[gil]

We have just got back to Cardiff from Manchester, where all 6 of us were medicalled by the wonderful Dr Million. He was superb with the kids, especially Lauren, 17, needle-phobic and dreading the blood test :wah . I think he has the best people skills of any doctor I have come across in a long time. He was very comfortable, funny and relaxed, as well as professional. In fact the whole surgery was great: all staff were efficient but in a friendly way. Tony the radiologist was a big hit with our 9 year old, even calling him back in to show him our x-rays once they'd been developed. We all agreed we actually enjoyed the experience!
As our appointments were ar 09.45 this morning, we stayed overnight at the Travelodge at Ashton-under-Lyne. It was £52 for 2 family rooms, excluding breakfast, and was fine. A family of four would be comfortable in one room @ £26. We drove into the city centre really easily and parked in a multi-storey a short walk from the surgery, £5 for 6 hours. Breakfasted at a lovely modern coffee shop thing called Eat, just under £20 for 6 (pushed the boat out a bit!). Medicals and chest x-rays totalled £670, so, even with accomodation, petrol, parking and food, we saved approx. £550 on the cost of medicals here in South Wales. AND, the South Wales docs couldn't see us till mid-September!! Dr Million is offically my hero today :clap :clap
Now it's all over, I can relax with a glass of wine (or 2).... :cheers
Gil

[kiwidebs]

Congrats to all the Gil and Cardiff Irons family for this big step on the way to NZ. Glad it was an enjoyable experience.

Debs

[Cardiff Irons]

Thanks Debs. You're right, it was a big step - I found myself lying awake in the Travelodge at 2.00am thinking "what are we doing?". It was probably the biggest leap we've made yet in terms of making a commitment to move (mind you, putting the house on the market might be an even bigger one :eek ).

As Gil said, the medical went fine and it was a wonderful day out. Although even Dr. Million couldn't disguise his surprise when he noticed that my sample had a head on it :cheers :cheers :cheers :cheers

[Smiler]

frothy w** :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh

made us laugh, espeacially as we are watching the Do I worry about....Alcohol programme.

Glad to hear you saved all those pennies, what a difference. :clap :clap :clap

Deborah