BeachBabe2022

I stopped comparing prices after about six weeks. I don't buy wine in restaurants. I only go to restaurants that allow B.Y.O. My every day quaffing wine is Mount Avoca Estate Chardonnay, which costs $25. My favourite wine is Pooley Butchers Hill Chardonnay, which costs $60 - it is a special treat wine (birthdays, easter, christmas). Don't tend to buy anything under $20 these days, just because the 220 preservative tends to be added more to the cheaper wines, and it makes me very sick with migraines. Cannot remember what I use to pay for wine in the UK, as too long ago now. I use to buy that disgusting Blue Nun mainly.

Every single time I go to the doctors, dentist, massage therapist, reflexology, acupuncturist, herbalist, naturopath, they all think it odd that I don't have it, as 99% of their patients do.

I buy them from Harris Farm Online, or Farmers Markets in Sydney. Now considered an old fashioned fruit and out of fashion.

Yes indeed changed. I lived on fast foods in the UK. My idea of gourmet was sticking a frozen pizza in the oven, having takeaway chips with everything and baked beans on toast. Pot noodles were big on the menu too. Had a Sunday roast every week (which my sister use to cook for me). Fruit and vegetables were limited. Only ever saw fish in batter. Since moving to Oz, I hardly ever have takeaways, and cook 99% of my meals from scratch Tastes have changed over the years, but my current Top 3 would be: 1). Lime chicken (done in the Air Fryer), served with Asian style salad 2). Steamed barramundi or salmon, with steamed vegetables - kale, corn on the cob, broccoli 3). Risotto - Chicken, mushroom, pumpkin & peas Hardly eat out, but if we do, then like fresh seafood platter - prawns, oysters, mussels, crab, lobster, scallops, etc...

Yes. Far too cold for me.

I once arrived in Sydney in the middle of some sort of festival, and found it really hard to get decent accommodation. Ended up in a dodgy flea bitten hovel hostel in Chinatown. Therefore, I suggest at the very least book some accommodation before you arrive. The YHA in Cumberland Street in The Rocks is nice and reasonably cheap. It is 20 minutes on the train from the International Airport to Circular Quay, and then a 10 minute walk to the YHA. You will need to purchase a $20.00 OPAL CARD from a newsagents in the airport, as it is the only way to travel on public transport. You keep the card and top it up with money either via an app on your mobile phone, or at a newsagents, or at the train station.

Don't know where you are

Me too. I remember it well. November 1990 and it was absolutely torrential. Came on suddenly and cleared up just as quick. I had never seen rain like it before. I thought it was a tropical monsoon too. But no, apparently it was just standard Sydney rain

Unfortunately due to La Nina, it is the wettest and coldest summer in Sydney for at least ten years. Apparently November 2021 was the wettest month on record. It has been a terrible summer overall, although I still managed to get sunburn a few weeks ago on one of the few hot and sunny days we had.

Most people seem to have it, whatever their income.

Lindfield is great. Plus close to the city for commuting. They have a really good Harris Farm store there, and I love Cafe Lyon for dining out.

Aldi has some good wines if you select carefully, but also had some very headache inducing ones from there. I normally spend around $35 - $50 a bottle, because I like older reserve wines, which they don't sell in Aldi. Not being a wine snob, its just the cheaper younger wines give me migraines.

They disagree with you

No idea about that. But cheap for us in NSW. Plus it heats the room really quickly, so don't need to keep it on for hours

I find the people pretentious and the weather is too cold

Hello there. Last year I was doing an accounting course in the city, and I stayed in a lovely hotel called Mrs Banks Hotel, at 259 Oxford Street Paddington. Whilst not exactly central, it was easy to get into the CBD on the bus. If you want something more central and cheaper, then the YHA in The Rocks is pretty good.

I have friends who live near Geelong. They are Torquay (for the beach) and drive into Melbourne for work every day

Yes. Wollstonecraft is a very handy location for the city CBD. Has bus, train, driving, bike and walking options. Although I would only drive if I was desperate (hate city parking). Good reserves, walking tracks and parks in Wollstonecraft. Hard to believe you are so close to the city. And within walking / wobbling distance of The Stoned Crow bar in Crows Nest. Rental prices are very reasonable too considering the location.

A few things pop to mind: Beach Crystal clear water Swimming rockpools Weather Open spaces Walks with waterfalls Whale watching from the foreshore Food Frangipanis and other tropical flowers Exotic fruits Wineries Fresh coconuts

We got a gas heater for the first time ever a few years ago. Absolutely brilliant.

I have friends in Torquay VIC (nice beach), and they drive to and from Melbourne each day for work. Bit of a long trek, but they don't seem to mind.

Yes. Summer makes me happier wherever I am.

I absolutely hate Melbourne. As does my husband, even through he was born there, worked there and has family there still. Also found it hard to make friends there. But have made friends in other places in Australia where I have lived. Have you joined any clubs or organisations? As for PP, it has never appealed to me. Would be too expensive and the emotional upheaval would weight to heavily on me (I think). It would be OK if you were single or a couple, but the though of moving children and pets back and forth, gives me the shudders.

Good location for easy access I use to work in the same area too, and loads of buses and train options from Wynyard station. I would also sometimes (if feeling super energetic - as took one hour) walk home across the bridge to St Leonards. I would be looking on the North Shore too. Some really nice suburbs there, both lower and upper areas. I really like, Lavender Bay, McMahons Point, Balmoral, Hunters Hill, Wollstonecraft, Wahroonga, Castle Cove and North Sydney

Was just chatting about this yesterday My Aussie husband use to suffer from bad eczema and hayfever. He had it from birth until he was 40. When he was 40 he cleared the eczema, and the hayfever went away. That was over 10 years ago, and not had it since.