Nemises

Maybe get a job as a Sydney bus driver!? $100k a year, hundreds of vacancies... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12503693/Sydney-bus-drivers-job-no-one-wants.html

I also see everyone quoting the 2 years as imprisonment. Last time I checked Australia was a first world country with the cleanest air in the world (Tasmania), more snow than Switzerland, the largest eco-system in the world (Barrier Reef) and over 60 separate wine countries. It’s rainforests, beaches, scenic coastlines, skylines, harbours and cities are amongst the best in world. The climate (especially if returning to the southern states) offers a welcome change from the high heat and humidity of Thailand. A lot have families and friends waiting for them in Australia whilst others fly-in their Thai-based loved ones to join them for exciting Australian holidays. So, for some anyway, doing those 2 years to qualify for the OAP for the rest of your life can be an enjoyable experience!

Nice. Expecting any problems finding work at the age of 65?

Loving your posts, very informative. Curious to know your plan regarding accommodation for those 2 years please?

Thanks mate. As a token of appreciation of such nice words, and if you want (?), I'll PM you a pic or 2 of my TGF. Helps explain why I'm bringing her here every 3 months.

Nothing exceptional about housesitting, anyone can do it. I had read numerous posts from AN members on here doing housesitting for their 2 year OAP sentence. I had never done it before whilst living in Australia and it was via information obtained from this site, whilst living in Thailand, that I decided to give it a try. In fact, I secured my first 6 housesit bookings using just emails and video calls whilst still living in Thailand before going back to Aus to start my 2 year detention. Obtaining the carer's pension wasn't too hard either. I had originally applied for the dole but didn't like all the time it involved hence the carer's solution - which BTW, is brilliant!

Also forgot to mention that nearly all owners refer me to their friends and relatives etc. Below shows a recent referral offer of a Vaucluse (waterfront mansion apparently) that I had to knock back as I’m booked for 6 weeks at a Neutral Bay condo overlooking Sydney Harbour at that time. The Thai GF is counting the days until that one!

She’s great thanks. She lives locally so I’m always close-by …as a good carer should be!

Forgot to mention that the air quality here is generally always much better than anywhere in Thailand. Today’s reading enclosed, along with a photo of current house. Jet ski & floating entertainment pontoon visible in foreground. An imported American sports car, a Ford Ranger truck and 2 high powered motorcycles are in the garage and available for use if I want.

Not hell for me as well. I’m presently here serving my 2 years doing housesitting. I pay nothing for rent, electricity, internet, Netflix, Kayo, Foxtel etc. Also get to live at some amazing waterfront houses, all in a capital city (Sydney) not in some 2 horse country town or remote farmhouse. I only accept positions in the Eastern Suburbs, Sutherland Shire or Northern Beaches, never West. Last house was for 3 1/2 months, next house is for 4 months so I’m not continuously having to move. Some houses have a pet, some have none. Next house, I mean mansion (4 months stay) just want me to keep their pool clean and collect the mail. Some owners let me use their boats and JetSkis (I have the necessary licenses). Some owners leave cupboard loads of fresh food, snacks, fine wine etc for me to consume. Some owners give me gift vouchers. One owner who is moving to north offered to fly me there and back next year. Almost every owner has me booked in again next year. I’m collecting the Carer’s pension ($1,250 per fortnight) for the entire 2 years so I expect to save a total of $A52,000 whilst here! I get free car rego each year and pay just $2.50 to travel all day on buses, trains, trams and harbour ferries. Doctors appointments cost nothing and pharmacy prescriptions apparently cost only about $8.00 if on the PBS list. Every owner lets my Thai GF (medical professional) stay with me in their home (after I show them her AU tourist visa and her medical employment accreditation) so I fly her to see me every 3 months. We have 3 video calls every day without fail so I’m never lonely. It’s great having a 2 year break from the heat and humidity of Thailand and I love going to beaches here where, on a warm summer’s day, it’s cool, refreshing on-shore breezes and clean, cool, life-guarded, deep ocean water and not the ridiculously shallow and warm water beaches with uncomfortable, humid breezes that i usually encounter in Thailand. These 2 years are the best time of my (& my GFs!) life.

Unbearable heat and humidity, the world’s deadliest roads, dangerous footpath/sidewalk infrastructure and having to deal with roaming soi dogs and loud neighbourly noise at all hours if living in a village. If living near a coastal beach, the water is hot & shallow and the beach is uncomfortable to sit on due to the hot sand and the hot, humid breezes. Oh, and the prices for good quality wines are ridiculously high. Keep telling yourself how “lucky” you are.

Try sexercise

Here’s a cup of water

I always leave an old laptop and old mobile phone and some small cash in old wallet in the motel room in plain view. Hopefully they’ll grab them and “run”, and won’t go searching for the real stuff.

The AU aged pension is about $550 pw and rent (including subsidies) for a 2br Perth unit just 6km from the city would be no less than $400 pw therefore it is impossible to believe that the remaining $150 pw covers your food, utilities .....and... two overseas trips every year!

I pay cheap rent (I don't live in Sydney or Melbourne) Interested to know more about your “cheap rent” in AU please. How much is cheap? House or apartment? Do you have your own lease or share with other/s? How far are you from the nearest city?

And leave 800,000 baht sitting in some TH bank doing SFA? No thanks. Far better that the 800k is invested in blue chip shares in your home country’s stock market. A very small % of the compounding interest/dividends of that share portfolio then pays the TH visa agent fee.

Durian and slim GF

What’s the secret to surviving a drugged-out, drunk, mobile phone-playing, distracted, speeding truck driver slamming into you from behind?

Got luck having your “18 years experience and helmet” saving you when hit hard from behind by one of the many drugged-out/drunk/phone-playing distracted, speeding truck drivers common on Thai’s perilous roads.

Feel sorry for farangs who can’t afford a car on the world’s most perilous roads.

It’s called “speaking from experience” and the aforementioned site works fine in Thailand.