Afanasiev Family Wanted Down Under

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Convincing your partner to give up the life they love for a new start

is no easy matter, especially if it's on the other side of the world.

But when your dream is based on a distant memory,

would you be willing to risk your whole future for it?

If you're desperate to return to the place you love...

I almost felt my business with Australia wasn't finished.

..but the dream seems out of your reach...

It makes me a bit nervous to think

whether we can afford to live here at all.

..and leaving your family behind is unbearable...

Ike and Reuben know I would miss them more than I could ever say.

Would you be able to give up everything for a new life Down Under?

With its 30,000 miles of coastline and sunny climate,

life in Australia has long been a favourite destination

for Brits dreaming of a new life abroad.

But when around 10,000 return home each year

with their dreams in ruins, sometimes a life Down Under

isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Over the next seven days,

the Afanasievs will get to experience

the reality of living Down Under.

At the end of it,

they'll have to face a life-changing decision -

whether to stay in the UK or to move to Australia.

They'll be travelling to Sydney. Having been there before,

they're familiar with the journey, and what a journey it is.

10,000 miles and 24 hours in the air.

Landing in the early hours has brought home

just how far they have come.

The trip over was quite long.

Yes, but considering how far it was, it wasn't bad.

It was a lot better than I thought he was going to be.

-These guys were really good.

-We were really good.

-You were.

It's a short journey to their rental property,

but a long way from home in Newcastle.

In the UK, the Afanasievs live in this three-bedroom semi.

There's Louise, Tosh and their two boys, Reuben, who's four,

and two-year-old Ike.

Both lived the single life in Australia in their early 20s.

I lived in Melbourne for a couple of years

when I was younger, ten years ago.

I was there in the early '90s when I was 20.

But life was very different then. I was single, I worked as a baker,

which meant I worked through the night.

I had a really great time.

I went with a friend, who is Australian. She was from Sydney.

What I saw was the potential for a really fantastic lifestyle.

When I left, I didn't feel,

"Oh, I could live here and I can't wait to go back."

I didn't feel that.

I almost felt, coming away, my business with Australia wasn't finished yet.

Several years later, they're now happily married with a young family,

a lovely home and stable jobs. Before for at least one of them,

the idea of life Down Under his still very much alive.

The kids came into our lives,

and I suddenly wanted to share what I feel about that place

with them and I wanted to show them a different life.

But Tosh knows Louise doesn't share his dream

and needs to be convinced it's the right move.

Louise has got mixed feelings about the move.

It's not an outright no. If it was, there wouldn't be a discussion.

It all comes down to whether she wants to give up

what we've got here in order to achieve a how much better life?

For Louise, though, it's not a straightforward decision.

They'll be risking everything they've worked so hard to achieve.

If we move there, we're leaving behind family and friends.

We're taking Reuben out of a fantastic school

and a lovely house in a lovely neighbourhood.

Tosh has got a fantastic job here, as well.

It is leaving that behind, I think, that is the big thing.

And it is not just the lice are they would be leaving behind.

They would be making the tough decision to say goodbye to

Louise's parents.

We have ten minutes from my parents, who help as a great deal with

the children, with childcare,

'even if it's just for an hour or picking up from school and dropping off.

'It's a big part of this decision. I feel that it's probably

'the deciding factor, really, when it comes down to it.'

Yeah. Basically, leaving them behind would be very, very hard.

If we decide to go.

With stunning scenery and a buzzing lifestyle,

Tosh and Louise want to find out if Sydney could be for them.

They've both visited the city in the past,

so how will the modern-day version compare with what they remember?

They'll be staying in the beach town of Avalon,

north of Central Sydney.

By the time they reach their base,

they're eager to see what Australia has to offer.

Wow!

Wow!

-Oh, wow.

-Look at all this!

-This is beautiful.

This is just right up our street, isn't it? Oh, wow!

-We've got a big back garden!

-Look at that, you can see the sea!

