starlight7

A lot of clubs look for footie players ( aussie rules) and also there's soccer. When I was younger I used to be in a lapidiary club and they went fossicking around the state for gemstones etc. Service clubs of course, though not so popular as they used to be.

Maybe we went at a bad time- last week. Not so much the shops though.

Guess it really doesn't matter about the oz v uk debate thingo- who really cares, basically? Sometimes it makes for interesting reading though. I had a close friend who lived nearby for many years , the children went to school together and we saw each other a lot. They returned to the uk and my friend re settled well (Danish by birth) but I would get long letters from her husband pouring out his hatred for Australia and the lack of just about everything nice here. So I stopped writing to them and stopped even sending Christmas cards because it became really boring. Shame really because I really liked my friend (but not her husband!)

Take a stroll round Cranbourne shopping centre before deciding to live there.....

Maybe people who like a drink or two are more relaxed and sociable?

Target has always been over priced for what it is- that is why it is on its way down.

Horrible people should be locked away and kept off the streets. Rough as guts.

Like the UK, a lot depends on where you live in Australia. I used to live exactly where simmo lives now - recognise all the places, it was where I was brought up. Hated it and still did every time I went back. We are all different and every country has different things to offer. Given what the op has gone through/is going through it would be very,very hard to like the place he is now. Wherever in the world.

I regretted dumping my lovely leather boots because it was supposed to be warm all the year round ( in Melbourne? Gotta be kidding!) Wish we'd have brought the cat because it died soon after we left in the charge of m-i-law. Our bedroom suite - in those days the things on offer here were disgusting but things have definitely improved in that respect.

Well at least we had 70 plus yeas without one of those European wars- guess it couldn't last for ever.

I think he is sadly misguided and would also like to see his degrees in medicine/nutrition. A publicity stunt which could be very dangerous.

Hi emj Even other Aussies often find it hard to make friends in the Gold Coast. It is well known for retirees heading up there and feeling miserable- then heading back down south. Really. I would definitely try somewhere cooler- you would get that with Adelaide and Hobart too. Adelaide is pretty hot in Summer of course but at least you get the cooler winter months which gives you a lot more energy.

All my kids walked a km or so to school on their own every day but my grandchildren mostly get picked up except the 13 year old who walks a couple of kms to our house and waits for his mum to take him home. Sad that life has come to this. My youngest used to get a bus and a train to school on her own( wouldn't be seen dead with her parents). Don't think there is much danger from pervs but definitely from some of the mums picking up kids who drive like maniacs. Why don't they ban lifts for anyone who lives less than a km away from school , aged 7 onwards? Except in the case of extreme weather of course.

Well done on getting the site back up- like the new colours better than the old

LIKE!