IO: my avatar means a whole damn lot, and i want you to ask me about it

[Irvine511]

The big connundrum.

Melbourne is better than Sydney for functional purposes.

Sydney is better for touristy things.

NSW is better than Victoria.

If you can only go to one, I would go to Sydney (better weather too, close to Newcastle (80-90 mins drive))

this is what i've heard -- visit Sydney, live in Melbourne. maybe die in Perth?

where's the best food?

 

[coolian2]

this is what i've heard -- visit Sydney, live in Melbourne.

where's the best food?

melbourne is full of greeks who can cook.

therefore, melbourne.

 

[Irvine511]

melbourne is full of greeks who can cook.

therefore, melbourne.

can you give me a list of various and vicious stereotypes about people from whatever city/province/country that i should be sure to use at any and all opportunities?

 

[No spoken words]

I'm confused....you're going to Rhode Island, still, right?

 

[dan_smee]

Die in Perth prematurely of heatstroke.

I can safely say I will die in Newcastle. Beaches, quiet life and ammenities. Perfect.

Melbourne food is better than Sydney, however Sydney does have its share of good restaurants.

Canberra to is impressive.

 

[coolian2]

can you give me a list of various and vicious stereotypes about people from whatever city/province/country that i should be sure to use at any and all opportunities?

i thought i just started that. i can add to the list as time goes on.

although is it really a stereotype if it's true? i mean, look at the victorian state flag:

 

[dan_smee]

can you give me a list of various and vicious stereotypes about people from whatever city/province/country that i should be sure to use at any and all opportunities?

I can't send files that big from my computer.

 

[Irvine511]

i thought i just started that. i can add to the list as time goes on.

although is it really a stereotype if it's true? i mean, look at the victorian state flag:

now this is the stuff i love.

 

[coolian2]

I can't send files that big from my computer.

you work for the government, just abuse their system. after all, isn't that how you amassed the list in the first place?

 

[Irvine511]

I'm confused....you're going to Rhode Island, still, right?

never. those people would swallow their own tongues if they weren't locked up in jail for their mafia ties and winning mayoral elections.

filthy Little Rhody scum. may the Atlantic one day sweep them all away.

 

[dan_smee]

^ lol at een.

The biggest one you need to know is that people who have Frangipani stickers on their cars cannot drive.

 

[Irvine511]

^ lol at een.

The biggest one you need to know is that people who have Frangipani stickers on their cars cannot drive.

interesting ... every Toyota Prius sold in the US in 2008 came with an Obama sticker.

 

[No spoken words]

never. those people would swallow their own tongues if they weren't locked up in jail for their mafia ties and winning mayoral elections.

filthy Little Rhody scum. may the Atlantic one day sweep them all away.

Ah, you're off to Madagascar, got it. Have fun!

 

[Irvine511]

what, praytell, is Frangipani?

 

[Irvine511]

Ah, you're off to Madagascar, got it. Have fun!

actually, off to bed.

 

[dan_smee]

It is a flower. There is an epidemic of 17 year old girls with them plastered all over their rear windows

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

The biggest one you need to know is that people who have Frangipani stickers on their cars cannot drive.

neither can anyone with a victoria number plate.

 

[dan_smee]

^ SNAP!!!!

There it is. Choke on it vics!

Hi 5 mum !

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

 

[Angela Harlem]

what, praytell, is Frangipani?

What? Really? Don't you have Frangipani in the States? Hibiscus is also popular. Particularly if you have a Barina with green P Plates.

And god, I wish you didn't ask the Vic v NSW question. It seems no one can be honest and objective about it without getting vicious and bitchy. I've been to Melbourne a fair few times and each time have found it not exactly a fun time. I've always had the reason of visiting family as my reason for going, but otherwise I'd never go back there. I prefer NSW. That is why I live here. They prefer down there, hence their living there (strange, no? ). Victorians do get really bitchy and petty about Sydney hatred. I dunno. Sydney has it's share of shittiness, but don't be fooled - Melbourne is just like every other city in the world and has things to do, things to avoid, things that suck.

So, Sydney... what to do? There's the major sights. The Opera House is just incredible. I've got a massive affection for that building after spending many a year at art school researching my hero, Jorn Utzon. You'd spend a really nice day walking around down there. You can start at Lady Macquarie's chair and do the walk around along the water and see the Opera House, the bridge, naturally, then around to Circular Quay and perhaps see what's on at the MCA - Museum of Contemporary Art. Then catch a ferry over to Manly. It's a great 30 odd minute trip on one of our relics - the poor ferries are always under attack for being late, crashing, being old, being this, that, etc., but they're bags of fun (in a rocking, lots of sea spray, crazy way!). Manly is fairly nice. It's a wanky beach suburb which is unfortunately very bogan. There's a million cafes, restaurants and pubs to eat at and a nice walkway along the edge of the beach. If you can find some spare water you may want to have a swim? It can get very crowded. Lots of beachy shopping to be had here.

