Australia is the same as the UK… but different too.

Back to what this blog was meant to be about, my experience in Australia…..

It’s just over 3 months since I landed in Oz (14th April), so I thought it was time that I blogged about some of my insights

Perth is a great city, however Winter wasn’t the best time to come here. There isn’t the pub culture that you get in the UK, especially coming from Brighton. Weekend there is, Friday and Saturday nights as per the UK, with the added tradition of the Sunday session, normally 4pm onwards.

When the summer comes it will be more social I have been told, where it turns into a beach, BBQ and beer lifestyle.

Having to get used to limited opening hours as well, after being able to buy anything you needed 24 hours a day, plus shops and pubs open on Christmas day it has been a shock to the system when I can’t go to the supermarket after 6pm as most are shut, only late night opening on a Thursday. Plus, except for the City centre, shops don’t open Sundays (there are a few exceptions).

Public transport is also an issue, Sunday and bank holidays you have no chance getting anywhere without a car. The Public transport system the rest of the time works, and it is cheap…. very cheap

So, the next purchase is a car, I have to get one. Try going supermarket shopping once a week (’cos of the aforementioned opening hours) and either have a 20-30 minute walk home or struggle onto a bus. Fancy going to the beach on a Sunday or across the river to the South Shore, forget it.

TV is interesting, loads of shit reality TV and shit UK programs plus an addiction to Gordon Ramsay, however new Simpsons; new Futurama; re-runs of Red Dwarf, Formula 1 (ITV commentators too) and the X-Files from the very 1st episode. Plus I have a flat-screen TV, HD ready that cost less than 400 pound. Oh yeah, they treat you like an adult too… they allow swearing and mature themed TV and movies on at anytime.

Things are cheaper too, as a renter I do not pay water, sewage, council tax or have to have a TV licence.

I do miss loads about the UK and things are the same, but different

The biscuits in Australia, other than Tim-Tams (mmmm Tim-Tam Slam) are poor and have no dunkability.
All the newspapers are by Murdoch and are packed full of advertising and very Sun-esque
The @ sign and the : are in different places on my keyboard
Burger KIng is known as Hungry Jacks.
Crisps are called chips.
Chips are known as hot chips (or fries)
Duvets are known as doonas
Football is soccer
Letter boxes are not in your front door, they’re in a block by the entrance to the complex (and get soaked)
Books are fucking expensive
Everything is metric (I am now weigh 69 kilos and I am 170cms… god knows what shoe size I am!!)

However, they know how to get it right (and make it better) too

Aussie Rules Football is a religion (and is much better than soccer)
Rugby is a passion (one that I whole-heartedly support)
There are Australian bands that are great, but not heard of in the UK.
Virgin Mobile are here in Oz and are as great as the UK
Motorsport is on all the time
They are learning from the mistakes of the UK with regards to social networking (Web 2.0) and are catching up fast (and innovating in ways that would excite the UK)
The beer is colder here (sorry guys, the UK serves the beer warm)

Australia isn’t the UK, that’s what I have to remember. If I want to live in the UK, I should live in the UK and I am now looking forward and embracing what made me move to Australia in the 1st place.

The summer is on the way, constant sunshine and hot weather, the beach, the ocean, the laid back attitude

Australia is an amazing place, young, open-minded and with so much money and future to offer…… So, Where the bloody hell are you?!?