Going there likely in early November, potentially for a 1-3 year period (long story).

Just trying to get any info...for now I can't imagine leaving the U.S. but this is a very real possibility.

Good-day mate! Let's put another shrimp on the barby!

[video=youtube;Qx6TL6udmwM][/video]

If you go, you need to dress like Paul Hogan.

Twice for a total of 4 weeks
Sydney area mostly ......and outer area of Sydney
Loved every minute I would love to go back again.
Not real fond of the spider (golden web spider are big but not dangerous) and if you get out from the cities it can be very dangerous with poisonous snakes and spiders. Bats as big as cat are a little strange. The ocean is great, beaches are wonderful and the women are beautiful but then again there are big hungry fish in that ocean.

Side Note: If you are dark skinned the Government will not let you stay for more that 4 weeks at a time. Even the military is restricted from coming to shore of long periods of time. It does not matter your nationality they just don’t want dark skinned people in their country. Now the local Aborigines have all the rights and respect of Government and the Australia people.

Kangaroo is not that great to eat …. They add a lots of pepper to cover the bad taste
Vegemite takes a long time to acquire a taste for….

Belly it would be in Melbourne, sounds now like a 95% chance we are visiting, and a 50% chance my wife will get a promotion to be the 'American' manager there. Any experience in that part of the country?

Manhattan Buckeye;443749 wrote:Belly it would be in Melbourne, sounds now like a 95% chance we are visiting, and a 50% chance my wife will get a promotion to be the 'American' manager there. Any experience in that part of the country?

Melbourne is a great city and lots of fun. My wife also loved Australia. I felt save at all times and the people are very friendly. I could not sleep a few nights (business ideas) and I walked from my Hotel to the Sydney Broadway area safe and very relaxing walk at 3:00 in the morning.
We worshipped at the Hillsong Church ....that was amazing. If you’re a Christian a want a experience of your life I would suggest Hillsong ..note be prepared to jump.
The cost of living is high but the quality of the country and the people is worth it.
To get into the Bush County Area in land is a long trip (if I remember ½ day by rail) but plan on a 4 or 5 day adventure.

The sea food is to die for….
From Melbourne you can go to New Zealand which is another fun place

If your wife can get the job and the money is equal to the cost of living in Australia then do it.
Oh! Point of interest Gas expenses and mortgage are part of the salary package.
Buying a home in Australia is not like in the America. You have to bid on the home and the owner takes the highest bid. That is why part of your salary goes to the purchase of a home so when you get ready to bid you have a nest egg to lower your monthly payments. Gas also is a negotiated part of the salary.

I was there for 10 days and would echo a lot of what Belly said about Melbourne and Sydney, both wonderful places to spend time. The people are very nice and if you somehow find a way to sneak up to the Gold Coast (quite a hike from where you'l be) and out to the great barrier reef I would say to do t. Take a tour of the opera house in sydney and climb the bridge over the harbour(its well worth the money)

darbypitcher22;443876 wrote:I was there for 10 days and would echo a lot of what Belly said about Melbourne and Sydney, both wonderful places to spend time. The people are very nice and if you somehow find a way to sneak up to the Gold Coast (quite a hike from where you'l be) and out to the great barrier reef I would say to do t. Take a tour of the opera house in sydney and climb the bridge over the harbour(its well worth the money)

Climb the Bridge in Sydney is fun .... I could have stay there all day....

Any Chattlers been to Australia?


I'm sure this has already been addressed, but would it be "chatters" or "chatterers?"

I am enjoying the comments put on here by "chattlers" who have been there. Of particular interest to me is belly's comment about the dark skinned people. Is this for real? However, I have a friend who likes to travel. He is a person of color. He cut his visit short to Australia because people kept coming up to him and touching his skin. It creeped him out.

"I have a friend who likes to travel. He is a person of color. He cut his visit short to Australia because people kept coming up to him and touching his skin."

I thought it was the other way around (and to my reading above, didn't notice any comments about touching skin), I haven't been to Africa, but have numerous friends (of the more pale variety) that talked about how during their visits young children liked to touch their skin to see the imprint briefly if the skin is tanned or burned. I'm not sure if that is what you are getting at, or anything else for that matter.

That said, have you been to Australia (or know anyone that has) and can provide info?

If you think that I was trying to be a smart ass, you are wrong. I genuinely find the comments in this thread interesting. My comment was in reference to one of the comments made in belly's post #5. I have never been to Australia. That is why I find belly and darby's comments interesting and informative. I DO know this: don't ask an Austrian about kangaroos. They get pissed. I once jumped around with a little kangaroo that was a pet of a friend. It was fun.

Australia's largest city is Sydney, with a population of 4.5 million, followed by Melbourne, coming in with 4 million. The capital is Canberra.

Austria's largest city is also the capital, Vienna, with a population of 1.6 million.

Oh, and one of my favorite movies of all-time is "Quigley Down Under"!

As a high school student, Mrs. FFT spent a summer there as part of a Rotary exchange program. She traveled around the country and only had great things to say about it, though I'm not sure the experience of a sight-seeing HS student will be very relevant to what you're doing there.

I think it's a great thing that a couple would follow the lead of the better-educated spouse without regard to gender.

Honestly QCB, if this keeps up I'm going to bring up the Ohio St.-Northwestern all-time record.

Then again, September 4, Northwestern-Vanderbilt in Nashville. I'd crow more about it if I even knew who the Vandy coach is currently since Johnson retired (and perhaps pursued a career as a Steve Martin lookalike).