with them again - baby has arrived,

0:32:510:32:55

but where are they now and how are they getting on?

0:32:550:32:58

They are still in the UK - and with the arrival of baby Jack their family has grown.

0:33:000:33:05

A year ago, they both agreed the UK was right for the time being.

0:33:050:33:10

But where do they see their future?

0:33:100:33:12

Will they be united or do they ultimately want to live in two very different places?

0:33:120:33:18

It feels like a lifetime ago since we were in Australia,

0:33:190:33:22

even though it was just about a year ago.

0:33:220:33:26

Um...

0:33:260:33:27

So much has changed and a lot of things have happened.

0:33:270:33:30

We've had Jack, a new addition to our family.

0:33:300:33:32

November 17th, Jack was born.

0:33:320:33:36

-2009.

-Mm-hm.

-A few months after we came back from Darwin.

0:33:360:33:39

-Things changed a lot then, didn't they?

-Yeah.

0:33:390:33:43

Definitely did.

0:33:430:33:44

Yeah, nothing prepares you for parenthood, I don't think. Um...

0:33:440:33:49

Seeing the birth, nothing prepares you for that either.

0:33:490:33:52

That did mess up my head a little bit.

0:33:520:33:55

Still not sleeping properly now, to be honest, but...

0:33:550:33:58

And he wasn't the one that gave birth.

0:33:580:34:00

BABY CRIES

0:34:000:34:03

-Shall we go and... Do you want to?

-Yeah, I'll go and get him.

0:34:030:34:06

All right, this is our little baby boy, Jack.

0:34:070:34:09

The last time everybody saw him, he was in the scans.

0:34:090:34:13

-He's...

-He still keeps us up at night every now and again,

0:34:130:34:16

but he's generally very well-tempered.

0:34:160:34:18

Be better if he was in Australia, he'd be more well-behaved in the sunshine.

0:34:180:34:22

-Do you think?

-Yeah.

0:34:220:34:23

I think it'd be great for him.

0:34:230:34:25

-JACK MOANS

-Do you agree?

0:34:250:34:28

I don't think he does.

0:34:280:34:29

From first impressions, it seems Andy is still keen to make a better life for his family in Australia,

0:34:290:34:36

and Keira still has her doubts.

0:34:360:34:37

But Jack has become their top priority.

0:34:370:34:41

Not much has changed in the house over the last 12 months,

0:34:410:34:44

cos we've had our hands full with a little baby, but, um...

0:34:440:34:47

soon as we got back from Darwin,

0:34:470:34:48

the first thing I did was sort his little nursery out.

0:34:480:34:51

And this is it.

0:34:510:34:53

Dab hand at the DIY now.

0:34:530:34:55

Yeah. It's a bit blue, but...

0:34:550:34:57

HE LAUGHS What do you expect with a boy?

0:34:570:34:59

It's all right. I'd prefer it to be red.

0:34:590:35:02

Jack may have taken over their lives,

0:35:020:35:04

but thoughts of Australia are still at the forefront of their minds.

0:35:040:35:09

I was quite surprised that I liked it so much.

0:35:110:35:16

Um, didn't think I would and... I really was hoping that I wouldn't.

0:35:160:35:21

It's quite big.

0:35:210:35:22

It's my ideal...of a home.

0:35:220:35:28

I think the life for the baby would definitely be better here

0:35:280:35:31

than it is back at home.

0:35:310:35:33

Um, saw the family-and-friends DVD and was devastated for the whole day.

0:35:330:35:38

Cos I don't think you realise...

0:35:380:35:40

until you think about it that way,

0:35:400:35:42

what you're giving up.

0:35:420:35:44

Um, I know it's a fabulous place,

0:35:440:35:47

and they've got a lot to offer, for young families in particular,

0:35:470:35:52

but I think family and friends are a lot more important

0:35:520:35:57

-and they play a... They will play a key role in Jack's upbringing.

-Hmm.

0:35:570:36:01

It does bring it home, the family and friends,

0:36:010:36:04

and now I've had the baby,

0:36:040:36:06

that family-and-friends network has been invaluable really.

0:36:060:36:10

We've just had him christened,

0:36:100:36:12

and 100 people turned up to the ceremony, so that brings it home -

0:36:120:36:15

how important the family and friends are, really.

