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    A week in China - Where/What?

    Rule 1: The bigger vehicle has the right of way. Rule 2: Pass the car in front of you.
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    A week in China - Where/What?

    Queueing is de rigeur in China. Some of the lower classes do push in, but there is no tolerance from legitimate people who stand in line. And anyone who actually attempts it will be quickly rerouted to the END. The only instance I've encountered involving Chinese people pushing in was at the...
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    Retirement Planning & Experiences

    @cove oh no! 1751526552 Sadly, yes. So would it be possible to "re-mortgage" my MEL residence and turn it into an investment property for tax purposes?
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    A week in China - Where/What?

    I was in Suzhou this Easter. I went to Tongli and Zhouzhuang, the two most famous "water country" towns in China. They were nice, but somewhat too commercialised, there was a bit too much of a "Sovereign Hill" feel about them. It was 30 degrees already. Vive la global warming! The Yangtse Delta...
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    Retirement Planning & Experiences

    Also note that I will probably not stay in Sydney forever unless I find Miss Right in Sydney although my parents will never move to Melbourne. Moving back home in middle age is also not an option. So should I just rent? Sydney property is impossibly expensive. My retirement plans consist of a...
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    Retirement Planning & Experiences

    I'm still a fair way off retirement, but I may be in the medium term running into the following situation: 50 years old, with my main residence (MEL) paid off and an investment property in Ballarat (rented, paid off). I need to relocate to Sydney to be closer to my elderly parents who are in...
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    Credit Card Offers Citi Prestige Bonus Point Offers & Discussion

    Received my first tranche of points (300k). Now I need to get my ticket back from Europe to Australia in mid July 2026. I currently have 110k SQ, 27k VA, 81k QF points, none of which are expiring soon. Should I just fly to Istanbul or Dubai and then redeem a SQ flight back to Oz? Or go from...
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    AMLB

    A very warm welcome aboard AFF @AMLB from TouCams
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    AFF Gathering #18 in MEL on 21-23 November 2025

    Friday Dinner - Yes Saturday daytime - Yes, yum cha lunch Saturday dinner - yes Sunday daytime - maybe Sunday dinner - yes
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    So... what car do you guys drive when not flying?

    I drive a Jeep Compass Trailhawk. It is named Bobbi (in full, Roberta Anne Matilda, because I can call her RAMBO), after a late friend of mine named Bob who loved offroading. In September 2023 I took Bobbi all the way to Cameron Corner and Oodnadatta before visiting Japan and the USA on a...
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    Casual MEL Christmas Dinner December 13 2025

    Gold as of right now. Love not having to pay an airfare.
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    Specials meals on economy international long-haul

    It is not beyond me to imagine Qantas serving a single lettuce leaf, sans dressing, as a special meal, without compunction or shame. Excuse my cynicism and sarcasm.
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    Uncommon words and Meanings

    Word of the day: Froward - used to describe a person difficult to deal with; contrary. The airlines' miles departments found Cam a froward customer, when he reacted to their latest devaluations with his unique admixture of arrogance, cynicism and sarcasm.
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    Uncommon words and Meanings

    I remember when I was a kid, Coles (or perhaps Woolworths?) had a promotion where they sold volume 1 of F&W for 9c, volume 2 for $2, and the other volumes for $9. Volumes 3 and 4 came with two halves of a dictionary. They were released weekly, and even in total it was still a pretty good deal...
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    Specials meals on economy international long-haul

    OK, time for me to start a thread! Who has had experience with ordering a special meal on economy international long-haul? Are they of better or worse quality than regular meals? Any meal passes for "diabetic" or "low calorie" if you just get served a garden salad and no dressing! Please post...
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    Uncommon words and Meanings

    Melbourne doesn't have much Apricity at the moment. But I am going to Sydney for the weekend where I plan to find some. Does Apricity actually derive from the month of April? Ironically, I was born on an unseasonably cold and wet spring Monday at the end of April.
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    Uncommon words and Meanings

    In a bit of hypocoristic irony, the "other" hypocorism in my case was taken because there is already "drron". But practically speaking, don't call me Ron. Ever.
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    What's behind your AFF user name?

    It's my title and the hypocorism of my name. So creative I deserve a medal.
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    AFF Gathering #18 in MEL on 21-23 November 2025

    Platinum for me. Local.
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    LHR T3 lounge crawl Saturday 6 June 2026

    Oh, has the location been determined for the 2027 international pub crawl?
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