Pagnini Wanted Down Under

Could you uproot your family and leave all your loved ones behind

to start a new life thousands of miles away?

What if it didn't work out?

Could you bring yourself to try it again a second time?

Well, that's what the Pagnini family is attempting.

After their dream move to California turned sour, they're determined to give it another try.

-This time for good.

-We've done it once before.

We've upset everybody.

We've gone. We've come back.

They have all been relieved that we're back.

It makes this decision much more difficult.

It's an issue that could split the family.

Mike's mum isn't happy at all.

I told them that time and this time, you're not going.

If they really liked it,

I wouldn't be happy.

If they make the move, will they be ever able to afford to come home?

If I move over here, I ain't going back to England unless it's a necessary thing.

-Not to visit?

-No.

-Why?

It's going to be hard. It'll be very expensive with five children.

-All right, all right.

-By the end of the week, there will be a lot of soul searching.

I feel guilty about upsetting my family like that.

The whole emotion they're going through at the moment is all down to us. It's all our fault.

Make up your mind very quick, Michael and Clare, and come back to me.

Australia is still the most popular country of residence for Brits moving abroad,

but although they may be tempted by the sun, sea and sand,

almost a third return home every year.

The Pagninis may think they want to move down under,

but have they thought it through?

We've given them a week to see what life

in Australia would really be like before they make one of the most important decisions of their lives.

The Pagninis currently live in the village of Timperley on the outskirts of Manchester.

Painter and decorator Mike shares a home with Clare and their three children,

eight-year-old Dylan and daughters Ashley, four, and Beth who's three.

The family have had a taste of living abroad before when Mike's dad

who lives in California asked them to join him.

It was about six years ago now, wasn't it?

We moved to America and absolutely loved our life. It was fantastic,

-the house was amazing.

-With a pool.

-With a pool and four bedrooms.

Then we realised the cost of living, we hadn't really looked into

and we found it really difficult to live in a country where

if your children were ill, you had to think, "Can I afford to take them to the doctor?"

They chose to return home.

We were so excited to come home because we'd not seen everyone

for two years and so we were like "Yes, we're going home.

"We're going to see everyone."

-"Kebabs!"

-And we came back,

we realised we'd made a bit of a mistake.

-Yeah, within the first ten minutes I think it was.

-Ten minutes!

The three-bedroom terrace they rent in Greater Manchester is a far cry

from the spacious family home and pool they had in California.

They're desperate to be able to afford the sunny outdoor life again.

-This is probably the last shot now.

-This is the last shot.

We know we want that kind of lifestyle.

We're going to Australia to find it.

Mike is dying to follow his dreams.

I want to make it work one million per cent and I'll do anything to make it work.

I would up and leave and go tomorrow basically,

but my wife being the sensible one won't allow us to do that.

With strong ties at home, Clare has serious reservations about going.

For me, it's going to be really difficult to leave my family behind.

I think that's probably

the most important thing to me.

It'll be difficult to,

I suppose, feel so segregated from everything that's going on and I know from living abroad before

that whenever there's a family do, if there's a wedding or a christening or a birthday,

you feel totally left out.

My sister and my mum are my best friends and leaving them would be really difficult. Very difficult.

So the stakes are high for the Pagninis

as they face a potentially life-changing upheaval yet again.

But where in Australia should they go?

It would be Mike's occupation that would potentially get them

into Australia and fortunately, as a painter and decorator, his skills are needed across the country.

They could go to Adelaide in South Australia.

This planned open city is about half the size of London with just one eighth of its population

offering the Pagninis that relaxed, urban lifestyle they're looking for.

And with the average house price at over £100,000 lower than Sydney's,

it's a cheap place like for a family like the Pagninis to get started.

But wages are lower here too so Mike and Clare might have to work longer hours to make ends meet.

Perhaps further east, the city of Melbourne is more appropriate as

family incomes here are higher than the national average.

