Australia from A to Z

Australia

We underestimated Australia. A country of absolute contrasts☀️🌧.

The clock just ticks differently here. No one is stressed. Everyone is incredibly helpful. One or two sentences always have to be spoken (small talk) and that's not a bad thing at all. But simply too little time for such a big country.🙂

B ack to the 2000s:

The first night in Australia was spent in a motel in Melbourne. We met Steve (a Serbian immigrant). His statement stayed in our minds until today and has been confirmed many times.

"Australians are 20 years behind!"🧐😳

They have the best Wi-Fi network, large modern shopping centers, and mega cities! But a taste in fashion that is unparalleled 🤣. Even supermarkets in the outer cities are mostly operated with paper and pencil. But all of this is very charming & authentic and makes you think.😍

Cassowary

Dinosaurs are extinct? Think again☝🏼

"Hornbirds" have the appearance of a million years ago. They cannot fly and are not entirely harmless. Currently, there have only been two confirmed deaths of humans. Their horn plate is their trademark, but the claws are their actual weapon. They live 150km south of Cairns in the mountains under tropical conditions. If you see them, you should be careful. We say, good to know☝🏼we were denied it and only saw them on the traffic warning signs.

D showering

Unfortunately, showering like at home is currently not possible. Every day we have to look out for a possible shower. At home, we just go to the bathroom and off we go. Here, Campermate is consulted every day. In nine out of ten cases, there is only a cold-water shower. Warm showers don't stand a chance here. But even if we can't find a shower, we are resourceful. Our solar shower has freshened us up many times. A great invention.

E asier driving:

The Greens have wanted it for years. The Minister of Transport and the opposition have been debating it more often. The speed limit makes Germans more relaxed! In our opinion, it also works with a maximum of 130km. Even though 110km is the top speed in Australia. And that speed is still too high.😳

F ast food:

The Golden Seagull, the Subway, or BK are just a few of the numerous local dining options for a quick meal😋. Unfortunately, it's hard to avoid them👿 The reason is the free Wi-Fi. But McDonald's also earns money from us. We don't say no to an McFlurry with "chocolate lentils" and a cappuccino! Negatively: The regular Big Mac is a joke. You have to order the Grand Big Mac to get full.

G rounds:

If you want something nice in the countryside, you don't have to worry about space for your flowers.

Under 5000 m2, there is a doghouse for your dog 🐕. Here, acreage is calculated in hectares. Prices vary depending on the location. 1 hectare of land can cost up to 50000€. It gets more interesting at the spots, coasts & city centers. What do you think we're talking about in terms of prices? Add a zero and we're doing quite well in the third district with 300 m2. Millions are spent on furnished houses here. Crazy, but normal in today's time.

"H ow are you?"

Literally translated, it means, "How are you?" It is part of the culture in the USA. At the gas station, even in the restroom☝🏼😁, it is the opening for conversation. The Aussies 🇦🇺 seem to have adopted it. Even if it is difficult for us Germans to understand, addressing a complete stranger in the toilet with these three simple words 🤣👏🏻 Mega.

I nsects 🐜 🦗🦟

We knew how to control mosquitos in Asia. Thanks to the glorious invention of the mosquito net 🙌🏼. Here in "Down Under," only chemistry in the form of "Deet" spray helps us. However, what we couldn't anticipate were the flies and 🐜ants😩. The first 2 weeks, our faces were full of flies (annoying) Now the ants are coming, besieging our cars. Arrww.

J ellyfish

I rarely saw jellyfish in my life. Of course, I knew about one or two dangerous ones🧐. Australia has plenty of all of them. But they lie simply on the sand, mostly north of Brisbane. And they make a loud noise when you step on them, preferably with flip-flops. Otherwise, there will be painful memories.

K lein = Expensive & Big = Cheap

Shopping at the supermarket offers a huge selection. The packaging is also huge. Unfortunately, they are disproportionately cheaper than the smaller ones for 2 people. That's not our world. It can still be explained somehow. People who live far out in the country simply come to the supermarket less often.

