PMSL


Arkon give us a nudge in the MBTTUK forum if it gets that low as i got a few bob to bring back too, but i not really been watching the prices. Fingers crossed for you.

In a word NO. You just about summed up the whole place perfectly. Except the incredibly poor educational standard, a major reason for me to go home with the boy, There's just no way he's getting schooled here.

Just move to the USA, there currency is worthless at the moment

I actually reckon that America would be a good place to invest in property at the moment. Their currency might have weakened but their economy is basically sound. As their RE market has taken a big hit, I reckon there would be some good bargains there - and the exchange rate against both AUD and GBP make it even more attractive. The RE market there is going to rebound at some stage.

Yep there was something on 4 corners the other week, RE in Cleveland being auctioned for 2k and didn't sell, ok it's was not in the best location but that could change over time.

He definitely won't miss any of that.

I could just about cope with it (just) if it weren't for the constant "Australian is best" mantra. I suppose we Brits are not given to the constant bravado attitude and don't like it.

I shared a rail carriage the other day with a physics teacher who as starting his vacation: he was originally from Belfast. That morning they had their final assembly of the term and he said there were four hours of "we are the best" American-style hoopla. The children certainly have plenty of self-confidence - it seems sometimes that's all they are taught <g>.

Just had an email from a great friend in Florida: an apartment which was on he market for $800k sold for $500 last week.

Half the population of the mid north coast will be watching the exchange rate
praying it keeps rising.

Is there anywhere on the planet like that, or are you considering a career in fiction?

Outside of certain hotspots - SF, parts of LA, Miami, NY etc - property in the US is relatively cheap - and getting cheaper! I was reading on CNN that houses in Florida that were on the market for $750k are now $500k and still no-one is buying.

I think it depends on what your life was like in the UK, For me there is no comparison, My life in the UK was just so much better that there is no comparison. All these bad things happen back home as well as here but for some reason they are all just so much worse here. I knew where I was there, here I'm left everyday just wondering what are the rules to living here. Nothing goes smoothly, whereas back home only occasionally things didn't go smoothly. I've not had a singe good experience here (Apart from my boys birth) and even that Australia tried to mess up.

Here it's like I only get things done dispite the countries best efforts to thwart me. At 2.1 I'm transfering it all back and going home regardless. Not sure how to actually achieve it with the farm still to sell but hey ho, I'll manage it somehow even if it involves a balaclava!

No, Hutch: but I've never ever been in a country where so much incompetence exists side-by-side with so much selfsatisfaction and boastfulness. One small example of many many: the insulation contractor who spent an hour saying how good he was, how Australian insulation is the best in the world (WHAT??) and how his standards were impeccable - and then did what he had come to do, which was to re-do the whole loft which was the biggest mess of bits of insulation and gaps and torn pieces I've ever seen. I'm still not satisfied that the R4 we paid for is actually up there - it seems half the spec thickness. But since I've just come out of hospital after my fourth stay this year - and that's another series of stories - I can't get up there yet to check. Anyway, I'm fully involved with attempting to get our $40k plus double glazing done properly, a year after payment in full and after many many promises to replace the units.

But no, all's well with the world............

Arkon doesn't say half of what goes on in this place and you have to be blind or very easily satisfied to think otherwise.

And that's what many Australians, born here, tell me as well.

So True, I only tell a fraction of what happens here, not only that but it has become so frequent that it's no longer a suprise or shock enough to be arsed to write them up on here.

Also those that know it to be true don't need re telling and the others just refuse to believe it anyway no matter what you say. So I've pretty much given up on telling all the guff that happens here.

On a lighter note and to re emphersise the 'Australian' mentality....Has anyone actually heard much about the Aussies slaughter in rugby? Here where I am it's no even mentioned, it's like it didn't happen. No congratulations on your win from the locals, just head down and pout like children. Contrast this with what would have happened back home in the same situation (which is quite a lot).

Are you trying to suggest that they are poor losers sir?

Well, maybe you have something there. We ventured out to watch the match on Saturday night, and some of the locals did get particularly unpleasant in the closing moments and post match analysis. One guy got particularly animated and started gobbing off about not deserving to win as we hadn't even scored a try etc, and another group were throwing things.

On the whole though, I have found that most of my worthwhile friends have been pretty good natured about it.

S