My Impressions of Australia

I've been in Australia now for about two months and have to admit that I've fallen in love with this country. That's because it has many of the positive attributes of America but without most of the negative ones. If I could try to summarize, Australia is a much kinder and gentler (and civilized) version of America, and I hope to come back here some day.

On this page I've listed some of my impressions of Australia to give readers an insight into Aussies and this wonderful land down under.

Australia is a BIG country, as large as the continental U.S. Consequently, as in America, it takes a long time to get from one place to another. Compared to New Zealand and the U.S. there isn't as much scenic diversity here, but the roads are, from what I've seen, mostly in good condition. And unlike the twisty roads of New Zealand, most roads here in Oz are relatively straight so it's possible to drive over 400 miles in a day without getting worn out, unlike New Zealand where a scant 150 miles of twisting-and-turning will wear you out.

The wildlife here is fascinating and there are a lot of "weird things" in Australia, some of which can be hazardous to your health, like saltwater crocs. However, despite what you may have read (including in this website), the "nasties" really aren't much of a problem because, in general, they'll leave you alone if you don't bother them – sort of like Christian far-right zealots in America. Unfortunately though, the vegetation here isn't nearly as diverse as in the U.S. Driving through seemingly-endless groves of eucalyptus trees, like I've done many times here on the east coast of Australia is frankly pretty boring, even sleep-inducing.

In general, it's easy to travel around Australia, even more so than I thought. It's a wonderful and fascinating country with lots of interesting places, so if you're even slightly curious about Australia, come down here and check it out for yourself, mate!

This is one hot, dry, and sunny country. However there are some places, such as the "Top End," that can get really wet and cloudy and there are other places, like Tasmania, that can get pretty cold. Even though I was here during their summer, the weather hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be. 102 degrees in Alice Springs isn't any worse than 102 in Southern California, and if you have air-conditioning in your car or motel room, the heat's not any more difficult to deal with.

Because the country is so large, anytime is a good time to visit Australia. From November through March, the weather is nice in the southern half of the country and from April through October, it's nice in the northern half. And don't be afraid to visit someplace "out of season" because there'll be fewer tourists then and the lodging rates will usually be cheaper.

Australian drivers are some of the best I've encountered anywhere. Heck, they may be the best drivers in the world. For the most part they're polite, tolerant, and almost always use their turn signals (thank you).

Unlike in the U.S., drivers here in Australia won't yell at you, take glee in cutting you off or display their middle digit freely if you do something stupid (as I've done many times). In fact, after driving over 9,000 miles around this country, I haven't had one bad encounter with another driver, anywhere. Back in the U.S. I have three bad encounters every time I drive around the block. And unlike in the U.S., where the norm is to drive a lot faster than the posted speed limit, most Australians drive at, or even below, the posted speed limit – even in the Outback, which surprised me. I'd heard that drivers on the Stuart Highway were plain nuts but that wasn't true at all. The fact that most Aussies keep to the speed limit is a reflection, I think, of their unhurried attitude compared to Americans and their greater respect for the law (and for others). So good on ya, mates.

There’s a mixed bag of cars here. The most popular brands are Toyotas and the Australian home-brand, Holden. For some reason, the only American brand that’s common here is Ford. The models have different names here, though, such as the Toyota Hi-Ace (i.e., Previa) and the Hi-Lux (i.e, Tacoma). Unlike in the U.S., single-cab pickups here are virtually non-existent but dual-cab pickups are quite popular, an oddity that I still haven’t figured out. Many cars have “roo bars” installed on the front grill, since running over kangaroos is a big problem here, as you can imagine, especially in the Outback.

There aren't many American-style freeways here (or "motorways" as they call them) except in major cities. For the most part, Australian highways have two lanes but they're generally in good shape. However, there are a few long highways in the Outback which, although paved, have only ONE lane. If you ever drive on these, as I have, hopefully you won't meet any road trains!

Many Americans who've never traveled overseas – like me before I came over here – can't distinguish between an English, Kiwi and Aussie accent. To most Americans, it's all British. But as I've learned these last several months, there's a big difference.

After I'd spent two months traveling around New Zealand, it took me a while to get used to the the Aussie accent here in Oz. Of course, I'd seen "Crocodile Dundee" and "Crocodile Hunter" and other such Aussie things on TV and in the theatres, so I knew what an Aussie accent sounded like. But still, it's different if you spend two months here and are totally saturated with it. But I got pretty used to the accent after a while and, in fact, got to the point where I didn't even think about it – kind of like driving on the left side of the road. After being in Australia for nearly a month, I bumped into an American tourist in Alice Springs and talked to her for a while. Interestingly, she was also from Portland, Oregon. As we were talking I thought about how strange it was to hear an American accent again and it took me a few moments to re-acclimate myself so I could understand her.