This three-bedroom house is right next to the beach, with views to die for.

-Perfect family entertainment.

-I love the idea of coming out here,

sitting out here for 20 minutes with a coffee before going to work.

You wouldn't feel like you were going to work.

It's amazing. Do they have squatters' rights here?

But Louise is already having doubts about

whether they can afford this move.

I've got very mixed emotions about the week ahead, because you hear

so many conflicting things about how it's so expensive here now

and, you know, it's not what it was five years ago.

It's not so black and white.

Louise and Tosh have set their hearts on a typical Aussie home -

open-plan and close to the sea.

But with Sydney's property prices

being amongst the highest in the world,

will they be able to afford the home they want?

Back in the UK, they Afanasievs live in a three-bedroom semi

which they bought in 2010. They're not short of a few ideas

when it comes to their dream house in Australia.

My ideal house would be very open-plan.

-We'd have to have a minimum of three bedrooms.

-Indoor-outdoor area.

-The usual cliches.

-A nice pool.

Not much, really.

What we don't want to do is take a step back from where we are now.

It'd got to be as good as or better than what we have already.

They could have a budget of around £300,000.

However, house prices in Sydney average nearly £400,000,

double what they were ten years ago when Tosh and Louise were last here.

Will they be able to afford their dream house?

Today we're going to give them a taste of Sydney's housing market.

We'll show them three different properties

based around their budget and what they want from a home.

Only after they've seen each one will we reveal to Louise and Tosh

just how much they cost.

The first property is close to Avalon, but on the High Street.

Set right amongst the shops and cafes

and with popular beaches nearby, it should give Tosh and Louise

the cosmopolitan lifestyle they're after.

This two-bedroom flat should be a clue

to just how expensive Sydney is.

-The location's good.

-Yes, nice and central. Close to cafes.

It's got a balcony. Obviously, there won't be a garden.

-Flat says something about the affordability.

-Yes, it does.

And a flat generally means one thing - stairs.

Got to go up another flight, Reuben.

-Nice outside.

-Yeah.

I wonder what number we'll be at?

And in this case, lots of them.

-Hopefully it will be worth the effort.

-Come on, in we go.

Oh, look, there's a bathroom, Nice, big shower.

Nice and bright, isn't it? Shall we have a look? It's quite small.

It is.

It's nice. Good-sized balcony.

-I like the fact that it's got the open top.

-Yeah.

-I really like fair.

-That's nice. Downstairs would be quite enclosed.

-You get loads of light.

-Yeah.

-I love the view. I really do.

When we can't afford to eat out, we can watch other people doing it.

I'm not sure that's something to look forward to, Tosh!

-Perhaps it's time to go in and look at the bedrooms.

-This is nice.

-Yeah.

-It s got a balcony as well.

-I think it's lovely.

It is, but, you know, there is the thing that it's only got two bedrooms, which is fine for us,

but we are expecting my parents to come and visit.

It wouldn't be a permanent place, really.

But it would be a kind of landing pad just to get settled.

It's one of those things. We need to see how much this goes for.

It might be, this is kind of it for us,

-and if that is the case, that is part of the decision.

-Yes.

Louise and Tosh may only see this flat as a stepping stone to

something bigger, but they don't know the actual price yet.

This property only has two bedrooms and no garden for the children.

Time to find out the price.

It's not what I envisage us living in in Australia.

I understand what you're saying about it being a landing pad and stuff,

but I also don't want be moving around all the time.

-Wow, £400,000.

-I'm a tiger! Grr!

Yes, that's... That's quite...

That's a lot.

This flat is well over their £300,000 budget

and it's not even somewhere they'd want to live.

Louise is already having grave doubts.

I'm a little bit nervous now to look at the other properties,

because from the size of this and everything,

I know it's a central location, but it makes me

a little bit nervous to think that that's what we're starting off on.

And whether we can afford to live here at all.

