Australia, the land down under, is depicted as a wondrous place of surf beaches, kangaroos, wineries, and all the comforts of home. This investigative report delves into what the average tourist may not anticipate when going down under!
1) Kangaroos are considered pests. Cars armor themselves due to eminent kangaroo crashes that occur with alarming frequency around dusk and dawn. That’s right, the national emblem can frequently be seen on the side of the road.
2) The land of surf beaches has a strict dress code in which flip-flops are not appropriate attire for many establishments. You, your money, and your fine attire will get turned away if your little toes are showing. However, they allowed me to wear my hiking boots. Apparently this dates back to earlier times and Aboriginal racism as many of them did not and still do not have shoes.
3) If you order a sandwich you will be asked if you want salad. This does not mean a Caesar salad or anything of that sort. Instead it means would you like lettuce, tomato, onion, or something of that sort.
4) You can’t tell that the toilet flushes the wrong way, they are all low flow so there is not enough water flowing to see this effect. The most notable thing about the toilets is that there are two buttons; one number one and the second for number two. This is much due to the regular drought conditions experienced down here.
5) Driving on the left hand side also means you are supposed to walk and pass on the left hand side. Many collisions reaffirm this.
6) Long blacks, short blacks, and lattes are easy to come by than regular filter coffee. Many times the baristas do not even know what you are talking about.
7) Mullets are the style, it has been that way and will continue to be whether modern fashion denotes it or not.
8) Australian’s do not think that Fosters is "Australian for beer." Fosters is not on tap at most establishments and even hard to find in liquor stores .
9) Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter, had more of a following outside of Australia than in it. However, he is still highly respected by many for his commitment to the environment.
10) Black beans and green chili are nearly impossible to find. As a result, good Mexican food does not exist here.