Over in New Zealand the Kiwis pronounce the "ehh" sound as "ee." For instance, "best" sounds like "beast" and "west" sounds like "weast." Kiwis also pronounce "yes" as "yiss." When I first got to New Zealand I felt like a moron because I had a hard time picking up the accent. During my first week there I bought some gas as a mini-mart and walked inside to pay. The guy behind the counter spoke fast and asked me if I wanted AA stamps or something (as I learned later, they're like S&H green stamps in the U.S.). I didn't understand what he was saying and just stared at him. He said it again but I didn't have a clue what he was talking about (he probably thought I was from Lithuania). But after a few weeks in New Zealand I caught on to their accent fairly well, so fortunately that was the last of my embarrassing encounters there – at least involving accents!

Here in Australia they do strange things with the "ay" sound, which they pronounce like "oi." So eggs are "oigs" and day is "doi." And in a real tongue-bender, railway is pronounced "rye-al-way." And yes, they really do say “no worries” here, though the American “no problem” is catching on (unfortunately, American-everything seems to be catching on over here). Other popular phrases include "Good on ya" (meaning "good for you" or "good job") and, of course that classic greeting, "G’day" (pronounced “gudday”).

I haven't said "G'day" to anyone yet because, while I love hearing an Aussie say it, it sounds kind of stupid when an American says it. So instead I just say, "Hello."

I've listened to the radio almost constantly over here, especially when I'm driving. As I've discovered, Australians are very proud of Australian musicians – and rightfully so, because there's a LOT of good Australian pop, country, and rock music here in Oz that you never hear in the U.S., and that's a shame. I've been listening to a great pop-folk-country singer here named Kasey Chambers and bought her CD yesterday to take with me back to the U.S., because unfortunately you never hear Kasey's music in America.

There are also the oldies-but-goodies. During my first few weeks here in Australia, I couldn’t figure out why they played so much Bee Gees music on the radio stations. But after hearing “Jive Talkin’” and “How Deep is Your Love” for about the millionth time, I learned that the Brothers Gibb were originally from Australia. Another song they keep playing here is “Georgy Girl." I hadn’t heard that song in maybe 30 years but they play it everywhere here: it’s on the radio, in grocery stores, and even in the restrooms. I just can’t get away from it. I couldn’t figure out why “Georgy Girl” was so popular here but then I learned that the 1960s group who sang it, The Seekers, are Australians. It may be old music, but by God, it’s Australian music!

Of course, they play a lot of American and British music on the radio here, too. However, and unlike in New Zealand, they don’t play much from The Monkees. I still haven’t figured out why Kiwis love The Monkees so much. Perhaps not surprisingly, country music is popular in Australia and there are lots of good Aussie country music singers, though some of them are, um, a bit different. When I was in the Outback town of Tennant Creek a while ago, the radio station there played a touching country song called “She’s My Butcher and I Think I Love Her.” Yes, I’m serious. As the guy sang it, “…she has nice thighs, firm breasts, sells me t-bones and pot roasts…” Jeez, and I thought American country music was corny!

The Australian equivalent of National Public Radio is very popular here, much more so than in the U.S. Talk radio is also popular here but on a more intelligent and less antagonistic level than in the U.S., which is refreshing. Australians seem to love talking things to death, especially anything involving the latest political scandal, of which there have been several during the two months I’ve been here.

They broadcast both American and Australian television shows here, with a few English shows thrown in to keep the Poms happy (Australians call the English “Poms”). Fortunately I've gotten to see my favorite American shows, including “Ed”, "Judging Amy," and "E.R." every week. The episodes, though, are about six months behind the schedule in America. Maybe that's because, this being in the southern hemisphere, their fall television season is six months behind ours.

Other popular American shows here include “Everyone Loves Raymond,” “60 Minutes,” and for some reason, “The Gilmore Girls.” American television has even inspired a number of Australian spin-offs like “The Weakest Link” (with a look-alike host), “Australian Survivor” and “Australian Temptation Island.”

Now, I'm not proud to admit this, but one of my favorite shows here is an Australian series called “McLeod’s Daughters." I got hooked on the show a few months ago in New Zealand. "McLeod's Daughters" is a campy hour-long drama series about a woman who’s raising her four stunningly-beautiful daughters on a cattle ranch in the Outback. Although the plots are usually corny or downright odd, it’s a cute show and would probably be a hit in America. However, as an Aussie said to me a few weeks ago, "I've been to the Outback many times and I've never seen women who look like that out there." Come to think of it, neither did I. But who cares?

Like in America, just about anything goes in the cities here, but in the Outback there’s more of a dress code. America's the same way in rural areas: don't get caught in west Texas wearing shorts, for example, as I've learned the hard way. The standard outfit for guys in the Outback includes a long-sleeved, collared work shirt (often plaid), either jeans or shorts, leather boots, and of course, a floppy brown leather “bush hat." I prefer wearing t-shirts, so I fit in well in the big cities but felt out-of-place in the Outback (just like in west Texas). Next time I come over here, I’ll bring some long-sleeved plaid shirts to wear in the Outback. If I can find any.

