Australia. Overrated?

shane86

I had been thinking earlier in the year of heading out, but is it all that some claim it is cracked up to be?

Basically, in the past year Ive known of quite a few people who went.

My cousin and a mate went, the mate came home within a few weeks. Although my cousin said he had the best new year of his life, from what his mother says it isnt all its cracked up to be generally, and the mate was back home after a few weeks. Cousin has held out and is still there though.

Best mate of mine and another lad went out in January. Other lad came back after a few weeks, said he just plain didnt like the place, never went into much detail as to what was sh1t about it. Best mate is still there and has been to Sydney, Melbourne and up to the north coast, is planning on Perth next. Again, he has stuck it out but says it isnt what he expected, he thought it would be mad 24/7 drinking real party place, but that in reality the Aussies are a quiet bunch, bar staff/doormen are **** and it isnt great for pulling, Aussie women couldnt care less if you are Irish compared to how English/Scottish women and American women do. (personally I couldnt care less about yank women, my mate lived in an apartment building that was full of them and they were about as much craic as an algebra exam. He gets on very well with them though and is somehow interested in their guff. Any Ive met in this country have been too boring, too goody two shoes types, couldnt stick doing the J1 thing myself tbh). And, surprisingly, he says he has run into very few English birds anyway. Sydney is crawling with Irish, and Aussie women simply arent interested in the majority of them.


He saved up a bit of dosh and went on some mad two week bender at some islands up north (the whit boat or something I think he called it?) Sydney is, surprisingly, a boring town with little happening. The weather is often nothing to write home about- it rained nearly constantly in January and February (their summer) and now it is moderately warm in Sydney but cloudy and overcast, just a quiet kind of buzz.

Yet another guy I know from school went and lasted six weeks, came back after running out of money apparently (didnt talk to him myself since, heard it second hand). And finally, yet another lad came back on the money excuse after 2 odd months. Said he enjoyed it and was only coming back to save up to go back in a few months as he wasnt bothering to work but was burning money like mad. Id have a feeling though that, again, it just wasnt what was expected.

And...finally....what brought up this thread was boards member Dr.Bollocko taking a shot at Australia at least twice in recent days

So, opinions? I know a few girls who went to Oz and loved every second of it, but with the lads it seems a bit hit and miss (because it is hard to pull perhaps? Making it less of a holiday compared to girls who are more interested in seeing the sights?). Are there alot of people who put on a brave face even when it isnt going the best? The stuff my mate says on the phone about it having its ups and downs is a bit different to some of the stuff he sends to people on Bebo about it being non stop drink and birds.

Ginger

Its all attitude.. I have met people who hated the place compared to x place somewhere else.

Some people arent suited to living so far away from home. Remember meeting a couple of people and one lad was heading home after 3 weeks because he didnt like being so far from his homeplace. Others didnt like certain cities, personally I didnt like Melbourne it was too coloniel and clique from my liking and also I had spent a couple of months in Sydney so its a bit of change. Spent 3 weeks in total there and then buggered up to Cairns for a couple of weeks instead.

Myself I had a great time in Oz.. worked as an IT consultant and partied 3 or 4 times a week. Enjoyed my surfing and scuba diving and the general laid back attitude there.. Glad I did the whole year abroad and saw what was out there.. no regrets at all..Met some amazing people and I am still in contact with a lot of them. It was a great buzz chatting to people from all over and seeing their points of view. Sometimes it could be tireseome but in most cases it was a good laugh.

It depends on what you want to get out of it, your ability to cope with another culture, your willingness to just take it as it comes and chat to people.

Remember one guys paradise is anothers hell..

ibh

shane86 wrote: »

I
Sydney is, surprisingly, a boring town with little happening. The weather is often nothing to write home about- it rained nearly constantly in January and February (their summer) and now it is moderately warm in Sydney but cloudy and overcast, just a quiet kind of buzz.

Someones feeding you bullshit here tbh. January had only 1 or 2 rainy days and it was still warm as fcuk. I spent the month staying with my brother.
So it definately didn't rain constantly.

The only people who expect brilliant weather all year round in Sydney are people who assume Australia is warm all year round. Quite a bit of rain in Winter in Sydney but it never gets really cold at all.

