How healthy are you since starting IM...

[ExRat]

Hi Greg,

I'm interested to see how this aspect of 'IM health' goes down with the more 'aggressive' side of the marketing community. I fully expect to be called a sissy/hippy whatever

Man, your description and your photos make me so envious and
you say that's just twenty minutes away....lucky fish....

I guess that's the problem when you live in big cities, you have
to go further to find those tranquil places.

Well, as I said I only moved here 18 months ago and spent the previous 37 years in and around England's second biggest city - and it was a cold, grey, litter strewn mess.

And I was surprised to realise that many of the locals here don't appreciate what they've got. When we walk into town I force them to walk along the seafront - they would normally take the busy road route but I tell them 'you've got to breathe in the sea air, hear the seagulls, feel the sea-spray'. They think I'm nuts! But they haven't experienced inner city land-locked concrete-claustrophobia.

There are many advantages here - (my desk looks out over the sea, I live in a quiet part of town but am 15 minutes walk from one of the busiest seaside areas/hen party/stag night destinations in GB - best of both worlds ) - but the price I pay is that I either have to get out and meet new people by doing new stuff, or I end up totally isolated, talking to myself and going crazy by not being able to bounce ideas off others (and talking in forums too much).

Plus, I have to drive a lot to fetch my son down here for regular visits, but that also gives me the chance to go back and see what I'm not missing. And by not having old friends knocking my door all the time I've been able to experience total and utter freedom - in terms of time and what I do with it. It's a good experience, one I'd recommend for anyone who has the freedom to move and is feeling stale and restricted by living in the place where they grew up.

Sorry for the ramble, but I wanted to try and expand on the fact that I wasn't born with these things on my doorstep - I had to make sacrifices and go out and move closer to them. And I want others to know this in case they ever think of doing the same. It's a big world out there and as soon as I can I'll be on the move again - if you're not moving forward and challenging yourself, you get old quickly. No way, Jose!

Have laptop, will travel.

I'm on a roll now -

http://exrat.com/1/pic/view/

[Greg Cooksley]

Now you're not playing fair Roger......those pics are awesome.

We see those kind of views when we take our main annual holiday
to a place called the Wilderness in the Cape. Also, still relatively
unspoilt, where you can still find an amazing amount of life
on the rocks - mussels, octopus, small rock cods and a vast array
of anemones, crabs etc

I hear what you're saying about "change". As they say a change
is as good as a holiday. And yet it's one of the most frightening
things for most human beings.

Most people want the right to demand change but what they don't
realise is that if you want change you have to become the change
first.

In fact, we're talking as a family about the possibility of emigrating
right now, partly brought on by the state of affairs in our country
but also about having more adventure....

Good on you for making the change and for finding your piece
of paradise. Hope you can make some new friends soon....

BTW are you a soccer supporter?

Thanks for sharing more of your world....

Regards

Greg

[ExRat]

Hi Greg,

Now you're not playing fair Roger......those pics are awesome.

We see those kind of views when we take our main annual holiday
to a place called the Wilderness in the Cape. Also, still relatively
unspoilt, where you can still find an amazing amount of life
on the rocks - mussels, octopus, small rock cods and a vast array
of anemones, crabs etc

Ha, I knew I was on risky ground showing pics to someone in SA. We have ducks, you have elephants. We have a few green fields, you have picture postcard stuff everywhere.

In fact, we're talking as a family about the possibility of emigrating
right now, partly brought on by the state of affairs in our country
but also about having more adventure....

Go for it - life's too short. I've got one eye on Perth in Australia and have done for 4 years now. As soon as I can....

Good on you for making the change and for finding your piece
of paradise. Hope you can make some new friends soon....

I'm doing OK, but could do better. Off to badminton with a couple of them in a mo, so can't be bad.

BTW are you a soccer supporter?

I was an amateur player/manager until about 3 years ago. Who do I support?



That's Birmingham City in case you can't read it. You can take the boy out of the city but you can't take the city out of the boy!

Sorry for drifting slightly OT and rambling everyone - I'll stop now!

[Martin Luxton]

Sissy!!

Seriously, Roger, it's wonderful to have beautiful natural surroundings. I used to think I was a city boy but now all I want is a house with garden near the sea.

My brother moved to Perth 20 years ago. He exchanged a small two up two down in Guildford for a 5 bedroom bungalow with swimming pool, barn and a 3 acre paddock.

The lifestyle is certainly different in Perth. There is a great entrepreuner culture and lots of opportunities for sport and alternative health pastimes.

Martin

[Greg Cooksley]

Originally Posted by ExRat

Hi Greg,


Ha, I knew I was on risky ground showing pics to someone in SA.
We have ducks, you have elephants. We have a few green fields,
you have picture postcard stuff everywhere.



Go for it - life's too short. I've got one eye on Perth in Australia
and have done for 4 years now. As soon as I can....



I'm doing OK, but could do better. Off to badminton with a couple
of them in a mo, so can't be bad.



I was an amateur player/manager until about 3 years ago. Who
do I support?



That's Birmingham City in case you can't read it. You can take
the boy out of the city but you can't take the city out of the
boy!

Sorry for drifting slightly OT and rambling everyone - I'll stop
now!

Hey Roger,

Drift OT all you want....it makes a change....

Yip, perhaps I should load some of my pics from the last visit
to the Kruger Park....

My old man came from North London after WWII and so we have generations
who have supported Spurs......I say that quietly because boy
have they been up and down for the last 10 years. Same thing
the Spurs blood curdles through our veins....my son had a Tottenham
Tots babygrow on him before he was 2 weeks old....

Maybe we should continue the chat via PM or email...

Regards

Greg