0:36:150:36:18

But I'm still looking at the best thing for him,

0:36:180:36:20

and I think the best thing for him is still to be over there, long-term.

0:36:200:36:24

I don't regret going for, um... For the UK.

0:36:240:36:28

But I still want to give it a go at some point if I can.

0:36:280:36:31

I think if I pushed a little bit too much now,

0:36:310:36:33

you'd probably find me with concrete boots on, wouldn't you?

0:36:330:36:37

-SHE LAUGHS

-Don't think they're too keen on me taking their daughter away,

0:36:370:36:40

and the grandson as well now.

0:36:400:36:42

Obviously that's made things a little bit... A bit More...

0:36:420:36:45

Iffy, I suppose.

0:36:470:36:48

-Iffy!

-Couldn't say what I was going to say.

0:36:480:36:50

Thought better of it.

0:36:530:36:55

It's Keira's strong family ties which, at the moment,

0:36:550:36:59

are keeping the Roberts in the UK.

0:36:590:37:02

And with their own family growing, those bonds are even stronger.

0:37:020:37:07

Especially those between grandson and grandmother.

0:37:070:37:11

If it was what they wanted to do, then obviously, I would have accepted it, but...

0:37:110:37:15

I was really, really pleased when they decided not to go.

0:37:150:37:18

It's just too far away.

0:37:180:37:20

And I wouldn't have had all these cuddles with the new baby, would I?

0:37:200:37:24

Mum's been a godsend with Jack.

0:37:240:37:27

I think it would have been very difficult to do it without her.

0:37:290:37:34

You'd have coped, it just wouldn't have been the same, I don't think.

0:37:340:37:38

-No.

-You know, cos she is a coper, Keira.

0:37:380:37:42

And it just would have been different.

0:37:420:37:45

That's, you know... that's what it would have been.

0:37:450:37:47

She said, if she could shovel everyone up

0:37:470:37:50

and take everybody with her,

0:37:500:37:53

so that's what I'd have to do as well.

0:37:530:37:55

We'd have to shovel... We'd all have to go.

0:37:550:37:58

So...

0:37:590:38:00

-We could all go, couldn't we?

-Yeah.

0:38:000:38:02

But that's the only... I'm really close to my family as well, so...

0:38:020:38:07

And I know it's... It might sound daft to some people,

0:38:070:38:10

you know, letting that impact on the rest of your life,

0:38:100:38:13

but I think family's really important.

0:38:130:38:15

If it was something that they really wanted to do,

0:38:150:38:18

then obviously, you know, we'd support them in it.

0:38:180:38:20

Of course we would.

0:38:200:38:21

We'd just cry the whole time they were there.

0:38:210:38:24

With baby Jack's arrival,

0:38:260:38:28

Keira has come to truly appreciate the invaluable help

0:38:280:38:31

and support of her family.

0:38:310:38:33

If the Roberts are ever to start a new life in Australia,

0:38:330:38:36

Andy once again has his work cut out persuading Keira to make the move.

0:38:360:38:41

You do realise that you can't be forcing things onto her

0:38:410:38:46

and you do realise that you've got to...

0:38:460:38:48

You know, you're in a marriage, you've got to share and share alike.

0:38:480:38:51

He's, you know...he's my husband and he's there to support me, so...

0:38:510:38:55

Um...

0:38:550:38:56

Although he was probably disappointed, yeah.

0:38:560:38:58

Um...

0:38:580:39:00

He understands the reasoning behind it.

0:39:000:39:03

I was disappointed, very disappointed really,

0:39:050:39:08

that it was something we weren't going to end up doing,

0:39:080:39:11

but it wasn't unexpected.

0:39:110:39:12

So...

0:39:120:39:14

I wasn't gutted and I don't think I regret it,

0:39:140:39:16

the fact that we're not over there now, but...

0:39:160:39:19

it's still something I'd like to do.

0:39:190:39:20

He talks about Australia a lot.

0:39:200:39:22

Yeah, um...

0:39:230:39:25

When it's a bit dull outside or...

0:39:250:39:27

when we're doing something, he's says things like,

0:39:270:39:32

"Well, if it was in Australia it wouldn't be raining," or...

