An Americans view of Aust: Thought this may interest you. An American’s Opinion of Australia: David Mason is a Writer, a Professor, and a Poet Laureate from Colorado, USA 'There's a lot to admire about Australia, especially if you're a visiting American, says David Mason. 'More often than you might expect, Australian friends patiently listening to me enthuse about their country have said, ‘We need outsiders like you to remind us what we have’. So here it is - a small presumptuous list of what one foreigner admires in Oz.' 1. Health care. I know the controversies, but basic national health care is a gift.In America, medical expenses are a leading cause of bankruptcy. The drug companies dominate politics and advertising. Obama was being crucified for taking halting baby steps towards sanity.You can't turn on the telly without hours of drug advertisements - something I have never yet seen here.And your emphasis on prevention - making cigarettes less accessible, for one - is a model. 2. Food. Yes, we have great food in America too, especially in the big cities. But your bread is less sweet, your lamb is cheaper, and your supermarket vegetables and fruits are fresher than ours. Too often in my country America, an apple is a ball of pulp as big as your face. The dainty Pink Lady apples of Oz are the juiciest I've had.And don't get me started on coffee. In American smalltowns it tastes like water flavoured with burnt dirt, but the smallest shop in the smallest town in Oz canmake a first-rate latte. I love your ubiquitous bakeries, and your hot-cross buns. Shall I go on? 3. Language. How do you do it?The rhyming slang and Aboriginal place names are like magic spells. Words that seem vaguely English yet also resemble an argot from another planet.I love the way institutional names get turned into diminutives - Vinnie's and Salvos(St Vincent De Paul & Salvation Army) - and absolutely nothing's sacred. Everything is an opportunity for word games and everyone has a nickname. Lingo makes the world go round. It's the spontaneous wit of the people that tickles me most. Late one night at a barbie my new mate Suds remarked: ''Nothing's the same since 24-7.'' Amen to that. 4. Free-to-air TV. In Oz, you buy a TV, plug it in and watch some of the best programming I've ever seen - uncensored.In America, you can't get diddly-squat without paying a cable or satellite company heavy fees.In Oz a few channels make it hard to choose.In America, you've got 400 channels and nothing to watch. 5. Small shops. Outside the big cities in America corporations have nearly erased them. Identical malls with identical restaurants serving inferior food. Except for geography, it's hard to tell one American town from another. The ''take-away'' culture here in Australia is wonderful. The human encounters are real - people love to stir, and stories get told. The curries here are to die for. And you don't have to tip! 6. Free camping. We used to have this too, and I guess it's still free when you backpack miles away from the roads. But I love the fact that in Oz everyone owns the shoreline and in many places you can pull up a camper van and stare at the sea for weeks. I love the ''primitive'' and independent camp-grounds, the life out-of-doors. The few idiots who leave their stubbies and rubbish behind in thesepristine places ought to be transported in chainsto the penal colonies. 7. Religion. In America , it's everywhere - especially where it's not supposed to be, like politics. I imagine you have your Pharisees too, making a big public show of devotion, but I have yet to meet one here.8. Roads. Peak hour aside, I've found travel on your roads pure heaven. My country's ''Freeways'' are crowded, crumbling, insanely knotted with looping overpasses - it's like racing homicidal maniacs on fraying spaghetti! I've driven the Hume Highway without stress, and I love the Princes Highway when it's two lanes. Ninety minutes south of Bateman's Bay I was sorry to see one billboard for a McDonald's. It's blocking a lovely paddock view. Someone should remove the MacDonald's Billboard. 9. Real multiculturalism. I know there are tensions, just like anywhere else, but I love the distinctiveness of your communities and the way you publicly acknowledge the Aboriginal past. Recently, too, I spent quality time with the Melbourne Greeks, and was gratified both by their devotion to their own great language and culture and their openness to an Afghan lunch. 10. Fewer guns. You had Port Arthur in 1996 and got real in response.America replicates such massacres several times a year and nothing changes.Why? Our religion of individual rights makes the good of the community an impossible dream. Instead of mateship we have ''It's mine and nobody else's''. We talk a great game about freedom, but too often live in fear. There's more to say - your kaleidoscopic birds, your perfumed bush in springtime, your vast beaches. These are just a few of the blessings that make Australia a rarity. Of course, it's not paradise - nowhere is - but I love it here. No need to wave flags like the Americans, and add to the world's windiness. Value what you have in Australia and don't give it away ! AUSSIE CONCLUSION: Nothing is perfect but we have much to be thankful for….. …..especially in this Covid year. Covid 19 appears well under control. Personally I have loved everywhere I have been, including and particularly Japan. Any thoughts from anywhere else? On my future bucket list...as soon as travel reopens. Canada [the Rocky Mountain express train] and Alaska and a European river cruise.
