Don

I liked my time in Australia, in particular the scuba diving was great (Barrier Reef out of Cairns) and the living was easy. Loved homemade sandwiches with delicious fresh bread, pastrami and sundried tomatoes.

Beaches - cool.

What do/ did you like best?

Don

Whoops sorry! Just read a lot of you are pissed off because the points requirement went up to 120, maybe I chose a bad time to ask the question.

WBB

put your foot in it again don!



my fav (touristy) area of oz was cairns, dont think it would be for us full time, but lovely for a holiday.

biggy

LMAO did u wash yer foot b4 u put it in yer gob

booboo1

The driving here is awful.
I saw a woman reversing on a busy roundabout because she had missed her turning. Going al the way round the roundabout was obviously not an option.

All drivers beware.... The driving here is appalling!!!

booboo

bondipom

Roundabouts do seem to challenge the local drivers. I approach with caution and assume no one has any idea of right of way.

WBB

much like driving in the UK then?

ABCDiamond

Sorry WBB. Much worse over here!!!

But I still prefer OZ to UK

Q: Who has right of way on a Roundabout ?
A: Me. i'm going faster !!
or
A: Me, i've got a bigger vehicle !
or
A: Me, I'm going straight on !
or
A: Me, what's a roundabout ?

There are things you will hate about OZ, be prepared for it

But for most of us, the good things outweigh the bad.

hevs

or, me! i'm going the wrong way round it

The driving here is awful. People WILL NOT give way to you and let you pull out into a queue of slow moving traffic. The word courtesy does not exist in the Aussie driving handbook.

hevs

bugger, realised i was about to hijack a positive thread, so things i like about oz. THE ALTERNATIVES!

The way my bins get emptied on a public holiday.
The way my bags are always packed for me in the supermarket.
Junk mail from shops with all the specials in. (its kind of a ritual in our house now as Badge has to fetch it up at the weekend as we don't get it cos our posts not delivered)
The trading post.

bondipom

Any boat operator in particular you would recommend?

ABCDiamond

The easiest way to confuse an Australian driver ?

Pull back, be considerate and wave your hand to let them in.

The expression on their faces is worth it.

I've even seen some of them smile, and wave a thank you back

Some states are worse than others. QLD wasn't that bad a couple of years ago, but there have been too many migrants from NSW recently !! And then of course they started building roundabouts up here.

A few of years ago there were loads of TV adverts, trying to tell drivers what to do when an emergency vehicle comes up behind with sirens and lights going.
When I was last back in the UK, I saw the traffic move out of the way of an ambulance, to let it through, and I just stood there in awe., It was such an impressive sight !! Methinks I'd been in OZ for too long

But all in all, OZ is still the better place for me

renth

I think you're all living in a fantasy world.

The driving here is far more relaxed and stress free and much less aggressive.

And with less traffic that equates to the driving here being loads better.

ABCDiamond

Some states are worse than others

During the day, outside rush hours, I will agree that it is more relaxed. And with rush hours only lasting 1 hour, its not that bad.

It also depends very much on the comparison.
eg: Someone coming from say Cornwall to Sydney may not feel that relaxed.
But someone from London to SEQLD will be very relaxed here.

Comparing Sydney to Brisbane, which I am able to do, Brisbane is much more relaxed but still with a few niggling agravations.

I would assume that WA is even more relaxed for driving.

Badge

There is less traffic on the road even in Sydney and Melbourne.

However, and this may be Sydney and Melbourne, drivers will not let you in, and any attempt to ''force it'" (eg drive halfway to turn right) will often infuriate drivers. The only time when they seem to get mad.

I often let people in, and you won't get that raised hand of thanks.

BM