This week, myWanderlust regular Steve48 took time to look back over his recent trip to Australia and ponder on the quirky things that he stumbled across while he was there. Dunnies, Tim Tams, toilet paper with sharks on it, blue-tongued skinks, colourful birds – all regarded as strange and exotic. In my house, when I was growing up, they were all regarded as normal.
Take dunnies, for instance. Like most urban Aussies we were lucky enough to have a toilet that was inside the house, flushed and was relatively spider-free. But we still had neighbours who didn’t and we’d often spot them wandering, newspaper tucked under their arm, to the little tin shed, out back. On one such visit, Mr McDonald next door was bitten on the testicles by a redback spider and local gossip had it that they blew up to the size of basketballs. It was a while before we saw him wearing stubbies again, let me tell you.
Tim Tams were a treat when I was growing up, but every Australia Day, I invite my English neighbours down for a mid-winter BBQ and communal Tim Tam Suck. I had a blue-tongued lizard as a pet when I was a kid and the squawk of a rainbow lorikeet wakes you up quicker than any alarm clock known to man. We didn’t have toilet paper with sharks embossed on them, but I seem to remember the odd marsupial or two.
I guess the point I’m trying to make is that what one man considers strange, another considers normal. And discovering that is one of the real joys of travel.
But I digress. As well as Steve’s ruminations over at Experiences, you’ll also find suzycatpope beating herself up about ruining her partner’s first ever tuk-tuk ride – shame on you! – and markymark983’s remarkably clear headed account of Britain’s most scenic pub crawl. And if you’re considering a city break in either Tallinn or Helsinki any time soon, make sure you have a look at DavidRoss’s account of his visit to these two Baltic beauties.
Boffin116 is just back from Panjim and reports that the food is tasty and cheap. Melissajane15 had half-frozen, snow-crowned waterfalls in Iceland to herself. And Penny22 is back from Slovenia. She'd love to show you her photos but the battery in her camera went flat.
Over at the Forum, the big news is that Sergeant Pluck is moving to Madrid and is looking for advice on what to expect. Probably something he should have done before packing up his life in Holland, but I’m sure you guys will be able to sort him out. And while you’re at it, lochan needs some help regarding Indian visas and TheBogtrotter wants advice on hiring a car and driver in Kerala. Help them out here.
To Photography and boy, are you in for a treat. Chandaala is back with a set of terrifically colourful images from Kathakali. Steve48 takes us to Rottnest Island and includes the mandatory quokka shots. Mik’s photos from Angkor Wat are a real treat, as are danny2798’s from Mongolia. (I’ve got to go and see that Genghis Khan statue.) And Karen Warren has posted some pictures of Pisa, giving us a new perspective on a place we all think we know. And don’t forget to check out Stephen Bound’s photos from Ethiopia too. Brilliant.
Well, that’s it from me. A care package from my mum has just arrived from Australia and I’m hoping there’ll be some Caramello Koalas and Twisties inside...
