sandch

Good article here in the Sydney Morning Herald about how sentiment drives currencies, as much an art as a science is forecasting.

jmm100uk

The govt. web site is available to all official bodies. I did not have to provide any formal ID to get a rental property. Easy to get is only easy if you are near an appropriate office! Seriously - I have not had to provide a stamped passport for anything - yet!

DaveandLinda

Oh yes, a good idea. This is the EHIC card now and we have one each.

charlie5

Good but I did!

Charlie

K and M

An interesting question, having browsed through Steve's excellent www.gainwave.co.uk page in both those that have already received CPV visas and those waiting for CPV visas I have noticed that nobody has gone or are looking to go to Darwin or the Northern Territories,

Having never been to the "TOP END" I can't comment but there must be some CPV's up there????

jmm100uk

Yes there are - but I understand that they are mostly from South East Asia. I do know one couple who are there - and LOVE it.
Jean

K and M

I guess similar climate to South East Asia.

I am certainly keen to go up to the "Top End" and have a look when we finally get out to Australia, but avoiding the salt water crocs!!.

I have got this ambition to slowly work my way around the whole country over the next few years.

I can remember seeing a OZ TV program in which older people spent time going around the country, I think they called them "Grey Nomads", it appealed to me but I think I would have to do it in phases as I like my creature comforts to much to be away from home for to long.

Does any know if the documentary is still shown??

MikenSueNW3

G'Day

Don't know about the TV prog, but on travels in various parts of Oz, especially when we had a VW Campervan in the '80s, we came across quite a number of Grey Nomads – though not so many as apparently head south from the northern states of the US every winter.

Several couples we met on campsites said that when they retired they cashed in part of their 'super'(annuation) to fund a prolonged – years in some cases – trip around the country after they had had many years of 2-week holidays. They'd let their home, buy a 'van or campervan and set off while still feeling nimble...

Of course seasonal timing is important – and that's the problem with the Top End: It's wonderful in the "Dry" (ie, Oz winter – roughly May to October) but horribly hot, humid and rainy in the "Wet".

Mike

PS: I do still have a videotape of a 1980s Oz TV series called "Pelican's Progress" about flying around the coast in microlights. Anyone up for that?

sirmatt101

Hi, try this link http://www.decemberfilms.com.au/page...ey_Nomads.html

Before you set off around the coast of Oz, just bear in mind its a total distance of over 34,000 kms, so you will need quite a few jars of VEGEMITE to keep you going

Cheers

Matt

K and M

Many thanks for the Link Sir Matt it is exactly the programme I was referring to. I knew I good rely on the CPV guys from BE.

I think that I would need the biggest Winibago camper you can buy to fit in that amount of Vegemite.

I did not realise the distance! That is a VERY long way!! I am the guy who took 7 days to drive from Johannesburg to Capetown, I kept stopping when I saw something interesting!!!

Regard

jmm100uk

I have met a few people who do the journey in stages - 3 or 4 months at a time - heading north in the winter - returning home when the north/top end gets too hot, and then taking up where they left off 6 months before. This appeals to me too. One of the 'characters' in the Grey Nomads was a woman who sold up everything, bought a rather delapidated camper van, and set off on her own. I think she met many people simply because the van kept breaking down!
Jean

sirmatt101

Funny you should mention that, but we have a big Winnebago look alike and its all stocked up with Vegemite and ready to go!

Took us about 10 hours from Cape Town to Joberg, only stopped for fuel and a rest!!

Cheers

Matt

K and M

I did divert to Lesotho though I wish I hadn't, I ended up queuing for 3 hours to get back into SA behind all the locals going back into SA for work, bad timing.

I did not see any Vegemite on the way though!!

I did spend 3 days at www.lemoenfontein.co.za and then onto the winelands before getting to Cape Town, very enjoyable, I still have a great fondness for the Cape wines

This though is not the reason why I intend to buy a house within an hours drive to the Hunter Valley, that is just a rumour put about by my daughter!!

Cheers!!

sandch

We're looking forward to our Singapore Air A380 flight next week powered as it will be by quality Rolls Royce Trent engines which may or may not be attached to the plane at all times. Qantas has angrily rejected the suggestion that its own A380 engines were being lubricated with Vegemite instead of the recommended oil. This rumour would explain the rapid deterioration, but is probably unfounded.

jtct

We're flying A380 (singapore airlines) in January! No worries - the SIA engines are a different spec to Qantas even though they are both made by Rolls Royce. SIA obviously use Marmite!