12 Things After 2 Months in Australia

Can you believe I’ve been in Australia for 2 months? I can’t, but I’ve sure gotten used to the travelling lifestyle. I’m constantly discovering things and meeting new people. There’s always another adventure around the corner, and I never know what to expect. Sometimes I may sleep in a tent or a cozy hostel. I could get drinks with friends or eat by myself in a crowded restaurant. Maybe I rent a car and explore alone or go on tour and meet tons of new people. Every day is different, and I love it.

A month ago I made the post 12 Things After 1 Month in Australia, and it’s already time for the second installment. I could title this “50 things after 1 month in Australia,” but I’ve managed to narrow it down to the 12 things that stand out to me the most. So here’ goes.

Pumping Gas

The whole experience is different. For one, the gas station reeks of gas. Gross. Gas tends to leak out of the pump and it gets over the side of your car. Last time I was pumping gas it leaked so much that I had to change pumps. I even informed the lady at the counter but she didn’t seem to care.

You also have to hold the pump. There no convenient click-thing to hold the gas pump in place while you relax your arm. I’ve heard some states in the US don’t have them either, but they sure are convenient.

Lastly, you pump gas before you pay, and you have to pay inside. Pull up, pump your gas right away, then go inside and pay. I keep wondering if people ever just drive off?

Target

Target doesn’t smell like target. Yes you read that right, and it feels wrong. I expect each Target to be just like the last Target I went into. This includes the smell. You will probably never notice the smell of Target until you go into one that doesn’t smell right.

Target itself is very different. They sell clothing and household items, but there’s certainly no grocery or toiletry section. The question still remains for me: “Where do I go when I want to shop for everything at once?” No idea.

The Food Sucks

Either the food in Australia sucks, or the food in California is really good. The one thing Australia has perfected is brekky (breakfast). I’ll admit they make a consistently good eggs Benedict, and the muesli (granola with yogurt and berries) is always very tasty.

Another thing that’s always good are the salads. I’ve ordered 3 salads and they have been some of the best salads I’ve ever had. The good thing is I’m more likely to order salads when I eat out.

Other than brekky and salads, I’ve been very unimpressed with the food. Especially when you compare the taste with the price. I’ll list off the memorable meals I’ve had.

Pho in Adelaide (except the noodles were too soft)

Burger in Alice Springs (it wasn’t really a burger, but that’s what they called it and it was good)

Fish and Chips on Phillip Island (Fish and Chips are a big thing here)

That’s it. Just those three. I have a much longer list of food I’ve tried and didn’t like. That being said, I’ve just arrived in Melbourne which I am told is the foodie capital of Australia. As I strolled through the city today I saw a mass of hip cafes and trendy hangouts. I have high expectations for Melbourne, and I’m really hoping to ease some of my food cravings while I’m here (sushi and tacos, anyone?).

Everything is Expensive

Unbelievably expensive. Especially food. I’m not talking about nice places where things should be expensive. I’m talking about you average, basic experience.

– A night at a decent hostel is $30. The price I’m used to paying is $25. Sure, this isn’t a big difference, but it adds up.

– An average dinner at a restaurant is $25-$35. The price I’m used to paying is $15. Entree salads are usually $25, while chicken and veggies is $30. Steak or fish is around $35.

– An average breakfast is $17. The price I’m used to paying is $12. This is for a dish like eggs benedict, or bacon and eggs. And you don’t get all the cool sides like hashbrowns and toast either.

– A motel like Motel 6 is never less than $100. The price I’m used to paying is $80. $120 is the max I’d pay for a Motel 6 and there better be a festival in town.

This is all USD by the way.

I’ve never been a breakfast person. You have to get me on the right day to eat eggs or pancakes, but I’ve changed my eating habits to accommodate the high restaurant prices. Not only is breakfast the cheapest meal by far, but it’s also consistently good. So when I’m on the prowl for free wifi, I’ll go out for breakfast and use the internet while munching on some eggs florentine.

This means I almost always cook for dinner, which is great. Groceries are cheaper, and I have been to some excellent markets that offer fresh local produce. It’s also healthier. So even though I prefer going out for dinner, it’s simply too expensive for me. When I don’t feel like cooking I head to a breakfast spot instead.