Victoria's capital is the number one destination for sport and culture

and could be perfect for an outgoing family like the Pagninis, but it does come at a cost.

The property market has soared in recent years

with the average house price one of the highest in the country.

So Clare's dream of a massive home with a pool could be out of reach.

And with a population of four million, could it just be too big for the Pagninis' first step?

Maybe they'd prefer a smaller city such as Perth in Western Australia

where again there's plenty to do for a growing family.

Property-wise, it's not a great deal cheaper than Melbourne, but as

Australia's fastest-growing city, it should offer plenty of work for Mike if he can handle the competition.

One in eight residents here are British-born

so the Pagninis should feel at home while they find their feet.

Three good options for the family there, each with its benefits so where shall we send them?

We decided to send the Pagninis to experience life in Melbourne for their week in Australia.

With income playing such a crucial role for them, it's vital they go somewhere Mike can earn more.

Whilst it's not the cheapest city for housing, there are less expensive areas

in its growing suburbs, but can they really afford their Australian dream financially and emotionally?

I'd be brokenhearted if they went to Australia.

It's hard.

That's it.

I don't want to be going back to England after two years.

-It's too expensive.

-For him to just take it away like that

makes me feel worse.

I should have been a bit more sympathetic, I think.

I'm feeling quite nervous at the moment.

I don't know whether we'll all vote the same.

I really need to think about whether I can leave my family again

and put them through all of that heartache again.

After 23 hours of flying, the family's potentially life-changing trip begins in Melbourne.

Having crossed three continents spanning 10,500 miles,

the reality of making such a long journey becomes clear.

Not being able to stretch your legs.

Not being able to move for so long.

That's the worst. And the kids having to be sat still is just a nightmare.

-The journey, it's the main factor in all of it.

-Yeah.

With it being halfway across the world, it's not that easy just to whizz home, is it?

No. Clare is already feeling the pressure.

Concerned about hating it.

-Yeah.

-I'm concerned about the journey home.

-Yeah.

Concerned about Mike hating his job.

Concerned about it being way out of our price range and not being an

option for us, that's probably the worst thing that could happen.

-Well, let's see, let's hope it blows our mind, eh?

-Yeah.

Mike knows he's got his work cut out if he's to convince Clare Australia is right for them.

Everything rides on what she thinks of where they're staying.

This is the type of house they could afford IF they were to make the move.

I'll shut this boot because I don't know what neighbourhood is like,

but I know it's very warm.

Very warm indeed.

In a house without air conditioning, Mike's using his head to keep cool.

You'll get a lot of people who do this - stick their head in the freezer.

Look, this is the main bedroom.

-Yeah, that's all right.

-Yeah, nice, but there's no bath.

-Where's the bath?

-There isn't a bath.

I've got to have a bath.

-No, there's no bath.

-Right.

We need to get a Jacuzzi then, don't we?

We'll have to get a Jacuzzi.

I think we could get a better house than this.

Maybe the garden will make amends.

It's a really small garden.

There's no grass. I don't like it.

Clare has dreamed of a large garden and a pool.

So far Australia isn't living up to her expectations.

I'm quite disappointed really.

I expected it to just look like California.

-Yeah.

-So I expected it to be highways with lovely scenery either side and got myself

so hyped up about everything and I saw quite a lot of factories and graffiti and things like that.

-It will be like that.

-It makes me feel a bit gutted really.

I'm just a bit deflated now.

-It's early days.

-I know.

Well, I'm the pessimist, you're the optimist, so we'll see.

Maybe you can woo me.

I've already done that.

Mike will have to do a lot more than a bit of wooing if he's

to persuade Clare to leave England and her family behind again.

Back in the UK, the Pagninis rent a three-bedroomed terraced house

in Timperley, a village on the outskirts of Manchester.

If they decide to move, the family will have a budget of £200,000 with a mortgage.

But will it be enough to get that big Aussie pad and pool that Clare is dying for?

