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The Selfish Years

~ Over 200 cities, 42 countries, 6 continents and counting.

The Selfish Years

Tag Archives: Australia

The Selfish Guides to Australia and New Zealand are Up!

06 Tuesday May 2014

Posted by mrsselfish in Australia, General, New Zealand, News, Oceania

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Australia, New Zealand, Selfish Guides, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, The Selfish Guide to Australia, The Selfish Guide to New Zealand

I know it has been a while. I have no excuse, other than that we’ve been enjoying our time in SF. I assure you that Mr. Selfish and I are hard at work at our trip reports for Istanbul and Tanzania.

But in the meantime, we’ve finally finished our Selfish Guides for Australia and New Zealand.

Check out the Selfish Guide to Australia here.

This is the Bay of Fires in Tasmania, which was our favorite place to visit in Oz.

Check out the Selfish Guide to New Zealand here.

Milford Sound 23

This is Milford Sound near Queenstown. Take the private jet there. Trust me, do it.

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24 Observations About the Land Down Under (Part 2 of 2)

06 Tuesday Aug 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Australia, Oceania, Rant

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Australia, Observations, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

 

*Disclaimer * These observations are purely things I noticed after wandering Australia for 5 weeks and may not be entirely accurate. If you have any explanations or stories, please share away.

Also, to prove we’re not (too) biased I’ll be doing a list of US observations after our cross-country drive in September!

13. Crickey! Strange grammatical differences.

On top of the abbreviations, there are also some strange grammatical differences between Australian English and other forms of English, and while “G’day Mate” appears to be fading in popularity, I found “How ya going?” to be equally charming.

14. Australian-ifications of foreign words.

To make things even more complicated for the ambling North American visitor, many of the ways in which Australian English speakers pronounce foreign words is confusingly different. The Spanish dish “paella?” Pie-el-ah. The French meat cut “fillet?” Fill-it. The Korean car “Hyundai?” He-un-day.

15. There are tons of candy stores.

There seems to be even more of a penchant for sweets than back in the States. I was particularly surprised to see row upon rows of Willy Wonka sweets lining the shelves of every convenience store.

16. There are very few options for food customization.

Maybe they size up customers as they enter the door, or maybe because they make such damned good food. Either way, I was surprised at how little food customization there was. Whenever we ate at a Thai or Indian restaurant we were never asked how spicy we wanted our food. Similarly, no one asked us how we wanted our meat cooked.  

17. There are animals everywhere.

Animals Crossing

Australian animals have almost no natural predators, except for the dingo, and foxes which were brought over by the British. As such, there are TONS of animals once you get outside of the city, and tons of road kill – especially in less populated places like Tasmania.

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24 Observations About the Land Down Under (Part 1 of 2)

05 Monday Aug 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Australia, Oceania, Rant

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Australia, Observations, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

Mrs. Selfish and I left Japan on a plane bound for Australia – the Land Down Under! For the next 35 days we visited the country’s east and south coasts, seeing Sydney, the Great Barrier Reef, Tasmania, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, and Melbourne.

So what was it like?

Outside of America, Australia is probably the most American country we’ve ever been to. Not only are a lot of the companies the same as at home (hello Blockbuster!), but many of the customs and culture are very similar. That being said, we spotted many differences in the good ol’ Land Down Under.

*Disclaimer * These observations are purely things I noticed after wandering Australia for 5 weeks and may not be entirely accurate. If you have any explanations or stories, please share away.

Also, to prove we’re not (too) biased I’ll be doing a list of US observations after our cross-country drive in September!

1. Australia is like America in the 90’s.

90's

Visiting Australia is like taking a visit to pre-911 America. The average internet speed is ~50% that of the States, so Netflix hasn’t really taken off, so video rentals (or “hires”) are still popular. Phone booths dot the countryside. Amazon hasn’t destroyed retail businesses, since it doesn’t exist locally. Travel agents still have a job.

That being said, people do carry around iPhones and Androids, and credit cards are basically accepted everywhere, so it’s very much like the States in that respect.

