Things Australian.

Enjoying a glass of wine overlooking Coogee Beach (in Sydney), we looked back at what stood out (to us) as "different" or unexpected here down-under.

First language. Everyone is a "mate" and it is used in every conversation at some point. Even if it is just "Morning mate" or "Thank you mate".  Have a question? "Can you help me with this mate?"

Then there is billie (the tea pot), a billabong ( a depression that fills with water - in a storm, next to a flooding river, or adjacent to the beach),  and my favorite, a bogan (an uncouth or unsophisticated person regarded as being of low social status).  And a twist on bogan, a cuby (sp?), a "cashed up bogan" or someone we might call nouveau riche with McMansion and many "toys".

The friendliness of everyone, the slow pace of life (especially as you are waiting for that morning coffee), and the feeling vastness with few people (outside of Melbourne and Sydney). We would often drive for miles without seeing anyone else. And on our walks on the Great Ocean Walk we might pass 3 people on a 3 k walk and see no one on a 1/2 mile long pristine beach.

There is no tipping. It is not even a line item on the credit card bill...and if you really want to leave a tip they will have to rerun the transaction.

Next driving. Driving on the left (steering wheel right front) is not as bad as it might seem, except for the passenger who is always reminding you that you are about to run off the road as they sit so close to the edge. Best strategy? Just tighten the seatbelt and pray. Driving was less of a challenge as Australian drivers all seem to be quite courteous, never in much of a hurry, and only rarely do you get tailgated or hear anyone beep.   And you don't pass, you overtake.

I really liked their idea of speed bumps. Just set up a heads-on collision to remind people to slow down. Bet the lawyers would love it in the US.

Food was better than expected. The same choices you'd find in the US, except for Vegemite and beets. Beetroot showed up in everything,  every salad, as a regular side dish, and as a choice in ravioli..

Last but not least are the animals.  Swans are black, I never saw a white one.  Cockatoos are everywhere. And you need to keep an eye out for that occasional emu.

Then there are the fuzzy ones. Kangaroos, Koalas, and the rare Quoll (a good scrabble word).

Tasmanian devils and wombats.

















Eight of the 10 most poisonous snakes on earth are in Australia. We several tiger snakes and one "white lip" a small green one. But they are quite timid and disappeared into the brush as soon as they saw us, so no pictures.


We did see a ray in the water - it flashed its tail spine at us as it headed to deeper waters.

And last but not least, an Echidna - a marsupial ant eater.  I liked it as much as the koalas.