The Pagninis' life-changing decision hinges on finances.

And when it comes to buying a home, Melbourne offers a variety

of lifestyle options, some more expensive than others.

They could live in the city

and enjoy being in the midst of all the hustle and bustle.

Affluent central town houses can hit the 1 million mark,

and although you're unlikely to get a pool,

residents do benefit from having no commute to work.

This type of place would be unaffordable for the family

even if they got a massive mortgage so they'd be better off looking for somewhere out of town.

The coast is popular with many young families

and although Mike may face a long commute to work,

Clare and the children would love lapping up the sunshine.

Homes right on the beach can go for over 1 million.

A short drive away, this four-bedroomed property in the trendy seaside suburb of Mordialloc

costs £325,000 and is at the cheaper end of the market.

Prices here have soared over recent years

with the influx of a young, wealthy generation

so the Pagninis would need to look further inland to accommodate their needs.

A more realistic option would be the up-and-coming rural suburb

of Werribee where the family are staying for their trial week.

Despite its fast, direct links to the city, the area has retained its traditional country charm.

Top-of-the-range properties

like this four-bedroomed, two-bathroom Chelsea design would cost around £250,000.

But there are plenty of houses here within the family's budget including build-your-own homes

and with so many new developments it could be an easy place for Mike to find work as a painter.

We're going to show the Pagninis a range of properties in this area,

but before we do, let's just check they've settled in OK.

Oh, no. What's happened?

Dylan was taking a shower and slipped and hit his head on the soap dish and he's had to have four stitches.

We had to ring an ambulance because we didn't know what to do.

My poor baby. He frightened us to death, didn't you?

Typical of the Pagninis.

With Dylan all bandaged, they're finally ready to visit the three properties we've lined up for them.

The whole move rests on whether they can find a home they love within their price range.

So will property number one be up to

their high standards?

Priced at around £200,000, it's just within budget.

After Clare's disappointment with their temporary accommodation, it's vital she likes this one.

Fingers crossed.

Is this the master bedroom then? I like it.

There's a snooker table.

This house is massive.

It's gorgeous.

Clare's loving it and the swimming pool has topped it off.

But Mike's keeping very quiet.

-How brilliant is that?

-I feel like jumping in.

I really like this house. Yeah, I do.

There's the barbecue area and then there's the swimming area.

I think it's perfect, what do you think, Mike?

-No.

-You don't like it?

It's a bit too compact.

It's too small.

-The garden?

-Yeah, it's too small.

I want a big open plan.

That's safe if it's locked so the kids can't get to the pool without us knowing.

I know, but I'd like a big, open-plan so I could sit there and just watch the children play.

This way they can be running around the corner. I want to be able to see them all.

-OK.

-I just want it structured.

Pool and swings and things like that.

-No, I don't like it.

-'Oh, poor Clare.'

Just think, we could go to sleep on here.

Right, Dylan, come on, we all need to be out of this area now, Mike.

Just when she'd opened her eyes to what Australia could offer the family,

Mike has demolished her hopes.

If they can't see eye-to-eye, this move will never work.

Perhaps they'll have better luck with the next one.

Property two is a three bedroom show home

situated in a newer development on the outskirts of Werribee.

It's an example of a design-your-own property

which should give the family an idea of what they could achieve

for around their £200,000 budget.

-Do you want to have a look around?

-Oh, my Lord.

Jacka-knacker-nory.

Chicken cacciatore!

-That's really nice.

-Yeah.

Well, we'll take this one.

Oh, my...

That is gorgeous.

Let's see.

-It's good.

-And this is all standard.

Nice, that. Just think of all the microwave meals we could make in here.

Plenty of space for takeaways to just lay it all out. We're sorted.

And you're supposed to be the chef.

Well, you know.

There's a cookbook, we can use that.

I hope Mike will be using that cookbook,

but at least they're singing from the same hymn sheet at last.

I'd love a house just like this and to think as well that you'll buy

the piece of land and then you'll basically design the whole house.

