^ Same here (I'm in a cottage in the Cotswolds). Airsonic is working well as is Jellyfin - we are watching the TV Show: Interview with a Vampire from my home server (I took a Firestick with me, but the TV in the cottage is an LG so I could have out Jellyfin on that). The broadband here is crap though, 11 mbps, but it steams 1080p just fine. I'm also trying Tailscale which is great too, but needs to be installed on the Host and Client - so it's on my music NAS and phone.

I'm also watching our house through a Hikvision CCTV system and a Blink doorbell camera. Also a few cheapy cameras secreted around the house inside.

Quote from: R6GYY on Today at 12:47:43 PMWordle 1,066 4/6*

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I didn't think they did that kind of word, so I was a little surprised to see them all turn green. Ho hum.

Feels like they are running out of options.

Living in Cyprus many tried to learn Greek. In the 4 years I was there I didn't meet anyone who had learnt enough to converse. I could get by with the pleasantries but most Cypriots spoke English too.

Yeah couple of years ago j got glowing praise at a restraunt for ordering the food ...bottle of white wine and bottle of water.. very chuffed

Yes, I've had similar experiences to you, Fishy and James, for instance when I've spoken Greek in Greece - the thing is, I'm quite a way beyond the Hello-and-Thankyou level of the vast majority of fellow Brits Abroad (and I'm not criticising them for it, even as they almost always get the stresses in pronunciation wrong), and once that's clear to a Greek native they seem to presume I'm fluent and will rattle off rapid-fire sentences back to me in their own tongue, and I'll be lucky if I fully understand half of it.

Of course, I take it as a compliment, and I politely say in Greek, "Sorry, I speak very little Greek, I'm English(man)".  Usually this prompts a great deal of praise, particularly about my pronunciation, and it's always a massive buzz for me when that happens.

Yeah it's all a bit of fun and a learning exercise.. but I do whince when the Brits can't even give the basics a go like hello thanks please goodbye etc

Wordle 1,066 4/6*

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I didn't think they did that kind of word, so I was a little surprised to see them all turn green. Ho hum.

Difficult but you might pick things up that way. A holiday is not ideal as you're only there for a shortish period, but the more exposure the better, I'd say

There's also the added problem when I start the usual pleasantries then I'm faced with replies and ramblings which I have no clue about.. a nod of the head and a smile usually suffices

This is a big dilemma indeed. For people coming to our country to work or live, we ask for them to learn Dutch (residency that is). But the biggest issue is the Dutch themselves: we nearly all speak English - similar to your experience in Japan, but then the exact opposite. Dutch is not the easiest language toi learn but if no one speaks it to you, it is impossible to figure out.