quicko: pumpkins

This one comes from Mom again:  there's a whole range of produce here that we'd call by various kinds of squashes, such as acorn or yellow.  Thus, an Australian "pumpkin" has a much broader definition than an American one.

quicko: brackets

AKA parenthesis.  Our brackets they call square brackets.  Perhaps it's only a select few copy editors who really care, but count me in.  And give me my parenthesis back.

photo: theological statement of interest

Mom and I found this highly theologically charged statement on our journeys here.  Agree?  Disagree?

quicko: post boxes

Blog, meet Australia Post box.  Australia Post box, meet blog.

quicko: library rant

I've mentioned before that I don't care for the Customs House library, but I'd like to mention it again.

I want a book.  Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde, specifically (and would be hugely grateful if anyone has a copy I could borrow!), because I was halfway through my American library's copy of it when it had to fly home with mom.  So tonight I went to see if I could get it from the CHL.

First, they didn't have it on the shelf.  Fair enough.

Second, they only have one copy of it.  Poor form, in my opinion.  It is, after all, a popular book, and they are, after all, a library.  (A lending library, even, which is more than you can say for other libraries in Sydney!)

Third, they wanted to charge me.  Not just once.  Three times.  First, for unpaid fees.  Not fines, fees.  It seems I've requested other books in the past and not collected them, thus racking up fees.  Second, for the fee of requesting this one.  Third, a membership fee of $15 because I don't live in the CHL's technical jurisdiction.  (Remember that north-south divide here?  Sheesh.)  I might just point out that I actually paid that membership fee already -- but over a year ago.  Evidently it's expired.

Bearing in mind that on the last $15 I paid I only ever checked out one book, I didn't feel up to justifying trying again.  By the time you add up all my fees, you're very near the cost of just going out and buying the book.

Either that or trying the North Sydney library, which is what the librarian more or less recommended.  Possibly I won't have to pay there, though she can't guarantee it.

photos: highlights of mom's visit

quicko: the biggies

So Mom has gone home now, but in light of her visit (and, more importantly, my own observations!) I thought a top ten list of major differences you really ought to be aware of as an American traveling to Australia might be in order.  Thus, without further ado:

10.  The seasons are switched.
9.  They use metric instead of imperial measurements.  (i.e., Celsius, liters, grams, kilometers, etc.)
8.  The dates are switched (i.e., my February birthday is 9/2 and not 2/9).
7.  The electrical outlets are different.
6.  Floors are labeled starting with "ground" instead of "1."
5.  Tipping isn't ever necessary.  (and even wrong, some may protest ...)
4.  Tax is included in prices.
3.  There are numerous lexical differences.
2.  They have accents!  (great ones, no less!)
1.  They drive on the left.