Our New Home And a BIG Problem With Shippers!

We have now moved into our little cottage in Bollington.  We hired a van on Friday and with the help of Elaine's brother, Trevor, did a few trips to the local charity shops to pick up our bargains.  It only took about 5 hours and it was all done.  Today we went out and bought some new stuff as in a TV, electric blanket, kettle, toaster and all sorts of  other kitchen and bathroom gear.  Tomorrow we will do a big food shop and that should be it - we will be sorted!

Our friend, Jane had lent us loads of Xmas decorations and lights, so we have even 'Christmas-ed' it all up too!

We have already met  few of the locals, shop-keepers and immediate neighbours and I am pleased to say they are very friendly!!  Last night we went to the local pub across the road with our friends, Jane and Andy. It was was going off big time, but once again a very friendly bunch.

I will take some indoor pics of the cottage as soon as we have it in a presentable condition ... nearly there!

Before we left on our shopping trip this morning I took the dogs for a walk around the village.  I am slowly getting my bearings.

Firstly past the butchers ... 

Down one of the many cobbled streets ... 

There are so many lovely little cottages, and they are little! 

The river Dean passes through the centre, just at the rear of our house ... 

The new houses on the right are still built in stone ... 

It is a top spot. I think we have made a good choice.

Looking across the rooftops to White Nancy ... 

The village green ... 

And finally back home - this is the pub opposite our house ... 

Bombo has settled in well ... his favourite spot is in the side window, where El has made him up a little bed! 

Now to the Ba****d shippers!  I won't name names yet until we get it sorted!

Back in September we arranged for the same Aussie shippers that sent our stuff to the UK to pick up all our belongings for our impending return to Oz.  They picked up all the goods in September and agreed to hold them in storage in Manchester until we decided on our return date back to Oz.  We paid an up front fee of $1745 roughly £900, which was door to door Macclesfield to Sydney (but which they agreed to reimburse if we did not return to Oz - so that we would just pay removal and storage costs).

As we have now decided not to return to Oz for the foreseeable future Elaine emailed the Aussie company the other night to ask for the goods to be returned to Macc.  No problem they said ... that would be $1500 (about £780!!)   But this on top of the money we had already paid!!  So that is $3245, or £1680, for a few boxes to be picked up from Macc, taken to Manchester (30 mins drive), stored for 3 months and returned to Macc.  We emailed them again and said there must be a mistake ... she said there wasn't and said that that was the costs of their UK partner!!!!

We had an absolute crap sleep worrying about it the other night.  On Friday morning I found out the name of the UK shippers that the Oz shippers are in bed with,.  I spoke to the Manageress and she assured me that they would only charge me for the storage and pick up.  She said I could pick up the boxes from their depot if I liked, which we will.  She hinted that the Aussie company was taking the piss, but I have to go through them because that's who we have the contract with.  She also said that we shouldn't worry as she said she would call them and get it sorted.

We should get an answer from the Aussie company early next week, we are still in shock!!