Things I do differently here
 

I got in my car the other day and it occurred to me that I no longer put the locks down as soon as I'm in. My job repping in London involved a lot of driving and I had made it my business to be safe. It got me thinking what else I do diffferently here and nearly all are positive. Here's my top ten. Will be interested to read other people's - good and bad

1. Don't lock car as soon as I'm in it :)

2. Get up a lot earlier :)

3. Do far more exercise :)

4. Go swimming every weekend :) (The local outdoor pool is heated to 29 degrees in winter!!!)

5. Watch far less TV - a) because it's shite b) have better things to do

6. Never ring anyone (or certainly Aussies) after 8.30-9pm at night. I rang someone once at 9.40pm, got the wrong number and got a mouthful of abuse telling me how late it was !!! :ohmy:

7. Don't do weekly 'big shops'. Tend to buy as we need things and shop at more independants. Big hater of Woolies.

8. Able save money rather than look at the overdraft grow

9. Eat more prawns :)

and the best of them all...the good old Aussie ethic....

10. Work to live not live to work

Sunshine Sarah
3 years here and happy as Larry

Re: Things I do differently here
 

Thats a great post Sarah - Made me smile on a gloomy overcast day
Thanks for sharing

Lindsey:D

Re: Things I do differently here
 

it is a gloomy overcast day with rain here too (Sydney)

Re: Things I do differently here
 

I still lock the doors - not on every occassion, but still do it (did have someone try to open my door in London). There are car jackings in Sydney - now my car is not top range sporty thang, but don't want opportunistic thieves going for my handbag or sat nav whilst waiting at lights.

ok back to subject of differences:
during winter (at least in this rental) wear shoes or double socks (1 being thermal) inside.
shortening words - arvo, docos, ......
go to the park more (but then I do have another child)
go out (prob by beach) for Sunday brekkie
I have NOT been scuba diving (yet....)
take more care of being in the sun
phone rings less, but do skype chats/video
go throught red traffic lights - only if it is a left turn & says I can!
drive in the middle lane even if there is no traffic in LHS lane
have friendly chats with people I don't know

Re: Things I do differently here
 

Appreciate and wish for rain
Avoid sun and find shade
Coat self in sunblock daily
Drive a bigger car
Eat thai and asian food more often
Marvel :sneaky: at how much healthy food like vegetables can cost :eek:
Look at overseas travel as a rare luxury
Run on a beach daily
Surf
Pay lots for medical/health/dental needs:eek:
Love the potato chips Red Rock RULE:D

Re: Things I do differently here
 

Guess you must be loving today then!

Re: Things I do differently here
 

See the sea every day on the way home from school
Go to a park by the sea at least once a week
Own a Boogie Board - and use it!
Have a bucket in my shower (to collect the water while it warms up to throw on garden later)
Go to church more than once a year (kids go to a catholic school here)
Hear a Kookaburra most days
See Koalas in the Park
Drive a 4WD (would never have parked one in the UK)
Pinch mysellf to make sure I'm not dreaming!
Do a lot less ironing (water softer here)
Read books - TV really is rubbish
Have BBQs at the beach
Get very suprised if I wake up and its cloudy!

Re: Things I do differently here
 

Spray the house for insects & spiders,
Never do the garden,
Always check my sunvisor,
Shake my boots and clothes,

:D

Re: Things I do differently here
 

Yes but its mid summer here :rofl: should expect this then shouldn't I:huh:
Lindsey

Re: Things I do differently here
 

You should come somewhere warm and sunny in winter like Melbourne! (we sat outside for lunch both days this weekend). :D

Buzzy

Re: Things I do differently here
 

Don't understand this absolute obsesion with the sun. Yes its hot but for god sake chill out. Walking to your car from the front door does not require a head to toe dose of factor 30.
My wifes family live in dubai and if you think the sun is strong here you should live there, you wouldn't go out in daylight.

Re: Things I do differently here
 

Raining all day in brisbane.. but first rain we've seen in weeks. Be glad if it adds a few cms to the pool level.

