What I Learned In Australia

I'm on the final leg of our trip around Australia. Laying here on the 11th floor Lido deck sipping an ice-cold Margarita watching the waves roll by and I’ve been thinking about what I’ve learned over these past twenty-nine days. I realize that:

- you always have to look right instead of left when you
step off a curb anywhere;

· there are 1,059,006 ceramic tiles that cover
the Sydney Opera House;

· never, ever should you have Vegemite for breakfast;

· the smaller the coin in Australia the more money it’s worth;

· it takes a total of 9,159 miles or 14,739 kilometers to go completely around Australia;

· you should always use the swim platform to get out of the water after snorkeling to protect
your ribs;

· I don’t need to get a MYKI Transit Card in Melbourne – take the Hop-On/Hop-Off right from
the ship;

· I need to keep my ship-card away from magnets;

· you pronounce Cairns as "Cans"

· you pronounce Melbourne as “Mel-Bun”

· Federal voting is mandatory in Australia – failure to cast your vote will result in a
fine;

· It’s colder than I thought it would be, albeit it’s spring here;

· 88% of the entire Australian population live on the coast;

· the word “abo” in Australia is like using the “n” word in North America

· there is a lot more WWII history here in Australia that I would ever have imagined;

· “two pot screamer” – means a lady who can’t handle her liquor;

· I need to stay on the left side when walking on sidewalks;

With a couple of more weeks here down under, I'm sure that there will be more things that I can learn, particularly with the language. I'll update more on another sea day. Next stop Hobart, Tasmania.