So you've built your own house.

There are different types of houses.

-Yeah.

-There are about eight styles of houses.

-So you pick your style and plot of land, pick the type of house.

-I think it's in here.

Clare can't wait to check out where they'd be sleeping.

-This is the master bedroom.

-It's nice in here.

-Lovely.

-This is the Zohan room, but less with the Zohan.

Hey, look at the size of the wardrobe.

Outside, Clare is quick to notice what's missing.

I bet you could fit a pool across there anyway,

but you could always buy a bigger plot as well, couldn't you?

Er, wait a second, this size plot is at the top of their budget - building a pool doesn't come cheap.

Maybe fit a small pool there.

-You've got to be kidding!

-You wouldn't have much space.

Get the ones you blow up.

They do seem to be getting a little ahead of themselves.

What you could do, if you had this plot of land, you could change your bedroom around so that the doors

open out to here and have that as your seating area and then you've got all of this space for a pool.

-All us English are bothered about is having a pool, I think.

-I know.

Finally, the Pagninis are in agreement, but they're just not thinking about the cost.

However, if Clare was to get a full-time job, they could push up their budget.

With this in mind, they move on to property number three,

priced at £230,000,

it's a little more ambitious,

but it does have the four bedrooms the Pagninis are really after.

There's another area here.

That's great, isn't it?

-Brilliant, because this is a lovely space.

-Look at that plasma.

-Another one!

There maybe more space than the family are used to, but with Clare working full-time,

they'll need to factor in the cost of childcare and try to keep their feet firmly on the ground.

Oh, look at this.

-Shabba.

-Oh, it is really...

This is definitely perfect.

Look at the size of the wardrobe, Mike.

We could put me Mum and Dad in there as a spare bedroom when they come to visit, it's that big.

-If you say so, Clare!

-It's gorgeous, isn't it? Beautiful size.

-It is really nice.

Absolutely lovely.

As this home is out of their budget, surely they're thinking more practically now.

So we'd have the pool sectioned off.

-Oh, dear.

-It looks pretty spacious for a pool.

Yeah, we could get a slightly bigger plot of land than this so

-we could have the pool as well as some extra space...

-Anything else?

And then a grass area, wouldn't we?

We'd just have a nice grass area for the kids to play.

I don't think you'd get any grass areas. You just get your pool.

Surely there are more pressing concerns, finances perhaps?

Yeah, we'd get grass. We'd have grass all there.

And we could have grass there.

-You can't water grass over here so you'd have to have astro-turf.

-Oh, no.

-You're not allowed to water your grass.

-We'll have brown grass.

-At least they don't think the grass is always greener.

-It's nice, that house, isn't it?

-No, I like the other house the bestest.

-Do you?

Joking aside, they desperately need to see whether the figures add up.

Although they liked the homes overall, can they really raise the money to afford their dream place?

I really like the third house, but in order to be able to afford that, I'd have to work,

maybe full-time, we'd have to really look at the pros and the cons.

So, my main concern now is that the income that we'd be entitled to will be

a lot less than I'm expecting.

We need to really look at what we'd earn compared to what we'd have to pay out.

Clare's sobering up to the massive financial risk that comes with a move

-and as it's obvious where Mike would rather be...

-Down under!

..she's starting to realise the outcome rests heavily upon her shoulders.

I think Mike is more than happy to move over here,

so the pressure is going to be solely on me to decide yes or no

because I think Mike will just come.

He's just happy to come,

so it's going to be down to me and the family are constantly on my mind.

At the moment, I just feel like it's cross that bridge when I come to it, I think.

Yeah, it's hard. Very hard.

It will take much more than a walk-in wardrobe and swimming pool

for Clare to leave her family behind.

For now though, they only have to decide if they prefer houses in the UK or Australia.

This is our first taste of properties in Australia

and compared to the properties in the UK, we're going to vote for...

Australia.

