Boyne Island! Another one of those places in Oz I want to explore; maybe in May...And Newell Beach is now added to my list. The golf carts sound quite practical, considering the evening refreshments. Thanks for the tip!

After 11 visits (for my son) and 7 (for me) downunder, we realized we might as well face facts &start commuting! The Australian dollar became such a bargain this year &we were mightly impressed with the development at The Lakes in Cairns, so we took the leap &bought a unit.

Would I immigrate to Oz? Highly unlikely, as really do love my town. Eugene is located in Oregon's Willamette Valley, about halfway between San Francisco &Seattle. We're an hour's drive to the glorious Oregon coast, & about an hour from some of the best &most scenic rugged mountain hiking & backpacking in the US. Sometimes I think time stands still here (a wag has referred to Eugene as America's Living Theme Park of the Sixties!), but I love the gardening, the evergreen-clad green hills, the gentle rain, the slightly odd-ball politics, the green outlook. It's a sweet life here, but of course, that's how home is!

Regards, Gail in Eugene