Au-ddly Australian

Now I know this one isn't Australian.  But it is here.  And it is strange in so many ways.

And in honor of the New York Auto Show:  Cars!

Au-ddly Australian - UPDATED

Well, now I am back to the point of last week's post where I can't think of an odd thing.  This is a problem.  So I will discuss the grocery store.  Its probably not really odd, but it is different enough that a stumped mind can think up enough to write about.

When you see the Southern Cross for the first time...

Now that I have been here a little over a month, I finally took the time to stop and look up at night.  I've watched the fireworks, which were up, but they were kind of bright.  And the smoke did in the stars pretty well.  I've been meaning to for a while.  At least when I am close to a computer and can have an idea where I might be looking.

US Census

I'm not entirely sure of the proper etiquette on this one.

But click here and read.  Then click on whatever other links you want I suppose.  I guess that's how it works.

Hat tip to CDR Sal.

Au-ddly Australian

When you first get here they tell you about the psychology of an exchange student.  First you have up ad downs before you leave.  Then you get there and have your "honeymoon" period.  Then you get sad and home sick.  Then you level out for a while.  And then before you go home, you get the jitters again, then have a home "honeymoon" and then you miss Australia.  And then it all levels out again.

Racing Pictures

Yup thats a '72 Challenger. Thats another one in the bay next to it.

Boogity Boogity Boogity, Lets Go Racing Mates!

First off I have a certain cousin who will only read this if his name is mentioned.  But at the end I will have a surprise for him.  So he better read the whole darn thing.

Set fairly unremarkably on most weekends in the south east corner of Adelaide is Victoria Race Park.  Most days you don't know its there.  But starting on Thursday, anywhere you were in the city, the V8 Supercars could be heard.  The four day party that is the Clipsal 500 had begun.  And on Saturday I went to check it out.

Au-ddly Australian

Its a little early yet, but I am procrastinating picking an FEA project.  So this weeks Au-ddly Australian is language.

Ah yes, the mystical Australian accent.  Some people love it.  They find it outdoorsy and adventurous and whatever.  Some people, no names, just tell Nana I've been thinking of her, think it is a terrible bit of coarse English, remnants of the proper language from back home in England.  Its probably since the Kings and Queens just sent all the scruffy faced scoundrels (can you guess which trilogy just completed its 3 week Saturday night marathon?) down under. 

But in actuality, its really more akin to the language of a 6 year old sent over from London.  They say 'cheers' and 'ta', 'cheers' being the only one I have started to use.  But, they also say brekkie, footy, sunnies, chewie, pettie, Uni, and barbies.  Which in order mean:  breakfast, football (Australian Rules), sunglasses, chewing gum, gasoline (petrol), University/college, and barbecues.  Of course barbies are acceptable.  They involve mostly meat and beer.  But not shrimp.  Those would be prawns, mate.  But other than that, the shortening of perfectly reasonable words with the use of 'ie' or 'y' makes its all sound very childish. 

Some other fun or otherwise Australian accents:  Mate is really pronounced more like Mite.  G'day is more like G'd-aye.  Disoriented is disorientated.  I've seen computator somewhere.  But I don't recall whether it was a PC or something slightly different.  You don't go back and 'review' all that Prob Stat you were supposed to have learned back whenever.  You 'revise' it.  'No worries' is a general thanks/goodbye to someone you may not know.  Ask someone something on the street and you are bound to get or give a 'No worries.'  Which may leave you thinking, what on earth would I be worrying about following that exchange.  Those in the habit of always apologizing may appreciate it.  At a bar, you 'shout' a round.  And proper etiquette dictates that if you have been 'shouted' you will 'shout' back before leaving the bar.  And you will 'shout' a 'jug' not a pitcher.  Those who shout excessively or maybe more of what we would call a redneck are called 'blogans.' 'Acka-Dacka' is the much longer semi phonetic pronunciation of AC/DC.  But at least they call pizza 'pizza.'  No Jersey 'pies' here. 

Sushi Train

One of the many sushi places that can be found throughout the city of Adelaide is called Sushi Train.  Which might be an odd name if it didn't completely and accurately describe the experience.  Unlike the fast food sushi places that are so cheap, Sushi Train is a sit down restaurant.  There can be a line so sometimes waiting is in order.  While waiting there are some things you notice.  I'll start with the little things.  It will make it more interesting.  First on the walls in various places are plates of different colors.  Each plate has a price next to it.  3, 3.50, 4, 4.50, and 5.50.  Pink, light blue, dark blue, yellow and green.  Next there are a few menus.  Each menu is kind of like a point point menu.  That's what they were called on ship when you went ashore in a city where you didn't know the language.  Because you point at something, and it comes out.  You don't know what you are eating, but you at least got something.  So each little picture is some sort of sushi or sashimi or what ever all those other ones are actually called.  Or on the back there are some other meals too.  I'll come back to the menu.

