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Fantastic, I keep meaning to go to Go Outdoors you have just provided me with the perfect excuse!!!

Happy Camp Cooking

MamaBear, you have become as obsessed with camping in such a short time as I have - do you think there should be a helpline? Oh wait, this is it, isn't it?

Carry on camping

PS Must get my 12 year old to download me a flashy signature, like the others on here.

Well it's interesting to hear that not everything in the States is rosy, I've always had the impression that standards of living, social time, amenities etc are better and cheaper.  I wouldn't fancy fire ants, and am moaning enough about the normal black ones that seem to be living under my house, they don't bite, they just pop out all over the place from a new hole every day. I'm glad you feel it was worthwhile moving here.  This summer is unusual - and we don't have anything particularly poisonous to ruin camping trips, the most irritation comes from wasps and mosquitoes (which we used to call gnats until they got really big). I shall look forward to hearing your non-State-side camping ventures!

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We do tend to take the benefits system here for granted.  I've had three caesarians, presumably that would have cost a huge amount in the States.  I have also noticed that the cost of many things here are no longer cheaper abroad, nappies make a good example.  Even in France this year I noticed that cheese wasn't much cheaper - there may have been more choice, but it wasn't the bargain it used to be.  I bought plastic plates from Tesco today for our camping kit and they were reduced to 15p for 4, as were cups,bowls, and numerous other items.

Property prices are stupid, but in recent history it used to cost more to rent than to have a mortgage - you just couldn't always get the mortgage in the first place.

Unruly kids, there's a tough one.  I don't know what the answer is for those that are out of control.  I hope you've come across the good ones too, most are, it's just that they are doing constructive things with their time so they are not hanging around on the street.  I think it's easy today for them to make bad decisions, my son is 12 and sociable, smart, and athletic, but I almost hold my breath waiting for it to go wrong.

Sorry everyone, reaslise that we are debating way off the original thread - perhaps someone clever could tell us how to move our posts to the general forum, without starting a new one, whilst making sure the people who have diverged know where to carry on.....