Re: Things I do differently here
 

Mow alot more grass!!

Live a semi-rural life in a house (compared to a city life in a flat)

I do alot more work at home around the house - and a lot more community interaction - in a city it was more bars, the singles scene etc.

I'm married, now, with 2 kids. It hit me today that some factors of our life are dictated by babies - and yet I still like it here. It can only get better as in some ways we are limited in what we can do by them.

You can see that my life is as different as can be - which is one of the reasons I cannot complain - as I can't in some ways compare.

I don't think I would have liked to have kids in the UK.

Re: Things I do differently here
 

I agree with this, I use a moisturiser of 15 if I remember(!) for just going to work etc. I rarely stand in the sun and am not a beach person- I haven't sunbaked once in 4 years. I wear a hat for mowing and will apply cream if I am going to be outside...if I remember.

The reality though is that over 40 years plus that exposure will count.

As migrants we've actually avoided most of the damage and exposure already, and when you look at the sun-ravaged over 50s they were around before the early 80s campaigns. It will be interesting to see what 20 year olds will look like in 40 years time.

Re: Things I do differently here
 

Some?????? :rofl:

Buzzy

Re: Things I do differently here
 

who is larry ??
and whys he so sodding happy :rofl:

Re: Things I do differently here
 

There are two commonly repeated contenders for the derivation. One is that it refers to the Australian boxer Larry Foley (1847 - 1917). Foley was a successful boxer who never lost a fight. He retired at 32 and collected a purse of £1,000 for his final fight. So, we can expect that he was known to be happy with his lot in the 1870s - just when the phrase is first cited.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/40850.html


:D

Re: Things I do differently here
 

:zzz::zzz::zzz:

Re: Things I do differently here
 

More likely it was Larry the Pom, who managed to get his sparkies licence within a few days of arriving :D

Re: Things I do differently here
 

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:
thats better ;)

Re: Things I do differently here
 

Not bloody likely though :lol:

Re: Things I do differently here
 

Hmmmm.....

1. I don't spend 9 months of the year pining for a bit of sunshine and relief from low cloud base, grey skies and drizzle.
2. I surf (well, boogie board, can't surf for shit) at least once a week and train with surf club on rescue boards and inshore rescue boats at least once a week.
3. I don't buy ready meals (admittedly helped by the fact that you can't get 'em here) - but cook from the basic ingredients. Apart from every second night when I can't be arsed and we have a burger or noodles. :o
4. I've started my own business.
5. I don't drive as fast - even though coppers are rarer than British sporting victories round these parts.
6. I have more friends and when we get together we don't all talk about how much our houses are worth.
7. I can lean back in my chair and stretch without touching both walls of my office simultaneously, because my new home office is the size of my old living room, dining room and kitchen combined.
8. I don't go shopping on Saturday afternoons or Sundays ... because there's **** all open round these parts (working people don't need the weekend to go shopping you fools!).
9. I occasionally use public transport - for the most part it's as shit as anywhere in the world - but at least you don't have to remortgage the house to travel into the city.
10. I do 'things' with my evenings and weekend, rather than planning trips to out-of-town carpet warehouses.

Things I do the same
1. I wear shorts year-round.
2. I go barefoot whenever possible.
3. I harvest all my televisual entertainment from the Internet, rather than the airwaves.
4. I smoke ... (yea, I know ... I know ...)
5. I support England in cricket and rugby.

Re: Things I do differently here
 

Hi! just to say i always like your posts! we are moving to Mellie jan, and always feel happier reading your thoughts/advice and info. Thanks!!Tracey.xx:thumbsup:

Re: Things I do differently here
 

Brilliant :thumbsup:

Re: Things I do differently here
 

But it's summer here - and winter with you!!!!

Re: Things I do differently here
 

Thanks! Good to know the drivel I scrawl inspires somebody!

Buzzy

Re: Things I do differently here
 

true, but yesterday there was more than the average for all of August in just one day.
Which is good as it means we don't have to top up the pool (may have to empty some), water the garden, and if we are lucky some of it might have fallen into the catchment area