NPR

I spend 2 months a year in Oz, the last 2 years. Watching the people cope with the bush fires made me so proud. I started watching Bondi Rescue in hospital, what a great country Oz is. Oz has many flaws, but by and large it is the best country in the world. I have been to 104 countries. NZ may be better, but our weather pips it for me.

Will most likely move back to Gold Coast when I get my certificate that I am clear of the virus. And there is a game of rugby on tomorrow morning. Life is good.

Australia is a brilliant. It's why i go there all the time on holiday.

My favourite country after Ireland

Yeah its fantastic tbh. People are generally friendly, sociable and open minded. Beats NZ because its bigger, more diverse and warmer.

CrazyIslander wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2020 8:26 pm Yeah its fantastic tbh. People are generally friendly, sociable and open minded. Beats NZ because its bigger, more diverse and warmer.

I have only been to Oz three times and I like it a lot but I’m not an expert. However, open minded? You sure?

Un Pilier wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2020 8:42 pm

CrazyIslander wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2020 8:26 pm Yeah its fantastic tbh. People are generally friendly, sociable and open minded. Beats NZ because its bigger, more diverse and warmer.

I have only been to Oz three times and I like it a lot but I’m not an expert. However, open minded? You sure?

Yeah. What you see on the news are usually outliers, its not how it is on the street.

They are also about 10 years behind the UK in the investment sector (in terms of technical sophistication and technology) which means it's a comparatively easier living than the UK

Shamefully haven't been to NZ yet so can't compare, still think Scotland shades Aus on many of the things I personally value but I'd rather live under ScoMo than Sturgeon, that's for sure.

CrazyIslander wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2020 8:26 pm Yeah its fantastic tbh. People are generally friendly, sociable and open minded. Beats NZ because its bigger, more diverse and warmer.

I took a road trip from Sydney to Melbourne and back in 2008. I’ll never forget it. The Aussies I met in small towns were the friendliest, most hospitable people I’ve met anywhere in the world.

FujiKiwi wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 1:15 am The Aussies I met in small towns were the friendliest, most hospitable people I’ve met anywhere in the world.

Yep 100%.

I've a long list of great experiences of Aussie awesomeness but one of the most unexpected was when I went to Adelaide on my own.
I emailed a bloke I used work with in Dublin telling him I was coming for a few days and he turned up at the airport to meet me.
Long story short he took me to his mate's stag and the stag asked me house sit for him while he was on his honeymoon.
After 3 months backpacking that was heaven.

Wow! Just watched the 60 minutes special on the Aussie Labour Party Adem Somyurek, how corrupt.

Labour should be disbanded, so corrupt. WTF are you guys doing while I am away? Get your shit together!!!!

I miss it sometimes....

Koalabyte wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2020 8:44 pm Wow! Just watched the 60 minutes special on the Aussie Labour Party Adem Somyurek, how corrupt.

Labour should be disbanded, so corrupt. WTF are you guys doing while I am away? Get your shit together!!!!

I didn’t watch that show, but you need to read some books about Oz corruption If you think the ALP is the most corrupt party.

towny wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2020 10:16 pm

Koalabyte wrote: Sat Jul 11, 2020 8:44 pm Wow! Just watched the 60 minutes special on the Aussie Labour Party Adem Somyurek, how corrupt.

Labour should be disbanded, so corrupt. WTF are you guys doing while I am away? Get your shit together!!!!

I didn’t watch that show, but you need to read some books about Oz corruption If you think the ALP is the most corrupt party.

The ALP are just inept in their keeping it secret. LNP don't care and are brazen enough to ignore any reportage of it - plus they get free passes from the Murdoch press.

Corruption in Politics is as old as the Athenians

Dealing with it is the issue

Been quite a few times and my sister lives there.

Love the place, good people, great scenery, lovely food.

But for me just a great place for a holiday, after a while it becomes very dull with not much to do. Can’t imagine not being a able to jump on a plane and an hour later be in a new culture, new food, new wine etc, Europe rocks

Slick wrote: Sun Jul 12, 2020 5:43 pm Been quite a few times and my sister lives there.

Love the place, good people, great scenery, lovely food.

But for me just a great place for a holiday, after a while it becomes very dull with not much to do. Can’t imagine not being a able to jump on a plane and an hour later be in a new culture, new food, new wine etc, Europe rocks

I think that last bit is certainly true of a number of places: much of extended Sydney looks like the American Beauty set: lovely detached houses with absolutely nothing else, no pubs, few shops etc. However, some of the central suburbs are awesome: Paddington, Darlinghurst, Rocks, McMahons Point, East Balmain etc.

Do miss the closeness of Europe though, by far the best continent in terms of history, architecture and culture; it is amazing how quickly you adjust to long travel times though, genuinely don't blink at an 8 hour flight these days for a week's holiday, would never have done that in the UK.

Caley_Red wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 1:23 am I think that last bit is certainly true of a number of places: much of extended Sydney looks like the American Beauty set: lovely detached houses with absolutely nothing else, no pubs, few shops etc.

