MMDown Under

When cash is no longer available I will stop travelling overseas!! Two credit cards failed in London for different reasons. This time it was a large hold put on twice in error fixed immediately but too late!! I failed answering both security questions Name of first car? First house? how one could fail either question is beyond me. I still have my first car in my backyard to be used in Landscaping. As for first house such a big unforgettable occasion. My daughter said it was because I replied Hillman Minx instead of just Hillman. ?? I spent hours just finding out how to call the bank in Aust from NZ There is room for improvement by banks to improve their systems to be more user friendly to Seniors. When my daughter said she was coming with me to Auckland for the weekend to see I got on the ship safely I laughed out loud. Well she proved to be a life saver, even having to pay for our Auckland accommodation. I discovered things I thought I had paid only had credit card holds on them. when card was presented it was refused. Tried again a day ago and it still got refused. im going into detail so travellers understand the potential pitfalls.

Two cards both failed in London. I wear cash on my body (yha singlet with zip pocket). In London my daughter made all my theatre bookings in Australia and I just picked up tickets at each theatre. I learnt I could use one of the credit cards up to 100’pounds without it being refused. Yes I’m going to open an account with a different bank as I’m going to New York next

I’m so glad. You will love it. I don’t understand aps which has made life difficult, but staff are everywhere offering to help. I have just learnt the tablet which has news entertainment sports in it. It controls tv.! It also opens curtains sets mood lighting etc plus you can request services such as cleaning new towels etc. it is clever. I love the innovative Design best. breakfast is my favourite The Galley on 15 has every choice imaginable My. Favourite is Noodle Around Thai Curry Ramen Chinese girls next to me enjoy Tonkotsu Ramen it is nice when Galley is empty early. I want to thank you for the restaurant recommendation - we ordered all the entrees. Food and atmosphere were excellent. Caught 8pm ferry back from island.

It is hard for me to believe I have been on this ship for only three days as it feels much longer. The ship is currently cruising to Picton Tuesday 11am to 8 pm. wednesday Wellington 8-5pm i am still finding my way around this big ship, but I love so much about it. Briefly - it is a happy ship its people are its greatest asset Food is superb, so much variety and choice For me today - 3.15 am. Two slices toasted multigrain bread with marmalade and vegemite Dillmah tea and lemon from Diner and Dash breakfast Thai curry noodles late lunch after tour sushi in bento box fresh made salad Hot chips as it was cold all of above from the Galley Dinner Mexican Restaurant Pink Agave with three course Mexican meal you get the gist. Whatever you feel like ! Aussie won! Good night!

Hi everyone I am currently cruising on Resilient Lady towards Picton. Please remind me details of recommended half day cruise tour in.Picton. i am awake because I’m watching the Australian Open. I’m writing to let everyone know my credit card has failed me yet again, as it did last time I was in UK on my own. i have spent the $400 NZ cash, still have Aust cash I can convert. My daughter has lent me her second credit card, so I’m financially OK. Knowing how and why it happened doesnt help me and doesn’t stop me feeling very annoyed. The amount of time family and I have spent trying to fix my card being refused had the potential to spoil my holiday but we won’t let it. Needless to say I will be getting a new credit card on my return to Australia i just want to share don’t rely on credit cards totally, esp if you travel alone overseas, as I do. you can take up to $10,000 Aust cash out of the country legally.

YOU HAVE TO INPUT A PIN I NEVER NEEDED A PIN OVERSEAS Now THAT I SPEND OVER $100 locally i put a pin on account and cant remember it

Yes I fined coins are always popular. I didn't want to go over 4100 at Aldi, as I can't remember the number. The lady on the till looked in my change purse, and found $6 which she put towards my bill bringing me under $100. I also became expert over the holidays at getting them to split the bill, eg $150 = $75 x 2.

It is mainly the west coast and North which tip, the South invented cafeterias where you select your own delicious food and you don't tip. The lady who comes around with an endless pot of coffee gets tipped. If you don't drink their coffee, you are ahead. The" bus boys ?" who clean your table don't get tipped which I think is very unfair. I always talk to them, tell them what a great job they do etc and leave them beaming. Any change left on table belongs to coffee lady. Some share.

Just ask for petite large. They shops full of clothes to fit the body shape. After all we can't wear large with the crotch at our knees!

