TAKING ADVANTAGE

MIGHT as well take advantage of opportunities which present themselves, I say.

While Central and Eastern Europe is, alas, rapidly catching up to the West in the cost of living indexes, there are still bargains to be found. Where? Some everyday things, such as -

* Movie and theater tickets. How about first release movies at the equivalent of 6 Aussie bucks a pop? Or, superb productions of Broadway musicals at around 20 bucks a ticket? Perhaps, a night at the beautiful Budapest Opera House, enjoying a fabulous staging of one of your favorites for around 30 (and that is a good seat)?

* Restaurant meals. Great food at budget prices, mainly because the staff salaries are still at unbelievably low levels. One can have a meal in one of the five star hotels, or at a restaurant like Gundel and pay through the nose, just as if you were in London, or New York. However, a superb meal can be had in numerous wonderful restaurants for around 10 or 15 Euros a head, drinks and all the frills included.

* Services are cheap (see above, regarding salary levels). House calls by appliance repairmen and the like run to around 15 or 20 Euros.

and

* THE BIGGEST BARGAIN OF THEM ALL - DENTISTS! Hungarian dentists have been featured on CNN, BBC World and most major newspapers of the western world. They are superbly trained, well equipped and an absolute bargain.

Take Fran, for instance. A couple of weeks ago she had a toothache, which turned out to be dreaded root canal syndrome. Full treatment by a top dentist over three sessions - guess how much? Less than 100 Euros (around 160 Aussie bucks?). She needed a full X ray. Guess how much? 2500 Forints, exactly 10 Euros.

Can't beat that, can you? How much would it have cost us in Sydney?

So, if you plan to tour this part of the world, get your teeth fixed as part of your holiday treat. You will save a mint! Which is why, even as I write this, Maggie is having her annual checkup a few streets from our home, prior to returning to Sydney at the end of this month.

One last item to compare - medical insurance. Costs us just a smidgin over 100 Euros, or around 160 Aussie Dollars a head per month. OK, but that doesn't sound really cheap, does it? However, consider the following - unlimited visits to GPs and specialists, total and unlimited private hospital single room access, all pathology services and anything else you can think of. All of it totally cost free (after the monthly fee).

Why can't we have that back in Australia?

THIS WAS MORE OUR STYLE

IT was in October 1972, in Montreal, Canada, that I first laid eyes on a snowmobile, a Skidoo. Alas it was at a sporting goods fair and could not hop on and ride it.

Been waiting ever since, but the wait is over. At Madesimo snowmobiles were available for tours of the high country and we took full advantage of the opportunity. More than once.

Nothing like it. Nothing even resembles the fun of roaring across a sparkling white Alpine countryside, up hills, across frozen lakes. NOTHING!!!