ilikeanswers

This might be a stupid question but what is a make your offer deal? I tried to locate the page on their website for an explanation but can't find it😳. 

10 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

no wonder Proud Mary advertised to name your price. I hope they fill their boat with people from SA.

What is this name your price thing? 

8 hours ago, onlyslightlymad said:

Our govt is due to respond today to the epidemiologist recommendations re border reopening.  There may be some cruise clues.  I did like this analogy regarding the unvaccinated though.  I can't share the whole article because it is behind a paywall.

 

Being unvaccinated has been likened to keeping your house lights on at night during a bombing blitz: you're exercising your right to do as you please, but you're endangering yourself and everyone around you.

Those people aren't in much danger right now because the skies have been cleared in the form of our mostly Covid-impenetrable borders.

But that will change as the borders start to reopen next year.

If that is delayed, resentment towards those with the house lights still on might simmer over into resentment towards the Government for keeping the lid on Fortress NZ to protect them.

And the Prime Minister may find herself morally obliged to protect them if the unvaccinated cohort is large - but it would come at a political cost.

This morning just read this article from Germany:

Suspected saline switch sparks vaccine stir in Germany

And people say anti vaxers are only a danger to themselves🙄. 

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Still good food but we're not getting that change of scene.

My mum is going stir crazy😬. The last time she went to the shops she looked at the packed up food court and said she just wanted so badly to sit there and eat her take away. She's sick of her kitchen🙁

I remember thinking our Southern Balkans and Greece trip is planned in 2021 last quarter so good chance of us going😳. Oh my sweet naivety😂. 

41 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Crikey, south western Sydney does not show up too good, therein lies the problem.

There is a very large population to vaccinate😂, probably doesn't help it is a relatively young population so there would be a section holding out for Pfizer or Moderna. On the other hand doesn't help vaccines altogether are running out. I was at a GP yesterday and the phone was constantly ringing I could hear the receptionist tell them "sorry we have run out of vaccines, don't know when the next shipment will. No we don't even have AstraZeneca" 🙄. I saw a GP on TV who said they can't give the AZ away, here is a GP where people are asking for it but no stock. Is it possible for GPs to do swaps? Places where there is no demand take the vaccines from them to where people want it🤔. 

My prediction🔮, I'm thinking international flights will start before cruising does. I just don't think the government is going to let cruise ships in till the public can freely leave the country ✈️. 

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The Melbourne one. 😥

I wonder why now they deleted it🤔? 

1 hour ago, Russell21 said:

Well I put down Australian for both of us, I'm 8th generation born in Australia from good convict stock that both husband and wife had served their 7 years in Port Arthur Tasmania. My wife goes back many generations here and in a very early photo of a Great something Grandmother she either had very dark skin or there was a problem with early photography. 🙂 So if this buggers up their ancestry figures they should ask clearer questions.

You are right the question probably needs to be clearer 😂. I was thinking the question is more so they can see what ethnic groups are in Australia since not every ethnic group has a country like you could put your parents are born Cambodia but you actually identify as Hmong🤔. 

Sounds like I misunderstood the ancestor question😳 I took it to mean your ethnicity😂. 

2 hours ago, mr walker said:

Any fellow Jedis out there? 🙂 

 

Actually saw an article recently warning people about putting false info & they used that as an example. It was a real 'stick your tongue out' answer at the 2001 census, and clearly upset the censusoligists, 'cause they are still unhappy.

 

May the force be with you.

 

Note: for the record I will put my real religion in the census - they didn't provide any thing for the Jedis from the previous censuses ( or should that be censi?)

At least the Pastafarians will still be represented😜. Let this census be blessed by his Holy Noodliness, R'amen people 🙏😂

1 hour ago, Aus Traveller said:

Don't laugh. I think it was on the last census that their website crashed from overload. We had done ours the night before so didn't have a problem.

It was hacked by denial of service attacks. After the fourth one they shut it down. Hopefully this year they upgraded security😬. 

43 minutes ago, BRANDEE said:

FYI

 

On his public facebook page, Antony Johns, is now claiming the "cancer" card.  Needs cruising to want to live and needs to expose your government.  His plea for money is just around the corner..No more posts in the private facebook page, but I have no idea if he has started to "cry" to some of the vulnerable members.

I read somewhere that a study in America found 65% of disinformation on FB about Covid-19 was from only 12 people. I wonder if this Antony Johns isn't one of them trying to branch out to Australia😂. 

What WHO issues are essentially suggestions. Countries can use it to guide their policies but in the end the it is not policy itself. A traveller should concern themselves with what the rules are of the country they are travelling to. A cruise going to a country that does not recognise your vaccine is going to have to follow that mandate. As for the cruise lines own policies that is probably best to ask someone from the company if your vaccine is going to be a problem. So far the only thing I have seen cruise lines concerned about is whether you are vaccinated at all not what vaccine you had. 