The obvious thing that you will notice first, is the train.  The tables and bar stools are set up around this island in the middle of the restaurant.  In the middle are the sushi chefs.  Around them is the train.  Its more of a conveyor belt, but Sushi Train sounded better.  And on the train are all the different colored plates with all of the different sushi dishes on them.  And at the bars and tables are all the people, stacks of plates in front of them.  I think you can tell the new people because at least we were constantly glancing back and forth between our menus and the train.  Each time a plate is taken from the train, the chefs fill its spot with a new plate.  Or someone puts one back that they really didn't want.  I imagine that might be frowned upon, but we were new to this. 

The menu becomes very important if you actually want a specific dish.  Next to each dish is the color of plate it is on.  And each picture tells you something about the dish you are looking for.  Not that you can see what is in the sushi in the picture.  But you can tell if there are 6 pieces or 2 that are supposed to be on the plate.  Wrapped in rice or not.  Sauce drizzled on top or not.  So there you sit at the train.  It goes round and round.  Ambitious people might just grab anything.  I waited for ones that I was more sure of using my menu skills for the first few.  Eventually though after the train has gone round and round, and some one in the opposite corner took the last spicy tuna roll, you have to just go for it.  But it is a good restaurant for lazily sitting and talking, waiting for some new plate to strike your fancy.  I imagine there are some potential visitors who I would have to take to visit the train.

And after the sushi, we went to the Italian gelato place and split the one scoop of each flavor sundae.  It was James birthday.  And James really loves ice cream.

Au-ddly Australian

This weeks post:  money.  And its uses.

For fans of the new US bills, with all their colors, like green, Aussies have full color, bright bills.  Each denomination is a different color, but I still couldn't tell you what each one might be with out looking for the number.  Twenties are mostly red, tens mostly blue, fives mostly purple and fifties mostly yellow.  I think each bill is also a different size.  But I don't have all of them to compare with me right now.  Since I'm out in public I guess I won't inspect them too closely.  But for now, each is a different color, a different size and all of them have clear plastic windows in them.  I suppose this is a security feature.  The whole bill feels much more plastic than an American bill.  I suppose it could be because its all plastic, I'm not quite sure.

Next on to coins.  Oh coins, how I loath you.  For haters of the American penny, we don't have any.  Any non $.05 amount is rounded appropriately.  I hadn't even seen a nickel until today.  The nickel is indeed the smallest, which cures some of my grief with the monetary system.  Until the mysterious nickel with its Echidna on the back surfaced, the smalled coin I had seen was a $2 piece.  Good for bartenders, bad for shorts with holes in the pockets.  Change is a pain.  Really it rattles around, you have to keep track of it.  Might as well just give it back to the bartender as a tip.  Which isn't customary down here actually.  But now, that change you got back could be worth upwards of $4.  And in terrible little coins.  And the washing machines don't take them.  Even though clearly they should.  A load of laundry with 20 minutes of drying time is $4.  The laundry takes dollar coins (probably my second to least favorite coin) and fifths.  Not quaters.  Fifths.  It would make a mess of any problem involving so much money in so many coins.  One is not a quarter.  Well actually none are quarters.

Now how you spend this money.  I mentioned laundry.  Expensive.  This will be a theme.  Hungry Jack (a BK company) will sell you a meal at Jersey Turnpike rates, with either a small, regular or large drink.  Small actually means dollar menu small sized.  Tiny.  With tiny dollar menu fries.  Which are more like soggy McDonalds fries than crispy BK fries.  Or, you could try to buy something that Australians love.  Beer.  Or most alcohol for that matter.  The exception is wine.  They give that stuff away.  But beer and liquor and pre-mixed cans of liquor and mixer will cost you a pretty penny.  Which we don't have.  So a pretty fifty dollar note.  A 24 pack of the cheapest beer will run you over $30.  A 700mL bottle of Bacardi for mojitos (it is summer here) will run you $33.  There will be no bringing bottles back home from this trip.  Cokes are similarly expensive, $2.80 for a 600mL from the vending machine.  Not as bad, but still enough to quell most desires for a coke as refreshment.  But sushi, normally moderate to expensive back home, is dirt cheap.  Fast food sushi bars will sell you a roll for under $3.  Fast food only because they keep a fresh supply on ice to hand you as you order.  Its quite the system.  I have yet to see if its any good.  But it exists nonetheless.  So there is the monetary system of the Land Down Under.  Maybe I'll get around to more at some point.  But now its time to return to Color For Dollars class.  Which has more meaning now that the dollars are so colorful.