Flights: Horribly long. And my return flights were delayed from mechanical problems and bad weather.
Company: EXCELLENT!
Consensus: Experience of a lifetime. I stayed with 2 great people and their 4 wonderful children, walked the Sydney Harbour Bridge, toured the Opera House, rode the ferry boats, went to the park, read on the beach, went to the Taronga Zoo and Featherdale Wildlife Sanctuary and got to feed kangaroos and pet a koala bear, got a pedicure, ate at great restaurants, and indulged in more delicious caramel bars than I can remember...
Funny things I noticed:
- Instead of Mom it is "Mum" or "Mummie"
- School kids wear uniforms, and when they leave school for the day they have to line up and shake hands with the teacher and say, "Good Afternoon, Miss -----"
- Sprite is called Lemonade there. There is no yellow soda like Mountain Dew that I noticed at all. No diet soda except Diet Coke & Diet Pepsi Max.
- The back wheels on the shopping carts in stores aren't fixed like they are here, so you can push the cart sideways. I was having a lot of fun with that one...
- They use a totally different type of electrical voltage in Australia, not compatible with U.S. plugs.
- There is a lot of capsicum (pepper?) on the menus. Also "rocket", which I guess is a type of lettuce. Instead of Angus beef I saw Wagyu beef. Oh and CHICKEN BURGERS!! How could I forget the most popular menu item in Australia? Chicken burger = chicken breast sandwich. And gelato instead of ice cream.
- Steering wheel is on the opposite side from us and they drive on the opposite of the road (gah!). How weird to be on the left side of the road. They follow this same pattern on the sidewalks.
- People are very stylish there. It was no WI, and NOBODY was wearing t-shirts & hoodies like me.
- I noticed everyone wears hats. Sunhats, fedoras, berets...and nobody looks out of place.
- There are lots of huge spiders there, and a wide variety of pretty tropical birds.
- There are NO screens in houses or restaurants - the doors and windows are just wide open to the outside. I still fail to understand how birds and insects are kept out?
- No chain restaurants except McDonald's (which they call Macca's), Hungry Jack's (Burger King), and Outback Steakhouse. The streets are lined with little cafes and lots and lots of pastry shops/coffee houses. Kind of reminded me of Chicago a little bit.
- I did not see many pets at all - very few dogs on the streets. Not like here.
- They say 'bit' a lot instead of part. Like, 'tell me that bit about what happened earlier today...' They also say 'straightaway' instead of right now. And ready-steady-go instead of ready-set-go. Trash can is called a BIN and instead of bathroom they say toilet. I dislike that one. All signs say toilet instead of bathroom or restrooms, and kids say, 'i have to go to the toilet'. Oh diapers are called nappies.
- I'll think of more oddities I'm sure!
And thank you, Mom, from the bottom of my heart, for staying at my place and watching my kitties. I came home to happy cats, a very clean apartment, lots of new presents & surprises, and Easter candy!
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