MMDown Under

Me too, I hate shopping for clothes, in particular. Unless I have a friend with me, I'm out of the shop in ten minutes. If I have a friend with me who is "finding clothes which fit", I last max 15 mins if they keep throwing clothes they've found over the door. A rare occurrence, I just bought two dresses. I took 5 clothes in to try on, none fitted. A dress was already in the changing room - it fitted! On way out, I spotted a dress on a model. Got it taken off the model, tried it on, it fitted so bought it. This shop is an American brand. I don't have this problem in the USA, as they have whole shops full of petite clothes. I'm a perfect petite large!! Imagine the joy, I can look for clothes I actually like, not just clothes which fit.

Should be an age restriction for passengers on baths over tubs on ships. An accident just waiting to happen..

My girlfriend told me Sisters in aged care aren't allowed poached eggs. The chef cooks them in the oven so they look poached.

I always plan to travel there again. I don't know how I will handle 2024 being last year of overseas travel.

a country woman who always could make do. Only once a week trips to town!

i love that story! Who would do that nowadays/ How clever to even think to do it. My grandmother used to call neighbours to finish a big pot of tea. then give a couple of scones to go with it She used to change the elastic in neighbours' underpants, mend socks and do clothing repairs. She lived in the city yet remained

mini suite may be the difference

My heart goes out to the peopIe of Mt Tamborine. I didn't realise just how much the loss of power and internet effected me. As you say, we lost confidence that we may loose power again. We lost power for the least amount of time and didn't loose any food, because we put two bags of ice in the old style ice box fridge which lasted longer than a week. However, I have no BBQ, no non electric cooking choices, no cups of tea. When the TV went off unexpectedly, I automatically jumped up and started cooking so I would have something to eat. I started planning ahead, eg plum pudding must be cooked 40 mins, then you can reheat it. I ate a whole plum pudding over the period. I kept boiled water in a 24 hr flask so I could have a cup of tea. I kept bottles of cold boiled water. I remembered things i'd learnt at Water Resources during the Brisbane's big flood. Like fill the bathtub before water gets contaminated. Fill a basin, so you can wash your dirty feet. Use disinfectant. Someone should write a book. PS Lots of workmen still in our area. Major problems apart from electricity is damage from roots of big trees lifting. Lots have lifted huge blocks of concrete in our area. A man couldnt lift it to fix so dangerous to walk around, eg no fences

We only had home made mustard pickles (made with cauliflower) with corned silverside.

Interesting I've only seen baked potatoes here standing up, with the top third cut off, with everything put back in. Every pickle in US gets picked of plate in US by my girls. Is pickles a European thing? W

As Jean C said, you can exchange old currency in the UK. Be careful with old currency in Cambodia though. I'd given my younger daughter Thai bah not dreaming she would try to use it to cover entry fees in Cambodia. She had flown, because word was out that Cambodia immigration were giving young visitors a hard time at the crossing. Well, flying didn't save her. They took her away to a room and accused her of using counterfeit money. It was a weekend, so no banks open. Seems it was old money, but still legal tender. Eventually let her into the country with demand she returned next day. Banks open next day, so all OK. I recently gave other older daughter Thai bah and she had no trouble using it in Phuket.

Most Americans carry a heap of $1 notes and give a pile of notes, so it is difficult to see how much.

Yes, I've done that a branch office in London and I wasn't a customer.

Sunday, We went to Eaton's Hotel for a birthday celebration, It was packed with happy eaters. This hotel is just outside the NW ? of Brisbane. I was amazed that they were able to charge such high prices "in the sticks" as it used be called. It reminded me of the old Breakfast Creek Hotel in its prime and ours. It is all about the cut and high quality of the steak. Just to tempt you, we had - oysters raw tuna 2 small round steaks 1 marbled oblong steak 1 curry (last butter chicken) 3 deserts (plum pudding for me) wine cocktails coffee bottled sparkling water I only paid for the two birthday girls who share the same birthday, so hate to think what the total bill was. A good time was had by all

I'll come to your house any time for diner. Is that a potato cut horizontally? Did you cook beetroot? How do you pickle cauliflower? I love fresh cooked beetroot. My last beetroot from market was a pale colour and was delicious. I'll probably never see it again. "What do you mean a pale purple beetroot?"

What makes my computer stick, then jump ahead? teach me "what an ap is and download the ap for my cruise prior to departure on Friday, 12/1/24. By now, you would know we are JIT people! This 11 day cruise, I'm bringing cushions for the uncomfortable looking chairs on the balcony. I will put a cushion on each chair and sit on one, with feet on other, I think that will work. I hope I can get in hammock, as I love being on the balcony. ( I used to love sitting on those old wooden lie lows, on the Promenade Deck, which are now just a memory. I saw the whole of East Coast of Australia, from that position, with a white gloved waiter delivering scones with jam and cream to each person.)

I miss pen and paper in cabins more than the bags, which were an advertisement for the cruise line (for thieves to easily identify the tourists). I miss the little bottles of name brand shampoo, conditioner and body lotion I miss the cakes of soap, bigger for shower, smaller for sink. I now bring all of the above. I bring my own face washer. Clips to hang on wall to have all paperwork in one place. My daughter has assured me she will teach me what I never did get the little parcel in the mail with my travel details, but it would be waiting in the cabin.

Thank goodness mine just passed away in the house.

Wow I hadn't seen a cooler rucksack before, another useful item in the tropics. Name was the clever cruise line!

Check for any stagnant water. A visitor noticed I had some water in the bottom of an old metal container, which I quickly emptied. I hate to think I compounded my problem. Water doesn't hang around where I live because I live on sand.

I'll let you know how it works on Virgin Voyages with its 21 restaurants. All are free but some need to be booked. Mine is a 11 day cruise, so no problem. However, it may be a problem booking particular popular restaurants on very short cruises.

What a wonderful memory of your WC with your weekly shop. Such a useful gift in our climate.

Bring your best remedy with you. You can't bring sprays on flights I remember taking Avon "Skin so Soft" to Canada on someone's recommendation. Wear light cotton long sleeved clothing to give the sand flies less skin. Try to go inside before dusk. It all helps.

I have just gotten NZ cash for a pending cruise from Auckland on Friday. I asked for the currency in $20 bills because it is more convenient to use. The notes are so beautiful, I feel they should come with a description. I recognise the Queen because she was our beloved Queen also. I think I recognise the beehive Parliament. But the birds and yellow flowers no. Just think how much work was done developing that beautiful note, with its special clear hole for security. And people say paper money is going to be replaced. My bills are in my purse just waiting to be spent! I'll not make the mistake of getting $100 bills, like I did for USA once. Every shopkeeper held the bill up to the light and looked at the $100 suspiciously like I must have been a bank robber. Dirty $1 bills they don't give a glance, but a new crisp $100 bill you must be up to no good.

Oh dear my prized blue Princess Cruises "escape completely" bag just disintegrated in my hands. Was my bag meant to last longer than me? Do they still give bags to passengers? I'm going on Virgin Voyages on Friday. Does Virgin Voyages give bags? The last time I got such a shock was when the soles of my almost new English "hotter concept" shoes, started to fall to pieces in my hands. I have four other pairs still living which this hasn't happened to. Note to self write to company for replacement pair of their "made in England" shoes. Does anyone know why this happens?