sueandave

sounds great, you will all love the trains.  If you do travel to Kyoto, go to Gion, a lovely town, with an old area, we saw Geisha's  & Miko. Nice market there too.

On 01/03/2017 at 8:36 AM, Eera said:

Hey all.

 

We are intending on taking the kids to Japan for a snow holiday early next year. I want to spend around 7 days in the Tokyo / Kyoto area and am just looking for some ideas to keep a 5 year old and an 8 year old entertained. Not a fan of the Disneyland thing. Anyone been there with fairly young kids? Mine like anything that explodes and makes noise, but are not really into the more quiet pursuits. I'd love to go down to Hiroshima but in reality don't have the time to go so am more looking at seeing one or two areas and not trying to fit a huge amount into a short time.

 

Ta

Hi not sure if you have done this trip yet?  We just got back from Japan in April.  We found jpass great, used the trains all the time, we do not have kids now, so can't help you there. Great clean country, after the cruise in to Kobe, we stayed 3.5 weeks, saw Kyoto, and surrounding areas. Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Matsumoto, Mt Fuji at it's best. Tokyo, Nara. Did lots of side trips from our stops.  Enjoy your travels.

Hi it was a very easy drive, saw a lot of Canada,  walked a round lakes, saw bears, that was fantastic for us. Enjoyed different chairlifts for the views.  We did so much.  It comes down to how much time you have to explore, we stayed over 4 times between Vancouver & Calgary. Loved thevRockies.  When we travel, we love doing our own thing and take it steady.

Hi we were in Canada last year, had a great time.  After the Alaska cruise, we hired a car in Vancouver, drove up through the Rockies, stopped a few nights in .Jasper &  Baniff, then on to Calgary, where we stayed for 3N. Dropped off the hire car & flew to Quebec, stayed 5N then flew on to Toronto & Niagra Falls. We saw loads of wildlife including bears from the roadside.lovely memories,  The reason we chose to drive, we wanted to see more of Canada,we stopped when we wanted too.  it is expensive to do the rocky mountaineer, but if that is what you want to do, enjoy your travels.

It seems not lol.

Thanks for bumping the post up Blossom:smile:

I have private health but if I had an accident where I had to be admitted in an emergency I would always say medicare. I would only ever use my private health for hospital treatment if it meant jumping the waiting time for an elective procedure.

I have noticed in public hospitals there is a sign that says if you can pay with your private hospital cover please do, as then the cost is not then borne by the taxpayer/ Government. I did do this once and had my own room, a newspaper delivered for free each day & some free car parking. I was not a cent out of pocket, just my health fund payment.:smile:

We hold UK & Australian Passports and find travel easy, use your Aust. passport when leaving and entering Oz, and your U.K passport when entering & leaving the U.K, mark you I had to laugh many years ago when returning to the U.K to show off our youngest child, to our family. The immigration person said you can go through here but she can't our 10th month old who held a Oz passport.

Of course, I feel the same. I really meant on a per capita basis rather than individuals. Obviously some people contribute more and some take more according to income and need. It seems pretty fair to me.

 

You're right about the private companies too - they put in clauses and exclusions which a public health service doesn't do. When you need it and for as long as you need it, it's there.

Like Petals I do not miss the NHS, but in honesty, I do not remember it much. We are privately insured also pay our Medicare levy & then the gap payments. and may be soon t be the co -payment.

If we, as a people, were to approach health as a responsibility, not a right, then we would stop smoking, stop or greatly reduce drinking, stop drugs, lose weight, exercise more, treat each other gently, reduce stress, drive carefully, sleep more, drink more water, eat unprocessed foods. We would cut pollution. We would look at "Wellness" and not absence of diagnosed disease as a parameter of health. There is a lot of abuse of Medicare, some from the medical profession which has been acknowledged by this and previous governments, The way I see it is in any society we have people who for what ever reason will need Government - tax payers help from time to time. I can not begin to imagine a society that would say " I would never see that type of patient because they do not fit into the criteria of user pays.

Not sure what CHCmeans (concession health card?).

 

Generally I think welfare support must exist as a safety net for those who need it. I would restrict it to people who live in the country personally. My mum gets a UK age pension even though she hasn't lived there for nearly 40 years which is a bit odd.

 

So yes absolutely we need age pensions and health concessions for those who need them to survive.

 

I think there is too much welfare for people who don't need it and are on quite high incomes.

I'm not in favour of parental paid leave being paid to high earning people.

 

We need to help look after those who need help. That doesn't mean everything needs to be free though.

Yes I believe you are right, no one should expect welfare on high incomes not sure on living in the country, do you mean this country, or country as in country side? (CHC) I thought meant Commonwealth Health card, not senior health card. Your Mum probably worked for her NI Stamps or it could be from Dads pension. (if he has passed away) I am also against parental paid leave

for High income earners, a waste of public money.

Thank you guys for you likes and best wishes, it is a nice forum when we can feel for each other, hopefully not get too cranky with each other, yet still be allowed to get things off our chest without prejudgement. My Beaut girl was 5 hours in surgery, Doctors are happy, she is in a lot of pain, and we will see how she is tomorrow.

Thank you

Perhaps not this thread! :sad:

LOL My motto look after the sick and aged tomorrow you may be one.

