G’day, mates, and thanks for stopping by! In this edition of our Things Seen In A Particular Country, we’re visiting Australia, a.k.a. the land where toilet water swirls in the wrong direction and everything (including the weather) just might kill you*. And although earlier we made a similar list on Australian Things, the last time, it was through the lens of the Down Under dwellers. This time, instead, it’s the visitors of the country who shared the unique Aussie things they saw when they were there on this Reddit thread. And wouldn’t you know it - they pointed out some things about Australia even the locals have forgotten about!
Okay, so here’s a preview of all the Aussie things people point out the most often. Number one - everybody seemed to agree that Aussies are super chilled and uber friendly (but like in a good way, not a nosy way). Well, I guess we’d all be happy if we had as many sunny days as they do! Number two - and this is a surprising one - it seems that Australians are pretty hot for beetroots. Yeah, beetroots! Number three - the incredibly stunning nature, the pristine blue skies, the never-ending horizon, beautiful wild animals and birds (99% of which might kill you, remember that). Just reading these people’s descriptions of the beauty they saw while visiting Australia has had our minds painting the most incredible pictures, and now we’re saving up for a trip to eucalyptus land.
Anyhoo, once you’ve read the submissions that came from this epic AskReddit thread, you’ll definitely have enough info to paint your own picture of things in Australia and Australia in things. We bet, though, that you’ll want to schedule a trip down there ASAP - just the same as we felt after reading these! So, scroll down below, check out the submissions, and give your vote to the most incredible Aussie things!
*Fun fact - there have been no registered deaths from spider bites in Australia since 1979.
#21
Taedalus said: "How casual Australians act around local wildlife was the most surprising thing for me (German) when I went there. Lots of little Jellyfish in the water close to Sydney harbor? A guy walks into the water, picks one up with both hands, and walks up to us "Guys I haven't seen those before, Does anyone know what kind that is?""
User No 2 replied: "Fun fact: There have been no spider-related deaths in Australia since 1979."
Report
19points
#22
"Moved to country Australia from NZ at age 14, and of all things I remember being astonished at how huge the sky seemed because the land was so flat and vast compared to where I'd come from. The horizon just stretched on forever!"
Report
19points
#23
Andromeda321 said:
"Astronomer here- the moon is backward!
"Astronomer here- the moon is backward!
To explain, in the northern hemisphere when the moon is waxing, it fills up from the right side to the left, then when it wanes it goes from the same direction. In Australia, on the other hand, the waxing crescent starts on the left.
It took me a moment to realize what exactly I was seeing, and I was absolutely tickled pink once I figured out why it was the way it was."
foul_ol_ron replied:
"I remember reading Terry Pratchett's comments on when he was camping near Uluru. He saw Orion, and it was upside down. I hadn't realized, as I've never visited the northern hemisphere."
"I remember reading Terry Pratchett's comments on when he was camping near Uluru. He saw Orion, and it was upside down. I hadn't realized, as I've never visited the northern hemisphere."
Report
19points
#24
rrfe said:
"Tall poppy syndrome: you’ve got to watch yourself… it’s an egalitarian society so if you come from a society that celebrates and flaunts success, you’ll tend to be disliked."
"Tall poppy syndrome: you’ve got to watch yourself… it’s an egalitarian society so if you come from a society that celebrates and flaunts success, you’ll tend to be disliked."
elegant_pun replied:
"Yup.
"Yup.
You can be proud of yourself and your mates will congratulate you. But leave it at that."
Report
18points
#25
PlutoGB08 said:
"My brother is living in Queensland and finds it impossible to leave. He keeps getting odd jobs, even though he finished his master's in marine biology at James Cook University and he finds the marine wildlife just absolutely wonderful. He was told he can apply for Australian citizenship, but it might take time. He just doesn't want to come home to the USA and I don't blame him seeing how bad things are here."
"My brother is living in Queensland and finds it impossible to leave. He keeps getting odd jobs, even though he finished his master's in marine biology at James Cook University and he finds the marine wildlife just absolutely wonderful. He was told he can apply for Australian citizenship, but it might take time. He just doesn't want to come home to the USA and I don't blame him seeing how bad things are here."
Potential_Anxiety_76 replied:
"Being girt by the sea really helps with the marine biology job opps."
"Being girt by the sea really helps with the marine biology job opps."
Report
18points
#26
Astrosimian said:
"Getting massively sunburned in winter.
"Getting massively sunburned in winter.
Canadian living in Aus."
dirtdoctor90 replied:
"Getting sunburnt in the rain Ranga living in Aus."
"Getting sunburnt in the rain Ranga living in Aus."
Report
17points
#27
BigDaddyRed said:
"I did a study-abroad in Sydney and found it really odd that they have bouncers that will refuse entry if you are drunk.
"I did a study-abroad in Sydney and found it really odd that they have bouncers that will refuse entry if you are drunk.
Made pregaming really hard and you didn't want to cross the line."
Kidror replied:
"They refuse entry to try and stop the violence or health issues caused by people having drunk waaayyyy too much."