It isn't a small town either tbh. The problem is that most backpackers (esp Irish ones) think that the Eastern Suburbs is the only part of Sydney worth seeing, apart from an occasional venture to the city centre to hit the Irish bars.
If they bothered to actually mingle with locals they would discover that Sydney has a really vibrant social scene and is a lot less pretencious than other major cities when it comes to things like getting into nice clubs, bars etc. The reason most Irish visitors don't see this is they tend to go on a night out wearing their county Gaa jersey for easy identification!



In short, if you go for a year and spend it all with other Paddy's living in Bondi and drinking in Irish bars then there is a good chance you will think the place is overrated. If you go and try and meet people and see all of the city, and get involved in the social scene you will more than likely find it a brilliant place.

Larianne

Go to Spain if all you want to do is party and pull English girls!!!

What happens to many Irish people is they get into the Sydney rut. They live out in Bondi/Coogee, party with Irish people in Irish bars. Party too much end up having no money and either stay in Sydney to work or go home not seen much of Australia.

Also, for a lot of people it's their first time away from home and it's not as easy to do things without mammy or daddy helping you out. You sometimes have to work **** jobs and some people don't want to do that. No work = no money. Some people just get really homesick.

I was one of those people who thought it never rained in Australia, but it bloody does! It can get quite cold in Sydney in winter time from June- September. We used to have heaters on. Last years summer, this Jan-Feb was the worst ever. It bascially never stopped raining for the 2 months. I couldn't do Frasier Island or The Whitsundays because it was rained out and the roads were flooded. Melbourne is a very cold, windy place in the winter months. You just have to chase the sun and go to the warm parts at different times of the year. Perth is pretty much good weather all year round!

I was with my boyfriend travelling Oz but we met plenty of guys and girls who were putting out! I don't think you would find trouble pulling, esp. along the east coast. Maybe with Ozzies as they are well used to the backpackers.

I absolutely love Australia and planning to move back there once I'm finished uni. The pace of life is so much more relaxed and more opportunities over there. I would advise saving up and bringing as much money as you can with you. It is expensive place to party.

shane86

Larianne wrote: »

Go to Spain if all you want to do is party and pull English girls!!!

Everyone I know (including those who have went to Oz) never have the money to go to Spain, yet can somehow afford Oz or the J1 (Id the chance to do the J1 but as said spending 10 weeks in the company of yanks isnt my idea of a laugh). Ideally Id far rather take two trips to the med per year for discount prices than fly halfway across the world. Getting people to go with is the problem

. Last years summer, this Jan-Feb was the worst ever. It bascially never stopped raining for the 2 months. I couldn't do Frasier Island or The Whitsundays because it was rained out and the roads were flooded. Melbourne is a very cold, windy place in the winter months.

Yep, last Oz summer was the wettest in 16 years in the east.

As said, ideally Id far rather be Oz bound, but tbh catching up with my mate out there is nearly my only option. Ive mates in the US this summer (boorring...) and anyone back here hasnt the cash for Spain.

TestTransmission

Went to Oz last year with the missus for 10 months,spent 5 months in Melbourne and 4 months in Sydney and a month travelling the coast and a little bit in the middle .
I loved Oz,Melbourne got pretty wet in their winter,i found that i met alot of Irish people over there who i wouldnt normally have anything in common with (ie,people who insist on wearing their gaa jerseys every day of the week)
All in all,its a great country,the money is pretty good,cheap beer altho there is plenty to do other than drink.
Worked and socialised with a lot of aussies,never had any problem with any doorstaff over there.

And remember,its like anywhere,you have your good days and your bad.

JimiTime

Its not a holiday destination IMO, i.e. a 3 weeker. You need the time to do it justice and get over your jet lag. I spent a year out there, it was amazing. Life changing. Weather was great, craic was 90, and I'm married now to a girl I met there(don't let that put you off though:) ) Most time in Sydney (Coogee), 1 week in the red centre (uluru etc). 2 months travelling up the east coast from Sydney to cape tribulation. i wasn't crazy about alot of the aussies we met, bit abnoxious, met some great ones too though, so I suppose thats the same as most places. If its a year you want to go for, DO IT. if its a short holiday your after, I'd give it a miss.

anonymousman

j1s are not boring unless you are referring to San Diego which isnt boring if you're the Coronas or went to Private School. "yanks" are not boring either let me assure you, the total opposite. If all you want is to pull english birds then whopped de do, go to england and pull an english bird. Don't be derogatory towards "yanks" or australian girls.