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

This is the newer version of Rolf's machine. He has a lot of fun playing barista with it although I have to steam the milk if I want a latte. He claims it's too hard! 🤣 I must admit it did take me a while to get the knack of it.

 

 

Is it complicated to clean? I have always looked at those machines thinking it looks like a heck of a job, though I have heard that some are self cleaning whatever that means 🤔. 

19 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

There are quite a few different brands of pod espresso machines on the market in Australia. We take our espresso very seriously here. I don't think you can get the Keurig-type machines here. 

I did find this one site:One Pod it is Australian. I think if I ever did get a machine I would definitely buy those reusable pods. So it would not be too dissimilar to the Keurig. 

I love my coffee plunger, since I learnt how to use it properly I find the coffee delicious. Though I am admittedly a bit of coffee snob😜 so I do buy the speciality, single origin and a house roasted beans. I just find them more aromatic, fruity and flavoursome. 

2 minutes ago, NSWP said:

I must be one of the few people in Straya without a coffee machine, for I am a dinosaur, lol.

Make it two, I don't have one and have yet to be convinced it is worth it 😜. 

10 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

You can get a reusable "pod" for Kuerig 

I looked that up, certainly more my style as I can put whatever coffee I want. Interestingly came across a company called One Pod that makes reusable coffee pods for every brand of machine. I'm surprised Nespresso allows them to do this as I heard they were very stringent about their pod patents. Maybe they figure this will bring customers like me (who are picky about their coffee😂) to their machines. Anyway I still think I will stick to my old school plunger. I'm happy with the coffee and don't really want more specialised gizmo's in my kitchen. 

3 hours ago, NSWP said:

I can never operate those coffee machines in hotel rooms, I have busted a couple. I need to do the training course, lol.

Google and YouTube is your friend in this case😉. First time I had a pod machine in our Sintra apartment I googled the machine brand and found instructions online. I've notice once you know one they all are similar enough to figure out. 

26 minutes ago, Porky55 said:

The ones from Nespresso itself are aluminium, don’t know about any other manufacturers 🙄

Source - Nespresso.com

Nespresso coffee capsules are made from aluminium – the best material to protect the freshness and quality of our Grands Crus, which has the additional benefit of being infinitely recyclable. Nespresso has been investing in its dedicated recycling scheme for more than 25 years.

 

Coffee Pod Recycling | Recycle Capsules | Nespresso Australia

I didn't say it wasn't aluminium but it is not 100% aluminium. It has a plastic lining inside the capsules. It is why you have to return the capsules to the Nespresso store rather than put it into the normal recycling bin. Only they have the equipment to process their capsules which is why the uptake for their recycling is so low. People have to divide their rubbish enough and now even your coffee capsules need a special bin and you have to wash them out🙄. To much complication for a cup of coffee for me 😂. 

47 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

We use the pods daily - various types from nespresso and also other brands that fit the machine, Starbucks type from Coles or woollies, generic from aldi. No plastic  involved with the pods, aluminium  and it gets recycled. Lots of different  flavours and coffee strengths to choose from.

I've definitely had plastic pods so I know they exist. I did read an article with the Nespresso owner who said that their pods are a plastic aluminium mix, so their not 100% aluminium. Anyway I like making my own coffee blends so I can't see myself getting a pod machine any time soon regardless of what pods are made from😉

28 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes, pod machines aren't very environmentally friendly unfortunately.

 

I've never really liked plunger coffee, it always tastes muddy to me. I used to like freshly made filter coffee but these days I only drink espresso, with and without milk depending on the circumstances. Mostly I drink tea but I like one good coffee a day.

If your plunger coffee is too muddy you must be grinding it too fine. The grinder should be set to a medium grind, I usually like a 7 or 8 on my Porlex. Also blooming the coffee really helps bring out the aromatic flavours. But I’m with you on tea I do love a good tea, got some Daintree Tea on our road and got some amazing mountain teas from Taiwan. When we were in French Polynesia we got coconut flavoured black tea, very interesting. Don't know if you ever tried Sakura tea from Japan, a very acquired taste😂. Lately been trying out Pu'er Tea. I am also a bit of a bubble tea addict😜. 

29 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

It very much depends on the pods. Nespresso make quite a range of blends and they do differ, we've tried them at various places when travelling. And years ago the place I worked had a pod machine. Their pods were almost too mild for my taste but had a very pleasant hazelnut-like back note.

Last few trips around Europe the places we stayed had different pods machines so we did try a range of different pods. Some were more palatable but on the whole not as nice as my coffee at home😂. Plus I am a bit of a plastic reductionist so pods wouldn't really fit my lifestyle😜.