It's not a good start.

Tosh's dream of Australia is already looking precarious.

He really needs the next place to make a better impression on Louise.

The second property is in the neighbourhood Bilgola.

It's a quiet, leafy area, and with beaches and parks nearby,

it does mean it's more suitable for a young family.

The Afanasievs should get more house for their party...

..as Tosh is quick to spot.

It looks like it's got amazing potential.

It looks quite big, actually. I love the established trees and stuff.

-That's really good. This is more what had in mind.

-Yeah.

The house looks amazing. Obviously, it is a bit of a project.

There's some work to do.

This three-bedroom house does need some work, but will it put them off?

Wow, look at this entrance. This could be amazing.

-This could be cool if you fixed it up.

-I love this big glass thing.

Wow.

It seems Louise and Tosh can see the potential.

-Look at the view out there. That is amazing.

-It's priceless.

-The balcony's huge.

-You can see the boats from up here.

However, Louise has one big problem.

Considering there's so much glass and window, I find it quite dark.

I know what you're saying, but I think on a really hot day,

to have all this glass, and if you couldn't sit anywhere

without the sun streaming in, it might be oppressive,

-so you'd probably be quite grateful of that.

-Could point, Tosh.

Unfortunately, the bedrooms are not helping win his case.

-I think it's too dark. I couldn't live anywhere this dark.

-It's very dark.

And this is another bedroom. I would say it's quite damp as well.

-What's that going on there?

-It's like all on the walls as well.

-Yeah.

-And that balcony seems to have rotted away.

-Eroded.

It would cost a fortune to put it right, To make it safe for the boys

to be living in. It would cost a fortune.

All the stairs, all the railings would have to change.

-And there's no garden, is there?

-I don't think so.

This house may be spacious, but it does need plenty of work.

Will that mean it comes at an affordable price?

Or is a flat all they can get in their budget?

-It's time to find out the price.

-I'm intrigued.

I get a feeling it's one of those ones where it's a bargain

because of where it is and things and because it's a doer-upper,

but I get the feeling it's not going to be cheap enough for us.

-Shall we have a look?

-Go on, then.

-Hmm. £450,000. I'm quite surprised at that.

-Lower or higher?

-I thought it would be higher.

-Yeah.

But then you've got to add on the hundred thousand for renovation, so say 550.

-But then, obviously, they might take offers.

-They might do.

Because of the state of it, they might be keen to shift it.

So you could end up paying £450,000 for it

-and then it would be...

-Then it's looking different.

-Yeah.

-Especially when you compare it to 400 for the flat.

-Exactly.

-Then it's a different story.

-You get a lot of house.

-I think it's quite a good price.

-I'm quite surprised. It's good.

I'm not convinced by their maths.

Even if they could get £100,000 knocked off the price of this property,

it would still be over their budget of 300,000.

Are Tosh and Louise being realistic about what they can afford?

Maybe the third property will make things clearer.

Like the first, it's in Avalon,

but this time in a quieter residential part.

It's architect-designed with three bedrooms, gardens and a pool.

Could this be the dream house Louise is after?

Wow! This looks nice, doesn't it?

Ooh!

-Garden, nice garden.

-Very nice.

-I like it. Oh, wow, this is nice, isn't it?

-This is really nice.

-This is lovely.

-This is really beautiful.

-Yeah, it's lovely.

This is kind of what you think about, isn't it,

this kind of open-plan thing.

Loads of light, it's lovely and open.

You couldn't get a better location, really. You can see water.

-First impression, yeah, very nice.

-Very nice.

Well, so far, so good with this house.

-They're quite small, but then...

-They're not massive,

but I suppose the emphasis is not on sitting in your room.

-This is good, isn't it?

-Oh, yeah, look at that.

-That's really good. That's really handy, actually.

-Yeah.

-So you can have two or one.

-Very good.

Louise seems prepared to overlook the smallish bedrooms.

-All that's left is the back garden.