2. Australia has amazing domestic airport security laws.

Airport Laws

Not taking off your shoes is pretty standard anywhere outside of the States, so that wasn’t a big surprise. What WAS a surprise was the outstanding liquid laws – there are almost no limits on liquids! You can bring up to 6 bottles of wine on a domestic flight and no one bats an eye. And remember meeting people at the airport as they depart the plane? Yep, you can still do that in Australia.

3. EVERYTHING is more expensive in Australia.

Everything. Especially in Sydney, where buying a cup of coffee is like a punch in the gut. Donut prices start at $3. Cabs count up by 5 cent increments immediately after you board them. A McDonald’s chicken sandwich costs $5. A movie ticket costs $21. Your average lunch? Closer to $15-$22.

I suspect the higher cost of things is due to the minimum wage, which is an amazing $18 an hour. Australian residents are largely unaffected, but as a tourist, Australia was easily the most expensive place we’ve ever visited – including England and Japan.

4. …But the Food is really, really good.

It’s almost impossible to eat a bad meal in Australia. Finding a great meal requires minimal research, while finding a good meal simply requires you to walk into the closest restaurant. Produce is fresh, meat is delicious, and baked goods are as good they are in Europe.

And while there aren’t many native Australian specialties (vegemite! anzac biscuits! kangaroo meat! Aussie pies!), the spin they put on standard fares like hamburgers and breakfast make me sad that I’m back in the States.

5. Australia is the Manliest Country in the World.

Men and women are on average 1 inch taller than in the US, and who knows how much beefier. Stumbling around Sydney, it felt like everyone was surfing, lifting, and jogging – all at once!

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Melbourne’s Magnificent Markets and Arcades

04 Sunday Aug 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Australia, Melbourne, Oceania

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Australia, Hopetown Tea Room, Melbourne, Oceania, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Victoria Market

Mrs. Selfish and I have always been market people. Perhaps it’s the energy of the fruit merchants hawking cheap oranges, or the allure of handmade wares, or (more likely) the tiny restaurants and shops selling artisanal food.

Having visited Sydney’s markets, and missed Hobart’s Salamanca market we were determined to visit Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market.

Set near the central part of Melbourne, Queen Victoria Market is open 4 days a week, with the exception of Monday and Wednesday. I was immediately reminded of Philedephia’s Reading Terminal Market or Seattles Pike’s Place – albeit a much larger version.

The market is split into three sections: delis & bakeries, produce, and general merchandise. Since we arrived for lunch, our first stop was the market’s deli area.

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The National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne

03 Saturday Aug 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Australia, Melbourne, Oceania

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Australia, Melbourne, National Gallery of Victoria, Oceania, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

Mr. Selfish and I visited the National Gallery of Victoria, which is housed in two different buildings in Sydney. The first building near the CBD in Federation Square contains Australian art while the other building, which is a little further away, has international art.

We visited the building with the Australian art first. I particularly liked the art exhibit dedicated to the 1980’s.

Melbourne - Museums 005

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Meandering Around Melbourne

02 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Australia, Melbourne, Oceania

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Australia, Melbourne, Oceania, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

As our last stop in Australia, Mr. Selfish and I spent five nights in Melbourne, which is the second largest city in Australia and naturally has a rivalry with Sydney. We had spent sixteen nights in Sydney but I wish that we had allocated more days to Melbourne. While Sydney was a nice city, it could have been a city anywhere in the world (aside from the iconic Opera House). Sydney is just so clean and sterile.

I viewed Melbourne as Sydney’s grittier and dirtier cousin – the fun cousin who will try to get you in trouble. We even learned that people from Sydney derogatorily refer to Melbournians as “Mexicans,” which is an interesting derogatory term in itself.

Mr. Selfish and I enjoyed meandering around Melbourne and especially appreciated the graffiti.

Melbourne - Walking Around 012

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Kangaroo Island’s Killer Parks

01 Thursday Aug 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Australia, Oceania

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Australia, Flinders Chase National Park, Kangaroo Island, Seal Bay, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

Although we had come to Kangaroo Island to see wild kangaroos, surprisingly we only saw one. Crossing the road. Hundreds of meters away.

Fortunately, we did see several other animals – though the most impressive was the sea lion colony at Seal Bay.