L aundry 

If you've never done it before, like us, you're skeptical. Will it get clean? How much does it cost? Do they have outlets for our hungry electrical appliances? And what kind of people will you meet 🤣  In short: Yes and no (depending on the detergent and temperature setting) 6-8$ for 35 minutes of washing time / the dryer is cheaper and takes less time. We always found one 😁

M ilky Way

No, we're not talking about the delicious milk chocolate bar. We mean the Milky Way! Stargazing is a must. An app helps us distinguish the right stars. On the ship, it was so clear and dark that even the Milky Way shone. Shooting stars can be seen regularly. We've wished for so many things already.😃

N utella

We thought the infamous delicacy from Mr. Ferrero is the same across countries. Our refined palate says,☝🏼 there is more hazelnut in it. The ingredients don't provide any evidence. It's the same everywhere (I compared it on the Ferrero website 🤦🏻‍♂️) it must be due to the local nuts. which are grown here in Narrandera. 🧐👏🏻☝🏼

O vernight parking not allowed

If you have important apps like WikiCamps (just under 5€) or Camper Mate (free), your camper is on the legal side of parking. But sometimes updates don't come in time and then the sign 'Overnight parking ⛺️❌not allowed' pops up. It costs around 230$. Based on experience, we have stayed away from it and found something somewhere else. Necessity is the mother of invention ☝🏼😁

P auses must be taken!:

Truck drivers 🚛 haul loads over 1000km on endless straight roads under tropical, hot conditions. Camping is also a popular pastime, like in the Netherlands. Everyone is advised to take a break. And every estimated 5-10km, signs & advertisements insistently remind you! ‼️🛑 Take a breaaaak! Protect yourself and your passengers! Great initiative by the government!👏🏻 Driving can also be fun. In Queensland, we occasionally see billboards with questions and their answers 500m later 😳🤣

Example question:

What is Rockhampton known for?

Answer:

For its cattle and farms!

Cool 😎, right? They should introduce that in Germany. The only problem would be with the speedsters among us. Who have passed the answer while reading the question 🤣. That brings us back to the speed limit ☝🏼Tada 🎺

Q smoke

The wildfires are devastating. The smoke is disgusting. You don't feel comfortable and your throat itches, not to mention the smell (like in a smoker or at a campfire). We really hope that Australia & its flora and fauna will recover from this.

R oundabout

Driving is a lot of fun. Roundabouts contribute to that, in our opinion. They are not blockades like traffic lights and keep the traffic flowing smoothly. It's annoying when you come from Germany and are used to driving on the right. Don't worry, we never tested driving on the wrong side of the road. But we couldn't avoid a detour or two. The basic difference is that you have to indicate before entering. Unless you are driving straight through - it's actually simple. Like at a regular intersection. A two-lane roundabout can also be managed 😁👍🏼.

S traffic

Driving with an automatic 🚌 is much easier in left-hand traffic. Because shifting with the left hand is no longer necessary. Turn signals and windshield wipers are reversed. Several times, the windshield has been wiped instead of signaling. Takes some getting used to but doable! In the big cities, even with GPS, we often make several detours. The road signs are mostly not comprehensible to us. The exits are indicated with street names and not places. Exits on busy roads sometimes go left or right and lead over/under the main road to the opposite side.

In the countryside, it can be compared to the mountains. Serpentine roads and 20% gradients are normal here. A paradise for car and motorcycle riders.

T anking

140.9$ - 173.9$ - 134.9$ it fluctuates and fluctuates. Refueling is inevitable if you want to make progress 😁. We had no idea in advance how much it costs, how much we consume, and when it is the cheapest! Converted, it is relatively affordable. (80 cents - 1€) With a range of almost 600km on average, it is a big but acceptable cost factor.

U ps moments

• - getting out of a boat onto the shore without knowing how deep it is and then sinking ankle-deep.
• - the clamp in our sliding door
• - a brown tree snake walked through our evening parking space 😱😰

- standing at the counter and not knowing that you need a return ticket for entry

Ver -ied 

We have learned a lot while camping.

Also, cars shouldn't be placed under a big tree. The only advantage is the shade, without a doubt.

Disadvantage: The car ends up with one or two more paint damage / dents from falling branches. Birds also need to relieve themselves and don't pay attention to German visitors! And third rule: they are damn loud in flocks at dawn.🥳😩

With W X Y Z, the Australian alphabet is complete