-Look at that!

This is more us, it's more family.

You've got your outside area both front and back, hasn't it?

You know, especially with two young boys, that's what you need,

you don't want to be setting up slides and stuff on balconies,

so yeah, this I think, practically, for what we need now,

this ticks all the boxes.

It's lovely, I love it!

I'm scared to know how much it's going to be. Probably going to be way out of our reach.

It's too perfect, isn't it?

This house has got both Louise and Tosh excited

but they still don't know the price.

It has everything they want from Australian living but will it be out of their reach?

This is going to be a jump from the last one cos the last one

had a lot of work to be done.

Um, and this is going to be a big jump from that. Let's find out.

-Mmm!

-For what you get...

-We can buy it!

For what you get, I mean, that, really...

I thought it was going to be a lot more. That's...

That's very reasonable.

With the pool and...

It might be a reasonable price for this house

but it's nearly £200,000 over they're budget.

Are Tosh and Louise letting their excitement

overtake the reality of what they can afford?

So, the first property was only something Tosh or Louise

would consider as a stepping stone.

The second property was too dark and needed too much work.

The last house was everything they'd hoped for

but was well above their budget.

So what's the verdict?

Can they really see themselves giving up their home in Newcastle?

OK, we've seen our three properties today,

it's been really interesting and I think it's time to vote.

ALL: Australia!

Australia!

It's great news for Tosh, he's one step closer to his Australian dream.

When we came out of the first apartment this morning, I didn't

think I was going to be voting Australia at this point in time.

I thought that it was going to be out of our reach.

In the UK if we looked at houses in that price range

we wouldn't be able to afford it,

-so, also this does hinge on what our earning power is here.

-Yeah.

Everything now rides on the next few days.

Can Tosh earn enough to make Australia a reality

or will the move remain a pipe dream?

Finding out the cost of property in modern day Sydney,

was an eye-opening experience for the whole family.

Even so, a vote for Oz has left Tosh feeling optimistic about the move.

Now the pressure's firmly on his shoulders to find a job

that pays a lot more than his current salary

if they're to afford the home they want.

Back in the UK Tosh works as a computer software developer

earning around £40,000 a year.

We've arranged for him to spend a day with a software design

company in the centre of Sydney.

Tosh is aware the entire move is riding on what he finds out today.

Finding the right job is key for this move.

Back home we've got a good life - a lovely house, I've got a good job,

so we'd have to see quite a big improvement by moving here.

Louise works part-time in a shop but will be at home in Australia

until the children are settled.

She wants to know that schools here are as good as those back home.

While Ike is with a childminder,

she and Reuben are off to check out a local pre-school.

Go on, in you go. In you go!

-Hi.

-Hello!

-This is Reuben, I'm Louise, nice to meet you.

Reuben is it? Hello, you can come in and have a little look around with

the kids if you like?

-I'll show mum round as well, eh?

-So how many children do you have?

-We have 29 a day.

-Yes. Are they here all day?

Yep, from 9 until 3.

While Louise carries on with her fact finding,

Tosh has arrived in the city and is meeting with company director Michael Lam.

-Hi, Tosh, nice to meet you. Welcome. Welcome to Sydney.

-Thank you.

Come through we'll go to the back room, meet some team members

and show you what we do around here.

Brilliant.

The company develop a wide range of software

so it should be a great chance for Tosh to find out

about the possibility of work in Sydney.

-Hi guys.

-Morning!

-Mags, this is Tosh.

-Hi Mags.

Mags is the project manager on Hubblr.

This is one of our project teams, we have others,

but it's a project that we're looking to launch fairly soon

so we've got these guys working on it soon, pushing away.

Sure.

If you want to sit down we can, um, have a glass of water

and you can ask me some questions you might have.

At the school, Louise is also getting to the important questions.

Being able to get Reuben and Ike

into a decent school is crucial to any move.

-So, what are the fees?