Proud looking fellow, ain’t he?

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The Whacky Pelicans of Kangaroo Island

31 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Australia, Oceania

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Australia, Kangaroo Island, Kingscote, Pelican, Sealink, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

Kangaroo Island (or KI as it is called by Australians) is a small-ish island located 2 hours south of Adelaide that is famous for its wildlife: wallabies, seals, sea lions, penguins, and of course kangaroos.

Mrs. Selfish and I ended up spending 2 nights in Kangaroo Island, and surprisingly only saw one wild kangaroo (crossing the street, oddly enough). We did, however, see loads of crazy Australian Pelicans.

Utterly. Crazy-looking.

Unlike their North American cousins, Australian pelicans have some peculiar properties – for instance, apparently they can’t dive underwater, they just float. They can also contort their bills into all sorts of shapes.

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The Delicious Wines in Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale Near Adelaide

30 Tuesday Jul 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania

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Adelaide, Australia, Barossa Valley, Battle of Bosworth, Foggo, Food & Drinks, Jacob's Creek, Lehmann, McLaren Vale, Minko, Oceania, Rockford, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Seppeltsfield, Willunga Creek, Wine Region, Wineries

South Australia is home to hundreds of vineyards. Although we couldn’t visit them all, Mr. Selfish and I did manage to visit eight of them during our short stay in Adelaide. We visited four wineries in Barossa Valley, which is about 60 km northeast of Adelaide and is known for its red wines. We then visited four wineries in McLaren Vale, which is about 35 km south of Adelaide and is known for its production of shiraz wines.

Alcohol

No, just kidding. Mr. Selfish wasn’t even driving that day.

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Meet and Eat in Adelaide

29 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania

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Adelaide, Australia, Cleland, Cleland Wildlife Park, Emu, Food & Drinks, Kangaroo, Meet and Eat, Oceania, Red Ochre, Selfish Year, Selfish Years

Mr. Selfish and I spent three lovely evenings in Adelaide, which is a coastal city in South Australia. One of Mr. Selfish’s friends from grad school, Greg, and his wife, Tanya, graciously showed us around and introduced us to the concept of the “meet and eat.” It requires two steps: (1) you meet animals and then (2) you eat the animals from step 1.

Step 1: Meeting the Animals

For step 1, we visited the Cleland Wildlife Park. We purchased the feed for $3 a bag and started meeting and feeding the animals we would later devour.

Meet and Eat 02Meet and Eat 03

We met quite a few emus, which are large flightless birds. They are similar to ostrich in size and taste. Mmmmmm…delicious!

Meet and Eat 16

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Quite Possibly Australia’s Best Brekkies

28 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Tasmania

≈ 1 Comment

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Australia, Machine Laundry Cafe, Oceania, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tasmania, Zum

Australia doesn’t have a whole lot of native foods – vegemite, anzac biscuits, aussie pies, and kangaroo steaks are part of a pretty short list of foods that originated down under.

The delicious Salmanca side of Hobart – home to many tasty breakfasts!

That being said, Australia does some pretty amazing takes on food staples – like adding beetroot to burgers. It sounds strange, but man is it tasty. Another food that Australia really excels at? Brekky.

With that in mind Mrs. Selfish and I set out to find the tastiest breakfasts that Hobart had to offer.

Zum – A great place for Ricotta Hotcakes

Our first stop was at Zum restaurant, which is located just off the wharf near the Salmanca market area of Hobart. Zum has a pleasant, neighborhood café kind of feel to it, and was packed with natives when we stepped in Sunday morning.

I ordered the Ricotta Hot Cakes ($17 AUD) while Mrs. Selfish tucked into the Trio of Mushrooms ($18 AUD).

The Ricotta Hot Cakes were served in a berry compote, with syrup and king island cream. The hot cakes were light and fluffy, and the king island cream was lighter than butter while adding a crucial moistening component. The real star of the show, however, was the berry compote, which was sweet, tart, and fruity all at once. For my money, the cakes were even better than Bill’s in Sydney!