Me too, I hate shopping for clothes, in particular. Unless I have a friend with me, I'm out of the shop in ten minutes. If I have a friend with me who is "finding clothes which fit", I last max 15 mins if they keep throwing clothes they've found over the door. A rare occurrence, I just bought two dresses. I took 5 clothes in to try on, none fitted. A dress was already in the changing room - it fitted! On way out, I spotted a dress on a model. Got it taken off the model, tried it on, it fitted so bought it. This shop is an American brand. I don't have this problem in the USA, as they have whole shops full of petite clothes. I'm a perfect petite large!! Imagine the joy, I can look for clothes I actually like, not just clothes which fit.

Should be an age restriction for passengers on baths over tubs on ships. An accident just waiting to happen..

My girlfriend told me Sisters in aged care aren't allowed poached eggs. The chef cooks them in the oven so they look poached.

I always plan to travel there again. I don't know how I will handle 2024 being last year of overseas travel.

a country woman who always could make do. Only once a week trips to town!

i love that story! Who would do that nowadays/ How clever to even think to do it. My grandmother used to call neighbours to finish a big pot of tea. then give a couple of scones to go with it She used to change the elastic in neighbours' underpants, mend socks and do clothing repairs. She lived in the city yet remained

mini suite may be the difference

My heart goes out to the peopIe of Mt Tamborine. I didn't realise just how much the loss of power and internet effected me. As you say, we lost confidence that we may loose power again. We lost power for the least amount of time and didn't loose any food, because we put two bags of ice in the old style ice box fridge which lasted longer than a week. However, I have no BBQ, no non electric cooking choices, no cups of tea. When the TV went off unexpectedly, I automatically jumped up and started cooking so I would have something to eat. I started planning ahead, eg plum pudding must be cooked 40 mins, then you can reheat it. I ate a whole plum pudding over the period. I kept boiled water in a 24 hr flask so I could have a cup of tea. I kept bottles of cold boiled water. I remembered things i'd learnt at Water Resources during the Brisbane's big flood. Like fill the bathtub before water gets contaminated. Fill a basin, so you can wash your dirty feet. Use disinfectant. Someone should write a book. PS Lots of workmen still in our area. Major problems apart from electricity is damage from roots of big trees lifting. Lots have lifted huge blocks of concrete in our area. A man couldnt lift it to fix so dangerous to walk around, eg no fences

We only had home made mustard pickles (made with cauliflower) with corned silverside.

Interesting I've only seen baked potatoes here standing up, with the top third cut off, with everything put back in. Every pickle in US gets picked of plate in US by my girls. Is pickles a European thing? W

As Jean C said, you can exchange old currency in the UK. Be careful with old currency in Cambodia though. I'd given my younger daughter Thai bah not dreaming she would try to use it to cover entry fees in Cambodia. She had flown, because word was out that Cambodia immigration were giving young visitors a hard time at the crossing. Well, flying didn't save her. They took her away to a room and accused her of using counterfeit money. It was a weekend, so no banks open. Seems it was old money, but still legal tender. Eventually let her into the country with demand she returned next day. Banks open next day, so all OK. I recently gave other older daughter Thai bah and she had no trouble using it in Phuket.

Most Americans carry a heap of $1 notes and give a pile of notes, so it is difficult to see how much.

Yes, I've done that a branch office in London and I wasn't a customer.

Sunday, We went to Eaton's Hotel for a birthday celebration, It was packed with happy eaters. This hotel is just outside the NW ? of Brisbane. I was amazed that they were able to charge such high prices "in the sticks" as it used be called. It reminded me of the old Breakfast Creek Hotel in its prime and ours. It is all about the cut and high quality of the steak. Just to tempt you, we had - oysters raw tuna 2 small round steaks 1 marbled oblong steak 1 curry (last butter chicken) 3 deserts (plum pudding for me) wine cocktails coffee bottled sparkling water I only paid for the two birthday girls who share the same birthday, so hate to think what the total bill was. A good time was had by all

I'll come to your house any time for diner. Is that a potato cut horizontally? Did you cook beetroot? How do you pickle cauliflower? I love fresh cooked beetroot. My last beetroot from market was a pale colour and was delicious. I'll probably never see it again. "What do you mean a pale purple beetroot?"

What makes my computer stick, then jump ahead? teach me "what an ap is and download the ap for my cruise prior to departure on Friday, 12/1/24. By now, you would know we are JIT people! This 11 day cruise, I'm bringing cushions for the uncomfortable looking chairs on the balcony. I will put a cushion on each chair and sit on one, with feet on other, I think that will work. I hope I can get in hammock, as I love being on the balcony. ( I used to love sitting on those old wooden lie lows, on the Promenade Deck, which are now just a memory. I saw the whole of East Coast of Australia, from that position, with a white gloved waiter delivering scones with jam and cream to each person.)