Larianne

shane86 wrote: »

As said, ideally Id far rather be Oz bound, but tbh catching up with my mate out there is nearly my only option. Ive mates in the US this summer (boorring...) and anyone back here hasnt the cash for Spain.

Why not do it alone. Lots of people do that. And you meet so many people to go travelling with. You can only get/use the Working holiday visa until your 30/31. It is really an opportunity not to be missed!

Neamhshuntasach

I've never been so i can't talk from experience. But i've had mates who have been there for the year and when i talked to them about it all the best memories of their trip seemed to happen on the way to Australia or when on side trips away from it. As in the 2-3 months they spent in South East Asia. I also heard lots of good stories about New Zealand, Fiji, Indonesia, etc. But they wouldn't really tell much stories about Australia itself. Even though if you asked them where they were for a year they'd say Australia.

dr.bollocko

I immensely dislike Australia.
The jobs market is good.
The rest is crap. Bars, beer, food, restaurants, telly, cost of living, nope. Wasnt for me at all at all.Though others love it. I think travelling alone might be the way to do it though. Sounds like more of an adventure.

Larianne

dr.bollocko wrote: »

I immensely dislike Australia.
The jobs market is good.
The rest is crap. Bars, beer, food, restaurants, telly, cost of living, nope. Wasnt for me at all at all.Though others love it. I think travelling alone might be the way to do it though. Sounds like more of an adventure.

Where did you travel when in Australia? Found the cost of living alright. Better than here!!

Highlights for me was going to the Blue Mountains- walking all day, playing cards and having some goon at night; 3 day trip in the outback - sleeping under the stars, uluru, the olgas, kings canyon; melbourne cup; AFL games in the MCG; cycling around Rottnest Island; surfing in Byron Bay; south Western Australia.

Having a good experience can depend on the people you go with and the people you meet.

Placid_Casual

Seems absloutely pointless to me to go all the way to Australia if all you want to do is drink and pull girls. I mean, you can do that a lot closer to home.
Now don't get me wrong I did plenty of drinking and a bit of the other in the year I spent there but few of my best memories revolve around this stuff. I remember stuff like driving up the west coast sleeping in the back of a camper van, climbing mountains in Tasmania, the excitement of seeing Sydney harbour for the first time, the sheer vastness of the outback and the beauty of the Whitsundays. Australia is a massive country and if you can't keep yourself entertained for a year you have a severe lack of imagination - doesn't help being broke though i'll attest to.
Australian cities are grand but they're just like any other cities, Dublin or London or wherever, people work and go about their daily lives without partying like mad the whole time.
I did go on my own btw and had to get out of Bondi within two weeks as it is crawling with Irish. The way I see it I didn't go to the other side of the world to meet people from my own country. So, I moved into a big house in Surry Hills with people from Aus, New Zealand, Japan, Germany and a psychotic Brazilian guy that smoked weed all day and who everyone was scared of. Great memories .

the dee

It really depends what you want out of your trip. I went for 8 months the first time, only planned to stay 3 months but was having too much fun to go home when I'd planned. There are plenty of party places and party people if that's all you want. Not so much the Aussies themselves but so many people are travelling about and having fun times. If you just want to party and meet ladies I'd say Australia's a great place to visit.

If you're looking for shopping, outdoor activities, sports, amazing landscapes and wildlife, then it's also the country for you. Not to mention the climate, which is much better than Ireland (it's good when it rains as they're having a pretty severe drought), the laid-back attitude, the friendly locals, the beaches, the forests, the mountains, the desert. Everything.