The Pagninis may prefer Aussie houses, but will they be able to afford the home of their dreams?

That's a lot.

And will Mike really convince Clare to leave her family and friends in the UK?

I've got a very good relationship with Clare.

She's my eldest.

And we go everywhere together.

The Pagninis have a dream of a great home and lifestyle down under,

but none of this could be possible

unless Mike is sure he can get well-paid work.

Back in the UK, Mike takes home up to £30,000 a year as a self-employed painter and decorator.

At the moment, I work part-time and I'd really rather be at home with the kids.

If we were to get over there and find that there wasn't any work

or the pay was really poor, that would be disaster.

-Basically, we can't survive.

-Yeah.

Down under, Mike is off to see if he can bring home the bacon.

With Clare desperate not to work in Australia, he's under added pressure to make ends meet.

I'm a little bit apprehensive about going to work today, it's a labour of love, I guess.

When it comes to salary and wages, I just want a competitive rate.

Mike's here to meet local painter and decorator Bruce James who could be a useful contact.

-All right, Mike, if you want to start this wall here.

-Yep.

Around up to the doorway and we'll see how good a job you do, mate.

OK. Being a professional painter, I'll show you how fast I can do it.

That looks pretty good, mate.

We'll leave that at that and you can come and roll some doors in the bedroom if you'd like.

OK, great.

In the UK, Mike is self-employed.

Moving to Australia would mean he'd have to start from the bottom again working for someone else.

Basically, it's up to myself to meet people, get myself known,

the wages might be a little bit less than I'm on at the moment,

so, yeah, that's a little bit daunting.

Meanwhile, the rest of the family are checking out Werribee town centre.

It's vital Clare likes it as it's the type of area they could afford to live in.

It's a real village feel to it. I feel like we're probably a bit out in the country around here,

so it's like the village shops.

I think I'd really prefer somewhere maybe a little bit modern.

I'd like to have a big mall nearby and I don't think there's anything like that around here.

I think this is the town centre and that's it.

To afford somewhere more upmarket, Clare would definitely have to work.

I suppose it was a pipe dream to think that Mike would earn enough

for me to be able to stay at home and we have this great lifestyle.

In all honestly, that's probably not possible at all.

But there's help on hand.

In the UK, Clare is a part-time office manager so she's got a meeting with Linda Weldon,

a local recruitment adviser to find out more about opportunities down under.

Is there plenty of work out there for that type of role?

There is work out there and it's growing.

We're finding an increase in needs coming from employers.

Looking at salaries again depending on the range of the responsibilities,

you're looking at anywhere from 35,000

up to 60 plus if you wanted to,

it just depends on size of office, responsibilities within that office.

If that is possible, then I'm quite pleased about that.

The fact that there is a job out there for me

-makes it a lot better for me.

-OK, excellent.

That's good news for Clare, but it's Mike's job that really counts.

Working for someone else would mean being paid per square metre painted

so he'd have to put in a lot more hours than he's used to.

What's the average wage for a painter decorator?

-They'd probably be averaging maybe 700 bucks a week.

-All right.

You've got to go really hard if you want to make some good money.

It's a devastating blow. Mike would be on nearly half his UK wage.

So can you borrow us a tenner please?

You'll need a lot more than that.

Basically if I had work and my wife had work,

I'm pretty sure we could afford our mortgage and get on.

But Clare wants a four bedroom house with a pool.

They'll never be able to pay for that.

Mike's so desperate to make the move, he's just not facing up to reality.

It's time to vote for work.

It's been an eventful day. I've enjoyed it.

I think when it comes to working over here, Australia gets my vote and now I'm off for a cold one.

See you later.

Mike just won't accept the consequences of a lower salary.

But perhaps the reality will hit home when he sees how much it actually costs to live in Australia.

We've prepared a breakdown of their UK and Australian expenses

so the Pagninis can weigh up whether they can actually afford to live here.

Phone and internet, 65.