-42 a day.

-Right.

-If you're coming for the three days it's per day.

-Is there a waiting list?

-There sure is, it's quite a high demand at the moment -

quite a long waiting list here.

And we have a lot of siblings that are here so they often get

sort of first priority cos the family's already in here.

Cos that would be my issue, if we suddenly arrived...

then we'd kind of have to put his name down

prior to us coming, wouldn't we?

It would maybe help, if you knew friends in the area or something

and they could talk to us and we've even had a few people organise it from overseas,

just calling and getting their name down, saying, we're going

to be there June can they come in and see you, will there be a spot?

The problems of getting into a good school are just like those in the UK.

However, the fees for schooling until the boys are six will mean even more money pressures.

Back in the city, it's all down to Tosh's work potential.

Could you see someone like me fitting in the company

and being a part of it?

Yeah, I think so.

I mean, your experience in the Australian marketplace would fit -

whether it's our company or somewhere else.

Your experience would probably be relevant to some of the big companies like the banks.

The banks, I know, are looking for a lot of staff

in the development database and they've got fairly large IT projects

so employability shouldn't be an issue if you came to Australia.

Brilliant. It's good to hear.

That's promising news, and over at the school,

Louise is getting into the idea of Aussie education.

It's really lovely, I'm really impressed. It's a lovely place

and the children just seem really happy which is the main...

You know, that says everything.

We really just try to create a happy and warm environment

where the kids feel safe and can learn and have fun.

-They don't want much, they just want to have fun...

-Exactly.

-..and be with people their own age.

-Yeah.

We're here to guide them through all of that and have fun with them.

Tosh, meanwhile, has reached the most important question.

So with my skills and experience, is there a sort of band you could

give me for working in Sydney, how much I could expect to earn.

I think, looking at your CV, I'd say probably 80-90 grand annual salary.

Brilliant.

And depending on the type of project,

it could be slightly more with bonuses etc.

Fantastic.

That's nearly £60,000 - 20,000 more than he earns in the UK.

It's ideal news.

-Thanks very much for coming in.

-Thanks for your time, Michael.

-Best of luck with things.

-Brilliant. Thanks very much.

So how will Tosh vote on work in Australia versus his job in the UK?

I've met an employer today, I've had a little insight in to how

they work here in Australia and my industry and now it's time to vote.

Australia.

Seems to me that I could earn quite well here.

In terms of seeing how far it will take us with the cost of living, we've yet to look at that.

Whether it supports us in a way that we would like to live

and whether that will mean the improvement on our lifestyle,

we've still got to work out.

-Hiya!

-How you doing?

-How did it go?

-Yeah, really good.

When Tosh and Louise meet up later,

they're keen to find out the others' news.

-How was kindy?

-The kindy was great. It's lovely. Rueben loved it.

He was just interacting with everybody. Yeah, it was really nice.

-Really nice.

-Ah, brilliant, I'm glad.

-So, how did work go?

Work was good. He was impressed with the CV. He said I had the right balance of skills.

-Excellent.

-I also asked him what kind of salary I could expect

and he said that with my skills and experience,

I'd be looking at between 80 and 90,000 a year to start.

-Brilliant.

-It's what we found when looking around.

-So that was really encouraging.

-Excllent. Yeah, that is good.

-So we might be able to afford that house after all.

-Maybe!

Tosh's earning potential is very welcome news,

and could open the door to affording their dream house.

But are the family thinking with their hearts

rather than their heads?

Perhaps it's time for them to take a reality check.

Firstly, they need to know how much their UK home is worth.

So we sent round two estate agents to give us their opinion.

They bought it in 2010 for £159,000

and have spent a lot of time modernising it.

-Shall we find out what's going to happen?

-Yes.

(Look at our house!)

It looks like it's been refurbished recently.

There's a new oven and hob, modern heating system,

stainless steel sink, dishwasher.

-It's a good size space.

