OLCC: How far is it from Australia to Over Yonder?

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

My old PC has such a hard time on TS4Ms (I'm sure you've seen the TV commercials with PC and Mac) that I disabled photos and avatars a long time ago.

It occurs to me that the Aussies should be here with us, if they care to be, but since TS4Ms did not exist when I sat in the hot tub with them, they don't know we are here.

I suspect that I should not be the one to post a link on the thread OY to this thread OH, but if someone, totally on their own and independent from me, should decide to do that, well . . .

Maybe it was us! Do you see any similarities between the photo next to this post <<<<<-------and this couple.

[basham Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close basham]

I posted that this site exists, Maybe they will make their way here.

I did notice he appears to be open to a PM if you missed that.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Some folks say I miss things and some folks say I never miss things.

The last month has been absolutely unreal, many things coming together for the good, things that have been problematic the past few years. Ever since we came back from Florida, it has been surreal. I have just been knocking on wood and not saying anything, not wanting to jinx it.

Anyway, when a few more things get firmed up, I hope to be able to report.

[Sydney Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close Sydney]

He may mean the telephone, Syd. Those mid country folks have some language peculiarities.

Ahh. Ok, that makes sense now.

Thanks Tony.

[Aussie Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Aussie]

Some folks say I miss things and some folks say I never miss things.

The last month has been absolutely unreal, many things coming together for the good, things that have been problematic the past few years. Ever since we came back from Florida, it has been surreal. I have just been knocking on wood and not saying anything, not wanting to jinx it.

Anyway, when a few more things get firmed up, I hope to be able to report.

JLB;

Thanks for the pointer here ... can I ask if you visit OLCC each year and will you be there in jan 08 ... I would look forward to catching up with you.

[Aussie Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Aussie]

Easy there!

I continue to be amazed by the coincidences of life. I am convinced that nothing you do will ever leave you; it is always there to reappear.

Of course I'm amazed that they showed up, and that they have no idea what their comments precipitated. I'm amazed that they are going to stay at OL again.

I'm almost afraid to tell them the telly charges have gone up to a dollar, are there still are no BBQ grills at OL.

JLB;

As I said in TUG, it was more of conveinance than anything else ::

"As I said, we have 10 in our party this time and HONESTLY ... if we could find another 3 weeks elsewhere for the same weeks I would stay there ... however we have what we have and I have promised myself that I will look past the problems I experienced last time.

Out of the 7 weeks we have in orlando 3 are at Houses (and I wish it was 7) then we go to Vistana for 1 and finally over to OLCC.

But I am hoping for a better expierence this time. (fingers crossed)."

[Sydney Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close Sydney]

Hi Aussie, welcome. Glad you spelt "Aussie" the Aussie way over here.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Hi A:

As you have probably already figured out, I can't believe we have crossed paths again. There is no way you will ever know the aftermath of my meeting with you guys in the hot tub.

Unfortunately, the answers to your questions are No and No. We don't go to OL every year and we won't be there next year.

Jenny and I, and now another couple, go to Florida every year, but normally SW Florida, where we golf, shop, beach and boat. But for January 2008, we are going to Grand Cayman and then a beach resort at Siesta Key, the Sarasota area. 1/5/08 to Grand Cayman and 1/12/08 to Siesta Key (Sandpiper Beach Club).

I know that's in your timeframe, so maybe we can find a way to get together. It's a couple hours to Siesta Key so maybe your group can come over and beach it a day. My brother-in-law was with me when we met you and he and his wife are invited to Grand Cayman and Siesta Key, so they might be there too.

Orlando was where we bought our first week, and we took all of our extended family there in 1990. Now our nephews are grown and we have two great-nieces of the really-like-Disney age, so we started taking them, every other year.

This year it was four families from here in the Ozarks and then flying another in from Nashville, totalling 11. It has gotten to be such a hassle and there is not enough appreciation for what it takes to put it all together, trying to match everyone's schedule even giving them two years notice, that this past Christmas Week at OL may be our last effort.

