Australia's capital cities - what you like about them

Yes, I wondered, Deb, how much my "multicutural" descriptions of Melbourne would just as easily fit most other Australian capital cities, not just my own. It's a really exciting feature of Oz, I think. Just the other day, G (an Italian language aide at my school) was telling me about just having completed an English language exam in the hope of becoming a teacher here. She wants to live here permanently & become an Oz citizen. I asked her why: because she loves the variety of cultures here, because it's so different to where she comes from. She was astonished that so many folk from all over the world could settle here so easily, without major "culture clash" problems. (It was partly G's enthusiasm that inspired me to write my northern suburbs multiculural rave above). Anyway, her words reminded me of something that John Pilger (sigh, be quiet my beating heart! ) wrote about Oz some years ago ... how the migration & settlement of so many folk from very diverse cultures was a relatively conflict-free experience here, compared to other countries. And that we should take enormous pride in that. I always wondered how true that was. Perhaps he wasn't too far from the truth?

Yes, Deb (& gf) Do tell us more about Adelaide. You know, my main experience of your city has been a "passing through" one. On the way to Perth, on the way to the Barossa ... Please do fill me in on what I've missed!

Oooooooooooh, hello there, k!

Hi Olga!

I've always thought k was a surrogate Australian!

Of course she is...

She's at least been here - and peed in some corner or other! AND she eats Vegemite!

I'm testing the Melbourne waters again - just booked for the tennis - 21-23 January.

So we have a date then, margo? Or too busy with the tennis?

Hmmmmmmmmm......

Hmmmmmmmm ...?

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.....????

HmmmmmmMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM....

Wagga Wagga- BIG country town but expanding at a breakneck pace. Urban sprawl could be a problem. Plenty of small/medium businesses and a terrific sporting culture. Services a huge tract of some of the most valuable (for farming) land in Australia.


???hhhhhmmmmMMMMM whaaaaat....... just .......whaaaaaaat

Good things about Australia.......

1. Sunshine (can actually schedule BBQ's weeks in advance).

2. Quite a few of the inhabitants speak a vague form of English which, when listened to whilst sober, can be easily understood.

3. Potato wedge's.

4. Potato wedge's with a side order of cold lager.

5. The women.

6. Bush bands. ("Then we all sailed away in our gumtree canoe"....type of thing)

7. Kylie .....whoa there boy!

8. Parrots.....thousands of 'em.

9. The strange, unearthly noise that your magpies make.

10. Peppermint Cove (Perth)

11. Sydney (as a tourist).

12. Australian Shiraz......Mmmmmmm.

13. The women.

14. Heeler dogs sitting on the back of "Utes". I wanted to bring one home.

15. Nicole Kidman. ....Mmmmmm.

16. Discussions about cricket (ooh, I would love to be there now)

17. The expression "Lay by", which has a totally different meaning over there.

18. The fantastic range of food, except for the curries, which weren't as hot as I am used to.

19. The unique expressions......"G'Day... she'll be right....Y'aright?....etc.

.....and finally, the women.



Bad things about Australia.

1. You all live so FAR from each other.

2. The Aussie Mozzy. Deadly little buggers. My ankle came up like a balloon.

3. The size of the people. I was amazed at how many overweight Aussies I bumped into. Too many beers and barbies, methinks.

4. The sun tracks the other way. Most confusing.

5. My sisters' awful cooking.

6. The way those butchers keep running on the pitch in their white coats and hats, ruining the Aussie rules footie.

7. The carpet snake that caused a massive detour on my jogging session one morning. Bloody great thing, all curled up on the only bridge for two miles.

8. Neighbours, the TV soap.

9. "Boris", a horse eating spider, who appeared at breakfast every morning.

....and 10. Thongs. You have a completely different meaning for thongs.
I was disappointed on numerous occasions.

E

Yair.....right!

Lunch or early dinner on Sunday?

No accommodation booked yet - but may aim for where I stayed last time - they have 2 br apartments, and I'm bringing a mate.

my brother in law is working in the Doncater (sth yourkshire?) area, he said the same thing had to buy a compass.

You're on!

Funny thing, that!

I have this problem to a huge extent in the northern hemisphere. While her, my sense of direction is pretty good, in Europe - I'm totally lost all the time. Of course, in mainland Europethe cars are going in different directions, - i.e., they don't drive on the left, so I'm doubly confused. Even when following a map, I still can't believe what I'm seeing! Me as navigator is not always a happy trip!