-Look there's your artwork, Reuben!

Third bedroom. Ike's room. Perfectly chaotic. Ideal for a little boy.

Nice, large open-plan dining room and lounge. Really nice.

-Really nice!

-Really nice! Too right.

-Thank you.

Oh, no, not the toilet! Don't show people the toilet!

Great size second bedroom and a very lucky boy with all these toys.

Nice and bright. Doesn't meet the same standard as the rest of the house but it has potential.

-All right!

-Easy.

-We haven't got round to that room yet!

A really pleasant three-bedroomed semi.

I'd be looking to put the property on the market at 189,950.

If they're looking for a quicker sale, probably closer to 175.

Wow, that's...

It's a fantastic little family home.

If I was to market that house, I'd market it at £185,000

and for a quick sale, 179,950.

-Wow.

-Wow!

-It's not bad, is it?!

-Yeah!

(SOBS) I want to live in England!

-Aww, sweetheart!

-I want to live in England!

-We do!

-We do!

-You miss your house?

-(CRIES) Yeah.

-Aww, Reuben!

It's all right, we're going back there next week, aren't we!?

We're going back there.

-Do you just get a bit homesick, seeing your house on TV?

-Yeah.

Don't worry, Reuben.

Aww, Poor Reuben.

He might be upset by seeing his house and toys

but mum and dad are quite happy with what they've heard,

though they're not getting carried away.

The two things that concern me are that it's all very well

getting the house valued, but you've still got to sell it

and what you sell it for may not be what the estate agent says.

But still, it's nice to hear.

The other thing is that the exchange rate, not being what it was.

That lump doesn't necessarily go as far over here as it might do there.

-Yeah.

-So there's that to think about too.

With Tosh's money worries,

they need to see how far their finances will go.

So we've prepared a breakdown of their living costs in Australia

to see if emigrating really is really possible.

OK, so now we need to see how much the property's going to cost us.

Right, so that was the flat which we pretty much weren't that...

Monthly repayments...

-We couldn't make that payment.

-We'd be paying 3,730.

-That is what I earn at the moment, a month, in the UK, after tax.

-Yeah.

-So we couldn't do that.

-Yeah.

And that's the cheapest of the three even though it's not the one

we'd really go for.

-So...

-Yeah.

And that one, the one that we really loved...

is far more than we pull in, in a month. We couldn't buy any of those.

-Yeah.

-We just couldn't.

-That's a bit rubbish, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-If we were to buy, it wouldn't be any of those three.

-No.

On their current income, this move is a non-starter.

How do things add up based on Tosh's Australian salary?

So, bringing in all our other lifestyle costs and what we think

we may be able to earn here, we can see whether or not we can do it.

-Let's have a look. Let's see if it gets any brighter.

-Right, so...

Times 12.

40.

So that means we are £3,712 worse off a year, here.

So the question is...

But that's with the massive £3,735 mortgage.

-That's with the dream house, with the pool and view.

-Exactly.

-That's not what we'd be jumping into.

-So, it is very doable.

I think it's doable.

It's not a case of "sell your house and move into a mansion"

but it is a case of "sell your house where we live and move into a house here."

It's more positive than I thought it was going to be.

I'm really quite encouraged actually.

I was expecting a much more grim picture,

-especially when I saw this figure here, this repayment.

-Yeah.

The Afanasievs think they could make this move but only if they buy

a house much smaller than the one they've fallen for.

Does it mean the move is off or would they consider giving up

the dream home.

We've done the reality check.

We've found some interesting facts and figures. Now it's time to vote.

BOTH: Australia.

Brilliant.

We'll be a little bit worse off but not as worse off as I thought

and I think what you get in surroundings and environment

makes up for that loss of money.

The things you have to buy are more expensive

and the things you get for free, just much better, I think.

Even though their ideal house seems out of reach and finances look like

they'd be stretched, Tosh and Louise have still voted for Australia.

