we went to the lake district and had a few nights firstly at the Britannia Inn at Elterwater, then at the Wasdale Head Inn, both fab locations and great food and rooms, and went out into the hills for several days' walking.

going back there when we visit the UK in Sept.

here are some pix:

Wow! Was just about to say the piccies looked a bit like some places here in the UK when I read the post properly.

Maybe its not so bad here after all!

Sam

We visited old haunts up in Yorkshire, and did the goodbyes to OH family and friends up there. Also took alex to thorpe park and Woburn safari Park, there is nothing like Woburn here so really glad we went when we did. Alex got to see Lions, monkeys, giraffs, hippo's you get the picture, there is nothing like that here. We also went to The Deep in Hull, its amazing. We were hoping to visit Ireland before leaving but ran out of time. Its a place I always wanted to go and never had an opportunity. We did manage to do Scotland though

Nice pics. Duncans parents have a time share up at the Lakes District they go twice a year, they love it too.

she is very cute!!

I haven't been online much, had some family issues. My Mum has Parkinsons Disease and she has been getting very frail, she recently had a fall, and we've all decided she would be better off living closer to me. So I have been organising all of that. Her house in Brisbane sold within 3 days of being on the market - I am going up to Brisvegas on the 16th May to escort her back down. She is very anxious about the plane trip.

Great pictures. I've only been to the Lake District once - about 10yrs ago with a friend. We stayed in Windermere for a few nights at the end of our grand tour of Scotland which we did when a friend of ours was working at the Dundee Rep theatre. We visited loads of places - and i loved Edinburgh and Loch Lomond especially - but for some reason we ended up on the coast at Oban which was lovely as well....and from there drove to the Lakes (supposedly on our way home!). At the time my friend had a clapped out Rover Metro - god knows how we managed to get around Scotland and the Lakes (with all the hills) in that - but we did make it back to Romford eventually I've often said to Andy that we should go to the Lakes with the kids....as he's never been.

How long are you coming back to England for in September?

Hi Sam, England is beautiful - it's just the people in it that spoil the place!

Hi Kerry, glad to see i'm not the only person that's thought about planning a few trips down memory lane then!
What's "The Deep" in Hull ? I could probably look it up but i'm being lazy!
I have been to Woburn a couple of times as it's not too far from us - i got to hold a lion cub as a little girl there. The kids have never been but they've been to several large Zoo's / wildlife parks so have seen all the kinds of animals that we probably wont get to see in Tas. Not that Jared will probably remember - but at least we've got photo's and video's to remind him when he's older!
Looks like as the house hasn't sold yet and if it doesn't within the next month or so that we will be planning a holiday in July - so we'll probably just go back to one of the Balearic Islands that we really like. I see the Balearic & Canary Islands as my "2nd" homes as it were as i've been to them so many times over the years...so i guess that'll be one of my sentimental trips done in a way...
I have seen some of Scotland which i loved - but have only been to Ireland once - when my older brother was stationed in Lisburn - Northern Ireland when he was in the army...
The coastal parts of Northern Ireland i saw were lovely - although at the time we were all out there we were restricted as soldiers and their families were prohibited from visiting certain area's of Belfast etc...

Andy is 40 in September and if we are still in the UK at that time - there is a place i am thinking of taking us all to - but i cannot say on the main thread as he reads them and will see where i'm talking about! I'll tell you next time i PM you.....but hopefully we would have sold the house by then anyway!

Hi Donna. So sorry to hear about your Mum's fall and illness. I hope she's doing much better now? Is your Mum coming to live on the Island near you?
That was quick for your Mum's house to sell. I imagine you've not had much time to sort things out as i know things happen much quicker in Oz than over here...
No doubt see you on the thread before the 16th May, but incase i dont - i hope your Mum doesn't find the flight too difficult and that she soon settles into her new home...
take care
Cathy

it's only a short visit to see my mum who's getting on a bit and becoming increasingly more frail...didn't want my next UK visit to be for a funeral.

we're doing the Sydney marathon on i think 21 sept and flying back to Manchester the following day, and coming back home on the first fri in Oct-bit of a whistle-stop visit so plenty of jetlag to look forward to!

I know it's a short visit - but it'll be nice for your Mum to see you both (and vice versa) - and i guess to catch up with other friends and family.

although i can't imagine how your poor legs are going to feel flying all that way home the day after running a marathon!!!!

Sounds like you'd have done a lot of running this year - what with the Melbourne run as well!
When i was out friday evening - two of the ladies have entered into the London Marathon ballot for next year... They're hoping they'll get in - although panicking as neither has run more than 6 miles before - so they know they need to get plenty of training in!

Sorry to hear about your mum, hope you can help her to settle near you and she does not find the flight too bad.

Sam

Hi just been down to Hobart for a few days, we have got my partners parents with us so having to take them round the island!

Bridport is a small coastal town, if you look on the map we are very remote, nearest town is Scottsdale and that is small! Launceston is an hour away.

we like it, though I do get city cravings now and then (I am from Rotherham/Sheffield) but I find after a weekend away i'm ok again, like they say you can take a girl outta the city and all that

before we emigrated we lived in the peak district, my partner had lived there all his life so this is like a home from home to him.

we came out on a state sponsered visa and agreed to live here 2 yrs we reckon its a good place but it would be far too quiet for many. Great beaches, massive caravan park nice to come to for a holiday/long weekend seems to have really good weather too. My partner got his dream job here so we decided to stay and rent for a bit but now we have bought our own house. Dont know if we will stay here forever but we would like to keep a property here.

I cannot remember Ulverstone I know i've been though it, but I do like it over on the north west coast. People here say its a lot colder over on that side but I reckon they probably say the same over on that side

Things are much closer together over there. I like Latrobe and Wynard on that side best thing to do is go looking in winter then you can find the cold spots.

No, it's the West Coast that is cold and very damp in Winter. The North-West is milder, especially by the seaside. The further inland you go, the cooler it gets. It usually hovers around 12 - 15 degrees celsius in Winter during the day.

I used to live in Launceston, and that is far colder in Winter, being inland. Getting down to -4 overnight.

Hobart can get damn cold in Winter as well. I used to live there! I remember one Winter taking my daughter (When she was a toddler) out during the day it was only 2 degrees and I'd rugged her up so much, that when I went to put her in her car seat she was so stiff she could barely bend to sit in it.