Posted By s.micklewright In true aussie style; your a Git mate, thanks for that. Have a great Christmas. Simon

Posted By Struan What is a traditional Christmas? No snow,The Great Escape,pub's only open for a couple of hours, omnibus editions of eastenders and corrie, documentaries about the less fortunate in the world,a panto, the snowman, and the latest from Jerusalem,an after dinner walk with nobody in sight, the Queen (which one?), a prime time programme about lost then found relatives, I'm a Celeb gimme a pay rise and a party hat that does not look cool. Gimme sun, booze and a decent barbie any day. Merry bl--dy christmas, This is not from a wingin' Pom.

Posted By Ron Young Go on Richard, give us all the lowdown on the best way to go about it then.

Posted By Merv Newman Stuart, hope those barbary apes dont go for your nuts. Actually I'd rather live in australia than bulgaria. Got aunts and uncles in melbourne, brother and family in perth. Sounds pretty good but they dont know s**t about behavioural based safety. How can you make a living there ?

Posted By Stuart Williams All "A quick trip to Bankok to see "friends" " sounds a bit iffy! I'll skip the barbie thanks! Merry Christmas Stuart

Posted By Hilary Charlton It's a lovely day in Eastbourne as well. I like the traditional Christmas, turkey with all the trimmings, bright winter Christmas Day, kids hoping for snow each Christmas to make a white Christmas, shivering on the way back from the Carol Service on Christmas Eve and coming home for hot mince pies and mulled wine. But especially I find that there is a cleanliness feeling about the winter that makes you feel on New Year's Day that you really have put away the old year and you can look forward to the days getting longer, the weather gradually warming up and a new year full of promise of good things to come. At least with the English winter there is Christmas halfway through to give us something to look forward to as the days get shorter and then straight after Christmas the days start to get longer and we have the spring and summer to look forward to for the second half of the winter. So, I wish you a Merry Christmas on the beach but I know where I would rather be. Hilary

Posted By Richard Spencer To be fair - good points raised in response – Stuart no particular reason for visiting Bangkok other than to see my wife’s brother who is an expat married to a Thai and they live in Korat north of Bangkok. He works in Saudi. Now what’s your excuse for visiting the Barbary Apes? Incidentally, my wife’s uncle lives in, and excuse the spelling Ferwengirola - well that’s what it sounds like – which is in the foothills behind Malaga – nice villa too. He is an expat Aussie that made the mistake of teaching in UK at High School where he was attacked by a group of teen age thugs who beat him so badly he was medically retired from teaching and now lives in that part of the world – apart from all the Brits who still think there on a Singapore or Honkers posting, you know the type and the Germans who have stuffed up the property market, - he says its not to bad. Well, the comment from Webster about the ash falling from the sky, the year before last is quite true – we sustained extreme fire danger because the ‘green’ influence prevented back burning in the national parks that surround Sydney and many of the suburban areas back right up to these nature reserves. For the uninitiated – gum trees annually shed their bark and branches as well as leaves – which accumulate as detritus on the forest floor. Due to the relatively dry climate these decay but more slowly without moisture, leaving a large energy source. In addition, these trees are hard wood and therefore the Kilojoule value of the timber is high when compared with softwoods such as pine. The leaves of a gum expirate oily vapour – hence the blue haze, which accelerates in a fire event – to the degree that fire fronts travels through the tree tops at phenomenal speed and converts the energy of the oily leaves and vapour to heat, and the ash as a result of the intensity of the fire is carried on the updrafts that feed the fire and thus spread as ‘fly’ ash 20-100 klm from the site of the fire. I think the councils are learning their collective lesson and now feel justified as do the Forestry and other departments in better managing these nature reserves with the use of back burning. Alright that’s enough wisdom for you Poms – but answer me one question and the question is: WHY DO SO MANY BRITS STILL WANT TO COME AND LIVE IN THIS HOT FLY BLOWN LAND WITH IT SPIDERS AND CREEPY CRAWLIES ?????? Surely it can’t be for the sunshine and good life of which I speak, can it? Well I know where I would rather be so this is the Sydney signing off and to all have a cool relaxing Christmas – with mince pies turkey, holly, the Queens speech, funny hats and an increase in the heating bill. We will be content with a Barbie and the pool or beach or aircon if required – I ordered crayfish, gulf prawns, Queensland mud crabs and Margaret River Chardonnay and many other fine appellations from Victoria, the Hunter Valley. To all expat Aussie’s cheer up you bludgers, just think you still got the passport to get back, that’s if you can drag yourselves away from the cold, crisp, winter, with black ice etc. It’s not for life and you can do a bit of work on your tan down the track. Hooroo. Richard

Posted By Richard Spencer Ah Queensland beautiful one perfect the nex: go see for yourself. http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au

Posted By Nick Higginson I have just realised that this thread is a complete waste of time - what on earth is its purpose? Why did I feel the need to contribute? Why did anyone? Why did I feel the need to contribute asking why I felt the need to contribute? Aaaaargghhhh!

Posted By Skippy Maidment Shane - pop over to www.immi.gov.au for the low down on getting here. Plenty of H & S jobs but it ain't THAT easy. Don't be too swayed by the glossy hol brochures though. If you live here you'll have the same issues as in the UK - politicians, taxes, jobs, social issues, racism etc the weather does make it all seem rosy though and is a huge draw. Same crap, different bucket!!