Silly Sydney

So about a month ago, I got a job offer back in America, which officially will end my time down under on May 18 and cease the Aussie Adventures for a good while. With a vacation to Thailand in between then, it only leaves me about three weeks to soak in the Harbour City and surroundings. A good part of that time will be catching-up with friends for the last time and tying up loose ends. Don't worry, I'll save time for a kebab or two before then.

Before I go, I wanted to share with those planning to come here some more aspects about Sydney (and all of Oz for that matter) that I find amusing. Maybe you will, too.

They really like their tank tops. They call them singlets here, and apparently it's warm enough to wear sleeveless shirts on a regular basis. I haven't rocked my guns too often, but invest in bright singlets if you're an apparel maker.

While you're at it, make jean shorts and white slipon shoes. Don't know where this fascination came from, but it's a pretty funny look these kids have adopted. Jorts are actually popular and not considered completely redneck. On a trip back to the states recently, my friend Meghan would not let her Aussie boyfriend Adrian roll to a SD Chargers game wearing jorts. Good call.

An all-boys school near my work has the most ridiculous uniforms. So they do the shorts, pulled up socks with shoes, ties and jackets as you would expect in Australia and England. If that's not enough to get your ass kicked, they have to constantly wear these barbershop looking brimmed hats at all times. I'm waiting for a group of them to break out into a rendition of 'Hello, My Baby' at any given moment.

For some reason, ATM cards (which they call EFTPOS) go in and out of the ATM reeeeaaalllyy sloooowly. But the money that comes out sure is colorful.

Have I mentioned how the phrase 'shrimp on the barbie' isn't appropriate since they calls them prawns? Americans must've come up with that one, along with Outback Steakhouse and Fosters.

London has 'mind the gap,' while Sydney-area trains has the less memorable 'doors closing, please stand clear.' But they do have a place called Wooli Creek.

Rice Krispies are called Rice Bubbles, Frosted Flakes are called Frosties, Cocoa Puffs are called Cocoa Pops (without the bird mascot) and Burger King is called Hungry Jacks. There are Woolworths, but it's a supermarket chain with limited cereal isles. Fear not, they have KFCs that actually sell a form of chicken.

One of their official public holidays involves a horse race on a Tuesday. While NSW doesn't get this day off like Victoria and ACT, most people leave at 1:00 for the race at 3, which pretty much revolves around champagne and drinking. Another holiday, which is coming up soon, honors war veterans by betting on dice games.

It's one of the cleaner cities I've come across, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a publicly provided garbage can. One time at a train station, I just had to give up and leave my garbage on the ground. Is it lttering if you genuinely try to throw it away but run out of options?

Bondi is less of a Sydney suburb than a United Nations of transplants from around the world. I'd say Italian, Irish and French win. Or maybe that's just the riff raff I run into at the Dominoes on Tuesday nights.

Sometimes the buses just don't show up for their scheduled stop. Does this happen in other cities? I don't know, have never been a consistent public transporter. Oh, and people love running for public transport. My favorite is when they don't make it.

They have shampoo and conditioner, but never combined the two. Maybe it's a national rule; both in one bottle just doesn't exist.

Brick rules the day. Every other building I come across is made out of brick, and most of those buildings are relatively ugly. Which in the end, kind of makes Sydney look like a sunny Great Britain.


My next g'day Oz post will translate phrases from Aussie to Californian....stay tuned.