"They refuse entry to try and stop the violence or health issues caused by people having drunk waaayyyy too much."
Report
17points
#28
Ilovestraightpepper said:
"How AMAZING your wine is."
"How AMAZING your wine is."
ID_LOVE_TOO replied:
"Yeahhh man, you can pick a Barossa shiraz anywhere. We are also doing a lot of really cool Mediterranean grapes as well.
"Yeahhh man, you can pick a Barossa shiraz anywhere. We are also doing a lot of really cool Mediterranean grapes as well.
Fun fact, Australia has older German resiling vines than Germany."
Report
17points
#29
trexrocks said: "No kangaroos. I was led to believe that kangaroos were roaming the streets. Also, no Foster's beer. Apparently, Fosters is not Australian for beer."
not_just_amwac replied: "You obviously didn't come to Canberra..."
Report
16points
#30
Nomsfud said:
"All the sober people!"
"All the sober people!"
BigfootTouchedMe replied:
"Highly functioning alcoholics most likely. You only notice the drunks."
"Highly functioning alcoholics most likely. You only notice the drunks."
Report
16points
#31
George_E_Hale said:
"At restaurants, or what I thought seemed like restaurants, I had to go up to the counter or wherever to place my order. I didn't always feel like I knew the proper system for getting served."
"At restaurants, or what I thought seemed like restaurants, I had to go up to the counter or wherever to place my order. I didn't always feel like I knew the proper system for getting served."
UnknownCode94 replied:
"Yeah, you were in more of a pub-like establishment. In more proper (fancy?) restaurants its waiters and all."
"Yeah, you were in more of a pub-like establishment. In more proper (fancy?) restaurants its waiters and all."
Report
16points
#32
"I went to Aus for the first time last year (I'm from NZ) for Soundwave (a music festival for those of you who don't know.
And when it started to get dark there were bats just casually flying around. It just seemed so strange to me cause all you really see in NZ are seagulls and pigeons.
Bats are for zoos/caves/jungles/forests but not cities.
Damn Aus, you scary."
Report
16points
#33
"Went in to buy more appropriate footwear in my first few days, and I was convinced the shopgirl was flirting with me. Bought something else in another shop, and more flirting. Another shop and the same thing. Turns out they weren't flirting. They were just naturally being really friendly. Smiling and being interested in me for no other reason than because that's just how you do things. I ended up taking a job going door to door selling things (backpacking yay!) and I was amazed how few times I was told to f**k off."
Report
15points
#34
"Before I arrived in WA I knew it would be big and hot. However, I wasn't prepared for it to be this BIG and this HOT. Frogs in the toilet were another surprise, the increased number of frogs when flushing was a bigger surprise. You couldn't see the water for the frogs."
Report
15points
#35
milkflakes said:
"A sign on the beach saying "beware of snakes"."
"A sign on the beach saying "beware of snakes"."
ezekiellake replied:
"Someone got bitten by a snake at the beach and died in August, so the signs aren't just for pretend."
"Someone got bitten by a snake at the beach and died in August, so the signs aren't just for pretend."
Report
15points
#36
jdbatche said:
"Flies! Flies, everywhere!"
"Flies! Flies, everywhere!"
phraeda1606 replied:
"Agreed with that! And everyone was so casual with it like it was a big deal to have a ton of flies flying around you when you are trying to have a relaxing day at the beach."
"Agreed with that! And everyone was so casual with it like it was a big deal to have a ton of flies flying around you when you are trying to have a relaxing day at the beach."
Report
15points
#37
nothefuzz said:
"Drive through alcohol shop."
"Drive through alcohol shop."
subkulcha replied:
"Bottle-o. It's for durrys and tinnies."
"Bottle-o. It's for durrys and tinnies."
Report
14points
#38
"'Yay, I'm in Australia. Let's get drunk!' 'Time to get a bottle of vodka... checks price... oh... nevermind.' ...and that's when I began my relationship with the goon."
Report
14points
#39
idleflightsoffancy said:
"Driver stops in the middle of a zebra crossing, windows winded down, to greet us, strangers, good morning."
"Driver stops in the middle of a zebra crossing, windows winded down, to greet us, strangers, good morning."
InertiaCreeping replied:
"I would put money on the greeting being something along the lines of "Howwya goin"??"
"I would put money on the greeting being something along the lines of "Howwya goin"??"
Report
14points
#40
lowflyingsatelites said:
"My friend has recently moved over from Texas, and has said the thing that's shocked her the most is how much Australian millennials love The Simpsons."
"My friend has recently moved over from Texas, and has said the thing that's shocked her the most is how much Australian millennials love The Simpsons."
BadgerBadgerCat replied:
"It was on Free-To-Air TV just after dinner time for years from the mid-90s to early 2000s and was basically something everyone was watching and enjoying together."
"It was on Free-To-Air TV just after dinner time for years from the mid-90s to early 2000s and was basically something everyone was watching and enjoying together."
Report
14points
