What's your first impression of Australia?

[Icewind]

Just the first thing which comes into your head will do.

Paul Hogan, Steve Irwin, Campfires, VB, XXXX Gold, Fosters, Bathurst, V8's and Supercars, women, blokes, clowns, idiots, Brisbane, goatee beards, the new trend "skunk" hairstyle, AFL, cricket, outback, hot, dry, arid, deserted, Ayers Rock, Uluru, Darwin, Cairns, city life, smoking, pollution, high prices everywhere, politics, schools... I could ramble on forever...

[Blackspear]

Well mine was extreme heat when I arrived, and the day after I found out about rips, and their ability to suck you out to sea ::) ;D

[slammer_JvA]

First impression: It's HUGE

When flying over there to Sydney, coming from Bali, and already having travelled for 20+ hrs, I really thought I was nearly there...wrong! It took another 5 hrs or so to arrive; remember looking at the map in the airplane, wondering how the outback just went on forever..

Apart from that: LAID BACK people, beautiful coastal lines, sunshine, the most blue skies I'd seen in my life; nature (Tazzie- I love it), contrast between the rich and the poor (aborigines..); great BEERs!; the weirdest animal life (all kinds of strange possums and beautiful exotic birds); good infrastructure at the eastcoast; Victorian influences (architecture); great food -> Asian-European melting pot etc etc etc

In short:

OZ: On Top Down Under!

[beetlejuice69]

My first impression of Oz is killing baby kangaroos. When I was a kid it showed a father and son on TV out beating baby kagaroos against trees. Now I don`t think that happens anymore but it stuck with me for 40 years. NOW my second impression is it`s a beautiful place and I`d love to go there,

[snowbound]

Roos, cute Koalas, platypus, aborigines and the strangest of all, BS and BB. :D ;) ;D


snowbound

[Blackspear]

-{ Quote: "...and the strangest of all, BS and BB. :D ;) ;D" }-ROFLMAO, oh that will keep :P ;D

[big ed]

-{ Quote: " and the strangest of all, BS and BB. :D ;) ;D


snowbound" }-

I'm in a lose...lose...situation here and seeing that you have beat me to the punch w/your timely observation I see no reason to incur the wrath of the Blacksmergian and Buckonian Forces of Dark Doings!

I am content!!

Preening in Perth, Pragmatic ed

[Peaches4U]

Been to OZ four times and look forward to at least another trip Downunder. What's not to like when in paradise?? ;) 8)

[bigc73542]

The very friendly people of course ;D ;) all the rest is just a bonus.

[Icewind]

-{ Quote: "Roos, cute Koalas, platypus, aborigines and the strangest of all, BS and BB. :D ;) ;D

snowbound" }-

Gee, tell you something, you don't ever want to hit a roo while driving... people tell me it's like hitting a MACK truck... :o

David. :)

[bigbuck]

Sunshine, Beaches, Beautiful Women, Beer........

.....and to think the Poms sent us out here as convicts! This is supposed to be punishment! ;D ;D

Thanks England! ;) ;)

[ErikAlbert]

My sister imigrated to Australia in 1972 and in her last email, she was complaining about too little water.
No rain. Not enough water in the dam. She lives near Sydney.
So she got alot of rules how to use the water and the neighbors are spying on her to make sure, she follows the rules or else, they will report her to punish her.
The rest seems to be OK. :)

[dog]

Penal Colony :D

~Sorry I couldn't resist~ ;D J/K of course

This will probably get me a few bumps :lurking:

[abhi_mittal]

Sydney Harbour
Kangaroos
Aborigines

Wanna go there!!!!

[wildman]

:) Dinky die, born in the wool Aussie. Oh by the way I'm a "YANK".

Loved it from the time I steeped off the plane, and still have very fond memories of it and it's people. Look at my stories, I think there are a few that take place in that country.

