Things I've grown used to since being here..

[Diane]

Walking the dog this morning, I was thinking of all the stuff I have got used to since being here that was different in the UK!

 

Here's my list - I'm sure I'll think of more - of a few things that are different....

 

1. No post at weekends

2. No letterboxes in the doors of houses - you have to walk down the drive and get your post from a freestanding letter box

3. Newspapers being rolled, wrapped in clingwrap, and flung somewhere onto your drive or flower bed

4. Lots of junk mail to browse through, that sometimes is quite useful/interesting

5. The most common birds I see are magpies - I know they have sparrows here but they seem few and far between. In England, seeing a pair of magpies was about the max, here there're loads of them

6. Having to watch out for the magpies dive-bombing you in September

7. Calling felt tip pens "textas"

8. Everyone riding a bicycle has to wear a helmet (one of the more sensible laws I think)

9. Having to park on the correct side of the road

10. Driving with one eye on my speedometer all the time (60 on most main roads, 50 as soon as you turn off onto a side road) and feeling like it's party time when I hit a stretch of road with a 70 or 80 limit!

11. Nice wide roads

12. Saturday being filled with kids sport or musical activities (this may be the same in the UK but my kids were younger when we were there)

13. Bedding being called Manchester, sweets being called Lollies, and having to refer to Football as Soccer when I'm talking to an aussie

14. Sitting up till the early hours watching the Tour De France on free-to-air TV, likewise the Ashes when it's being played in England

15. Being able to go see a National Team play occasionally somewhere local (The Ashes mainly, but also seen The Matildas)

16. Being able to go an see world class bands/acts just a half hour from home (funnily enough, no-one ever came on tour to Chelmsford!)

17. Hearing the phrase Budgie Smugglers (still makes me snigger), and swear words used on TV and radio far more (such as "W*nker" used frequently by otherwise quite refined people!!)

18. Getting asked several times a day how I am? People don't just say "Hi" it's "Hi (or G'Day - yes, aussies do actually say that!), how are ya?" and replying "Good, how are you?" then feeling rude if I don't stop walking to listen to their answer!

19. Listening to decent radio on the computer (coz nothing beats the BBC)

20. Having only about two choices when I want to buy a paper

21. Having to order "white tea" in cafes rather than just "tea"

22. Having to think twice before making reference to kids programmes that everyone in the UK would have heard of, and no-one here has (like Blue Peter for instance, and Magpie, and How?)

23. Hardly having heard (myself - I may be unusual here!) of many well known people here that everyone has heard of (like John Farnham, and Bert Newton)

24. Having to ask complete strangers for advice about something that in the Uk I'd have quickly got on the phone to my Dad to ask (like, how do I prune a rosebush? - thanks Stevo!!)

25. "Pants" are trousers - so when a local radio station has a "Pants Off Friday" it's not quite as risque as my mind wants to think

26. Doing more cooking from scratch as "ready meals" are pretty rare and pretty awful here

27. Cooking with pumpkin on a regular basis rather than just at Halloween

28. Not going "upstairs" to bed

29. Wearing sunglasses (and calling them "sunnies") whenever the sun is out - I don't think I even owned a pair in the Uk but it's just so damned bright here

30. Shortening all those difficult long words "footie, cozzie, firies, ambos..."

31. Being able to dry washing on the line when it's sunny in half an hour, but not having radiators to dry it on inside when it's wet.

32. Cold tiled floors in the bathroom (although come to think of it, and as I've been told by many aussies, it's pretty unhygienic to have carpet in a bathroom/toilet like we had in the Uk!)

 

All stuff I now just take for granted, but now realise is different to what I grew up with all those years!!

 

Any more, anyone?

[Guest Guest75]

Just one...............

 

Adelaide :notworthy:

[adelaidenow]

I didn't communicate with stupid people on forums in UK.

 

And Di, I am not meaning you, I communicate with you offline more than online!!!

 

What day did you vote in UK too?

[Northern Mick]

Great post Dianne, although I've found in my 4 years here that us poms use different sayings and words depending on where you're from in england! For instance, I would use pants to describe trousers but my mate from London doesn't believe me!

 

Textas got me when I first started work. I had 4 permanent markers on my desk and 3 different new work colleagues asked if they could borrow a 'texta' and I replied each time 'no sorry I don't have any'. They must have thought I was pretty tight!

 

Oh and I thought it was the law in england as well that everyone had to wear a helmet when riding a bike but I might be wrong.

[adelaidenow]

Also I don't believe Di's post, there is no way she could remember such a long list created in her head whilst walking, shes a woman!

 

For those wondering, Texta, is a brand name like Doona. They have become normal terms here in Aus.

[Diane]

For those wondering, Texta, is a brand name like Doona. They have become normal terms here in Aus.

 

And yet...... aussies don't say they've "hoovered" like we (I?) do,, do they?!!

