Hey Y'all or ay-up.

[EileenH 496]

That all sounds so wonderful!

I`ve been to Quebec and Montreal but never to the West.

I`m seriously off flying nowadays so I`ll probably never see those wonderful sights for myself.

My stepson is in the final stages of emigrating to Canada but he`s aiming for Nova Scotia so even if I pluck up the courage to take to the air again I`ll still be thousands of miles from the West won`t I?

I love to read your descriptions, though.

[.... 23]

Western Canada is hard to beat Stu. Spent some of the happiest years of my life in Alberta. As you said 90 minutes from Banff and not much farther to Lake Louise. I have driven through the Rockies many times but never took the rail trip. One of these days I'm going to go back and do it.

Understand you have spent some time in Edmonton. Loppy? My partner hails from there (although born in Montreal and partly bred in Willowdale Ont., and Ralston, Alb.) It's the first place I ever washed up in, in Canada and I actually love the place. I'll not make light of the winter climate in Edmonton though as it is undoubtedly a tough one. I really like the way that Edmonton has so many festivals; there is always something to do there. I find the people famous too, maybe it's something to do with some of the farming stock that find their way to live in the city.

We still have great friends in Edmonton and I have so many wonderful memories from there such as skating outdoors at the Legislature building under the Christmas lights and also at Hawrelak Park. The Klondike Days festival and many visits to watch the Edmonton Oilers at the Coliseum are other stand-outs. Particularly enjoyed watching the Oilers training at West Edmonton Mall and having a chat with a couple of the multi-millionaire young hockey players afterwards.

You know one of the many things I love about Alberta generally are THOSE skies. Big and blue. They're such a cheering sight, even on the coldest, most frigid days of an Albertan winter.

[Fynger 841]

Martines sister and family have just moved to a place called 'River Bend' in Calgary.

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

Too cowd in most places for me up there. Nearly ended up within a few miles of the International line in northern Montana though. Glad it fell through, don't know how we'd have coped with the long frigid winters!!

[hippo girl 1,995]

hoping to be in Vancouver this autumn to visit son number 2

[loppylugs 8,429]

Glad to hear of all the Alberta connections.

I lived in Calgary for 15 years and about 40 minutes outside Edmonton for 10 years or so. My kids still live just outside Edmonton.

You get used to the winters and they are mostly sunny along with the 30 below temps.

River Bend in Calgary is a newly developed area since my time there. Calgary is now over a million people. It was 600,000 or so when I lived there. If you have a to live a in a city it is still a very livable one.

I didn't know they were still accepting immigrants from the UK, Eileen. Went through Nova Scotia while on holiday there back in the 70s. A beautiful area of the country and looks quite a bit like Scotland in places. As noted it is about 3000 miles from Alberta though.

I am hoping to spend more time back in Canada in the future. USA is fine, but in my mind it will never equal Canada for shear beauty and open spaces.

[EileenH 496]

Another amazing picture!

Yes L-Ls, Richard has been accepted as an immigrant and is just awaiting final arrangements.

He`s going over for a month to have a final recce in September.

Canada still welcomes Brit immigrants but there are many hurdles to leap.

His qualifications and job experience had to be spot on and he has to have enough money to support himself whilst job hunting.

Even though everything was fine it will still have taken about two years from first application to actually going.

[loppylugs 8,429]

That's quite a lot of hurdles to jump, Eileen, but I'm glad he made it.

When I moved there in 1970 they were advertising a whole bunch of trades they were looking for in the British press. A quick trip to the Canadian consulate in Birmingham, medical checkup and we were cleared to go.

Tell him to hang in when he gets there. There can be quite a bit of culture shock. Surprising, perhaps in a country which speaks the same language etc. I have heard of quite a few who come back to the UK in the first year and then regret that they didn't stay and give it a bit longer. I had to re-qualify in the electrical trade and there were quite a lot of differences in the way things were done. It got a bit discouraging once or twice but I'm real glad I stayed with it. Never looked back after the first year or so.

All due respect to Nottingham, after all I grew up there, but I could not move back now. I think I would suffer culture shock again. !! From what I read on Nottstalgia it is no longer the city I grew up in.

Edited to add. The photo is Lake Louise. Few miles further on from Banff.

[Limey 242]

...There can be quite a bit of culture shock...

Ain't that the truth! I was very surprised when I came to the States. It was a bigger culture shock than when I went to southern Africa. I think part of it is you "expect" it to be like England, and it isn't - whereas I expected Africa to be different.

It took me about a year to get used to living here, but I think the best thing is to embrace it, rather than try to change it. I have known several Brits who came here and spent all their time complaining that "it isn't like England". They all finished up going back. However, almost all of them were married couples - both from the U.K. - most of the single folks who come over seem to settle more easily.

No, I doubt if I could go back either - although I still love to visit - we have just booked a trip in July - renting a cottage in Derbyshire (Youlgrave) for a week!

[poohbear 1,360]

- renting a cottage in Derbyshire (Youlgrave) for a week!

Hills at the back of Youlgrave have old lead mine shafts all over...vertical drop...very deep.Most of them have rough fencing round to keep sheep out.If you chuck a rock down you can hear it clunking for ages.An old timer round there reckons there's a few bodies been got rid of over the years.

Have a nice break

[.... 23]

we have just booked a trip in July - renting a cottage in Derbyshire (Youlgrave) for a week!