Thanks
Wildman

[bigbuck]

......and there's also all those 'cuddly' animals just waiting for a pat! ;)

[beetlejuice]

-{ Quote: "......and there's also all those 'cuddly' animals just waiting for a pat! ;)" }-
Wel Buck, if I ever come down there for one of your tours, I'll just let you pat the friendly animals for me. Your the expert you know. ;D

[Kye-U]

Beer and Koalas. Ah...

[Kye-U]

http://www.proexotics.com/retail_products/non_PE/images/gomek_the_big_giant_croc_jpg.jpg

[Icewind]

-{ Quote: "Sunshine, Beaches, Beautiful Women, Beer........

.....and to think the Poms sent us out here as convicts! This is supposed to be punishment! ;D ;D

Thanks England! ;) ;)" }-

That's it mate, I agree! Cheers for the beers, eNgLaNd! ;D ;D ;D

And as for the photo of the circled croc...

Steve Irwin: "CRIKEY! DON'T WANNA PAT ONE OF THEM BUGGERS! WUOGH!"

David.

[Rita]

a place I'd love to visit

[ErikAlbert]

And don't forget Belgium, THE country of beers.
http://www.dma.be/p/bier/1_11_uk.htm#topvanpagina

You have to say 1,547 times "Cheers" to taste all of them 8)

[bigbuck]

10 mins from home......last week.

[Primrose]

Waltzing Matilda :-*

http://www.nla.gov.au/epubs/waltzingmatilda/

The Queensland Version ;) with JUMBUCK jump up .

[cheater87]

its violent game BAN IT!!!!!!!!

[Triple Helix]

It would be first on my List to Visit next would be Hawaii!!

Cheers,;D

[culla]

i live in south australia first impression a holiday camp beautiful
next impression a stupid government selling out!

[Rilla927]

-{ Quote: "i live in south australia first impression a holiday camp beautiful
next impression a stupid government selling out!" }-

Hi up there, Triple Helix!

Hi Culla, Australia is so beautiful! Is the standard of living higher their than USA?

I've been telling my husband "lets move to Australia". He said, you can't just decide your going to move there, you have to apply citizenship and be excepted; is that true?

[bigbuck]

-{ Quote: "Australia is so beautiful! Is the standard of living higher their than USA?" }-Oh absolutely! It's a very high standard of living! Take a look at my newly renovated bathroom. It has hot and cold running sawdust...;)

[culla]

-{ Quote: "Hi up there, Triple Helix!

Hi Culla, Australia is so beautiful! Is the standard of living higher their than USA?

I've been telling my husband "lets move to Australia". He said, you can't just decide your going to move there, you have to apply citizenship and be excepted; is that true?" }-

having never lived in the us i don't know, but i'm sure you have good and bad, same here.
if your rich its sweet us dollars are worth more than aus dollars

citizenship is easy but true

[beetlejuice]

They have a very charming language all their own.;D

A prime example---Buck's night Stag party, male gathering the night before the wedding
http://www.speak2you.com/ELF/Slang.shtml

[Icewind]

-{ Quote: "Is the standard of living higher their than USA?

I've been telling my husband "lets move to Australia". He said, you can't just decide your going to move there, you have to apply citizenship and be excepted; is that true?" }-

You certainly do have to apply for Australian Citizenship with your VISA or similar at Customs. :D You also have to declare all plant, food and animal material to Quarantine at all Australian major airports. If you don't... smack-bang... you get a $60,000 fine. :o Otherwise, our Gov. believe you're Illegal Immigrants trying to get a "free-ride" into our country!!! ;)

As for the standard of living here, God yes, it's much better than the U.S., only that our Government is totally stuffed up by high petrol (gas) prices and a sky-rocketing increase in excise tax. But the thing which "ahem's" me off is this new Unfair Dismissal Laws they've brought in, where people are unfairly removed from their jobs because employers can overpower the workers, therefore they can sack innocent people for no reason whatsoever. Good luck Mr. Howard, at the next federal election... :P

Take care,
David. :)