the secret of of those two countries for food was to eat in the pubs. in most of the sit down restaurants the food was average at best and plain.

Agree, found the food in Oz plain. Not bad, just plain. Their idea of spicy (the chilli wings are hot!) was not noticeable.

Told my friends that were living in Alice if they got a Chipotle franchise, they'd be millionaires.

my biggest problem was finding a place that made breakfast my style. few around except some in the big cities. same in europe. going to another culture while it seems close over there is certainly different and needs adjusting to.

I'm a small-stream fisherman and have been told that New Zealand would be my idea of heaven. It certainly looks that way in pictures.

actually it is very tough fishing in less you get way back in on private land or fly in.
the rivers are gin clear and you dont generally cast to a hole but spot each fish you cast to. many times you walk a half or a mile to find a fish and get one cast at him. of course though the fish run large.
fishing a mouse at or after dark brings in the big browns
now they have some canal fishing on the south island near twezel that has trout to 20 or more pounds easily catchable.
there are some rivers that are cast and strip but not like in the u.s. but the fishing experience is spectacular. my favorite of those was the motueka a ways outside of nelson.

seems from what i hear the smaller stakes games in casinos are looser and better than normal before the virus.
it kind of makes sense as the smarter people tend to stay away from places that will endanger their lives.
hence the games that are going should be easier.

This makes sense to me too. It also illustrates one of the classic double binds of poker. The really good games always seem to have at least one thing wrong with them that keeps the smart players away. This is the first time for me that it's been the plague.

Ray, your state is inconveniencing me. Could you petition the powers that be to have it moved south for the winter?

the weather in montana inconveniences me as well so florida becomes montana in the winter for some part of it. its states like montana that help keep the country from being a socialist nightmare like venezuela or cuba.

no need to go to cuba or venezuela when you can just go to florida.

You should go to St. Petersburg, Russia and see the Hermitage. It is no more a socialist nightmare.

It's on my list. We can all met up.

actually except for like miami area which is a different florida, most of florida is very conservative and red. guns laws are liberal and anyone even out of stater's can get carry permits. most nice areas are loaded with retirees from other states escaping high state taxes.
food is great as the jewish and italian and greek restaurant people leave and go south they open up there. cost of living is low except for property taxes, and sales tax. fishing is great and easy. no license needed if resident senior. almost no homeless camps, at least ive never seen one.

I did small stints of work around the Clearwater area 3 or 4 times. Use to ramble up and down the coast in that area. It was great and yes the food is great too. We went up to Tarpon Springs and ate at a great Greek Restaurant. I also visited St. Petersburg for the fun and food. And there is a great Salvador Dali Museum in St. Petersburg.

im on the other side of the state. on the ocean side biggerboat lives near there.

i hate to say it but not much can compete with florida during the winter time in the u.s.
great fishing, great poker, great food, great weather.

+1 to the Dali museum; it's worth a visit. Dali was one strange man.

montana covid cases are rapidly going up yet poker players are keeping the games full.
still i havent heard of any players getting hospitalized so thats a good sign for them.

Since I know you have a long gravel driveway susceptible to potholes, Ray, I thought this video would be helpful for you.

my driveway is all paved. got tired of non paved driveway. did it 20 years ago and still doing okay even with montana winters.

so you did something like this?

i cant keep up with your buddy red green though. he does seem to drive your kind of vehicles.

in the civilized world there is no y in tires the only y is y must there be so many syzes.

sounds like your car doesn't have a boot and there isn't a spanner in your toolbox

i gave my last car a boot in the span of a couple weeks.

toolbox

i wish i was in oregon right now red eye. but on the coast. you will get the rain but im going to get snow and cold on sunday and this time of the year its for good till spring.

i did live back in the 70's for a time in eugene/springfield.