But if we do, Jenny and I were there 3 days before the others this year, and did a lot of driving around, looking at resorts, and there are a lot of nice places to choose from.

But enough about me; these folks know me all too well.

Tell us about you. Like what you and your cousin do, how many weeks of vacation you get each year, how long you have been timesharing, how many weeks you own, and some of your experiences. Say, how about your last visit to OL.

JLB;

Thanks for the pointer here ... can I ask if you visit OLCC each year and will you be there in jan 08 ... I would look forward to catching up with you.

[Aussie Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Aussie]

Hi A:

As you have probably already figured out, I can't believe we have crossed paths again. There is no way you will ever know the aftermath of my meeting with you guys in the hot tub.

Unfortunately, the answers to your questions are No and No. We don't go to OL every year and we won't be there next year.

Jenny and I, and now another couple, go to Florida every year, but normally SW Florida, where we golf, shop, beach and boat. But for January 2008, we are going to Grand Cayman and then a beach resort at Siesta Key, the Sarasota area. 1/5/08 to Grand Cayman and 1/12/08 to Siesta Key (Sandpiper Beach Club).

I know that's in your timeframe, so maybe we can find a way to get together. It's a couple hours to Siesta Key so maybe your group can come over and beach it a day. My brother-in-law was with me when we met you and he and his wife are invited to Grand Cayman and Siesta Key, so they might be there too.

Orlando was where we bought our first week, and we took all of our extended family there in 1990. Now our nephews are grown and we have two great-nieces of the really-like-Disney age, so we started taking them, every other year.

This year it was four families from here in the Ozarks and then flying another in from Nashville, totalling 11. It has gotten to be such a hassle and there is not enough appreciation for what it takes to put it all together, trying to match everyone's schedule even giving them two years notice, that this past Christmas Week at OL may be our last effort.

But if we do, Jenny and I were there 3 days before the others this year, and did a lot of driving around, looking at resorts, and there are a lot of nice places to choose from.

But enough about me; these folks know me all too well.

Tell us about you. Like what you and your cousin do, how many weeks of vacation you get each year, how long you have been timesharing, how many weeks you own, and some of your experiences. Say, how about your last visit to OL.

JLB;

Well our last stay was in "OLCC" 2004. My wife (Anne) , kids (Stephanie & William) and cousin (David) visit the U.S every 2 to 3 years and generally stay 7 weeks at a time.

We always stay in Orlando but always stay somewhere else different (new). To date we have been in Timeshare in L.A, San Francisco, Phoenix, San Antonio, Atlanta (somewhere), spotsvania (Virginia), Las Vegas and others.

We just love the U.S and the people have been terrific towards us. Anne loves the shopping and you wouldn't believe the amount of suitcases we take home full of so called "bargins".

The kids love Disney (and who wouldn't) and Universal. For me it is as far away from my work as you can get so its good.

We have been to Orlando in 92, 93, 95, 98, 2000, 2002, 2004 and this year Dec 2007. In our time there we have been to a few different resorts and loved each stay even though 2004 in OLCC was the most trying (as you know) with a favourite stay at "Silver Lakes" which was just a great time.

This time we have an additional family with us making the total 10, so since we needed 3 bedrooms I grabbed anything and everything I could when they came up (which incl. OLCC).

I have been in Timeshare since 1981 (when I was 20) and love it. Mind you, I thought at the time when I purchased it, that it was a mistake BUT it has definately paid itself off 10 times over easily.

We own 4 weeks of TS in Victoria (southern state of AUS) and along with 4 weeks of annual leave each year we spacebank for the two years and accumulate the annual leave until we are ready to book etc.

Do you really want me to detail the problems in OLCC ??, I do not want to offend anybody (after what you have told me) since I am staying there again.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Just an un-official [SIGN]Welcome![/SIGN] to TS4Ms.