That's not true at all - every suburb has it's pub and shopping area.

I spent over a decade travelling around all of Suburban Sydney.

mat the expat wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:04 am

Caley_Red wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 1:23 am I think that last bit is certainly true of a number of places: much of extended Sydney looks like the American Beauty set: lovely detached houses with absolutely nothing else, no pubs, few shops etc.

That's not true at all - every suburb has it's pub and shopping area.

I spent over a decade travelling around all of Suburban Sydney.

The North shore is fairly bereft, if you live in east lindfield, for example, the nearest pub is in Gordon. Experienced that whilst house sitting up there, over an hour walk or 15 min taxi.

Caley_Red wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:13 am

mat the expat wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:04 am

Caley_Red wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 1:23 am I think that last bit is certainly true of a number of places: much of extended Sydney looks like the American Beauty set: lovely detached houses with absolutely nothing else, no pubs, few shops etc.

That's not true at all - every suburb has it's pub and shopping area.

I spent over a decade travelling around all of Suburban Sydney.

The North shore is fairly bereft, if you live in east lindfield, for example, the nearest pub is in Gordon. Experienced that whilst house sitting up there, over an hour walk or 15 min taxi.

That's the North Shore though - they don't count as they are Nimby's.

Plus they all drive to the pub anyway - some crackers up there.

Western, Southern suburbs all have local pubs

mat the expat wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:17 am

Caley_Red wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:13 am

mat the expat wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:04 am

That's not true at all - every suburb has it's pub and shopping area.

I spent over a decade travelling around all of Suburban Sydney.

The North shore is fairly bereft, if you live in east lindfield, for example, the nearest pub is in Gordon. Experienced that whilst house sitting up there, over an hour walk or 15 min taxi.

That's the North Shore though - they don't count as they are Nimby's.

Plus they all drive to the pub anyway - some crackers up there.

Western, Southern suburbs all have local pubs

Don't venture west too often (unless fot a curry) but some areas of the inner west have no pubs at all: haberfield, for example. There is a great pizza restaurant though.

My experience of the south is entirely restricted to Cronulla which does have a nice suite of pubs.

Caley_Red wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:23 am

mat the expat wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:17 am

Caley_Red wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:13 am

The North shore is fairly bereft, if you live in east lindfield, for example, the nearest pub is in Gordon. Experienced that whilst house sitting up there, over an hour walk or 15 min taxi.

That's the North Shore though - they don't count as they are Nimby's.

Plus they all drive to the pub anyway - some crackers up there.

Western, Southern suburbs all have local pubs

Don't venture west too often (unless fot a curry) but some areas of the inner west have no pubs at all: haberfield, for example. There is a great pizza restaurant though.

My experience of the south is entirely restricted to Cronulla which does have a nice suite of pubs.

Some of the ones in places like Haberfield have closed - very similar to the situation in the UK.

I love spotting the old pubs - in Sydney, if it's on a corner and has enamel tiles, it used to be a pub but is now commonly a coffee shop or cafe.

You need to get out to Panthers to experience the true Aussie lifestyle

mat the expat wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:26 am

Caley_Red wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:23 am

mat the expat wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:17 am

That's the North Shore though - they don't count as they are Nimby's.

Plus they all drive to the pub anyway - some crackers up there.

Western, Southern suburbs all have local pubs

Don't venture west too often (unless fot a curry) but some areas of the inner west have no pubs at all: haberfield, for example. There is a great pizza restaurant though.

My experience of the south is entirely restricted to Cronulla which does have a nice suite of pubs.

Some of the ones in places like Haberfield have closed - very similar to the situation in the UK.

I love spotting the old pubs - in Sydney, if it's on a corner and has enamel tiles, it used to be a pub but is now commonly a coffee shop or cafe.

You need to get out to Panthers to experience the true Aussie lifestyle

I live a minute walk from the Lord Nelson, Hero of Waterloo and Harbour View these days, I rarely get passed them

Caley_Red wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:31 am

mat the expat wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:26 am

Caley_Red wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 3:23 am

Don't venture west too often (unless fot a curry) but some areas of the inner west have no pubs at all: haberfield, for example. There is a great pizza restaurant though.

My experience of the south is entirely restricted to Cronulla which does have a nice suite of pubs.

Some of the ones in places like Haberfield have closed - very similar to the situation in the UK.

I love spotting the old pubs - in Sydney, if it's on a corner and has enamel tiles, it used to be a pub but is now commonly a coffee shop or cafe.

You need to get out to Panthers to experience the true Aussie lifestyle

I live a minute walk from the Lord Nelson, Hero of Waterloo and Harbour View these days, I rarely get passed them

Nice. My old haunts.

I literally have a bar every 25 metres here in the Inner West

Despite her “clear motive to flee”, Judge Adams said international travel was near impossible in the climate, and Ms Rosamond would not be out of reach of police should she travel to Queensland.

“Queensland is still part of Australia, you know,” he said. “Even if some people think that’s unfortunate.”

Little thing amuse me. QLD is paradise... just ask the chinese