Nice People Thread No. 14, all Nice and Proper

Generali

I can drive for hours. We drove to Brisbane and back one weekend. We drove most of the way on Friday night, stopping in a motel for a few hours at 4am then drove back on Sunday.

That was in a Toyota Yaris! We even came back on the scenic route down the New England Highway. A beautiful road. I think we'll do a few years as 'grey nomads' when we retire, getting an RV and driving round Aus. I'd love to do Europe the same way.

Generali

chewmylegoff wrote: »

Surely if a man wearing a wig has the right to say the most ludicrous stuff he can come up with just to get attention then everyone else has the right to start or sign a petition like the one referred to.
Freedom of speech applies to everyone not just tools who want to say something offensive.

True. What bothers me is the increasing tendency for people to want to silence those they disagree with.

vivatifosi

Generali wrote: »

I can drive for hours. We drove to Brisbane and back one weekend. We drove most of the way on Friday night, stopping in a motel for a few hours at 4am then drove back on Sunday.

That was in a Toyota Yaris! We even came back on the scenic route down the New England Highway. A beautiful road. I think we'll do a few years as 'grey nomads' when we retire, getting an RV and driving round Aus. I'd love to do Europe the same way.

Driving round Aus in a converted bus was my Uncle's dream. He built the bus but has become too ill to do it. Sadly he is terminally ill now.

If we're all here in 30 years and I'm reading that you are finally doing it I'll be cheered no end.

vivatifosi

chewmylegoff wrote: »

I think I have just about recovered from the aftermath of the flight to Oz. The flight itself wasn't too bad, the twins slept for about 75% of it and the rest of the time they were well behaved. It was made easier by the fact that all the people around us fled to other seats in horror so we had the front row to ourselves. the flight was a breeze compared to dealing with the jet lag, but we see, to have finally got them on to Oz time now, praise the Lord.

When we flew back from LA we flew economy on the BA A380. Really liked the configuration upstairs at the back and thought I'd mention it in case it is of use to you and Gen.

There's a small cabin at the v back, a bit like premium economy. Because the plane narrows, there are only two seats then a window. Also, because of the curve of the plane, they have those window boxes beside the window seat that you can put belongings in for the journey (a bit like the ones in club upstairs on a 747)... quite handy for kids.

Only downside is that the overhead bins are a bit smaller.. so not great for max size carry ons.

Everyone in that cabin said how comfortable it was. Wouldn't want to be in the middle there though.

Doozergirl

silvercar wrote: »

The hope was that there would be a market for decent accommodation near the town centre of a vibrant city for single people new to the town. Aimed at 20-29 year olds, first/ second jobs, new to the city, unable to afford flat rent on their own and not yet knowing people to share with.

How much does a flat cost to rent? How much does a room cost?

silvercar

PasturesNew wrote: »

Which translates down to "dossers who can't drive and want to be able to get into town/meet their mates, to score weed, drink cider and party at assorted close-by dosshouses."

Ye, but they are all workers not dossers. That is meant to make a difference.

Doozergirl wrote: »

How much does a flat cost to rent? How much does a room cost?

Room: £360-425 including bills. £425 gets you an en-suite.

Flat: £450+bills would get you a grotty studio. decent 1 beds are from £495+bills.

hjd

DD had a room in a 2 bedroom flat, N London (near Arsenal stadium) which was £675 per month, then £700, then landlord wanted £750.
She now lives, with her BF, in a one bedroom flat in the same area, for which they pay £1,402 per month. Plus all the bills. Luckily they are careful with money as neither earn a lot. They are both in their 20s.

Doozergirl

having a job doesn't make people sensible. They're still young and, importantly, not settled.

An HMO is always going to be much harder work than a straighforward let. Whoever is managing will be treated like a parent, personalities will clash and people won't treat it like 'home' as much.

I find one set of tenants hard enough to deal with, let alone a few at the lower end of the spectrum.

chewmylegoff

vivatifosi wrote: »

When we flew back from LA we flew economy on the BA A380. Really liked the configuration upstairs at the back and thought I'd mention it in case it is of use to you and Gen.

There's a small cabin at the v back, a bit like premium economy. Because the plane narrows, there are only two seats then a window. Also, because of the curve of the plane, they have those window boxes beside the window seat that you can put belongings in for the journey (a bit like the ones in club upstairs on a 747)... quite handy for kids.

Only downside is that the overhead bins are a bit smaller.. so not great for max size carry ons.

Everyone in that cabin said how comfortable it was. Wouldn't want to be in the middle there though.

We always fly on Singapore air - some of the Singapore A380s have that configuration with the back part of the upper deck as economy as well and that is where I used to try to get a seat before the babies came along. However one significant problem when you are flying with twins under 2 (or indeed any two children under 2) is that you cannot sit together. The baby doesn't get a seat but it has to have an oxygen mask available and planes only have 3 masks between 2 seats. That means that you either have to sit either side of the ailse or at opposite ends of the middle block.

Because of that we avoided the a380 and booked onto a 777 instead As the miidle block is only 3 seats wide and we thought that noone would be stupid enough to book the seat between two bassinet seats!

silvercar

Doozergirl wrote: »

having a job doesn't make people sensible. They're still young and, importantly, not settled.

An HMO is always going to be much harder work than a straighforward let. Whoever is managing will be treated like a parent, personalities will clash and people won't treat it like 'home' as much.

I find one set of tenants hard enough to deal with, let alone a few at the lower end of the spectrum.

Absolutely. Hence we have chosen the full management option from a team who solely do HMOs.

Apparently tenants who lock themselves out at 2am on a Sunday morning is a specialty.