Ok things are quiet SO I thought we could talk about ourselves.OK I am old man (1938) retired loving all asian(bali and Thi) I live in Perth W Australia.have a Balinese Garden.love photography ad gertting back to Bali|tha .SO who are you and what do yo love dearly ?
regards
this may bring some new mail
Regards

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Evading aging to become a recycled teenager

i am 50 years old, maried to dave for 33 years and have 2 Sons who are 31 and 28. The 31 year old one has mental health problems and is a source of worry to us. The younger one is a dJ, MC and owns half a recording studio and teaches Djing 9 don't know if that is a word?
we live in the north of england (lancashir) i had to finish work 2 years ago because of bad health but i have just had a gastric by pass and hope that things are on the up. Before i finished work aI was a senior manager in local government. i keep my brain active with some voluntary work and like to work with disadvantaged groups in an advocacy role - I love the work can't stand the middle class stereotypical volunteers.
We love to travel and have managed a fair amount of places. I love Thailand. we have been 7 times usually for a month at a time and I am planning a 3 month trip hopefully next year.
We have grandkids that i adore and they have changed my thinking on kids. I think that mine are the most intelligent beautiful, smart kids that there are.
Have met some great people on this site and it is a must for me every day to come on.
over to you --------------

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Kiss
God laughs at people who make plans.

I do not get much time to think these days but thought about who I was and where I am in life the other day. I do not realize how old I am (47) because I have so much to do and such a young family; our son is 5 and daughter 2. I miss going to Bali (openly) and Thailand; the former I have resigned myself holds too much risk for me now and I have come to hate the state of Indonesia so much now that it is hard for me to separate Bali from that blight / equation; I live in the hope one day Bali will be free of the oppression and suppression of present day Jakarta. Thailand I was really disappointed at the coup in September (I think, was it, can't remember) but am starting to come around to believing things are starting to become good again. I truly miss Thailand, our friends there and the food especially (yes, food is the thing I miss the most - sad huh!?). My wife and I spend many a night recounting past experiences and talking about "when".

We live in Portugal and have just taken on a house in Spain; we have to make decisions now about whether we keep both or just one and buy a winter home somewhere warmer! We had thought about Malaysia (because you can own houses / land there and get residential type visas fairly easily) but recent human rights issues by that country make that less likely; I am a political person these days for sure. We may end up buying somewhere like in North Africa and we hope to travel around the EU when our children are a little older. We have some plans to visit SE Asia in the not too distant future but unfortunately I must keep quiet about such things based on experience, except to say Bangkok is definitely on the schedule (food and shopping).

I do not work per say any more as we are gifted enough to have sufficient reserves to live a good life. Although I had the chance to work a project that would have likely made me a lot of money, there comes a time when you have to ask yourself if just having more money is what it takes in life. I am in the process of writing the first of two books I have had in my mind for some time; I had my first book ever published 10 years ago (no, it did really badly - but at least I can say I managed to have my first book ever published, which very few people achieve, and no it was not via a "vanity publisher" - one I paid for). I go hunting and fishing when I can, plus I am growing grapes organically (without the use of sulphates even) to produce my own wine; this is one hell of a challenge.

We chose to live where we do because of almost zero crime rates, cost of living, full provision of EU law (the Portuguese Constitution requires all EU and International human rights law to be incorporated into its own legal code), four seasons, hot summers, clean air, stunning views and lack of "expat" culture (as an expat, I have nothing against expats per say but I hate the little hoards that build into groups and attack anything outside their pack). When I go back to England it makes me so glad we made the move here.

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There are two categories of travellers, those that experience a country and those that take their home with them wherever they go.

Be warned, as with any forum, picking a fight with the admin guy is not recommended!

These are intresting. What a diverse lot we are.

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Kiss
God laughs at people who make plans.

I'll do mine in the next couple of days - bit busy at the moment.

Jax - senior manager in local government, which bit? That's what I am, hence being busy and stressed out at times!

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Alison

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It's Better to Burn Out than just to Fade Away!

Was the information advice and guidance manager. Within the education lifelong learning department, and also regeneration. Ran the Access Points these were centres working in deprived areas assisting residents into employment of training / education. Also ran 4 outreach projects to engage difficult and excluded groups.
Large budget and multi strand reporting involved. 70 staff 75% of which were professional status.
Makes me feel tired now just typing it!

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Kiss
God laughs at people who make plans.

Well I am 46 years old come from Kent in England have been married to Geoff for 26 years and have 3 girls 20years, 17 yrs and 15 yrs. I, hubby and oldest daughter emigrated to Perth West Australia in 1990, furthest place away from certain members of family (that's another story).

I work full time (Clerical - paper pusher). Love my holidays it is not a holiday unless I get on a airplane and do not have to lift a finger for 2/3 weeks. Have been to Spain, Morocco, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Tunisia, Gibraltar, Madeira, Grand Canaries and Tenerife, while living in England. You could pick up holidays so cheap over there.

I love Phuket and Bangkok.

We are going to Bali in March for friends 50th which should be good. The last time we went to Bali was in Oct 2004 with all the girls and the oldest was love sick missing her boyfriend and spent her time in her hotel room watching telly !!

Glad the girls are older, and the oldest this year can look after the other girls so we can go on our own and do exactly what we want, cannot wait.

I have to check this site everyday once I get to work, even before my cup of tea it is very addictive.

Cannot wait for some more people to go on their holidays so there is some more JBR to read.

Looking forward to everyone else’s who am I

God, you know my sister (think Halloween), what a small world

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There are two categories of travellers, those that experience a country and those that take their home with them wherever they go.

Be warned, as with any forum, picking a fight with the admin guy is not recommended!

Oh mark are you looking to steal the heavyweight ***** belt off me !!!!

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Kiss
God laughs at people who make plans.