General Chat

in 'Bill Bryson Down Under' and thinking that whilst I know a bit about a few places I really know very little about Australia even though I have family living there.

Bryson mentions in the book the lack of reports on Australia in news overseas. and when I thought about it, I don't think I could name any current Aussie politicians ( or past ones come to that lol) or what political party is 'in' at the moment, what policies are controversial there etc. Not even how the prices of food or housing compare, how poor the poor are. if the description of Aus' as the 'most multicultural country' sits comfortably or if there are the same sort of tensions there that there 'seem' to be here at the moment?

I thought I should find out more online and perhaps ask some of the Aussies on here questions that occurred to me whilst reading.....and bingo! up pops this for Sunday night lol.

"Sunday 19 May
9.00-10.00pm
BBC TWO
"Australia With Simon Reeve"

"Following the success of his Indian Ocean series, Simon Reeve embarks on another epic adventure, this time travelling across Australia. On this riveting journey Simon encounters an extraordinary array of people and exotic wildlife, offering a unique insight into life in Australia in a new three-part series for BBC Two."

So one to watch for me in the hopes of getting an education!

PS would welcome any thoughts from visitors to or residents of Australia if anyone wants to add?
:-D

RR... as an aussie living in london i will make sure i watch this... will remind me of my home...
but i bet it is nothing like my home... i had no exotic pets or pet kangaroo.. just a normal life... sadly i do watch crocodile dundee the first one everytime it comes on tv cause a few years ago i was on holiday in the northern territory and was where some of the film was made...

your questions have made me really think... some things are the same and others are so different....

i will have a little think and a daydream and then come back to this thread...

:-D :-D :-D :-D from the aussie

I'll have to try to remember that.

RR I think the thing to remember is that Australia is an incredibly diverse country. Although most of our population live in our coastal towns and cities there are a large number living in inland towns and cities, on small or large farms and in small or large mining towns. Life is very different in these areas.

We are able to enjoy our outdoors more than people in Britain are able to but apart from that we live much the same lives as you do. We have the "haves" and "have nots" and our government often seems to bumble along with no idea of how the average person lives.

I don't think we have a "class system" which is sometimes evident in Britain which isn't to say we don't have people who think they are better than others. However we have a "Tall Poppy Syndrome" here. Get above yourself and you are chopped down pretty quick. This can be good but it's often not so good. Nobody really has celebrity status here - just try it :-D However trying to better yourself can sometimes be frowned upon too.

W'e're Aussies, but lived on other countries for almost ten years.

We weren't surprised to find most people knew next to nothing about Australia. Many people complimented us on our good English! I made sure they didn't think we were from Austria (that happens a lot).

We sometimes saw shows on tv about Australia, which amused/confused/annoyed us, because they were so far from the truth.

I've never seen anyone with corks on a hat (except at a fancy dress party), I don't know anybody who calls people "cobber". We're more likely to have a foccacia for lunch instead of a pie with tomato sauce!

But most of us say G'Day.

:-D

As a British traveller to Australia....been 3 times to visit family and staying for lengthy times....here is my view......only for Melbourne and Sydney though.

The outdoor life is so nice and the barbies are part of their lives.....sausages aren't as nice as ours though...or maybe it's a matter of taste!....they love their pies so anyone liking lots of pastry...even had spaghetti Bol covered in pastry and called country pie!

Nice that they drive on the left like us but rules slightly different and woe betide you if you go over speed limit!

Loads of tolls on city links...ring roads round cities,but get away from there and roads really good and clear....every little town looks similar with their one storey buildings.

Last time I was there I noticed how expensive things were,mostly due to the terrible exchange rate ...low sterling...which has almost halved in 10 years,but even taking that in wages are higher and last year the minimum wage was about 16$ an hour for a check out in Supermarket.

Politics....is compulsory to vote or a big fine.

These are just my views...would I live there.....Yes I could,but where ever you live you always miss familiar things,but get used to them.
PS....we take Marmite...family can't get used to Vegemite. But kids like it!

spagbog pies?

Never heard of them.

Don't fancy them either :-D

Depends on where you get your sausages. Supermarket ones are pretty ordinary. Our local butcher makes lovely snags....... including duck!

Try Al Jazeera

Website: http://www.aljazeera.com/

Its also on Sky

Gives world wide news without bias.

Scozz

....We went to Daylesford in Victoria to a lovely restaurant run by nuns and were recommended the country pie....I had never had a pie with mince and spaghetti in it covered with a pastry lid,so that is why I remembered it.

I don't like their fish as much as our cod....gummy flake?,,but had some lovely chips in Rhyll when we went to see the penguins on Philip Island.......I liked Aussie Rhyll better than our Rhyl which I live quite near here but try to avoid!

I am hoping to go again as soon as poss...so I must love it really...and will gladly put up with missing the little familiar things from home.

Reminder that it's on tonight :-)

Reminder that it's on tonight :-)

I wonder how many people know that they have snow in Australia, in the Snowy Mts where my 2 sons live have had many people show surprise at that. The skiing season should be starting in June . A really lovely place to visit either summer or winter as is the rest of Australia.

Thanks for the reminder RR.......
from an aussie in london

:-D :-D

Simon Reeve on now.

RR, how much do you know about New Zealand? (Off out for the day soon, so wont see your reply until tonight when you are in bed).

Hi Huia, very little apart from the scenery from LOTR, and what I have gleaned from an old friend who lives there now and a friend of my mum's who emigrated there back in the 50s. It looks wonderful, and from what I hear the quality of life is better.

:-)