Have I died?

I recently moved to live in the Peninsula.

Perhaps I've died and found myself in heaven?

People smile here.

It's a pleasure to shop in Woy Woy and Umina.

Unlike Sydney, where they'll walk straight into you while they talk on their cellphones, then look at you with annoyance as if to say, "Can't YOU look where you are going?"

I've found that great greengrocer, just off the main street in Umina: Fresh vegetables, unlike that stale but sprayed, tasteless stuff you get at the big supermarkets.

Found my old VCR had broken.

Asked at the graphics arts - stationers- print service and they told me to go to the video repair guy at the Ettalong end of Umina.

In Sydney, they would have said: "It will cost $60 to have a look at it. And by the way, that old thing is not worth fixing."

Instead, he said: "Not a problem, Keith."

The very next day, I received a call to let me know it was ready.

Not only had he fixed it for only $45, but he had even taped a small plastic bag to the top, containing the four or five small components he had replaced.

And our local libraries, both at Umina and Woy Woy?

At both branches, the staff are super-helpful, almost as if they were running a quality service industry business instead of being local council employees.

I could go on and on, but -- here is another example.

A friend from Sydney came here to stay last weekend.

She was struck by the relaxed friendliness of all the people here.

Yes. I know 'we' have a drug (needle) problem here, just as in Sydney.

But overall, what a great place to find myself living.

Keith Stewart Umina