Council tax, 100.

There's the shopping list, that's what I'm interested to see.

Potatoes, £1.98 in the UK and it's £3.79 here.

Shh, don't say anything.

That's a lot. Look at the six pint milk, £2.25 and that's what in Australia?

£8.53 for six pints of milk.

-That is a lot.

-And we use a lot of milk.

We do. That is a lot, I'm quite shocked at that.

If the groceries are giving them a headache, what are they going to do about Mike's salary?

You'd earn £26,000.

And you're earning, but that's self-employed and this is employed.

Just put £30,000.

No, that's what it says there. £26,000, but I would earn way more so that makes up for it anyway,

but you see I work part-time there and that would be full-time work.

That means Mike is no longer the main breadwinner.

He doesn't like it.

I'm really pleased about that. Everything seems to be going well.

Yay!

With both of them working full-time, not only would they have to pay for childcare,

but their dream of a better work-life balance is over.

So will this affect their vote?

For the cost of living comparisons between Australia and the UK, we vote for...

-Australia.

-England.

Why are you voting for England?

Because I think I'd earn a lot more money in England

and the prices of food over here's a lot more.

But I earn more here so that's why I voted for Australia.

-Well, I thought I'd earn more money in England, that's why I voted for England.

-OK.

The prospect of Clare having to work full-time has finally made

Mike think practically about how much this move would actually cost.

But he's a man of many talents and won't give up without a fight.

Back in the UK, Mike used to be in a band,

but for now, he's restricted to jamming in the living room.

I used to play guitar every single day and I never put the guitar down.

Basically, two more children came along which was goodbye, career.

Obviously In Australia, we might get a little bit more time to do things we want to do.

Mike is convinced he can start performing again to boost the family income.

He's been offered a trial with a local band, but as Melbourne

is the music capital of Australia, they won't be taking on any amateurs.

I'm actually very excited to meet Mike and see what kind of musician he's like.

The crowds have gathered and eagerly await their surprise guest.

Mike's preparing to sing.

He's a slightly little bit nervous at the moment.

A little bit apprehensive playing in front of 300 Aussies.

It's been a while since I've played and sang. It'll go down like a lead balloon.

Having not performed for over 20 years this could be a disaster.

Hello, Australia.

As I say, I'm contemplating on moving with my wife and family

over here to this great country and whilst I've been on my journey, I've penned a small song.

So hopefully you might like it. Thank you.

HE PLAYS AND STOPS

Sorry, me guitar strap's broke!

I will have a stool, though.

-Sorry about that.

-I'll get you a stool.

# I fell in love

# A place called Australia

# I fell in love

# Well, then my wife did, too

# It never rains

# Your sun is always shining

# Here's a song

# It's for the kangaroo

# I left my heart

# It was in the north of England... #

It looks like he's a hit.

Nice one, mate. Cheers.

Thank you for listening. It's a great experience.

A great experience indeed. They were a really nice band.

They mentioned if I was ever in the area, to go and give them a call, look them up.

Mike has made some good local contacts, but music and money aside,

Clare's got other things on her mind.

It's so far away from home and leaving all of our family behind, that is the worst thing

-so I don't even want to think about that.

-Yeah.

Having moved abroad before, the Pagninis are all too aware

of the emotional heartache of being separated from loved ones.

For Clare, this move rests on whether she can bring herself

to leave them behind for the second time.

We've gone. We've come back.

They have all been relieved that we're back and now we're going to do it to them all over again.

So it makes this decision much more difficult

and it makes this move more important because we are now

sort of responsible for everyone else as well.

We have to make sure that...

if we do this to them again, it's going to be for good.

We've prepared some messages from friends and family back in the UK.

Hello, Clare and Michael.

Dylan, Ashley and Beth.

Hope you're having a lovely time.

We're really missing you and we can't wait for you to get back home.

Clare is...

Mike's lifeline.

There was nobody in the world who could have stuck with Michael

with his personality and him being so wild.