(I live here so I may be biased, but there really is something for everyone) However, if you're only wanting to get drunk, rowdy and laid then stay at home, you can do that there.

ramotrop

shane86 wrote: »

I had been thinking earlier in the year of heading out, but is it all that some claim it is cracked up to be?

im headin to oz and south east asia, then nz and usa in november. oz has NEVER appealed to me, possibly because so many people whov been living under their parents watchful gaze rent free for 26 years, save up cash (pretty easy when you're not paying rent or bills) and away they go to booze in irish bars with people they know from home, and come back thinkin theyr the sh*t because they "did it all themselves", give out about irish cities because of "the commute", go back to living with the parets and going boozin in all the places they used to before they went away. my problem is that the way people live over here, is a choice, just as much as livin somewhere else. i know people giving out that dublin is crap because they "have to" spend 2 hours a day on a bus to and from work. do what you did in sydney, live in the city centre, pay rent, problem solved. the BTA (been to australia) ive-seen-the-world-by-going-to-just-another-anglophile/phone-country just absolutely wrecks my head. now, all that said, thats really more of a judgement of the people ive met who have been there rather than the place.
honestly, its never appealed to me because, save the aboriginal aspect, australia is essentially just another bunch of european, mostly british colonists, who dont SEEM to have much of a different culture to britain or the USA. im totally willing to be proven wrong, and promise, all of the above said, that i am going open minded. people saying that it has a much slower pace of life makes me moan in horror, im going for fun, and ALL of what the OP outlined. and to answer the inevitable questions, im going because my mates are, if they decided to go to gemany for a year, id go just as quick. faster in fact, same with any european country, but the lads have decided so im going along. hoping for the best.

ps, i agree all girls love it, again maybe due to the fact of all you outlined, but also, a girl whos even passably good looking, can pull whenever she wants, a bloke has to work at it

TonyD79

oz has NEVER appealed to me, possibly because so many people whov been living under their parents watchful gaze rent free for 26 years, save up cash (pretty easy when you're not paying rent or bills) and away they go to booze in irish bars with people they know from home, and come back thinkin theyr the sh*t because they "did it all themselves", give out about irish cities because of "the commute", go back to living with the parets

and ......

im going because my mates are, if they decided to go to gemany for a year, id go just as quick. faster in fact, same with any european country, but the lads have decided so im going along.

The Majority pf people going to OZ are dependent according to your little rant on their parents yet your dependent on your mates!!

dr.bollocko

In terms of holiday fun for the cost, Australia offers about as much bang for your buck as a long weekend in Lahinch with only an ancient cortina to sleep in and Maxol deli sandwiches to eat.

anonymousman

I think I was well harsh on the OP! Sorry, just reading it back lol I was in a bad mood.

J1s though are a great experience if you don't fall into the 100% irish trap they're better!

Same with Australia I guess!

About waht age does the Australianess begin? Is it a transition period between out-of-college-career start and finding-partner-to-settle-down with?

My plan is to work my butt off until mid 20s to get a job in another country (USA) rather than saving up for a year away but would hate to go out of sync with people my age/wavelength.

I also think the OP should think about what he's doing! If he's gonna end up doing something whcih many people he knows said was overrated he should look to doing something different - like going to Western Australia route!

listermint

Did Oz for 2months, Didnt like Perth, very boring imo. Really enjoyed the East Coast (Cairns to Sydney) was travelling with a group of girls i met in thailand(im male , no im not a pimp) It was good crack, in fairness they pretty much organised all the trips and activities i just turned up and provided the banter and good commentary .

Well i would say its worth seeing it is a great place if your prepared to put the effort in to seeing stuff rather than sitting in the big cities drinking the not so cheap beer. (stick with the goon)

Anyway i think i see the holiday your after. In my opinion save your cash. Go ti Thailand(the islands) Its class and you can chill out there if you want, you can party hard if thats what your after and there are plenty of fun interesting people there too. Oh and the females (the fellow "backpackers") are very much the hotness (Very much) . I wanted to go back after staying a few weeks in OZ. And i plan on going back again . Need to finish my Dive course. Now to get the save on...

hussey

Oz, like anywhere, is what you make of it.
Simple as that, I have lived in Sydney for nearly 3 years now, and I love it.