Despite having to go to plan B on property,

Louise's enthusiasm for Oz is music to Tosh's ears.

But what's underpinning all their hopes

is a better quality of life for the family

and if money is going to be tight, it's crucial they find out

if the Aussie lifestyle's for them.

Louise and Tosh both spent time in Australia before they met.

But they were living very different lifestyles.

When I first went to Sydney, 20 years ago, my impression was very different.

I had a great time but was happy to leave and go back to England, to London.

I'm now 20 years older than I was and married

and I've got two young children so what I'm looking for in a place

is different to what I was looking for 20 years ago.

20 years ago, I was looking for clubs and bars and parties

and now I'm looking for nice schools, nice beaches, nice surroundings,

a nice family-orientated place.

So, as parents, they need to see what Oz can offer

for family days out.

'Today, they're heading to the world famous Taronga Zoo.

'There should be plenty of chances to get close to the wildlife,

'one of Reuben's favourite things to do.'

We're going to go meet some lovely Australian animals.

Have you got any favourites you'd like to see?

-Erm, koalas and snakes.

-Koalas and snakes, well, you know what?

I'm pretty sure I can do something about that for you.

-Come through here. Come on, kids.

-Let's go and see the animals.

What's that, eh?

That is a kangaroo, her name is Koba and she's a Western Grey Kangaroo.

Oh, look, she's giving him a cuddle.

'Koba seems to be doing a great job of selling Australia to the children

'and there's plenty of other animals to keep the boys happy.'

This is a diamond python.

Now, before you come close, this snake will kill its prey,

the food, through what we call constriction.

-Like a boa constrictor.

-Like a boa.

-Squeezes.

That's right, that's exactly right.

-Hey, you're pretty smart, aren't you?

-Yeah.

-I've got here a very special animal. What is it?

-Koala bear.

-A koala.

You ready? Here we go.

Look at it.

-Isn't she lovely.

-Claws are really impressive, aren't they?

I told you you're going to see a koala, didn't I?

-You're pretty lucky.

-Definitely, not many people get to do this.

'The boys seem happy, even when the weather turns,

'Ike's enthusiasm isn't dampened.'

I've given up with Ike. He's soaking.

D'you want to keep him?

HE LAUGHS

Yeah, I think we've got a spare holding cage back there we can pop him into for the day.

We'll feed him well.

'Between the animals and the puddles,

'the day has given the Afanasievs just what they were looking for.'

'As their trip to the zoo comes to an end,

'there's a break in the clouds,

'giving them the chance to spend a bit of time on an Aussie beach.

'So, after a packed family day out,

'how will they vote on the lifestyle?'

We've been to the zoo today so now it's time to vote.

ALL: Australia.

-Australia again?

-Just trying to keep you happy.

No, we had a great morning, the zoo was amazing.

-There's definitely more for families, I think.

-Yeah.

'That's another step towards Tosh's dream of Australia.

'However, there is one big issue that Louise has been putting

'to the back of her mind.'

I haven't forgotten all of that in the UK, you know,

I haven't forgotten about not having my parents here.

Which, you know, is and still is the issue for me.

Now it's THE only issue.

Whereas before it was the big issue plus there was other things

but now that's the only thing.

We've obviously got to deal with that issue

and think about leaving them behind and for the boys and for me.

Sampling the lifestyle has shown the family what

they can gain in Australia.

They also know what they stand to lose.

Everything now rests on their reaction of seeing messages

from friends and family back home.

'For Louise, leaving loved ones has always been the toughest obstacle to moving.'

It hasn't really been something I thought about this week

because it is just a week out here

but when I do stop to think about it, I do get quite upset.

Especially now knowing a little bit more

about how I feel about Australia.

It's even more upsetting.

I haven't even put the DVD on and I'm welling up.

'It could be an emotional experience but Tosh and Louise want to watch it together with the children.'

Hello, Louise, Tosh and the boys, Ike and Reuben.