California

When people ask me where I’m from the conversation typically goes like this.

“Where are you from?”

“I’m from California.”

“No way! What part of Cali are you from.”

At this point I’m never sure if they can see the twitch in my eye or hear the slight grating of my teeth. Every Californian will tell you that if you call our big, beautiful state “Cali” it sounds like this…

Smog Checks

Please Australia, get on board with smog checks! There have been countless times where I’ve stood at a cross walk and gotten a huge whiff of exhaust fumes. I have been told this is better regulated in bigger cities, so hopefully I won’t be accosted by the smell of “UHG” when I’m walking in downtown Melbourne.

Australians Like Giving Each Other Crap

And I love it. It’s a tradition in my family to give each other as much crap as possible. If you dish it out, you’ve got to be able to take it. The Australians are brutal and it’s hilarious. Some fellow travelers don’t realize it’s all in good fun. Friends of mine have complained about Australian’s giving them crap, not realizing it’s just their sense of humor. They give you crap, you give them crap, and you all laugh about it.

Avocados

Beautiful, green, smooth, delicious, tasty avocados. In California they always seem be in season. Typically they are one for $1, or even two for $1 during Superbowl (guac anyone?). When I was in Northern Australia avocados were expensive, but plentiful. I can live with a decent size avocado for $2.

The further south I went, the less avocados I saw. In Alice Springs they simply didn’t even have them. I thought I was going to have a heart attack! In Adelaide, a big city, they were tiny and expensive. I’m not sure what I’ll do if I don’t get my avocado fix soon (probably die).

Signature Check

If I make a purchase over $35 with my credit card I have to sign the receipt. Cashiers are adamant about making sure the signature on the back of my card matches the receipt. It’s impressive! I usually just thrown the card back in my purse and they have to ask me to get it out again. Sadly this means I can’t sign silly things anymore, like Miss Awesome.

Bread and Butter

They charge for it, and not just a few dollars. It’s usually $6 – $8 for bread and butter. I learned this the hard way when my server casually asked if I wanted bread and butter before my meal. “Yes please” (who doesn’t?). When the bill came I saw a whopping $8 charge for bread and butter that I didn’t finish because it would have ruined my appetite. I would have eaten it no matter what if I’d known it was $8.

Quick Bites

Grocery stores have a very lackluster “take away” section. When I want something quick to eat, but don’t want to deal with an actual establishment, I head to the grocery store. The deli counter is always a good standby for a yummy sandwich. It may not be the best sushi ever, but if I want something simple I can grab a Caterpillar roll and call it a day. If I want something healthy, the bagged salad selection is a good call.

This isn’t the case in Australia. They have rotisserie chicken and really horrible prepackaged salads, but everything else requires some sort of prep work. Which means if you’re aching for a quick meal you have to shell out the big bucks and go to an actual restaurant.

Driving

I’ve rented a car several times and can kinda call myself an expert at driving on the left side of the road. It’s different, but not as confusing as I thought it would be. I still prefer the right side, but driving on the left is pretty easy.

I’m finally used to all the round-abouts. Upon entering my first round-about I was really confused and didn’t know what to do. How do blinkers work? Where does the person next to me go? Which exit do I take? Now I know what to do and they’ve grown on me. I yield for a few seconds when entering, but other than that I never completely stop. Not like a stop sign. The only time I don’t like round-abouts is when they are so small that a simple stop sign would have made more sense than doing an awkward tight half turn squeeze.

People go the speed limit in Australia. It’s pretty amazing. The average posted speed here is slower than California, but if 55 mph is the freeway speed, that’s what people go. I’ve learned that drivers get a 3% leeway above the speed limit before a cop can give them a ticket. So if the speed limit is 100, you can go 103. That’s not much, but it seems to be working because I rarely see people going above the posted limit.

What’s Next?

During my second month in Australia I went to Litchfield National Park, Alice Springs, West Macdonnells, Uluru, Coober Pedy, Adelaide, the Victoria Highlands, and Melbourne. I plan to spend most of November in Tasmania. It’s supposed to be cold, but I’m trying to prepare myself for the worst weather possible. After all, it is really far South. I can’t wait!

Where I’ve been after travelling for 2 months!