Maalie

I'm a fundamentalist atheist

Went to New Zealand this time last year. Fab place. This year planning to come home for a couple of weeks. Ref 'home swap' if anyone wants to swap homes and come and see the great city that is Manchester.

It depends what you want. I have always loved Spiggie because of the dunes and the emptiness of the beach. My kids loved it too, and St. Ninians. Eshness, Hillswick, Voe, Brae. Used to go there as a child. But the Knab has always been magic to me when, as a peerie lass of 3, my dad took me there and there seemed to be a magic about it. Ok I know I'm a big lass noo and it seems peerie mootie, but I still head straight there when I come hame. The Burn O' Lunklett is spectacular, Clickamin is a great place for kids, the Lounge is wonderful, Lunna is marvellous (I'm running out of adjectives here, folks). Lerwick is great, lots of history and a great museum - let's face it, Shetland is just great. All places are the best places to go. However, I have to say I was disappointed, on my last visit, that the Waari Geo has become a bit 'broken'. Ladder and walkway gone. Progress of the pool, I suppose.

Refer to "Houseswap - again'. Manchester is the gay capital of Britain. Weather unpredictable, but great gay nightlife, fantastic beer, lovely people, its own gay village, mardi gras. Swop with me, or just come and visit. I'm female and straight, btw.

OK, so maybe December wasn't the cleverest time to ask about houseswapping. I would like to come home in the summer and was wondering if anyone would like to houseswap with me. I live in Manchester - lovely for the lakes, North Wales, the Peaks - in fact there aren't many places you can't get to from Manchester. Manchester itself is also a great city of culture and history. Downside - 2 cats to look after. Upside - I would be willing to reciprocate.

If you go on to the late rooms website - I think it is www.laterooms.com. Look for Calton Apartments. I have stayed there and they are within walking distance of the centre. They also do quite reasonable discounts off peak.

Sorry, realised when I logged off that I hadn't included where I live. I live in Manchester. Very convenient place to holiday because it has a great system of motorways and you can be in North Wales, the Peaks of Debyshire, the Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District, London, just about anywhere in England within a few hours.

Want to see the beautiful sooth but canna afford accommodation. How's aboot a hoose swap? I'm looking to come hame in '07 and wonder if anybody would like to house swap with me for a couple of weeks? Not too particular about when - would prefer Lerwick or environs, but would be flexible.

My experience is the opposite. Once told a Ghanian guy who had moved into my street in England where I am from and he said "oh, yes, I worked at Sulom" Lots of people have been there with the oil. Recently done my leg in and the doctor who set it in Leeds, his father was fae Walls. He visits every year with his bairns. It really is a peerie world.

God, only 9 years to go before I disappear into that amorphous mass that is the over 65s. Never quite understood why someone of 65 should be assumed to have the same interests etc as someone who is 80. Posting this to try and get the average age up a bit. Rock on ageging hippies!!