Aussie women couldnt care less if you are Irish compared to how English/Scottish women and American women do.... Sydney is crawling with Irish, and Aussie women simply arent interested in the majority of them

... I wonder where he went to make this judgement? CBD Sydney is a bit Flash: Darling Harbour, Kings X, Bondi etc etc is a bit like Lillies in Dublin, what if some Aussie Backpacker came over to Ireland and judged all women/men by Lillies? Remember Most places Irish go to (in Sydney) are the rich stuck up areas (Eastern suburbs). You are right, most don't fawn over Irish like Americans, but so what? neither do Irish women. If you think you can just pull by putting on an accent then better wake up, next time try a conversation .. usually works for me

Also most Irish stick to Irish pubs, and that itself is a joke, as they are usually the most dingey & violent Pubs around. He said bouncers are pricks, yes, because they usually have to deal with drunken yobs at 3am. (Some bars are 24hours in Sydney).

Also most Aussie blokes he meet ... where did he meet them? Any guys I meet through work and their mates are all good people, you get a few knobs, but same rate as any other country. Though in my backpacker days, alot of them are knobs, mainly because you get a few who just go to backpacker bars to pick up Backpackers (and this happens alot).

The weather is often nothing to write home about- it rained nearly constantly in January and February (their summer) and now it is moderately warm in Sydney but cloudy and overcast,

yes correct, the summer was quite disappointing, it was hot & sticky. but March and April were pretty much 23-28 with clear sky for a month. and June was the Hottest June in nearly 10 years (avg temp 20-24 ... not bad for winter)

But seriously if all you want to do is pull women, then head over to spain/greece/coppers, if you want beautiful sights and life changing experience then get a plane over.

Spud83

Oz is what you make of it. Although I have never heard so many stories of people not liking it as you have described.

I imagine that they got "trapped" somewhere, and instead of being able to experience and enjoy Australia they were scraping by from week to week. The main thing here is to manage your money. If you manage to save money before going over try and keep as much as this as possible for actually traveling rather than wasting it in the first few weeks (easy to do). Then when you are staying in a place for a couple of weeks or months work and be willing to work anywhere, and do anything.

Melbourne and Sydney do have seasons. It can become cold and showery in the winter and of course you get rain during the summer. Though this year sounded bad. But you can move to Perth which gets better weather or move North to Darwin/Cairns/Broome and chase the sun if you wish.

In Sydney there is a lot of Irish in Bondi and Coogee. Now I cant really give out about this as I lived in Coogee however I didn't find it overrun with Irish at the time. However we had already travelled Australia and pretty much had a large group of friends in Sydney already. I wouldn't go near Bondi or Bondi junction you will meet nothing but Irish, and probably end up in nothing but Irish pubs.

I could go on and on her but you haven't really asked any questions more for people opinions.

Is Australia overrated? For me no, it was more than I ever expected. But I believe a lot of that was down to our attitude and plan. We bought a van and drove around Australia. We seen the big cities and the small towns, stayed in the backpacker hostels, and the campsites with Australian holiday makers, and got our own place in Sydney, partied with Irish, Australians, Swedish, English, French, Scottish, Welsh, Kiwis, Americans, Germans, etc etc etc. We got to do the Whitsundays, Fraser Island, Scuba Diving, Sky Diving, climb the Harbor bridge, go to a Grand Prix, opening of the commonwealth games, AFL games, rugby games, feed dolphins, white water rafting, see unbelievable national parks, surfing, etc etc etc.

Feel free to read my travel blog with photos and get back to me if you have anymore questions.

Xavi6

The reason people don't enjoy Oz is because they expect too much. It's not an Ibiza in the southern hemisphere, it's a functioning country just like Ireland. If you want to be a piss head and pull slappers then you've got that right on your doorstep in Europe, and indeed Ireland.

I moved here almost 18 months ago and it's the best thing I ever did. I absolutely love Perth. The opportunities work wise are fantastic and the cost of living is far cheaper than at home. I have an apartment that has a swimming pool etc in the complex, a car, wireless broadband, bill phone, private health care etc etc and still have money left over for the luxuries. Not bad for a first year or so out of home.

I've also spent three weeks in Queensland and saw everything from Frasier Island to Surfer's Paradise. I've seen most of south western Australia. My next plan is a road trip up north before eventually driving across the Eyre Highway from Perth to Adelaide. I've swam with dolphins twice, one of the greatest things I've ever done. The opportunities are endless if you spend your cash right and don't just piss it up against the wall of a hostel.