0:39:320:39:36

Just little sly digs. Quite... quite a lot of the time.

0:39:360:39:40

Generations of my family have been within a radius of five miles,

0:39:400:39:43

and I always thought it was a bit depressing, to be honest.

0:39:430:39:46

There's a big world out there, and you've got to go out

0:39:460:39:49

and experience as much as you can before you don't have a chance to.

0:39:490:39:52

I'd still, even in the future, I'd need that support to come with me.

0:39:520:39:58

I couldn't just do it with me and Andy on our own.

0:39:580:40:02

You do only get one chance in life and...

0:40:020:40:05

I don't want to look back on my life when I'm on my deathbed

0:40:050:40:08

and think, "I could have done that and didn't."

0:40:080:40:11

Um...

0:40:110:40:12

And that bothers me more than anything else, really.

0:40:120:40:15

This moment in time, I'm just really enjoying Jack

0:40:150:40:19

and where we're at at this moment in our life,

0:40:190:40:23

and, um...

0:40:230:40:24

That's what I'm thinking about at the moment,

0:40:240:40:27

and maybe Australia can come in the future.

0:40:270:40:30

Um...

0:40:300:40:31

Maybe it won't.

0:40:310:40:32

I don't know. It's something we really need to talk about further down the line, I think.

0:40:320:40:36

Keira seems certain that she could not make the move down under

0:40:360:40:40

without her family,

0:40:400:40:41

but Andy's mind is still full of ideas of emigration.

0:40:410:40:44

When it comes to making their final vote,

0:40:440:40:47

which way will they go?

0:40:470:40:49

I really loved Australia and...

0:40:500:40:54

you know, in the long-run, I would like to move over there.

0:40:540:40:58

But based on, um... Well, knowing that my family and friends...

0:40:580:41:02

I couldn't just shovel them up and take them with me,

0:41:020:41:06

my vote goes to the UK.

0:41:060:41:08

ANDY INHALES

0:41:080:41:10

As Keira says, a lot of things have changed over the last 12 months.

0:41:100:41:15

And it puts a lot of focus on family, having a new baby boy.

0:41:150:41:19

Um...

0:41:190:41:20

But my ambition to go to Australia still remains though.

0:41:200:41:24

But, um, I'm more happy

0:41:240:41:27

with the fact that we are in the UK.

0:41:270:41:29

But having said that, I'm going to go for...

0:41:310:41:33

Australia.

0:41:330:41:35

SHE GIGGLES

0:41:350:41:37

I knew you'd do that.

0:41:370:41:38

The thing is, it's where you would like to be.

0:41:380:41:41

And it's where you would like to be in the future,

0:41:410:41:44

is why I voted for Australia.

0:41:440:41:45

When I voted the UK originally,

0:41:450:41:47

that was because I knew it was too hard for Keira at that time.

0:41:470:41:51

So it was a vote at that specific moment in time.

0:41:510:41:55

But I would still like to go over there.

0:41:550:41:57

It's not the end of the rainbow, by any means.

0:41:570:42:00

It's not what a lot of people make out, but...

0:42:000:42:02

I'd still like to be there.

0:42:020:42:04

But having said that,

0:42:040:42:05

I am happy to be here, I'm not gutted that we're not there.

0:42:050:42:09

But I still harbour some dreams.

0:42:090:42:12

I'm just glad that Andy's understanding

0:42:120:42:16

and know exactly where my thoughts are.

0:42:160:42:20

And knows why, um...

0:42:200:42:23

You know, what's holding me back. I would go there

0:42:230:42:27

if other people agreed to go there with me.

0:42:270:42:31

So I'm not going to budge on that one.

0:42:310:42:33

It's amazing how you'll follow your brothers and sisters,

0:42:330:42:36

but you won't follow your husband.

0:42:360:42:38

The Roberts have not yet made the move to Australia,

0:42:410:42:44

and it seems their dream is on hold for the time being.

0:42:440:42:49

The arrival of baby Jack

0:42:490:42:50

might just be enough of a life-altering change for now.

0:42:500:42:55

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

0:43:030:43:06

E-mail [email protected]

0:43:060:43:09

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