I look forward to your review on Houses at Summer Bay. May be the only exchange that I would go to Orlando again for.

BTW you sound like my husband...if you found JLB's info after all this time just now. He never throws anything away.

Problems with OLCC? Pshaw.

It has become my very favorite soap opera. We went once and won't go again. You show fortitude in giving it another go.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

You're welcome to share freely here without fear of reprisal, at least from the locals.

We don't take ourselves too seriously on this site.

Tell us how much vaction time Aussies can get every year. I found that interesting when we talked.

[Aussie Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Aussie]

You're welcome to share freely here without fear of reprisal, at least from the locals.

We don't take ourselves too seriously on this site.

Tell us how much vaction time Aussies can get every year. I found that interesting when we talked.

JLB;

Well, in Australia you automatically receive 4 weeks annual leave each year when employed by a company with more than 20 employees (I think it is 20).

At the same time the company has to factor into your salary two things.

1. Superannuation (a bit like your Social Security) so when you retire what you have put into the Super Fund is paid back along with bonuses and interest etc.

2. Long Service leave : This encourages loyality to a company. When you have stayed at the one company for 10years you receive 8 weeks long service leave leave on top of the normal 4 weeks of annual/holiday leave.

At the 15th, 20th and 25th you recieve an additional 4 weeks.

So, if I was at a company for 30years and retired and I took all of my annual / holiday leave each year (4 weeks), I would still have a total of 24 weeks of Long Service Leave leave they would owe me to take, which thery would pay out at the pay rate of wat I was on at the time of retirement

Along with the Super Annuation which the company pays (currently 9% of your pay over the 30 years say) it can add up.

A company also gives you 8-10 days of sick leave (depending on the company ... it can differ) each year to use if you are sick and is accumalative. However whe you retire what isn't used is just removed ... no payout.

So when I come over to the US each 2 years or so I just wait until I haev accumalated 8 weeks or two years of holidays.

Apparently Germany and some Asian countries have a better system providing more than 4 weeks and larger superannuation contributions by the companies (around 15%).

If you want me to expain the probs I had at OLCC I will have to list them out which will take some time to write. It was a experience I dont think I will ever forget. As I have said .. I am only going back as a matter of conveinance given the size of my party coming over (10) and certainly not because it was a favorite place.

[Aussie Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Aussie]

Just an un-official [SIGN]Welcome![/SIGN] to TS4Ms.

I look forward to your review on Houses at Summer Bay. May be the only exchange that I would go to Orlando again for.

BTW you sound like my husband...if you found JLB's info after all this time just now. He never throws anything away.

Problems with OLCC? Pshaw.

It has become my very favorite soap opera. We went once and won't go again. You show fortitude in giving it another go.

I will let you know when I get back how it goes ... but that isn't until DEC/JAN 2008.

BTW : Is your comment re: me sounding like yuor hubby a good thing or bad thing?? ... (LOL)

[Sydney Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close Sydney]

JLB;
We own 4 weeks of TS in Victoria (southern state of AUS) and along with 4 weeks of annual leave each year we spacebank for the two years and accumulate the annual leave until we are ready to book etc.

Aussie, if you don't mind sharing with us, where do you own? We've stayed at only a few Victorian resorts but are looking forward to staying at a few more while we're in Melbourne.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

It goes without saying that I am impressed with Australian benefits.

Actually, when we met you I believe you were toward the beginning of your five weeks at OLCC. I'm curious as to whether things got better or worse.

And a lot of folks here don't really know about the problems you had, just that there were some. So, if you could take the time, I think others would appreciate it. You might notice I made a few posts when we got back this year.

JLB;
If you want me to expain the probs I had at OLCC I will have to list them out which will take some time to write. It was a experience I dont think I will ever forget. As I have said .. I am only going back as a matter of conveinance given the size of my party coming over (10) and certainly not because it was a favorite place.