Not really unless you are against getting plastered Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! https://www-urbandictionary-com.cdn...ww.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=wowser Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
As you will see, it has become a more generic term for spoilsport (save me here Paddoboy). By the way, the accent I like least is the Keith Urban variety.
But, Aussies have really big spiders. Watched a documentary a few years ago showing people shaking their shoes everyday before putting them on and checking their car visors, as these places are hiding spots for large spiders. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
I've been to Japan a few times but have not been to Australia. I'm assuming Australia is similar to Japan in that it's a country surrounded by water with no other societies nearby to influence them, thus they have a naïve concept of other countries that are influenced by their neighbors.
There are two to be wary of on the Eastern seaboard...the red back spider and the very dangerous Funnel Web. The Huntsman is a large spider but actually harmless. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! No, I would not do that!! I hate anything that creeps and crawls!! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! the redback Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! the Funnel Web. Yes it is always common sense to shake out one's shoes if left outside.
Yeah I'll go along with that! Some typical Aussie accents [what accents? ] in an old now defunct show. I like Morrie at the 1 minute mark.
A good point in actual fact about being surrounded by water without other societies to influence them...although we do have our Kiwi cousins just across the ditch!Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! What I liked about Japan, was the incredible politeness at least shown to me and the mrs when we were there...I mean politeness near to a fault! We asked a couple of young ladies where the nearest train station was and they not only directed us, but walked with us at least a kilometre out of there way to show us. I also found the place spotlessly clean! [similar to Singapore]
Interesting to note, I have never seen a Funnel Web in the wild. Have been camping heaps of times and only ever run into one snake, a red bellied black snake, curled up on the side of a walking track minding its own business sunning itself...we walked around it, no probs. From what I do know, the only real aggression from any of our snakes is the very deadly Eastern Taipan, which is found in the outback desert country...the rest [when seen] leave them alone and they will leave you alone. The message being that no, Australia isn't teaming with deadly creatures, other then the damn bloody troublesome bush flies when having a barbie! Keep the insect repellant in stock!
Some of the pronunciations of this guy are the annoying Aussi's I'm referring to. Not everyone sounds like this so I'm curious why this guy sounds like this.
Weather? Beautiful one day, perfect the next!!! Although the weekend just gone was a real stinker!!! Two days approaching and in some parts of Sydney exceeding 40C!!! Went for two early morning swims...less crowd although shark preferential timePlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image! none seen but a nice little 1 to 1.5 metre waves for some nice surfing. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
It appears all state borders are now open in Australia and air travel bookings are bursting at the seams. Can't wait for a possible Pacific bubble with our Kiwi cousins and Fiji. All handling the covid 19 very well with zero free cases.
They vary quite a bit from region to region, country vs cities, educated vs not-as-educated, etc. The stereotypical Crocodile Dundee accent of Paul Hogan is what most would consider to be "broad Aussie accent", or even "ocker" accent (meaning uncultivated, boorish, typically male). That's typically the one that foreigners try to copy when they "do" an Australian accent.