What else... You might want to book a bridge climb? I'd have to be taken up in a body bag and propped up for photos, but many people I know reckon it's a really interesting and pleasant stroll up what is a great bridge. I love a good bridge (from the ground). A fun day is Taronga Zoo. It's over the other side of the bridge and has a great bunch of exhibits. There's Luna Park on the north end of the bridge, but I can't recommend it as it's been since my childhood that I've been there and I don't know if it's any fun anymore. Besides, you're not travelling all this way for fun parks! In the middle of Sydney is Centrepoint - the most expensive lift you'll ever get in. There's a restaurant up the top which is supposedly very good. Again, I was a kid when I went there (back when it wasn't a tourist's AUD black hole) and it's a mad view. The Art Gallery of NSW is a must-see, I reckon. It's in a great spot with Hyde Park across the road, there's St Marys Cathedral up the top of Gallery Rd., which is a beautiful, glorious old church, and you should be around at a time when the bells are rung, as I think it's every hour. There's the convict barracks which are an interesting trip into our sad past, just on the other side of the road from the cathedral. Down the road from here is the Australian Museum, and if you keep heading in that direction you will eventually end up in our famous Kings Cross. But you may not want to go there. Darling Harbour is more of some good touristy fun. There's the Aquarium, the Imax theatre, usually an old ship or two hanging around that you may be able to get on - there's actually a Tall Ship called the James Craig which is moored at some place around here, Sydney Heritage Fleet - James Craig general information. How are you with gardens? There's the botanical gardens which are back over at the Domain, also opposite the Art Gallery of NSW Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain - Botanic Gardens Trust - Sydney, Australia , but also there is a great Chinese Gardens at Darling Harbour. Darling Harbour - Chinese Garden

I'm getting distracted by my whiny kids, but I'll keep replying if you're interested!

 

[The Sad Punk]

Sydney and Melbourne are both pretty good, I prefer Melbourne but only because I've been there more times and more recently. Queensland, however, has the best touristy stuff and is the state I've been over to more times than the others, even though I personally wouldn't like to live there. The furthest north I've been is the Whitsunday islands, probably out of the price range you'll be going for, but oh-so very awesome.

Adelaide has the best restaurants. But, just like the Victorians get bitchy and petty about New South Welshmen, South Australians have the stereotype of getting bitchy and petty about Victorians... it's not all true, only when it comes to sport. If you plan on coming here I'll write some more up. Also tell your friends about Adelaide anyway.

Canberra is good for a quick visit, has nice museums/galleries, pretty nice and quiet.

I'm visiting Tasmania in a couple months, never been there - anyone know a thing or two about it that isn't to do with kissing cousins?

 

[No spoken words]

Vic v NSW

I prefer NSW.

Art Gallery of NSW Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain - Botanic Gardens Trust - Sydney, Australia ,

Yeah, fuck you Vic, whoever the hell you are.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

you won't want to go back to being canada's butt after you move here.

I like that term...

I also like it when all you Aussies get together and talk - it's kind of like English but I can only understand every other word...

 

[Irvine511]

i love all of this information. i am cutting and pasting and putting it into a document cunningly titled "Australia Info," and i hope to build this throughout the year.

it seems to me that i should use my 3-4 weeks to concentrate on 3-4 different areas, giving each place about a week, where roughly 5 days will be dedicated to "sightseeing" and 2 days will be devoted to fucking off and sitting on a beach dodging the killer jellyfish.

seems like the following makes sense:

Week 1: on the GBR, all taken care of; we even go out to the Coral Sea
Week 2: Cairns/Port Douglas; combination of going to the beach, going to the jungle, and wrestling crocodiles
Week 3: Sydney, and it's surroundings
Week 4: the crazy adventure? fly out to Perth? Uluru? fly up to The Kimberly? or, do the uppity thing and drive to Melbourne? learn to play the didgeridoo? box a kangaroo? squash a Cane Toad? go on a date with Ian Thorpe?

i do have these fantasies of being in a car of some sort, possibly a Land Rover, and driving through bright red desert and then at night seeing this "southern sky" i hear so much about.

is the above schedule already too ambitious? i'm fully prepared to shell out for 2-3 domestic flights.

yeah, and the Whitsunday Islands look but might be out of my price range.

 

[coolian2]

Canberra is good for a quick visit, has nice museums/galleries, pretty nice and quiet.

the hill with the tower on it is nice for a bit of an easy walk too.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

the hill with the tower on it is nice for a bit of an easy walk too.

ooh, so specific too.

 

[coolian2]

ooh, so specific too.

it's canberra. it's small enough that i could be even more vague and anyone who has ever been there would know exactly what i was talking about.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

it's canberra. it's small enough that i could be even more vague and anyone who has ever been there would know exactly what i was talking about.

no.

 

[dan_smee]

^ telstra tower on Black Mountain

 

[coolian2]

see?