i'll third what kaydee and neptune are saying Murph. - rants allowed

beeing a defence partner I completely relate to what you are saying Murph.

Some things i find helpful, which you might be able to use when feeling a bit blue about your isoaltion:
* trying to see the positives - such as seeing a different part of Aus, expanding your horizons etc
* I also found it helpful to point out to myself that not much changes when i go home... lots of things change in my life but home is always the same. Friends do the same things, see the same people, go to the same pub on friday night like we all did when we were 18 etc. I have grown to realise that i could not live like that anymore and while i love visiting, i love coming back to my new home... well it's my new home til dec 2010 when we'll move half a continent and start over, again.
*Another positive i found out of being so isocially solated, was the amazing closeness DH and I know have. we were always a close couple and such, but now we rely on each other so much and are truly best friends, playmates, fishing/camping buddies, lovers and soon to be mumma and pappa! lol
* I also work overtime to ensure i keep connected with friends and family. Email, facebook, sms, postcards/little gits and telephone calls are regularly put into all my friends/family. We are all still really close, we know what's happening in each other's lives just they way we interact has changed.

These are strategies i use when i'm feeling down (hope they don't come across as a lecture or anything) ... We have tried to make friends ad we do have a few... but i think it gets harder as you get older.

Oh, one other thing i'm trying to do is organise visits after bubs arrived. One of my GFs who didn't have any visitors to the hospy cos no one wanted to annoy her said all you want to do is show off your bub!

so we've arranged for granparents here at chrissy, then siblings, then friends and then we'll do trip to both hometowns for further showing off. this keeps me looking ahead.

i hope you might be able to take away something from all that... take care of you and make DH give you a cuddle on my behalf