 

Matt....you know I take very long walks, and it's us girls that are the multi-tasking experts!

 

Back to the topic though, yes, wasn't it Thursday to vote in the UK? And as for the bike helmet thing, I know 'serious' cyclists all wear/wore them in the UK, but I don't remember having to make the kids wear them as well?? Could be wrong though.... (surely not, I hear you cry! LOL) ... perhaps when the UK contingent on the site wake up they could clarify that one for me??

[Guest nicandchris]

Hi thanks for the great list! I agree definatetly with the womans ability to multi task my only problem would be remembering my long list once id got home! Re the helmet as far as i know its preferred to wear helmets for cycling but not illegal not to do so ....yet. Personally ive never worn one but thats my own stupid fault!!

[adelaidenow]

And yet...... aussies don't say they've "hoovered" like we (I?) do,, do they?!!

 

Matt....you know I take very long walks, and it's us girls that are the multi-tasking experts!

 

Back to the topic though, yes, wasn't it Thursday to vote in the UK? And as for the bike helmet thing, I know 'serious' cyclists all wear/wore them in the UK, but I don't remember having to make the kids wear them as well?? Could be wrong though.... (surely not, I hear you cry! LOL) ... perhaps when the UK contingent on the site wake up they could clarify that one for me??

 

Yes Thursday is voting in UK.

 

As for Hoovering I have heard it a lot here, but it could be due to UK heritage from another generation.

[tina&steve]

er no-one touring in chelmsford??? what about the v festival!!!

[adelaidenow]

er no-one touring in chelmsford??? what about the v festival!!!

 

Isn't that Cheltenham?

[tina&steve]

there were 2 sites, one was def chelmsford, not sure where the other one was!

[tina&steve]

Hi thanks for the great list! I agree definatetly with the womans ability to multi task my only problem would be remembering my long list once id got home! Re the helmet as far as i know its preferred to wear helmets for cycling but not illegal not to do so ....yet. Personally ive never worn one but thats my own stupid fault!!

 

 

it is illegal to fail to wear a helmet on a bicycle here! i think off the top of my head (no pun intended!) its a $27 fine with a $30 vistims of crime levvy!!

[tina&steve]

vistims of crime??? that should read victims of crime!!!

[Guest Weez]

it is illegal to fail to wear a helmet on a bicycle here! i think off the top of my head (no pun intended!) its a $27 fine with a $30 vistims of crime levvy!!

 

 

oooooo you just can't help yourself can ya:policeman::policeman:

things i'm not yet used to and that i still childishly giggle too, thongs on ya feet, sausage sizzle, spunky boys......i'm sorry maybe i'll grow up one day....also now all the kids in my class at school are calling their yoh-gurts YOGurts!!! oh yes i will be getting them to say lego and not lay-go next!!

[tina&steve]

oh and 18degrees on a winters day!!!!

[Guest guest3462]

re were 2 sites, one was def chelmsford, not sure where the other one was!

 

I'm sure I went to V at Leeds when I was a student - at Temple Newsam?

[Guest Ric & Paula]

Thongs not flip -flops

[Guest vikkiann]

V Festival started at Leeds but now it's at Weston Park in Staffordshire and Hylands Park in Chelmsford. I've been to both and my hubby is at Chelmsford as it's this weekend.

Sorry to intrude on your post Diane!

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

Cheltenham is The Festival as in the Gold Cup horse racing..we used to live 3 miles from the racecourse and it was a great occasion....

 

HG

[tina&steve]

buying a carton of piss!!! not a crate of beer!

[tina&steve]

just looked it up the The sites are located at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and Weston Park in South Staffordshire!!! good old wikipedia!!!

[Guest WhatNow?]

The hilariously amateurish adverts on telly that are repeated, and repeated and repeated...

The size and quality of the fresh fruit and veg in the market...sprouts, caulies, grapes etc.

The can-do attitude of (most) people...

The efficiency, cleanliness and low cost of public transport

 

I'm sure I could think of loads more...mostly positive...

[HEAPS GOOD !!!]

Having the equivalent to an English summer that lasts for around 8 months....

 

Beauty........

 

HG

[Prema]

Having the equivalent to an English summer that lasts for around 8 months....

 

Beauty........

 

HG

 

That I want to experience... Feels like we have waited a life time for some good old fashioned great weather. Remind me again when it will start to warm up???

 

Prema xx

[Diane]

just looked it up the The sites are located at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and Weston Park in South Staffordshire!!! good old wikipedia!!!

 

 

Yeh you're right Tina, it is at Chelmsford and it is this weekend (my Mum just told me on the phone they'd heard fireworks from there last night)! I could still never see Robbie or Pink there though (although we did see Status Quo there at the Chelmsford Spectacular one year - wwwooooo hooooooo!!!!) - mind you, now he's back performing with Take That, you never know, they might need the gig....