Hope it it all goes well , I'll pray for her. X

Thank you so much:smile::smile:

I hope it goes well for her tomorrow.

Thank you that is why I am up looking at this forum, keeps the old mind off things, or at least it should LOL

Ok I have never done any of the above, smoke, drugs, alcohol I use to have one glass a year, no where near fumes, Aussie sun, low fat diet, hate sugar, but ended up with Cervical cancer twice and esophagal cancer and now they have found a lump in the 10% of stomach I have left, I currently live on 400 calories a day, ok I can't exercise now because I'm to weak.

I have been told I have the lungs of a 80yr old in the past yet I've never in my life smoked.

So according to you its all my fault and I should have been able to stop this happening?

Hi Pom Queen, life is a box of chocolates, we have all heard that before, I feel for you and hope that you can slowly improve your health.

My Beautiful Granddaughter is now 14 years old she has received two liver transplants, she has a few other problems also, . why I mention this is because I too was once naïve, and thought I've had 3 healthy children, my mum had a bus load of children all healthy, same as my OH side, my grandparents children seemed o'k they all lived to an old age, then why? I now know that these things happen, as specialists said this is a first omission not genetic, not what she had or had not eaten, just pot luck, what I find quite strange is that this beautiful girl of ours always wears a smile, So come on everyone SMILE, Tomorrow she endures another operation, nothing to do with the liver that is going really well, and we will be always be eternally grateful to the family of the doner .

Tina, I think you're making all that up.

None of that has ever been suggested.

 

Best to wait and see rather than guessing a whole lot of doomsday scenarios.

 

But you can be sure they won't make surprise changes effecting people close to retirement.

Like the pension age change coming in 2035 it recognises the reality of people living longer and leaves plenty of time for planning.

Hi parley a question for you, what are your thoughts on entitlement to any amount of pension or CHC if you have worked all your life paid taxes and not needed any welfare payments?

I agree with that

Look sorry I have changed the topic slightly.

I've noticed this one crept in with the Abbott government.

Graeme Innes his position as Disability Discrimination Commissioner has been axed there will be no dedicated representative/political voice to protect the interests of people with disabilities. I think the Abbott government has made a huge error in axing the role. Open to differing opinions though.

Hi

 

Anyone knows any good restaurants with a nice view by the beach around Wollongong ?

 

Many thanks

There are quite a few, Flanagans Dining room, open Friday & Saturday nights at Thirroul Beach nice for lunch also, Ocean Beach Hotel Shellharbour, Panorama House at the top of Bulli Pass, good views but not on beach. Scarborough Hotel lovely views, but can't see much when it's dark out there.

I see you are trying to tar all the "poor" with the same brush then parley. I know a few people you might class as poor and in the lower socio economic group. They are just the same as the rest of my friends and trying to make ends meet. NOT down the bookies or in the pub all day trying to drown their sorrows. They don't smoke either.

 

That's the governments take on things, all the poor have brought it on themselves by spending their money on ciggies, plasmas, mobile phones, booze, whilst neglecting their kids and expecting the high paid earners to pick up the bill in their taxes.

 

That's what they like everyone to think. Keep the middle class moaning about the lower class and they'll forget about what the well off are getting away with.

ah yes I have posted about your last sentence previously, divide & conquer.

Oh gosh, sometimes just sometimes there is such a thing called sickness not alcohol or ciggs, just jolly bad luck which made them welfare recipients

True, but I trust that if I look after myself I won't get cancer.

You just keep on believing it (lets not forget Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Testicular cancer the list could go on, Olivia Newton John, Jane Mcgrath, Delta Goodrem

And the fact that the seniors supplement is to be axed immediately. For many retirees on low incomes this will be the only discretionary income they have. It may not make a difference in Hockey and Abbottland in North Sydney but it certainly will in less affluent areas, particularly those with a high percentage of older residents.

I have just read that Mr Hockey want's to raise the age when you can access your super, He will be looking into that very shortly he wants to get his budget through senate first. mmm

Life is full of choices for the lucky ones, some people are not able to have as many choices, My sister from the U.K said exactly the same as yours Petals, plus haven't you done well here, We have been back for visits, stayed 3 months one time, We do seem more carefree, I have often been told about the 3 way Pom. A removalist company was telling us he has seem this quite a few times. We have been in Oz

31 years, I believe I probably wouldn't settle to well in the U.K, We do love our life here, miss our families in the U.K. We now have older children with families of their own, grandchildren & friends. My family say I have changed?? maybe emigrating and staying for a while does this? The years after arrival I sometimes would say to my self, o.k what bought you here, if I was having a (missing my family time).

Perhaps go with what your heart dictates not your head, It's funny really when we go back for visits local folk say where do you come from! I def. have my English accent, but not my local twang.

Never forget your roots & soar like a bird in your paradise.

You have similar sentiments to me, What we have is the Medicare levy shortly to rise, Health fund payments they rise each year, Gap payments don't take me there, Some Doctors also charge out of pocket expenses, not refunded at all, $7.00 co- payment that is until the next rise. coupled with pathology and x rays. extra co payments and scripts then back to your GP for your results (don't break a leg) you made need Physio.