jgm

USB1.1 is rated at a maximum speed of 12Mbps. Cat5e cable is rated for ethernet speeds of 100Mbps over 2 pairs for a distance of up to 100m. In your case, Cat6 cable will not make any difference. 20m active USB 2.0 extension cables are available on eBay.

We have timeshared twice - once with Canaltime (reverse layout) & the second with Shakespeare (conventional). We found that the Canaltime boat (especially with the poor access to the foredeck) meant that we were restricted in the amount of territory we could cover. The crew were stuck in the saloon and couldn't see much, so we had to stop frequently so they could get off and wander around. I'd planned our second trip around the same sort of timing, but this time, the crew could see much more of the countryside, and didn't want to stop nearly as often, so we ended up with shorter days, & much more time to spend at more interesting places. Our experience is probably not applicable to live aboards, but for those renting with greater numbers on board (we had 6 both times) it makes a significant difference.

Yes per lt. Petrol here has a discount cycle which usually runs weekly. Tuesday is generally the cheapest with prices rising anywhere up to 18c per litre on Wednesdays. Diesel doesn't follow the same cycle. At present it can be anywhere from 19c/lt to > 28c/lt more than unleaded petrol. Last year, diesel was around the lowest petrol price, & a few years back, it was better than 10% lower.

Unleaded petrol in Australia is currently around $1.42/l (it varies by around 15c/week). Diesel is anywhere from $1.62 - 1.69. The explanation from the oil companies is that there are 2 different world markets in operation, with the Chinese demand for diesel inflating the world price.

I just saw this on the Inventors on TV in OZ. Traveldock

We had 3 weeks timeshare in Australia (now changed to points). I have an exchange next year for a 6 berth narrowboat out of Barton Turns for 3 weeks from June 21 2008 - cost A$660 (about 250 pounds) per week . On top of that we pay around A$176 per year for our membership. We usually have an overseas holiday every 2nd year on average. I am a mad keen skier, so a lot of our holidays are to ski resorts in high season. The cost is generally around A$400 per week. The great majority of the exchanges are at least 2 bedrooms usually with a couch wich also makes up into another double bed, usually 2 bathrooms & full kitchen. We did a tour of Wales in 2004 (+1 is a member of a Welsh Ladies Choir), and rounded it out with a week on the Isle of Wight, followed by a week on a narrowboat out of Sawley Marina & then a week in Austria at Bad Gastein. We have had timeshare for just on 25 years for which we paid around A$6000 per week & they were all floating weeks (RCI white). We also use RCI bonus weeks occasionally which can be very good value. When we owned weeks, we would quite often bank one year's weeks to extend our options. You can usually bank up to 2 years in advance which allows you to have 4 weeks available at once (one from last year, one from this year, & one each from the next 2 years). Points work similarly, but you are not limited to a number of weeks - as long as you have sufficient points, you can exchange - unused points expire after I think 3 years with our club (Interchange), and we still have access to RCI resorts as well.

Can a Geelong member join your chapter? Regards, John