lyndarra

Something different? I spent last Thursday replacing the ignition switch in our host's 1988 Ford Sierra 2.0i S. It had been at a local Ford dealership for about a year and they said it was the wrong part and gave up. When I checked the new part against the old one I found a very slight difference and, making a simple 5 minute modification it was good to go. The owner was over the moon but really ticked off with Ford.

It's close to two weeks now since we arrived in South of France. We are not touring but instead enjoying the life style of this unique, to us, area. The weather has been fine, warm to hot but since we arrived we have felt things are starting to cool off. We are in a rural area and our friends house, where we are staying, was once part of a tobacco farm. It started as a two room house and has grown and also merged with a tobacco "hanger" (a barn like structure used for drying tobacco leaf). Since our friends bought it 20+ years ago they have added to it and it is now a substantial three three level building with seven bedrooms and three bathrooms, a pool, gardens and has a huge carport which would cover my house back home. It was once a "hanger" but now has only three walls and a small workshop. It is built mostly of oak. Since arriving we have not eaten any meals indoors. We have breakfast and lunch in a small, covered, courtyard and dinners on an outside terrace, usually between 8 and 9pm when it is still light. Very relaxed and laid back. We have had some dinners at outdoor community events. Usually in a community space where there are food concessions and we et at trestle table and on long forms for seating. There is also music entertainment included. Last night at one venue, a picturesque spot by the Garonne canal, we were entertained by a fabulous duet - Miss A and the Country Man- playing country rock and blues.

Thanks for the kind offer Lyle however there will be four of us and we will most likely get a rental car.

Planning to get ferry from Seattle to Victoria.

@Blackduck59 I've been checking out hotels in Vancouver and found they are real OTT expensive. I looked at some in Victoria and the prices appear more reasonable for early June next year. Do you have any local knowledge on recommendations? ATM moment we are looking at 3 nights before boarding New Amsterdam on 4/6. Thanks in advance.

Seems to have ignored, for comparison, the number of cargo ships cruising the oceans of the world taking NZ produce to buyers.

I have used Go car rental in Jan 2020. Non of the rental firms are close to dock. Go IIRC is about 1k from the dock but it was close to our hotel. Their airport drop off is about 500m from airport and they run a free shuttle to and from terminal. I found them cheaper than the big names and service was excellent. Some rental companies offer pick ups or drop offs.

Fully vaxed.

That explains it. Thank you so much. I wonder how cruisers without email will get on or if they are at sea with no wi-fi. 48hours seems tough.

I am sure it will indicate what she has to do. She is aware of what she had to do when she booked but it seemed strange to her to suddenly receive this demand with 48 hour deadline when cruise is not until Christmas.

Depends on the cruise line. Holland America do not include gratuities. I have a cruise booked next January Singapore/Sydney. Also have done New Guinea and NZ cruises with HAL and grats were not included in fare.

A cruising friend, whom I am staying with in France, has a Pacific Christmas cruise booked for this year. Today she received an email from Carnival saying that she has 48 hours in which to complete a vaccination attestation form. Has anyone come across this before?

Work which you prefer, sunrises or sunsets.

That's the one I use. Using it now in France. One good thing about it is that it never ends up on the naughty table like many others.

Except for Lola.

Arrived in Barcelona last night and fly to Bordeaux this arvo. Warm and cloudy, about 26C. Sun poked its face out from behind clouds for a moment and I really felt the heat when it did. From leaving SYD until we went to bed last night was 26 hours.

I can recommend Moana Park Estate having been there and brought home some lovely crisp, clean whites. I don't recall the variety. Princess let me bring six bottles back on board without impounding. MOANA PARK ESTATE WINERY (Napier) - What to Know BEFORE You Go (tripadvisor.com)

It's day or two before, for me. ATM I'm contemplating whether or not to get my suitcase down from in the ceiling tonight. I leave on Friday.

Swans v Magpies in GF????

My vote is for Manly for all the above reasons. I live 150klm from Sydney and a few times I have taken the train from Newcastle to Central then to Circular Quay then the ferry for a nice cruise to Many. Have lunch at the pub etc., the home again. Using my Seniors Opal card it cost me all of $2.50 in fares. Another time I substituted Cockatoo Island instead of Manly which has interesting history.

I was working at The Entrance in the mid 60s. The 21 Div was said to visit there occasionally anticipating, I think, problems between surfies and rockers. I was a young blond surfer in those days but never saw any trouble there. Got asked for proof of age once in The Entance pub.

I went visited the museum, a week or so ago, for the first time. It's not big but has a lot of interesting stuff (besides old Armotts biscuit tins). I recommend a visit. Admission is free but donations are welcome. I have a kinda funny story about my visit. I went there with my BF and her daughter, GD (aged 3) and GS (age 1). As we entered I saw, just inside the entry door, a couple of kids scooters rightnext to an electronic card donation box. I assumed the scooters were for use by visitor's kids. I donated $5 and the GD took on one of the scooters and off we went. A few minutes later we were caught up by one of the museum staff who told us the scooters belonged to a visitor who had kids visiting, but decided to make them walk instead of scooting, so parked the scooters near the door to collect on their way out. Oops.

I'll add the Newcastle Memorial Newcastle War Memorial Cultural Centre. It's located behind and overlooking Civic Park and it's "interesting" fountain and Newcastle Town Hall. In the foyer there are two massive statues, Him & Her is what I call them as I'm not sure of the correct title. I have a stake in mentioning this as I was named after the sculptor. Biography - Lyndon Raymond Dadswell - Australian Dictionary of Biography (anu.edu.au)

I recently bought a smart tv. It's too smart for me as I haven't yet figured out how to work all the bells and whistles so it's free-to-air for the time being. Besides, I'm a tightwad and see the point in paying for the extra stuff.

Is that where the lava tubes are?