Although fish and chips are popular here in Australia, it’s not the national dish like it is in New Zealand. The national dish here seems to be roasted chickens. In fact, just about every grocery store and take-out place sells them, so my diet has shifted accordingly. McDonalds, KFC, and Burger King (or “Hungry Jack’s” as they call Burger King here) are both popular and ubiquitous in Australia, for better or worse.

You can find some American processed foods in the grocery stores here, like Nacho Doritos, Oreos, and Chips Ahoy, thank goodness, but they use different recipes here with more fat and less sugar and salt. Compared to the American versions, which I'm used to, these foods consequently taste a bit like crispy lard. And tortilla chips aren't pronounced "tor-TEE-ya" chips, like in America. Instead, they're "tor-TILL-a" chips.

You may have heard of Vegemite, a strange concoction which Australians are passionate about. Vegemite is a spread that looks like tar, smells like yeast, and tastes like salt, and many Aussies love to smear it on crackers and bread. I tried some Vegemite a while ago and it's nasty – definitely an acquired taste. Then I learned that you should spread it very THINLY, and if you do that it's actually not too bad.

Australia, in general, is a bit cheaper than America but more expensive than New Zealand. Houses here are pretty cheap as are services, like haircuts, while imported goods, like cars, are a little more expensive than in the U.S. Gas (oops, I mean petrol) costs around US $1.50 a gallon and milk is about US $2 a gallon, both about the same as in the U.S. By the way, the Australian dollar is currently worth about 50 U.S. cents and the New Zealand dollar is worth about 40 U.S. cents, so every time I see a price here, I cut it in half to get the American equivalent. Having spent several years in school, I can do that without too much trouble. Well, ususally.

Cricket, rugby, and horse racing are all popular in Australia, as they are in New Zealand. The big sport here, though, seems to be an unusual game called Australian Rules Football, or “Footy," which is something like rugby though a bit more odd (if that's even possible). Run with the ball, punt the ball, run with the ball, punt the ball. That’s Footy. When a team scores a goal, the referee doesn't raise his arms like in American football. Instead, he – now get this – acts like he's drawing two pistols, like in an old Western movie. It's hilarious.

Most Aussies I've met during my two-month trip around Oz have been really friendly, generally more than Americans and on par with Kiwis, though they're a bit more brash and outgoing than both. To be honest, I was expecting Aussie guys to be even more outgoing than they actually are, figuring they'd be slapping me on the back everywhere I went, but that hasn't happened even once. I guess I've watched too many Crocodile Dundee movies. Nevertheless, most Aussies are quick with a smile and a handshake, and they'll often throw in a "G'day, mate" for free. Most Aussies believe in hard work and hard play and will give just about everyone a "fair go."

Almost all of the Aussies I've met during the past two months have been very honest, open, and trusting, even more so than Americans. Some Americans who visit Australia might consider Aussies to be naive, but personally, I prefer a "naive" Aussie to a cynical or duplicitous American any day. Folks here generally don't like pretension and class barriers, which may explain some of the barbs I've heard directed at the British, or "Pommies," whom many Aussies consider to be stuffy and aloof. Compared to America, there's more of an emphasis on personal responsibility and independence in Australia and less on litigation, which is refreshing. The idea of someone suing McDonald's because the coffee was "too hot," or suing Burger King because "they got fat" wouldn't fly in Australia.

I always thought Australians and New Zealanders got along well, but there’s actually a bit of a rivalry between the two countries: some Australians don't think too highly of Kiwis and, from the two months I spent in New Zealand, I'd say the feeling is mutual. Australia was, at one time, a British colony and there are still strong ties to England. But those ties now seem to be fraying and many Aussies think of the English as pompous. Nevertheless, and as with New Zealand, Australia's closest foreign ties are still with England.


Above: Not a real popular guy in Australia.

Most Australians have a fairly positive image of the United States and Americans. That's partly due to our assistance to Australia during World War II when Oz was threatened by a Japanese invasion. It seems that over the past 20 years, ties between Australia and the U.S. have generally strengthened, although many Aussies I've talked to wonder about the intelligence and leadership ability of President George W. Bush.

I won’t say that all Australians like Americans, but a lot of them do. I was surprised at how much news coverage there is here on the United States, especially regarding U.S. foreign policy and the U.S. economy. A lot of Australians know who Dick Cheney and Alan Greenspan are (probably more than most Americans).

Aussies sometimes view the U.S., however, as the proverbial "Bull in a China Shop" and not always being respectful to the needs of other countries, including their own. And from the media coverage of the U.S. that I've seen here, I'd have to agree with them.