possum52

I was glad my 93 year old Dad isn’t with Optus that day as he relies on a medical emergency alarm. But it could still happen with other providers too. My husband is using a negative pressure machine 24 hrs a day for the foreseeable future. If there is a power outage like there was in our suburb a couple of days ago, he is in trouble if the battery runs out.

Your airport parking is much cheaper than ours. I think it is about $12 a day. I know we last paid $120 for 10 days in the long term carpark. We have taken other transport to the airport, but other than hiring someone to drive you, it is too much hassle from outer bayside suburbs particularly as we age.

The Optus outage included more than their mobile system - land lines and internet as well. Friends have all three services on one plan with Optus so lost all three for hours and hours. Many businesses, hospitals and schools have their landlines through Optus. We were glad we have a different provider for our mobiles. Our internet was down for most of the day.

The flight from Melbourne is roughly 90 minutes and costs vary from $129 to over $300 one way. Most of our cruises have been from Sydney - only two from Melbourne and one from Brisbane, We had one booked from Fremantle but Covid put paid to that. We're usually quite happy to fly and have a couple of days in Sydney prior to sailing. I must admit though, it was good to be able to sail from our home city without having to spend money on flights, car parking at the airport and accommodation. We have been fortunate that with both Melbourne cruises, family have dropped us off right outside the terminal and picked us up. We haven't had to line up or stand out in the rain and cold as others have done. That said, it is disappointing for Melbourne that Carnival have made this decision.

The same in the inner northern suburbs of Melbourne. Concrete in the front yard and big veggie patches in the back along with grape vines and olive trees.

Melbourne Ports Ships' Movements webpage has the Grand arriving at midday today - it is updated every hour.

Well, the way I feel at the moment, balcony on a P&O ship would do me. Usually I would say no to P&O. We have friends on a P&O cruise at the moment and they are quite happy with their choice of ship.

I read the article on the ABC website. If I was to be kidnapped, a cruise would be ideal for me.

Since my retirement, Rob and I have managed to still stay relatively sane when we are both home. We still do our own things and sometimes do things together but the next possibly few months are going to test me. Rob had two toes removed two weeks ago due to a severe infection in his right foot which started from a soft corn between the two amputated toes - the two littlest on the right foot. He has a negative pressure machine attached to his foot where the toes were to promote healing and take away any nasties still there. The nurse who came on Friday, when asked how long he will have it attached said anywhere up to three months. Fortunately it is mobile and he can move around with it with the help of a walking frame. But he has to be helped in the shower, hopefully we have now have than down pat after a few adjustments to the routine. He is still learning to walk with the frame and really can't help me with anything. So I am doing all the things Rob would usually do (under strict supervision 🤣) plus everything I normally do plus being the maid. Of course, he has had a few visitors since coming home from hospital last Thursday which means making tea and coffee for them. Oh well, I guess I'll survive but whether Rob does .......

I tend to try and put the same colour pegs together. But not to match colour of clothing!

Just note that the Australian ETA can only be done on the government official app and the NZeTA can be done either online here or on the NZ government official app.

What is considered as culture? Here are two meanings from Oxford Language website - 1. the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively 2, The ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society So what does that mean for Melbourne being in the top 10? I think as a Melburnian that both contribute to the city being in the top 10 - arts (museums, art galleries, music, opera, ballet) plus the festivals, sporting events, coffee, graffiti filled laneways, food (cafes and restaurants, food trucks) all contribute to Melbourne being listed. Our immigrants over the nearly past two centuries have contributed greatly to what Melbourne's culture is.

This from Terry's post - "Here are some of the highlights: “Sydney: Average winter temperatures: High of 80 degrees, low of 65 degrees. Fair enough if it is talking about Northern Hemisphere temps, but it is not clear in Terry's post that it is. Perhaps instead of putting winter, it should have put December, January and February which makes more sense. Travel magazines should realise that more than those from the Northern Hemishpere read them, particularly their online articles.

Sorry Terry, the article is not correct. Sydney's average winter high is 17 degrees C (62,6 degrees F) and average low is 8.8 degrees C (47.8 degrees F).Sydney WInter Temperature Averages The average winter temperatures quoted in the article you linked, are more like the summer average temperatures.

Yes they are the apps you download from your mobile phone's app store. And yes you have to have both. If you have any problems I suggest you ask on the Australia and New Zealand Ports of Call board which has a pinned thread on Australian Visas/ETAs and perhaps do a search for the NZeTA - Ports of Call - Australia and New Zealand We can only give you general information here as the majority of us who post on this board are Australians and New Zealanders and we don't need ETAs or NZeTAs to enter each other's country. There is also a handy pinned thread on Tipping in Australia and New Zealand which may help you as well.

Togs is not used much in Victoria these days. My children and grandchildren call them bathers. But certainly when I was growing up in country Victoria we put our togs on to go to the beach or the pool.

Did you query the amount charged? I certainly would have. When we have used taxis from the domestic terminal into Sydney CBD, travelling both through local streets and the tunnel, and various days of the week including weekends, we have never paid more than $65. Weekend traffic is nearly as bad as weekday traffic depending on where you are going. Any roads to the CBD are going to be busy.

Ron was born and raised in Melbourne so not a true Queenslander. I would think his manners stemmed from his upbringing, not that he lived in Queensland.

The quickest route is still nearly three hours each way - not using the Great Ocean Road but the Prince's Highway and cutting down from Pirron Yallock through Simpson to the Twelve Apostles. But you would miss the wonderful scenery and drive of the Great Ocean Road. As others have said, unless you are in Melbourne overnight, or here for an evening departure, the Twelve Apostles are not really doable unless as Hogbay suggested you do a helicopter flight from Melbourne which is quite expensive. Helicopter Tour from Melbourne to Twelve Apostles

I saw JOK perform in a pub at Warrnambool in the early 70s. It was quite a gig, with all ages there including some ladies who brought out their knitting while waiting for JOK to come on. 🤣 Never seen anything like it before and probably never will again.

When we were in Auckland in November 2018, the War Memorial Museum had the magnificent Fields of Remembrance honouring New Zealand's dead in WW1. It was amazing,

Called Remembrance Day here too Lyle. I was on my way home from watching my granddaughter play netball. The radio station on in my car did a really moving ceremony and finished off with the song 'When the War is Over' by Cold Chisel. I was really impressed.

We have stayed at the Meriton Suites in Campbell Street. We found it convenient and close to public transport and would certainly stay there again.

Yes I understand that. Unfortunately posting like that made it appear you did both destinations of Rotorua and Hobbiton (Matamata). They are in different directions from Tauranga and over an hour’s travel apart. Hobbiton is actually closer to Tauranga than Rotorua.

Yes it does include all staterooms which would be cleaned anyway but will have a more stringent clean.