Long Flight to Australia

Travelling to Australia is not complicated or hard to get to . It is a very long flight so if long flights are not comfortable for you , I suggest you cut the flight by staying overnight somewhere. I plunged right into the total of 23 hour flight via Vancouver then a 15 hour direct to Sydney; yes it is long.

Prepare for the flight to keep busy, well hydrated, try to sleep and move your body for circulation. It is night time during the whole flight which for me was the uncomfortable part. Flying over total darkness over vast waters feels like total isolation and creepy.  This is the long stretch to get through but reaching Australia after a very long flight , is so worth it.

Culturally, Australia feels very much like Canada but there are many differences you should know, they are after all  the land way under.

Electricity

Main voltage in Australia is 230V 50Hz. In Canada we have 100/120   50/60Hz so yes you will need an adapter. They are usually pins that are V shaped and may also have a 3rd one. They are cheap to purchase you can find them at a travel store.

Ladies, for your hot iron it is best to keep it at home and just get a small portable one to carry . The hair straightener is too powerful therefore it will bust.

Money

They have the Australian Dollar so it was very easy to use , the rate is almost at par ,again easy to convert. I personally had no issues with this.

Taxes are all included in the price so no need to worry adding an additional percentage.

No need to tip in any service industry like restaurants, taxis, tour guides or hotels. If you feel you want to, they will kindly accept.

Cultural Differences

This is was quite amusing to see all the differences they do in comparison to us. The very first thing you notice is they drive on the other side in their cars. Yes just like the UK. However, the cars run opposite direction on the roads, this got me some getting used to.

Get in the habit to look BOTH ways before you cross the streets. When I was in Bondi Beach I looked only the left side before crossing the streets until I heard a very loud screeching of the breaks that really got me startled and scared. Be careful and safe .

The climate is hot in the north , colder in the south perhaps it has to do being in the Southern Hemisphere.

When the Aussies get in a taxi, they sit in the front , we sit in the back.

I was on the 13th floor in my hotel, in Canada we do not have a 13th floor.

Australians abbreviate everything . A barbie is a BBQ. A Mossie is a mosquito. A postie is a postman. At the same time when putting an adjective they keep it very simple. If a kangaroo is black, they call it a Black Kangaroo. If a spider has red on the back, yes you got it they call it a Red Back Spider.

Regular coffee is frowned upon, it is just black coffee or long black coffee, please do not say regular. You will just get a long confused  stare , like I did the first day in Sydney. Never said it after that !

Australians love their Vegemite. The right way to eat it is to spread it on toasts after a slab of butter. The taste is very salty but I say it is an acquired taste. I personally did not like it.

Finding free Wifi in Australia is the biggest challenge of your day.

Creepy Crawlies

Australians are very connected to their wildlife or anything creepy like spiders, snakes or insects. What I mean is that it does not bother them, they are so used to them. Before arriving in Australia I had nightmares on what I might find or see in the insect world. The truth is that they are NOT everywhere but specific places.When you see them , they are actually fascinating to see. Like where in the world do you spot a green ant that has a lemony taste ? I didn’t try but I have seen it .

Birds

I have never seen such a vast assortment of bird species than in Australia, again Aussies are so used to this connection. I saw a large Emu bird walking aimlessly on the Harbour, Cockatoos greet you in the park or in the city or the strange looking cassowary in the rainforest.

By the way no need to get yourself an alarm clock, the morning birds are so loud they will replace the alarm clock for you.

I will give a more detailed description on the wildlife. I wanted to just focus now on some cultural differences. Remember Australians are friendly and it’s a safe country. They suggest to be more careful with wildlife than anything else in the country.

Australia is a big country and it is not possible to visit everything. I visited the main areas but I know I will need to go back to discover the other parts.

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