Aussie Wine Review, De Bortoli Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Gulf Station

I’ve recently had the pleasure of trying a really fantastic, moderately priced Australian Pinot Noir out of the Yarra Valley. I’m not always the biggest fan of Pinot due to a few unfortunate glasses I’ve tried, but this one ...

Aussie Wine Review, De Bortoli Pinot Noir Yarra Valley Gulf Station

I’ve recently had the pleasure of trying a really fantastic, moderately priced ($17-19) Australian Pinot Noir out of the Yarra Valley. I’m not always the biggest fan of Pinot due to a few unfortunate glasses I’ve tried, but ...

Aussie Translation Guide #6

Hey you Mob! It is time for another colorful Aussie Translation guide! Today we are going to talk about Car related words. One of the fun things of Travel is learning the local lingo. Australia has no shortage of their very ow ...

Driving In Australia, Survival Tips #2

Hello folks! It's that time again! How to Survive while Driving in Australia! I'm putting together a multi-part guide to conditions and issues you need to be aware of while driving in Oz.... If anyone can explain the Melbournia ...

How Well do you speak Aussie? A fun Quiz.

They got me on this one! I got 15 right which qualifies me as... "You'll be apples! Well... nearly anyway. You will communicate fairly effectively with the native population, but they will still mutter "bloody yank" when you ...

Aussie Translation Guide #5

One of the fun things of Travel is learning the local lingo. Australia has no shortage of their very own Aussieisms. They are fun and inventive, though occasionally hard to translate. I endeavor to help ease your transition int ...

Moving to Australia- Some Useful Tips

Hey guys, As the Blog gets bigger and bigger, I know a few of my earlier tips on Survival in Australia and especially in Sydney have gotten a little lost. Here are a few posts worth revisiting.

Arrival into Australia- What you need to know about Customs

You did it! You booked your ticket, survived the ...

Australian Translation Guide #4

One of the fun things of Travel is learning the local lingo. Australia has many terms that are completely unique to their part of the World. This is the fourth in a series to come. It is designed to help Aussies headed overseas ...

Australian Slang. Translation Guide #3

One of the fun things of Travel is learning the local lingo. Australia has so many terms that are completely unique to their part of the World. This is the third in a series to come. It is designed to help Aussies headed overse ...

Aussie Translation Guide #2

One of the fun things of Travel is learning the local lingo. Australia has innumerable terms that are as unique in the world as their very own Platypus (which I saw in the wild just recently- fascinating little creatures!). This ...

Australia- Important Phone Numbers

Hey gang! No one wants to need emergency phone numbers- but everyone should know them. Here are a few of those critical numbers to know. If there is another you are looking for- let me know and I will add it. Happy Travels! ...

I said “Supa Centa!” Where to find storage solutions in Australia.

When I first arrived into Sydney I had a very humbling exercise in race relations while trying to find storage solutions for my bathroom. I have already written about the

Australian Quarantine Domestic Regulations, I am sorry Ma’am- I’m going to have to check those Peaches!

If you are travelling between Australian States- believe it or not- there are still yet more Quarantine laws! Domestic Quarantine Laws are designed to prevent the spread of disease, insects, and invading plant species. They are ...

Coffee in Australia- a land of extremes.

Ahhh the endless search to find a great cup off coffee and a great place to enjoy it. Funny- enough- that is my theory on travel-(and in fact the migration of people around the globe)- the search for new food… or in this case- ...

Cheap Stuff- Pub Meals

One other way to save a bit of dosh on your nosh- is to eat at a pub. You will have to scout your pubs carefully, some are tragically expensive. Then there are the few local beauties that offer $5 steak day, Free steak with the ...

Chips, Crisps, Chilli and Chicken?

One thing I have always enjoyed when travelling to far and distant lands is checking out the local junk food. Even with different states in the US- there is regional variation. I do have to say- awards go to Texas for some of th ...

Oz Survival Guide to Food- Chips, Crisps, Chilli and Chicken?

One thing I have always enjoyed when travelling to far and distant lands is checking out the local junk food. Even with different states in the US- there is regional variation. I do have to say- awards go to Texas for some of th ...

Daily Dose- Useful Surf Stuff, Zoos, and Community Radio!

Surf Forecasting- check out those waves before you get out of bed. http://www.surforecasts.com/australasiaeast/index.htm Brilliant site- full of good site spe ...

Cell phones are for Texting! A Must have.

If you are moving to or even just visiting Australia for more than 2 weeks, a mobile phone is basically a must have. You will end up meeting people you want to contact, making hotel reservations, needing to send a message home. ...

Moving to Australia- General info

Be aware- most of the buildings in Australia do not have AC, central heat- or for that matter screens on the windows. This means you will need to purchase a heater, fan and a mosquito net depending on the season you are here. ...

Australia- Moving in on the Cheap!

As one person has wisely pointed out- Sydney is a very expensive place to live... to help battle that, here are a couple more suggestions for moving to Australia and setting up house on the cheap.

Finding an Apartment in Sydney...Ready.. Set.. Go!

This will more than likely be the most horrifying experience of arriving in Australia. Customs, quarantine, and visa officials have got nothin' on the apartment-hungry-maddened-hordes and indifferent real estate agents. In ...

Australia- Moving in on a budget!

OK- so you’ve arrived into Australia and you need to buy a few housekeeping items- Tupperware, toilet paper, cleaners, extension cords, etc. The first thing you will notice is how ridiculously expensive all the things are in th ...

Darwin- Dress Guidelines

While the climate is tropical this is not a resort town. Darwin is still a city and the most metropolitan one around. The dress is casual…kind of... I was generally surprised at how non-casual the dress was. I brought some ...

The 'Green Bag' phenomenon

Want to be part of the cool crowd? Want to fit in like a local? Seriously- to go to the beach, to a rugby game, to the grocery, on the train... you can't live without... A green bag! The Aussies have really put together a great ...

Darwin- food intolerance info

Coeliac/Gluten Free General Note- While almost all of the Cafes/restraurants were knowledeable about Gluten Free requirements and quite good at working with you on gluten free products, the supermarkets have a very slim selection. ...

Darwin- getting around town

Taxis: For a taxi in Darwin a useful number is 08 8981 3777 or as in all Australian states you can call 131008. In Darwin, taxis only really work on a call out basis during the peak times of the year. Just because you are at a t ...

Cheapest Cities to Fly Into In Australia

We often get asked, what's a good price for Australia airfare? To which we promptly reply, well, where are you coming from? And, the somehow less-obvious question: ...

Danger Down Under

It's time for the annual "Do you know all the things that can kill, harm or seriously maim you in the beautiful land of Australia????" article. This time, it's courtesy of the BBC. In 1  2