Snowdonia is about 30 min drive from my house its lovely there dont know about the climbing but there is loads of climbing places to go to in nwales im sure you would love it if you went!

All I can say is good on ya MC for trying us Brits out, but sorry for the circumstances that brought you here.
We really are a great bunch, granted we whinge a bit and can be a pain in the a**e at the best of times, but who can blame us when the weathers the way it is??
I'm sure you'll feel better when your new doggie arrives, you can go to puppy parties and training classes and meet loads of weird people. :smt101 Britain is riddle with them!
As for cold and mountainous, have you considered the North East? It is a bit mountainous in places and you'll freeze your a**e off in winter!!! And were ever so friendly!

i posted pics of snowdonia
under the heading
"our day out"

take a look it is a breathtaking place

Westfield is owned by the Lowy brothers, they buy land....and loads of it, then turn them into massive shopping centres - they make an absolute mint - Frank Lowy and his sons were 2nd richest in Australia about 4.5 years ago. Good company to work for though, they treat you incredibly well but your soul is expected in return

Will take a look as you say

Thanks Zoe

Need to get my walking shoes on then

Awww thanks muchly Haven't been to the north east, thanks for the hot tip or cold literally - sounds amazing

xi

Jackie, I'm going to check those photos out now!

Thanks

xi

I have been in Australia 30+ years. In some ways I still feel a stranger here, but when I have been back to the UK for a visit so much has changed that I feel somewhat of a stranger there too. I think that many people who change their country of residence tend to feel that they do not really 'belong' anywhere. It is an odd sort of 'floating in limbo' feeling - or is that the red wine?

LOL SB - I agree totally with your theory, absolutely true, well at least for us It's almost like picking the things you like best from each country, rolling them together - and there's your perfect country...not a location but parts of memories, scenery etc. Definitely cultural differences though, and sometimes confusion reigns

Casting ones anchor can be hard

Indeed it can A big problem is that we tend to view the past through those rose-tinted specs - and the reality can be a let-down. We have UK relatives who are doing the NZ tour in August & visiting us here on their way back. I am sure they will love NZ. They are skiiers, so should enjoy their winter holiday there.