He had to have somebody, like Clare, who was very grounded.

Fantastic person. Always been there for all of us.

She rings me at least 12 times a day.

The phone goes all the time.

We don't have to look, we know it's Clare that's ringing.

I've got a very good relationship with Clare.

She's my eldest.

And we go everywhere together.

Michael is a good son.

Very caring.

I've been on my own a long, long time

and I do see him quite a lot really and this is the thing.

If they go to Australia and they really like it, it's me that's going to be...

left, you know what I mean?

I'd be brokenhearted if they went to Australia.

It's hard.

That's it.

When she said they were thinking about going to Australia,

I was gutted as I say, you know,

when they went to California, we missed them terribly and when they said

they were coming back, we were over the moon and now she's thinking about maybe going away again

and it's just bringing it all back how to keep in contact with her

and missing the kids growing up and her missing my kids growing up.

I told them that time and this time, "you're not going", but they took no notice of me.

And then the children come up, "We're going to Australia, Nana". I said no, you're not.

They said, "Yeah, we're going to Australia, Nana." I said, "Are you?

-"Well, what about me?"

-They would leave a big gap if they decided to go to Australia, yeah.

A big gap, as Clare's my only sister.

My life would be horrible. I love seeing the children.

I love to see them grow up and I'd miss Michael and Clare because they do look after me in lots of ways.

If, when they got there,

in Australia, and they really liked it, I'd like for them to stay.

I wouldn't be happy,

but I'd like them to stay if that's what they wanted.

I know it's selfish, but I do love you with all my heart, especially the children

so make up your mind very quick, Michael and Clare, and come back to me.

I love you. Bye.

I hope you've enjoyed doing everything that you wanted to do...

..and...

I don't know what your decision will be, but whatever you choose to do, it's fine by me.

It's not.

Have a lovely time and...

hope to see you soon.

We'll be coming to see you.

OK, my darlings?

Bye.

I'd never live in Australia without my family.

-I think you'd enjoy it, son.

-No.

-You would.

-No.

I feel guilty that

they're all sat there upset and...

that whole feeling

and the whole emotion that they're going through at the moment is all down to us. It's all our fault.

So, yeah, I feel guilty about that.

If I move over here, I ain't going back to England unless it's a necessary thing.

-Not to visit.

-No.

-Why?

-No point.

What do you mean there's no point?

Because we've lived there all my life. It's too expensive.

The journey, you know what the journey's like.

Yeah, but we've got family there, Mike.

If you feel like you want to keep going back to England every...

two years, you know, it's just going to cost us fortunes, isn't it?

Yes, but when we lived in America,

we needed to come back to get rid of that homesickness feeling to be able to carry on.

It would have to be a joint decision anyway, but mine personally,

I don't want to be going back to England after two years.

-It's going to be hard, it'll be very expensive with five children.

-OK, all right, all right.

-I'm not putting a dampener on it for you, am I?

-Yeah, you are.

Whether we came back to visit after the first year or two or not,

the fact that I think I'd be able to makes me feel better.

For him to just take it away like that

makes me feel worse.

-Did that upset you, me saying that?

-Yeah.

I'm just showing you reality.

I don't know now.

It might seem cruel, but flights visiting home for a family of five aren't cheap.

-You don't want to move to Australia then?

-No.

-No?

If Mike and Clare can't see eye to eye on this, they won't be able to make the move.

What upset Clare was, well, obviously seeing her mother.

Her mother was crying and Clare was crying

and she'd miss her mother and her father and her sister and brother and you know,

and I should've been a bit more sympathetic, I think,

and saying when I was trying to be a bit more pragmatic, I think I should've...

just gone along and said yeah, you can fly home any time you want, but I think after...

a year, she'd just get used to it but I just let her think what she wants to think.

Seeing messages from loved ones has made the Pagninis confront the harsh reality

that they may never be able to afford to return home.

