Toots

I absolutely know what you mean. My Mum used to come for 4/5 months and when it came to near the end of her stay I was just so sad and blubbered like a baby after she'd gone home. It's not easy. Once I was busy at work and had phoned her after she had returned, I felt almost back to 'normal'. Mind you, even though I'd been living out of home since I was 16 years old, I've always found goodbyes very hard. It's been part of my life for a long time - doesn't get any easier.

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I worked in the Lake District for 3 years and it gets awfully busy in the summertime. We used to be able to walk faster to Ambleside from where we lived than the cars stuck in a traffic jam. Maybe one of the more remote areas would be better if you don't like crowds.

Yes, the Isle of Skye is lovely especially if you get decent weather and as you say don't mind the midges. Portree on Skye

The Lake District is beautiful but out of the summer season is best for going there. It gets really crowded until September/October. Yorkshire Dales or south west Scotland also very nice.

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Lovely positive post Adele. You have done a lot in 3 weeks.

You did ask 'what do we do?' Well if your daughter is against the UK and your parents aren't well enough to travel that is a bit of a problem. As far as the boredom is concerned surely you have some sort of interest apart from sitting watching the TV every night? That would also drive me nuts. Maybe in the short term you will just have to look forward to as many holidays as you can manage. You could also do voluntary work a couple of days a week. Even here in Devonport there are loads of different types of voluntary jobs around. Just try to find one that would really interest you. Good luck!

"Of course Kate. Now that he's retired completely, I'm sure he'd love to babysit a few days a week. I'll just ask him."

You should have a good heart to heart with your daughter. Tell her how you feel. Maybe she doesn't realise how fed up you are or how much you want to go back "home". If she really does want to stay here and she has a job, she could flat share. What about your elderly parents? Would they also go back? Sounds like you need a good old family conference and make decisions whether it's best to stay or go.

I don't watch much TV at all. I have a voluntary job which I do a couple of nights a week. I read a LOT have also thought of evening classes and one or two other hobbies on the go. We don't go out that much in the evenings either - sometimes walk up to see a movie at the local cinema and sometimes for a drink at a local pub.

That's good to hear - except for you problems with GC estate agent etc, things seem to be going well for you.

Very best wishes to you and your family Mhags! I was just thinking the other day about a post of Scott's when he thought of moving to Tasmania. Scotland would be the only place I'd think of moving back to if it came to the crunch.

$180 for a consultation! Nothing like that here. That is a rip-off.

Depends where you live here. We have far longer light evenings here in Tassie.

Devonport (Tassie) where I live has an Aboriginal Centre and Keeping Place. It's situated on The Bluff where there are many Aboriginal sites. The place was to be run by local Aborigines but over the last few years it's been run by local volunteers with the help of a few Aboriginal people. I was there this afternoon. http://tiagarra.weebly.com/

I don't what it is about it but I'm not keen on the actual township of Turners Beach. You might like it though - definitely best to get the feel of a place before making the big decision. Same as Devonport - there are areas I wouldn't like to live in but I do really like the area of town where we chose to live.

I was just thinking that too. So funny!

It's 65km from Port Sorell to Burnie and it's a good road all the way after Devonport - no traffic lights and lovely views. Many people do it so the road can be a bit busy at peak times. It's a far better road from Devonport to Burnie than the one to Launceston - gee I wish they'd do something about that road. It takes us just over 30 mins to drive to Burnie so I guess it would be bit over 45 mins from Port Sorell.

Perfect!

That is quite sad s713. I think from reading posts on this forum many people have felt/feel the same. Do you manage to get back now and again to see family and friends?

It's daft the number of people who think that way. Never mind moving back to to the UK ................. a lot of people I know in Sydney thought I was strange for wanting to live in Tasmania! Even if we did move back to the UK, it would be to a very quiet place in Scotland.

Quite right LKC! My Dad also didn't reach retirement age, nor did my younger brother. I gave up wondering if I live up to other people's expectation years ago.

Not so much my family but most of my friends thought I was nuts to return to the UK after living in the USA many years ago. In those days, the US was thought of as some sort of nirvana - especially California but I never felt I 'belonged'. Better to move on when you feel like that. Doesn't matter what other folk think.

No complaints about FC either. They generally match other flights I look at on the internet.