dear friends and fans of down under, a belated and heartfelt happy new years to u all

we were in cuba over new years for a week. a great destination and perfect for snow bound yes snow bound victorians

hope u r all well. if any one is heading to cuba glad to pass on reccies.

hope to snag a free tic w/ miles for return to oz in april may 2010 and see some of u again. and of course anyone travelling to victoria please give me a shout

cheers
AndrewDavid

Happy new year to you too AD - I was wondering where you'd got to. (You'd better put Canberra on your itinerary in 2010.)

PS: it's not realy belated - Chinese NY is coming up next week, I think. Should be a big party in Vancouver, if not Victoria ...

Hi AD,

Happy New Year from me also!

Actually, Canada is on our list for 2013! I have a bit to fit in in between times but a number of our friends (who sadly, are younger than me) will be celebrating their 50ths that year and so we are all heading over - so LOOK OUT CANADA!!!!

Actually my lovely niece lives just down the road from you there in Vancouver and it would be lovely to see her (she recently was married over there - to a Canadian of course)

Anyhoo, Andrew I live just down the road from just about everywhere so you must be sure to put me on your list to visit in 2010!!!

Stormbird! YOU have a niece?

Lots!!!! and more importantly NEPHEWS!!!!!

Stormbird and Kiwi -- birds of a feather, eh?

MMMmmm perhaps! perhaps! perhaps!

neil, of course canbarra is on the itinerary; thought we'd mooch off of u for 4 or 5 weeks.

stormbird, its hard to imagine that u can live down the road from just about anywhere in australia. its pretty big i recall. how many houses do u maintain.

and of course we would welcome any and all of u ozzies. neil and robyn were feted, but as i recall left under a cloud or was it tar and feather

cheers
AndrewDavid

ps no roads from victoria to vancouver just ferries and float planes!

Nice to hear from you Andrew! Will you be contemplating a return trip to the bat rescue house at Cape Trib with resident pythons encountered on your last trip? If so, do drop in, would love to see you again!

Only 4-5 weeks? Hey, mi casa, su casa. And we're just down the road from Sydney (290 km).

Lots to see in the national capital. If you have a taste for blood sports Question Time in Parliament is fun but perhaps not for the faint of heart, e.g. impressionable and sensitive Canadians. You see weeping children being quietly ushered out all the time.

neil, hey our parliment was prorogued, i bet u smartpants down under haven't done that yet. unless the conservatives come up w/ a good fiscal plan next week, it could be prorouged again , or we could have a coalition gov't or dread the thought another election!!!

it would help if we like u were required to vote

cheers
A/D

hi pat and mike, we will not go anywhere near bat house; even if heath ledger comes back from the dead. i can still smell the mildew on that pillow!!!. kind of puts one off queensland but who knows , fond memories of u and the poodles and the euramo hotel and tully river crossing could lure us back.
but why not come down to canberra w/ a few friends and family and mooch off of neil and robyn w/ us!

cheers
A/D

Well hello AndrewDavid! I haven't clicked on the Australia Forum for a few weeks. I am pleased to see your thread.

Cuba, oh yes the country we US residents cannot legally visit, sigh.

Wishing you two a wonderful 2009!

Not a bad idea at all Andrew, its a while since I've been to our capital.

Barring the bat house at Cape Trib (am not even sure if its still there) there should be enough attractions to tempt you back this way, you might like another try at Lizard Island trip which I remember was cancelled because of bad weather.

The poodles have all died of old age now, we now have two spoodles which, ridiculously friend
ly, would have to be the worst watchdogs in Australia.

Flooded roads still happen in wet, but the best was a couple of days ago when the entire area between Townsville and Cape York was blacked out to some 400,000 homes . Power failure, not due to cyclones, heavy rain, or even lightning, they're blaming it on bird poop!

Mike sends his best.

Cheers

Pat

Not only does Pat remember who all her guests were at Liliybank, but what they did or not do as well. yes Pat u r correct we missed out on the Lizard Island trip so definetly there r reasons to return,. is Phoebe's Garden Room restaurant still open down the road?

Nancy , buen ano to u. how is life in SF. Cuba was an amazing experience and the blockade which didn't accomplish its purpose of unseating Castro , has really hurt individual cubans. Believe me Fidel, doesn't have to hitchhike down the trans cuban highway, its just regular cubans ( of all ages) who have little public transport who are forced to the roadside

cheers
AndrewDavid

I wish, Andrew. CRAFTS disease is well established these days.

Yes, Phoebe's still just down the road, providing us with about the best dining you'll find in Cairns and suburbs, she now has a website. That's Phoebe on the right of the trio at table. www.stratfordgardenroom.com.au/

G'day AD

Good to see you.

Surprised to hear you're thinking of coming this way again.....didn't you get deported, or something! Must speak to that Immigration fellow again...and see what he can do apropos your visa! (or lack thereof!)

I hope to be better organised by next year! See you then.

Or - we can all go and freeload on Neil and Robyn...generous couple, aren't they?

no margo i got deported from the US, not any commonwealth country yet ( although its probably just a matter of time
hope u r well
A/D

This thread is getting scary.

not to worry neil, it was a voluntary deportage!
A/D