Lou's my soulmate, actually.

We go back to school days, I'll miss her terribly.

She's just a lovely daughter.

We do have our moments but we get on better now

than when she was in her teens.

Well, you know, one part of your heart drops,

the other one thinks, "Well, they know what they're doing."

Even Newcastle feels like the other end of the world

and that's just a four-hour drive from where we live.

It is going to be quite upsetting thinking that

to go and see Tosh and Lou is going to be quite a big haul to get

the five of us out there.

I know you're in Australia now and you're trying to decide whether to stay or not,

but the last thing I want is for you to worry about

what's going to happen to us.

I would prefer you to think about your life.

We have had our life, and if you're happy

and you think it's going to be a better life for the boys,

you've got our blessing and we hope that you'll really enjoy it.

We won't, we won't stand in your way,

you know that, we would miss you but if you want to go, you go.

It's your life and we want you to do well.

I'm behind you, absolutely behind you

but I have to say that I'll miss you guys so much.

Don't worry about me.

Just do whatever you want to do.

Follow your instincts as you always have

and you've pretty well always been right. So, carry on.

Ike and Reuben know I would miss them more than I would ever say

but they know I'm always here.

I don't want them not to decide to go because of me.

I would like you to make your mind up what you want to do

and know that Grandma's here for you always.

TOSH SIGHS

Taking them away from their grandparents is probably,

is THE biggest thing.

That's kind of, I've sort of thought about a lot recently.

It's their world, the boys are their world and they see them all the time.

I think, "Am I being selfish?"

Taking them away when, you know,

maybe I am, I don't know.

Maybe, you know.

I think, erm, yeah.

What I wouldn't want to do is push Louise into a decision that

was too painful to make and I can perfectly understand why someone

might see that living somewhere else would be better for them

but still decide not to

because of not wanting to leave people who are close to them,

I can understand that happening.

Seeing the pain of leaving loved ones behind is always difficult,

especially for children

but if the Afanasievs are going to make the move,

they have to be certain that a new life will be worth the heartache.

'It's an emotional end to the week and it's given Tosh and Louise

'a lot to think about.'

Louise has always had more doubts than me about coming here.

Her reaction to seeing friends and family back home, it wasn't a surprise at all.

Made me feel real emotional and it was my reality check,

because that's always been the big thing that, you know,

that's made me very against the decision.

Whether watching those messages will actually pull her back the other way, I don't know.

If that's the case, then that's the case, I wouldn't want to force that.

If that is the case, I wouldn't want to force her anyway cos we wouldn't be happy here then.

When it comes to the final vote with Louise, I don't know, who knows?

'The Afanasievs have had a life-changing week that's given them

'a full taste of life in Australia.

'From house and job hunting to family days out and kids' schools

'but now it's time to make the final vote.

'Will they go for a future in Australia

'or has the upset of seeing loved ones

'made leaving the UK unthinkable?'

So, we've come to the end of our fantastic week here in Australia.

We've seen some fantastic houses, great sights and great beaches.

We've had a great time and now it's time for the final vote.

ALL: Australia!

-I did it as well.

-Fantastic. Why did you put Australia?

-Cos it's hotter than England.

-Cos it's hotter. OK.

Overall, I think it's just the feel,

it feels like a better place for us to live.

I think it's more geared for the way we want to live

and I think we could have a better life here.

Yeah, I agree. It's been a real surprise.

On the plane here, I didn't think that I'd be voting, now,

that I'd be voting Australia.

I thought I would be voting UK.

I thought you might do a bit of a middle of the road thing.

-No, I'm so far the other way.

-Brilliant. Brilliant.

-I don't do anything by halves.

-No, no, that's true. That's true.

-Ever.

After confronting the emotional and financial costs,

Louise has been won over by Tosh's dream of a new life Down Under.

They know leaving home will mean making sacrifices

but with a future in mind, they're ready to face them together.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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