Happy Australia Day!
A day where all across the country we celebrate being Australian by having the day off and doing next to nothing. What’s not to like?
We’ve done very little all day, and will top off the day by going out to watch the local council’s fireworks display.
I thought I’d toss out a few facts about Australia that many of you may not know or realise.
A lot of people look at a map of Australia, and think we live on a little island. Let me assure you, it’s not small. The total area is 7,741,220 km
What am I doing here freezing my **** off?!
I miss the fireworks on the Perth foreshore. Happy Australia Day!
Hey, I think it’s those Americans who drive on the wrong side of the road: the rest of us are right, they are opposite!!! You are so right about health care, when you are really sick, there’s hardly any cost at all. It’s when you need the help most, that it’s there. Bags Tasmania not be the ‘hole’ from the doughnut!!!
I’ve eaten scrambled emu egg. Can I be an honorary Australian?
Thanks for this post. I definitely learned a few things about Australia that I didn’t know, and the post was interesting while being very informative. I hope that you have Happy Australia Day and enjoy the warm weather. We’re in single Farenheit digits in New England, which makes it negative digits Celsius.
Very interesting stuff. 🙂 Happy Australia Day!
I’m not from, nor have I ever been to Australia (I sure would like to though) but I have eaten Emu. It was ok, but I don’t go looking for it.
I really enjoyed this post, thank you. Happy Australia day to you.
It’s so interesting to read about the differences in our countries. Have a great day!
Happy Australia Day! It’s fun to learn about our similarities and differences — I hope to visit one day and see Australia up close and in person. Your flowers and birds and butterflies are just absolutely amazing compared to ours.
I knew that most of the population lives donut-fashion by the coast, but I don’t know very much about the desert in the center. Do people tend to fly to get there, or are there trains and roadways to drive through? I’m sorry if you’re now laughing at this question, but I’m looking at my Australia mousepad here, and I see that Alice Springs is there and also Uluru. I am wondering what mode of transport people use to visit those places and how long it takes, etc.
Thanks for a little education today. The Discovery Channel (cable tv) had a program on Australia a while back. So very interesting to learn about other cultures.
Wow, this was really cool. Kim will enjoy hearing this as well, she loves for me to read your blog to her. As I looked at the calendar this morning, it said Australia Day and I wondered what exactly it was, so thank you for all of the information you included!!
Loved your post! (even though it was Twinkieless). What happens if you don’t vote? And is it hard to get seen with universal healthcare? I’ve heard that the wait can be long. Thinking of you as we shovel.
Janet
I learned several things I didn’t know. Thanks for the info.
Thank you for some very useful information. Personally, I think the U.S is way too uptight about the wrong things. Not all of us freak out about Janet Jackson or anything else.
Knowing how the U.S. is perceived by the rest of the world, I am a bit hesitant to proclaim that I am an American. I will say, however, that our family health care plan (which only covers catastrophic events, not doctor visits, and which has a $5K deductible) costs us $5K a year in premiums. “Real” health insurance would cost us $9K. Yet there is no future for universal health care because of the threat of higher taxes. Americans hate taxes! And we only pay 15-28 percent of what’s left after deductions.
But I digress. Hope you had an enjoyable day.
Happy Australia Day. Eating emu and kangaroo, I have to agree that I have no desire to eat them either. Too cute, although I have seen both in the wild. Maybe Sydney is too busy for them to parade around in. I dont think I would like to the health care that they have in the States, I think it needs a major overhaul in some areas too. Cant wait to see what socks you are making too. Happy knitting!
Hi ,you did a good job of the Aussie facts,I was wondering how long it took for you to type it,LOL,
Over here in WA, school starts at 8.20am,try that when Daylight saving came in,in theory the kids started at 7.20am and I started work 3.45am, I hate daylight saving,grrrrr,Iam so tired some afternoons that I feel sick!
On Wednesdays this year at our school,the kids finish at 2 pm as its staff meeting day!So I will work to 2 sometimes if picking up kids(rain etc)
Can’t wait to see what socks you’re doing!
Im spinning a lot wool and dyeing heaps, love working with colour!
That was great information on us Aussies, we sometimes forget about our history, especially when a day off is involved. It was great seeing so many people with flags flying on their homes, cars etc yesterday. I hope you don’t mind, I am going to copy that info to my blog as I have some different readers to you and they might be interested in our history, I will point them to the very talented authors page.
Thank you for sharing about Australia. You gave just enough info to make me say hmmm— I didn’t know that and hmmm that’s amazing.
Thanks again from Houston TX
Hi Donna, just catching up finally. Spring blossom looks fantastic! I love that colour you chose too. I can’t wait until my lace shawl is finished and I can block it and see the entire thing. It is amazing the difference it makes.
Great post, i totally agree with Emily i don’t know what i would do without my foxtel.
Great job on putting the info on Australia together. I love the Rabbit Tree Farm shawl/scarf it looks lovely, and the Spring Blossoms Shawl is really stunning.
Thanks for an interesting post! I know my day was spent getting sunburnt at the beach, I have eaten emu and kangaroo (loved the emu but want to try kangaroo again and cook it properly!) and my relatives have eaten crocodile with great success.
Great post and can’t wait to see pics of the socks!!
I’ve often wondered about the compulsory voting, too. What do you do about the people who, um, well, maybe shouldn’t vote? The ones who don’t pay any attention and don’t care? Or kids like the 18 year olds who registered to vote in CA *just* so they could elect the Terminator our governor (sigh), probably not evening knowing which party he was from? Other than my wondering on that score — sounds great to me! Universal healthcare seems to me to be so blatantly just that I am dumfounded at the obstinancy of our country. I’d be happy to pay higher taxes for it!
That was very nicely said, Donna.
Personally, I think we live in the greatest place in the world!!! Patriotic??? Just a bit. 😉
Great post. In Victoria, school starts at different times depending on whether you go to a state, catholic or private school, but it’s generally around 9 – 3.30.
I agree about the JJ and JT “uproar”. If that happened at the logies, it would be splashed all over the papers, but as an hilarious event, same as when Jennifer Hawkins lost her skirt.
We celebrated Australia Day with a wedding……at least they and we will have no excuses for forgetting their anniversary. hehe