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Inside the MONA, the World’s Strangest Museum

27 Saturday Jul 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Australia, Oceania, Tasmania

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Australia, Mona, Oceania, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tasmania

Mrs. Selfish and I have been to dozens of museums throughout the course of our Selfish Year. The British Museum. The Louvre. The Trick Eye Museum in Seoul. The Sydney Modern Art Museum. The Port Arthur Museum. None of these could prepare us for Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art.

The MONA was built and owned by David Walsh, Tasmania’s millionaire gambler, who earned his fortune by developing his own horse racing gambling techniques. The museum opened in January 2011 and holds hundreds of pieces, ranging from ancient Egyptian pieces, to modern art pieces showcasing the work of Madonna, to a machine that simulates the human digestive system and poops twice a day.

It’s fun. It’s shocking. It’s thought-provoking. It’s cutting-edge. In Walsh’s own words it’s the “subversive Disney World for adults.”

Even the building is awesome.

Getting there and tickets

The Mona has a ferry that departs from the dock area of Hobart. To visitors that haven’t done any online research, the ferry is probably the first indication that this isn’t your typical museum.

Ferry-goers have two options for tickets. A $20 normal round trip ticket, or the $50 posh-pit option. Guess which one we chose.

Boo yeah.

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Fancy Dining in Ol’ Hobart

26 Friday Jul 2013

Posted by misterselfish in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Tasmania

≈ 4 Comments

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Australia, Gargistes, Henry Jones Art Hotel, Henry's Harbourside, Hobart, Oceania, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tasmania

Mrs. Selfish and I ended our 6-day stint through Tasmania in Hobart, Tasmania’s largest city in Tasmania. That being said, it is a small city at just over 220,000 people. It is also a stunning city.

A common theme we noticed while wandering around Australia is that food is excellent. Even your worst meal is destined to be pretty good. I imagine this has to do with the size of the country, and the freshness of local food.

Tasmania takes that to the extreme. Everything is local. Every is fresh. Everything is delicious.

Staying at the Henry Jones Art Hotel

First we needed a place to stay. Since it was my birthday we decided to splurge and grab a room at the Henry Jones Art Hotel. Located near the harbor, the Henry Jones is a great jumping off point for some amazing meals – and is also close to the MONA ferry and Salamanca Market.

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The Cruel and Beautiful Port Arthur

25 Thursday Jul 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Australia, Oceania, Tasmania

≈ 1 Comment

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Australia, Hobart, Oceania, Penal Colony, Port Arthur, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tasmania

While we still had the car, Mr. Selfish and I visited Port Arthur, which is the former convict settlement on Tasmania. From 1833 until 1853, Port Arthur was a penal colony for the hardest of British criminals. In fact, in order to get into Port Arthur, you had to be a secondary offender that reoffended after coming to Australia.

Even though it was a penal colony, Port Arthur has a beautiful setting. It is set on a verdant peninsula, which is probably more cruel than anything.

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Savoring the Wine, Cheese, Berries, and Oysters in Tasmania

24 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by mrsselfish in Australia, Food & Drinks, Oceania, Tasmania

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Australia, Barilla Bar, Barilla Oysters, Food & Drinks, Holy Cow Cafe, Josef Chromy, Kate's Berry Farm, Oceania, Pyengana, Selfish Year, Selfish Years, Tasmania, Velo

Mr. Selfish and I were surprised at the quality of food in Tasmania. Everything that we ate was simply delicious. Since Tassie is an island, the vast majority of the food is local, which means that everything that you eat is fresh and in season.

The first stops we made were at two wineries in Tamar Valley. On our way from Hobart to Rosevears, we stopped at the Josef Chromy winery (370 Relbia Road, Relbia 7258) for lunch and a wine tasting.

Tassie 010Tassie 034

We enjoyed a yummy saffron soup, greens, and a salmon and fenugreek risotto. We also had a wine tasting. Tamar Valley is known for its white wines, which me and Mr. Selfish adore. We restrained ourselves and only purchased one bottle of the Sauvignon Blanc.

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Who’s Selfish?

Mr. and Mrs. Selfish are an obsessively organized couple who sold all their junk to travel abroad for a year. Now settled in San Francisco, they have since visited over 200 cities in 44 countries over 6 continents. This site chronicles their travels.

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