Mike has one last shot at convincing Clare the sacrifice is worth it.

-Whoo!

-Australia's Torquay Beach is a hotspot for surfing,

but it's also safe and protected for young families.

I think if we were to move over to Australia, we'd want to live

within 30 minutes' drive of a place like this, definitely.

Dylan gets straight in there and makes new friends.

So here's what you've got to do, when you're out on the waves,

when the wave's coming in

and before it starts to curl up,

turn around and then you just push off and sail.

If you get caught in a rip, make sure you swim parallel to the beach and keep up with it.

-I'm a little bit nervous.

-I'll look after you.

You know Dylan would be...

Oh, he'd be in his element living here, he really would.

I don't think he realises how much he would love it.

Dylan's like a professional already, for his first time.

-He caught the best waves.

-It's the best thing I've ever done.

I just feel like going back into the sea and doing it over and over and over and over again.

For Mike, his experiences in Australia have opened new horizons.

It's just something out this world.

It's quite surreal, actually. It's a beautiful place.

I think it's hit home, this could be a reality of life for us and, yeah, it's emotional.

But will the rest of the family agree? It's time to vote.

We've had a fantastic day at the beach today

and for the Oz lifestyle and the British lifestyle we're going to vote for...

-Australia.

-Australia!

Clare may have voted for the Australian lifestyle,

but is a beach really going to be enough to persuade her to leave her family behind

and possibly never see them again?

It's nearly time for the final vote.

The Pagnini family have emigrated before to California,

but when it got too expensive, they returned to the UK, only to get itchy feet again.

-This is probably the last shot now.

-This is.

-Yeah.

-We know we want that kind of lifestyle.

We're going to Australia to find it.

Yet when they touched down in Australia, things were far from rosy for Clare.

After being here for about an hour, I felt like we'd made a mistake.

It was too far away. Why were we even doing this to ourselves?

The journey is so horrific and it takes such a toll on you

that it just made me feel like I was just wasting my time.

And when they discovered Mike's salary would be nearly halved down under, not only was their dream home

out of reach, but they had to face up to the prospect of never having the funds to return to the UK.

Personally, I don't want to be going back to England after two years, it's too expensive.

For him to just take it away like that

makes me feel worse.

Clare's family back home means everything to her. Can she really say goodbye to them forever?

Watching the DVDs is very upsetting.

It's not nice to see your family members upset and to know

that it's your fault, that they're upset, makes it even worse.

If anything, you just want your whole family to come with you and enjoy and see all this.

This is a massive decision for me and Mike,

but I think Mike's mind may already be made up so I think the pressure's on me to...

make the same decision as him!

After watching the videos today,

there could be a possible chance that she could vote back for England, yeah.

I'm feeling quite nervous at the moment.

I don't know whether we're all going to vote the same.

I've loved my time in Australia, but I think I really need to think about whether I can leave my family again

and put them through all of that heartache again so it's going to be a difficult decision for me, I think.

The whole family's future now rests heavily on Clare's shoulders.

It's time for the final vote.

What will she decide?

Well, it's the end of a beautiful week in Australia. We've had a really good time.

We've all enjoyed ourselves, but it's time to vote now and we're going to vote for...

-Australia!

-Australia!

Clare has decided to go for it.

The kids have loved it. Me and Mike have loved it.

This decision is ours. It's about OUR lives.

It's going to be what's best for me, Mike and the kids.

But Dylan's going to take a little more persuading.

I want to stay in England because, well,

I'll miss my family for a long time and I'll miss all my friends,

but I'm pretty sure I'll have a lot fun in Australia and I can't wait to go in the sea again.

Whoo!

I know what once we got him here, he'd be glad that we made that decision.

I mean, look at him. He absolutely loves it.

The Pagninis' journey has shown the financial,

as well as emotional cost of moving to the other side of the world.

Clare has made a brave decision for her family's future.

Let's hope it works out for them.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

E-mail [email protected]