As 2011 comes to a close I have been thinking back over our last few months in Australia. South East Australia to be exact. It is hard to imagine we have been world wandering for 2 years & 2 months!
This is a vast country full of surprises, and we have only experienced one corner so far.
November and december this year have been the coldest start to summer in 51 years, and extremely wet ,so it is not surprising how green the countryside appears to be. We have travelled many thousands of miles by ,train,coach ,bus,ferry ,car, tram and foot through New South Wales ,ACT and Victoria these passed few weeks.( 43 hrs by country link trains and coaches alone ). We have observed through the train windows grazing cows and goats,gambolling( the captains favourite word) lambs and sheep, llamas, horses ,leaping Roos,camels and ostrich. Fields filled with wheat, wild Grasses and thistles,rivers,vineyards,gum trees galore,acacias, olive trees and limited cedar and pine forest. Blackberry brambles line the roads and railway tracks .This corner of the Australia is in full bloom,purple laden jacarandas,horse chestnut,milky White magnolias,eucalyptus especially heady after a rain storm,fragrant frangipani and oak trees line the streets along with gardens abundant with fragrant star Jasmine ,roses, lilies, lavender,gardenias and hibiscus.The screeching from sulphur crested cockatoos, brightly coloured parrots ,noisy magpies and singing kookaburras are amazing,but watching the lorrakeets suddenly dart in an orchestrated fashion en masse stops you in your tracks. If it's not the birds, it's the abundance of insects providing us with natures sounds!
There are recent state laws that give all waterfront property public access ,so there is green parkland throughout our travels. One of the ways we pick up a feeling for our surrounding culture is spending many hours overhearing conversations from our fellow passengers travelling on these long distance trains and coaches, there has been a mixture of tourists, seniors,school children and all I can describe as who you might find in the waiting room at Union station LA, making for a different perspective . Whenever we go to a new country we try to follow the politics on the tv and in the newspapers,so it was enjoyable to watch some of their behaviour when we went to parliament to listen to some of the pollies!
I always thought the Americans had adulterated the English language,but they don't come close to the -Aussies ,Here are some of them in their categories,try to guess their translation ,it is quite literal most of the time.I'll give you some answers.
Occupations and people:
Schoolies,salvos, ambos, pollies,,journos,aboes, firerees,bogans, westies,,tradies
Beer sizes and drink:
A stubby,a pot,a middy,a tinny,a schooner,grog
Food items:
Maccas( macdonalds)chook,sangers,sarnies,nannas,brekky
Containers:
Chilly bins,eskies,Barbies
Clothing, :
Thongs(known elsewhere as flip flops),cozzie,swimmie,bathers,sunnies,akubra(hat)
Places:
A milk bar,a bottle shop,RSL
Fauna:
Roos,skippies,mozzies,crocs,salties
Misc
G'day, ,chrissies, ,buckley's ,pressies ,crook( ill or broken),arvo,,footy,pokies( slot machines)
Another thing I noticed,was that the Christmas decorations ,the carols and all that the holiday season entails didn't begin to show up here before December 15, which was so refreshing from England where they had already began during my recent visit at the begining of November,and the US not long after.
For those of you who know me, you know how important my tea is to me and you may say I'm a tad fussy about it! So I have to praise the Best pot of tea I have had so far was at the Carrington hotel in Katoomba ,good bone china ,excellent fresh earl grey leaves , a strainer and cold milk.Perfect.
Oz seems obsessed with KFC and barbies,no comment on the first ,but the latter being the greatest idea ,the towns ,supply the barbies in public areas with gas free of charge! I am guessing this is due to the devastating fires that occur fairly often. But ,also it seems that promoting families to gather and participate together is very much on the agenda here. There are many incentives to take the children for free on public transportation on weekends. All children, of all ages from state run and private schools wear uniforms,( including hats whenever outdoors,by law due to the high incidence of skin cancer,).
We have found great public transportation values so far for example:
in Sydney there is a 7 day pass for $41 giving you unlimited use of ferries,buses ,trams and city rail. There were Free tourist buses and free inner trams around Melbourne stopping at, or near the main tourist attractions. Plus excellent ,helpful visitor centres .
For tourists,showing a valid foreign passport and flight information ,we are entitled to a $275 backpackers pass for a month($298 3 months) with unlimited use on any 'Countrylink' buses and trains in New South Wales ,ACT,Victoria and Queensland.
To our yachtie friends I would like to clear the myth that wine in Oz is expensive, you can breathe a sigh of relief, just sign up for getwinesdirect.com ,and see some wonderful pricing and delivery, especially with a buy one case get one free offers!
We are about to experience New Years Eve from maybe the number 1 best firework displays in the world ,just sitting on the decks of Callisto.We wish you all a very Happy Healthy New Year for 2012,we should have photos all being well.