There are some lovely walks around Youlgrave.

I hope we can see you again at that time, Eric.

[loppylugs 8,429]

It took me about a year to get used to living here, but I think the best thing is to embrace it, rather than try to change it. I have known several Brits who came here and spent all their time complaining that "it isn't like England". They all finished up going back. However, almost all of them were married couples - both from the U.K. - most of the single folks who come over seem to settle more easily.

You make a good point there, Eric.

I determined early never to use the words, "We don't do it like that in the U.K". I knew that would be a quick way to be told that the planes go both ways.

I think it is very important that married couples be in full agreement about going. If one is enthusiastic and works at it but the other is always griping about things it is a pretty sure recipe for failure. My late wife came to love it as much as I did and we encouraged each other. She worked as a secretary for a while 'til we got on our feet.

Enjoy that trip to Derbyshire. Let's hope that volcano lays low for a while.

[EileenH 496]

More good points L-Ls.

Unfortunately my stepson is going alone. He`s divorced.

Worries me a bit - the possible loneliness factor.

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

I was alone when I left the UK in 79 Eileen, in fact friends asked me how I could go to another country where I knew very few. I made many new friends and settled in quickly and easily. I did have my doubts walking the streets of London on the day of my flight. I was even asking myself on the plane at Heathrow "am I doing the right thing" I made it! Enjoyed myself!

[Limey 242]

Good points from all! I was also single when I left for Africa in 1978 - in fact, it was my first airplane ride! London - Johannesburg! I was 26 years old!

Don't worry about him going to Canada - he will make friends quickly and easily. Yes, the "fresh" accent helps a little, but tell him not to play it up - they quickly tire of that! If he really wants to make friends quickly, tell him to pack a couple of MGB overdrive gearboxes, and forget the clothes - he will make instant friends and a quick $1500 easily!

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

My first flight too Eric, and second too, 747 from Heathrow to Melbourne, then a twin engined Focker from Melbourne to Tasmania. Was so tired I slept most of the time on that short flight!!

[EileenH 496]

I`m saving all this good advice to give him.

Erm --- what`s a MGB overdriver thingy?

[Limey 242]

Erm --- what`s a MGB overdriver thingy?

Well, the MGB was a sportscar, made in England from 1963 to 1980. The vast majority of those produced (about 500,000) were exported to North America (450,000) and there is a thriving network of clubs and suppliers for parts/restoration etc.

However - most of the cars sent to America had a "plain" 4-speed gearbox. An option was an "overdrive" gearbox that essentially adds a 5th gear and makes the car much more pleasant for fast cruising - at 70mph the engine is turning 3,200rpm instead of 4,000rpm without overdrive. Most of the cars sold in England had the overdrive (O/D) gearbox, but only about 10% of the cars in the USA. That means the O/D gearbox is much sought after over here where cruising at 70mph for hours-on-end is not uncommon - and in a stock MGB can be very nerve wracking! So, an "untested" O/D will sell for $500 to $800. One that has been refurbished will sell for up to $1600! They are so rare that there are a number of conversion kits to use Nissan or Ford 5-speed gearboxes - but they are also expensive!

In the U.K. you can pick up an untested O/D gearbox for about $200! If I could find a way to ship them here relatively cheaply, I would buy every one I could lay my hands on! I could easily sell 50 of them at $600 each in less than 24 hours!

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

At a guess Eric, most would only need a new set of bearings, a nice little profit on a couple of hours work!

[Limey 242]

Actually, most don't even need that! Those boxes are pretty bullet-proof and most only need a clean out (old oil gunk), and new filter screen for the O/D unit, and sometimes, new O-rings. Less than $50 in parts!

Yes, a nice little profit can easily be made and I have looked into it. I do have a source for the boxes in the U.K. - and they are willing to crate them up. Problem is finding a shipping agent in the US willing to handle it. Unless you have a minimum of a container load, most shipping agents are not interested. To date I have tried about a dozen - not one has returned a phone call!

[Ashley 288]

I guess "cheaply" is the key word? what sort of wieght are we talking of? I stripped a 1970's honda and shipped lots of parts abroad, inc usa and oz, still have reciepts etc for carriage

[Limey 242]

An O/D gearbox weighs about 80lbs - and is pretty big. I was looking at a crate about 4ftx4ftx8ft which would hold ten boxes.

You can get them shipped individually, but the freight cost is very high and swallows up the potential profit. There is an outfit in Essex that sells an O/D conversion kit for 495 quid - and shipping is another 125quid - then you have to rebuild your own gearbox! Not exactly cheap - but you can see where the price of $600 for an untested gearbox starts to look attractive!

[Ashley 288]

yea theres always some fly in the ointment, nice to hear someone saying lbs and feet etc again though! I still "think" imperial, when I was selling my rascal van got 3 enquiries from guys who wanted to ship such to africa in container so (at least here and to there) there must be a cheap shipping firm?

[Beefsteak 305]

I know my old firm used to send refurbished Merc engines all over the world,and he was a real tight b45t4rd so would have used the cheapest service he could get!!!!

If you want I can give you an address for them Eric, and you could do a surreptitious enquiry through them !!

I'd ring them direct for you but I doubt they'd be in the mood to do me any favours, after our last encounter!!!!...............LOL

[Limey 242]

Might be worth a try Ian - send me a PM!