1. Spectacular views. Gorgeous beaches, rocky coastlines, the bridge, Darling Harbour (yep, aussie spelling). It's a really gorgeous place, and I've only seen a small bit so far.
2. Everything is outdoor - centric. Well, virtually everything. You can sit outside at a cafe whether it is hot or cold (heaters all around). Parks everywhere. Houses are built with alfresco areas, where the doors pull back to an open dining area outside. It's one of my favorite things about our house, and I wish we had this back home.
3. Cadbury chocolate. It's my favorite, and it's everywhere!
4. It's all about the kids. Kids go everywhere with their parents. And if you have a toddler, you will appreciate this. No one stops and stares when your toddler throws a fit and screams at the top of his or her lungs. I apologize to go all sideways with this, but it reminds me of our flight here when Brynn was seating in front of an Anderson Cooper lookalike. I love some Anderson Cooper. This guy seriously let me down when he complained about Brynn rocking in her seat. AC would never do such a thing!
I have no idea who this is, just found the image on google. Homegirl is straight up enjoying the trantrum. I feel disturbed by this, really I do.
5. Kids get a grade for performance and a grade for effort. Love this! If my kid fails a class but has tried really hard, I will only beat them half as much. Kidding. But seriously, the effort does make a difference.
6. Public transportation. The train here rocks. Clean, on time, safe. On the downside (well, I guess this depends on how you view it), there is a lot of making out going on in the trains. There was a couple sitting behind us, and I couldn't concentrate on what Hollie was saying to me for all the sounds of them kissing and who knows what else. EW. EW. And EW.
7. The Aussie accent. I am fairly used to it by now, but I still love it. People here always ask me where I'm from, and a lot of times they say "Canada"? before I answer. Then , when I say no, America, the response is always the same: "I ask Canada first, because Canadians get offended by people thinking they are American". Hmmm. I'm still shocked that everyone doesn't just LOVE us Americans!
8. A never ending supply of things to do. There are so many museums alone (My family cringes at the word). There's some sort of festival going on almost every weekend. Great shows and concerts are always on.
9. Open mindedness. I have yet to hear any negative comment regarding race, gender, or sexual orientation.
10. Bondi Rescue - my favorite reality show, it's really just a bunch of lifeguards saving people on Bondi Beach. Maybe it is on in the US, and I just never saw it? (It's on Nat Geo)
Things I don't love yet about Australia:
1. No paying at the pump. As luck would have it, I figured this one out on a morning when my hair had not been brushed and I had on lounge pants and flip flops (mid winter). But you know how they say everything has a silver lining? I went in to pay, and was blinded by this angelic burst of light surrounding..ahhhhhh...Krispy Kreme donuts. Ask me if I paid $15 for 8 donuts. Yes, I did.
2. No drive thru's close by. They do have them in Australia - I've seen them before, but there are none close to us. I know I should say that this is a good thing, and that my kids are far better off without fast food. And I do think that they are. But once in a while it would be nice to just hit a drive thru for dinner.
3. No drip coffee (I covered this in another post)
4. Everything is more expensive. Examples = Mens Levis on sale = $99. soda from a vending machine = $4.50, pair of sneakers that would cost $60 at Kohls are over $200 here. Ooh I miss Kohls.
5. I have no credit. I can tell them I'll pay the bill for a cell phone all day long, but that doesn't work! I have no credit history here. So, I have a prepaid phone. Jeff calls it the S-phone (made by samsung), and it's pretty pathetic as far as cell phones go. I miss my iphone!
6. Internet service is bad here, at least in my area. There are hours in the day where no one can connect. May just be our service, not sure.
7. The ocean is cold, even in mid summer, and the waves are strong. But, at least we get Bondi Rescue out of it.
8. Targets are in the malls. Sometimes it would be nice to be able to run in and out of Target without having to go to the mall, find a parking place, go down 5 levels..etc.
9. Roads seem more narrow, and the big trucks, like 18 wheelers, use the main highways. There are moments when I feel like I'm going to die of panic when I get stuck beside a big truck on Pacific Highway, going around a curve, with a car on the other side...I am sure I'm going to be crushed!
10. The mean girl situation that Hollie is dealing with. She will conquer it, I'm sure. But I sure do hate to see her go through it.
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