I have nothing but good things to say about Perth and Australia in general. I've been made very welcome by everyone. If you want to pull birds then Perth is your spot. You're onto a guaranteed winner every weekend, and the night life is great if you know where to go.

Bottom line really is if you just want a few weeks in the sun then catch a two hour flight to Spain. If however you want life changing experiences and stories you will recount until the day you die then travel Australia (and by 'travel' I mean don't hole yourself up in Sydney for 6 months).

Is Australia overrated? Not in the slightest.

SheroN

If it's that good why are bars in London full of ozzies working in them?

dr.bollocko

Because Australians are genetically engineered for bar work.

hussey

SheroN wrote: »

If it's that good why are bars in London full of ozzies working in them?

:rolleyes:
Maybe they want to experience a different culture?

SheroN

hussey wrote: »

:rolleyes:
Maybe they want to experience a different culture?

Maybe I was being sarcastic.

ramotrop

TonyD79 wrote: »

and ......




The Majority pf people going to OZ are dependent according to your little rant on their parents yet your dependent on your mates!!

give me a break. i have decided to go have a laugh with my mates, just because i would sooner go somewhere else doesnt mean im dependant on them. im actually going on a different iteinerary to them, so im going to thailand laos, vietnam etc alone then heading to sydney to meet them. even if i was "dependant" on their choices for travel its not remotely comparable to being dependant on your parents for money, food and figuring out the gas bill when you're 24.

hussey

SheroN wrote: »

Maybe I was being sarcastic.

Oops

Amazotheamazing

dr.bollocko wrote: »

In terms of holiday fun for the cost, Australia offers about as much bang for your buck as a long weekend in Lahinch with only an ancient cortina to sleep in and Maxol deli sandwiches to eat.

What's wrong with Lahinch (and why are all the new signs calling it Lehinch)?

Hope to go to Oz next summer, it doesn't strike me as a piss-up destination though. If you want to pull English birds OP, why not head to England?

dr.bollocko

Amazotheamazing wrote: »

What's wrong with Lahinch (and why are all the new signs calling it Lehinch)?

Its french and had a sex change. :eek::D

Amazotheamazing

dr.bollocko wrote: »

Its french and had a sex change. :eek::D

Wait, it's a dude now! I feel violated. Why didn't I pay attention in french class, or indeed, the year I lived in France. if only...

gary the great

I loved the place and can’t see how anyone could dislike it – for me it was a vision of the perfect country (as far as one can be in reality). For the most part: Really sound people with a great attitude, great roads and public transport, well laid out planned designed cities, great opportunities, great weather and beaches, lots of open spaces, little traffic, cheap cost of living, cheap housing (with lovely big houses in most places), great police force, always feel pretty safe, great outdoors and wildlife.

That’s why I’m moving there soon. Things I didn’t like is, as has been said, sometimes the people can have a bit of superiority complex (much like ourselves I suppose in our own country) and they can be proper tools sometimes (especially when drunk), the place is a proper nanny state to (way worse than here imo, sometimes can feel like you not allowed do anything fun), the women aren’t great looking either (and in response to an earlier question, the Ozzie birds generally loved my Dublin accent, they didn’t go crazy over it like a English or American, but it still helped). I never had any problems

I was there for 3 months and only got to the east coast and with a few days in Perth.
I spent the first month going mental, was your typical irish person over there for the first month and had the time of my life - drank away the best weeks of my life, never left the hostel for days sometimes, walked around with goon boxes for shoes, dressed up as ladies for champagne we never got, partied in hotels with schoolies, ate everyones food at 5am while wasted out of our heads, went snorkelling in a swimming pool at 2am on the way home from the pub, lhad a scottish girl teach me the bagpipes, ate nothing but cheap noodles for one month and loved every second of it.

then I copped on and realized there was loads more to do and see and kept the goon for weekends. There was the Whitsundays and Fraser (best 3 days of my life, the laugh we had and friends i made on that trip). Went to nimbin and smoked weed with some crazy hippes in the middle of a crazy forest, spent days surfing on Bondi, rented Scooteroos and spent the day driving around the bush in 1770 (extreme for granny!!), drove a stunt plane, went to austrlaia zoo, dived the great barrier reef, went for drinks in the Opera house, climbed the Harbour bridge, went on the Neighbours tour (shamefully!!), went on a road trips and camped in the bush and the outback,spent about a month eating nothing but Kangeroo steak, also developed a thing for the ozzies favourite - PIES!!


i had the time of my life, every other person i met had the time of their lives, i made friends that ill have for the rest of my life (lots of them decided to stay down there and are getting sponserships) (a mate is just back form Holland visiting friends we made over there - I couldnt go as im saving for my return to Oz). I loved th eplace, a year of going metal may be to much, i was happy enough coming home after my 3months (just to get saving so I could go back) but friends i have still over there are loving it as much as they ever did.

