Hey all! Still looking to catch up, but wanted to give you a quick update on our real-time progress. We touched down in Sydney on October 1st after a brief and characteristically chaotic night in Bangkok, and spent 4 nights with the Sydney-siders. We've since moved on to Cairns, and are planning our diving trip to the Great Barrier Reef. Meanwhile, I just booked our flight to New Zealand before we take our final flights back home. Whew!
Because I know you've been waiting, I wanted to give you a few observations on the land where the men, they thunder. I think the women also do something, but I forget the lyric; "chunder" rhymes, but I think Men at Work had more class than that. Anyway:
1. As it turns out, I like meat pies. And "mushy peas," despite the unappetizing nomenclature, are actually quite tasty.
2. Sydney is as expensive as New York. This was not expected. It's a good thing that I like meat pies. Due to this unexpected hit to our travel budget, Claire and I actually stayed in a dorm for 3 nights. At first I thought it might be a nice touch of nostalgia to party like it's 2001, but I quickly changed my mind when I realized that we'd be regularly treated to the 2:00 AM mating call of the young 20-year-old international backpacker. For those wondering, the mating call sounds something like "YEEEAAAHH!!! OOOHHHH!! *gurgle*!!"
3. Yes, the gurgle deserves its own exclamation points, it's a very loud gurgle.
4. The lingo is fun. I like saying things like "No worries, let's chow our brekkie in the dodgy carpark," although practically, I'm not sure why anybody would want to eat their morning meal in a seedy parking lot. Sometimes it's hard to understand, but it's worlds more inventive and fun than our boring slang.
5. The stereotypes are true: the majority of Australians are really freaking nice and extremely welcoming. We've been treated very well so far. It's also relieving to ask a question of a local and be greeted by a wide smile and ready advice, as opposed to a concerned yelp and blank stare.
More details and photos as time permits. And yeah, I suppose I'll eventually talk about Southern Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Plus, pointy hats! In the meantime, cheers!
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Before anybody asks, the oft-overheard 2:00 AM mating call of the 20-year-old international backpacker does not imply any actual mating taking place. At least, not as far as I know (or want to know).
dont forget to contact my friends mark and sarah if you are looking to for guidance about new zealand. he spent most of his 40 years on earth adventuring, not being productive in the traditional american way. even if you dont meet them up by auckland, they will have lots of advice to offer.
G-day, mate! (boooooo, I know, but it had to be said, and I may as well be the first). What's it like to be in the southern hemisphere? Do you get dizzy when watching the toilet water flush the wrong way? Do they have machines that make it flush the "right" way at the american embassy? Does one need to specify which hemisphere they live in when ordering a washlet, or is it ambi-hemi-spherical. Wow, I just double prefixed that word. I double prefixed it good.
What the hell!!??
1: Women glow.
2: Men plunder.
3: Thunder is just thunder. No one does it, it just comes from the sky or something. Can't you hear it?
Jeez, it's like I don't even know you anymore.
You know what? I just looked it up, and it turns out that later on:
1: Beer flows.
2: Men chunder.
You've clearly over estimated Men at Work. You better run, you better take cover.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNT7uZf7lew
What the hell is that song even about?
I haven't witnessed any plundering, personally. Or chundering for that matter. Although I will testify to the flow of the beer.
Re: toilet circulation, in Australia the toilets seem to explode in all directions when flushed. Use of a poo-screen is preferable.
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