Cant wait to move there!!!!

DenMan

Great post there Gary. That three month trip was just a "get to know you" thing I take it. Good luck with the move out there, lucky sod.

Spud83

gary the great wrote: »

I loved the place and can’t see how anyone could dislike it – for me it was a vision of the perfect country (as far as one can be in reality). For the most part: Really sound people with a great attitude, great roads and public transport, well laid out planned designed cities, great opportunities, great weather and beaches, lots of open spaces, little traffic, cheap cost of living, cheap housing (with lovely big houses in most places), great police force, always feel pretty safe, great outdoors and wildlife.

That’s why I’m moving there soon. Things I didn’t like is, as has been said, sometimes the people can have a bit of superiority complex (much like ourselves I suppose in our own country) and they can be proper tools sometimes (especially when drunk), the place is a proper nanny state to (way worse than here imo, sometimes can feel like you not allowed do anything fun), the women aren’t great looking either (and in response to an earlier question, the Ozzie birds generally loved my Dublin accent, they didn’t go crazy over it like a English or American, but it still helped). I never had any problems

I was there for 3 months and only got to the east coast and with a few days in Perth.
I spent the first month going mental, was your typical irish person over there for the first month and had the time of my life - drank away the best weeks of my life, never left the hostel for days sometimes, walked around with goon boxes for shoes, dressed up as ladies for champagne we never got, partied in hotels with schoolies, ate everyones food at 5am while wasted out of our heads, went snorkelling in a swimming pool at 2am on the way home from the pub, lhad a scottish girl teach me the bagpipes, ate nothing but cheap noodles for one month and loved every second of it.

then I copped on and realized there was loads more to do and see and kept the goon for weekends. There was the Whitsundays and Fraser (best 3 days of my life, the laugh we had and friends i made on that trip). Went to nimbin and smoked weed with some crazy hippes in the middle of a crazy forest, spent days surfing on Bondi, rented Scooteroos and spent the day driving around the bush in 1770 (extreme for granny!!), drove a stunt plane, went to austrlaia zoo, dived the great barrier reef, went for drinks in the Opera house, climbed the Harbour bridge, went on the Neighbours tour (shamefully!!), went on a road trips and camped in the bush and the outback,spent about a month eating nothing but Kangeroo steak, also developed a thing for the ozzies favourite - PIES!!


i had the time of my life, every other person i met had the time of their lives, i made friends that ill have for the rest of my life (lots of them decided to stay down there and are getting sponserships) (a mate is just back form Holland visiting friends we made over there - I couldnt go as im saving for my return to Oz). I loved th eplace, a year of going metal may be to much, i was happy enough coming home after my 3months (just to get saving so I could go back) but friends i have still over there are loving it as much as they ever did.

Cant wait to move there!!!!

Just wanted to say glad you enjoyed your trip gary. I remember talking to you last year when you first thinking of going over. Hope the move goes well for you.

hussey

gary the great wrote: »

the women aren’t great looking either

BS!!!!!!
Tanned, fit, beach goddesses (in some parts)

gary the great

alanmurphy83 wrote: »

Just wanted to say glad you enjoyed your trip gary. I remember talking to you last year when you first thinking of going over. Hope the move goes well for you.

Ye I remember talking to you about it, thanks for all the advice.

Also remember reading your blog and thinking it was excellent, some funny stuff in it, planned on doing something similar online but never did, instead i got a big notebook and just wrote stuff in it, had people write comments etc
I was lookign through it the other day and having a good laugh remembering a ot of stuff id forgotten, id advise anyone going to do something similar it well worth it!

Also Hussey i cant agree with the women comment, there are some stunners but as a nation there nothing special