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May 2002 - Mauna Kea - Hawaii | May 2002 - Boeing 767-300 Cockpit Tour - Lambert (STL) | December 2002 - Manhattan, New York | In Memory of Laddie | September 2006 - Australia - Introduction | September 2006 - Australia - Sydney | September 2006 - Australia - Melbourne | September 2006 - Australia - Cairns | June 2023 - UK - London | June 2023 - UK - Scotland | June 2023 - France - Paris | In Box

September 2006 - Australia - Introduction

I thought I'd include a few pictures that explain some interesting observations traveling to such a far away country. Before traveling to Australia it's a good idea to pick-up some Australian money. They have no single dollar bills. If you need change from a $5 bill they'll give you either a $2 coin or a $1 coin. This gets very heavy after a while. We departed LAX for Sydney in a Qantas Boeing 747-400ER. This plane is so massive it's just unreal. The flight was packed with almost 400 people for the 14.5 hour flight over the Pacific Ocean. We were served dinner and breakfast and snacks along the way. The way to survive a 14.5 hour flight is to compartmentalize the flight. Sleep for several hours, eat both meals for one hour, read for a few hours, watch several movies for several hours and you'll find yourself able to survive the flight. The trick is also to dress comfortably. Remember you can click on a photo for a larger image.
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Australian $20, $10 and $5 bills (front and back). It looks and feels just like Monopoly money
Australian $20, $10 and $5 bills (front and back). It looks and feels just like Monopoly money		 A view of our plane before we board from our flight back from Brisbane to Los Angeles. This is a Qantas Boeing 747-400
A view of our plane before we board from our flight back from Brisbane to Los Angeles. This is a Qantas Boeing 747-400		 Longreach refers to Qantas' original headquarters in the city of Longreach, Australia not to the Boeing's longreach capabilities
Longreach refers to Qantas' original headquarters in the city of Longreach, Australia not to the Boeing's longreach capabilities		 This picture was taken from seat 70B five rows from the back. The airplane is so massive you cannot see to the front
This picture was taken from seat 70B five rows from the back. The airplane is so massive you cannot see to the front
We cruised at 34,000 ft from LAX to Sydney (SYD) but climbed to 37,000 ft. for our flight from Brisbane (BNE) to LAX
We cruised at 34,000 ft from LAX to Sydney (SYD) but climbed to 37,000 ft. for our flight from Brisbane (BNE) to LAX		 Notice something wrong with this picture? They drive on the wrong side of the streets here just like in London, England
Notice something wrong with this picture? They drive on the wrong side of the streets here just like in London, England		 Hertz was pretty much available everywhere if you really want to rent a car. We chose to use public transportation
Hertz was pretty much available everywhere if you really want to rent a car. We chose to use public transportation		 Here's what an electrical outlet looks like in Australia. Australia runs on 220 volts at 50 Hz so adapters are required
Here's what an electrical outlet looks like in Australia. Australia runs on 220 volts at 50 Hz so adapters are required
Read the fine print on your device as it may run on dual-voltage inputs (110/220). Therefore, only an adapter is required
Read the fine print on your device as it may run on dual-voltage inputs (110/220). Therefore, only an adapter is required		 Here is the final product of my Rube Goldberg device. Cell phone and camera batteries are currently charging
Here is the final product of my Rube Goldberg device. Cell phone and camera batteries are currently charging		 Used to reading distances in feet? Forget it. Everything is on the metric system here
Used to reading distances in feet? Forget it. Everything is on the metric system here		 At first we thought this was silly but really turned out to be important for those not used to wrong-way traffic (Look Right)
At first we thought this was silly but really turned out to be important for those not used to wrong-way traffic (Look Right)
Cars are smaller in Australia. Shown here is a Subaru Liberty
Cars are smaller in Australia. Shown here is a Subaru Liberty		 We saw these in Cairns a lot. This is a SUV outfitted with a snorkel so that you can drive through flooded roads
We saw these in Cairns a lot. This is a SUV outfitted with a snorkel so that you can drive through flooded roads		 Steve Irwin's death hit Australia hard. This was a condolence section in one of the parks we visited
Steve Irwin's death hit Australia hard. This was a condolence section in one of the parks we visited		 Here is what a license plate looks like in Australia. Cairns is located in the state of Queensland
Here is what a license plate looks like in Australia. Cairns is located in the state of Queensland
This type of food is very popular in Australia. They have a lot of British persuasion in their food choices
This type of food is very popular in Australia. They have a lot of British persuasion in their food choices		 Australians love their cakes, pies, muffins and their ice cream. They love putting fruit in their ice cream
Australians love their cakes, pies, muffins and their ice cream. They love putting fruit in their ice cream		 Checkout those chunks of pineapple in the vanilla ice cream. Yuck!
Checkout those chunks of pineapple in the vanilla ice cream. Yuck!		 Australia is a huge destination for Germans of all people. We saw this a lot (We Speak German)
Australia is a huge destination for Germans of all people. We saw this a lot (We Speak German)
They are not referred to as cigarettes here. We saw lot of these Butts signs
They are not referred to as cigarettes here. We saw lot of these "Butts" signs		 Burger King is called Hungry Jacks here just like Hardee's is called Carls Jr out west (this is their airport location)
Burger King is called Hungry Jacks here just like Hardee's is called Carls Jr out west (this is their airport location)		 At first I thought wow gas is cheap here at $1.19. Until I realized that it is $1.19 a liter (1 gal = 3.79 liters = $4.50 gal !)
At first I thought wow gas is cheap here at $1.19. Until I realized that it is $1.19 a liter (1 gal = 3.79 liters = $4.50 gal !)		 We saw these everywhere. They squawk at you when it is clear to cross the street (useful for persons with vision impairment)
We saw these everywhere. They squawk at you when it is clear to cross the street (useful for persons with vision impairment)
Can't convert sq m to sq ft in your head? Just head over to Google and type 90 sq m to sq ft which comes to 968 sq ft
Can't convert sq m to sq ft in your head? Just head over to Google and type "90 sq m to sq ft" which comes to 968 sq ft		 Yep. They have McDonald's here too. They also had McCafe's in them. Starbucks were everywhere too
Yep. They have McDonald's here too. They also had McCafe's in them. Starbucks were everywhere too		 For converting Celsius to Fahrenheit the easy formula is to double and add 32 (29*2+32=90). Not exact but close enough
For converting Celsius to Fahrenheit the easy formula is to double and add 32 (29*2+32=90). Not exact but close enough		 I thought this was pretty funny for a pedestrian walkway it shows a dude with platform shoes
I thought this was pretty funny for a pedestrian walkway it shows a dude with platform shoes
Everything is in kilometers per hour. The easy conversion is to multiply by 6 and divide by 10 (50*6/10=30 mph)
Everything is in kilometers per hour. The easy conversion is to multiply by 6 and divide by 10 (50*6/10=30 mph)		 I saved the best for last. This by far cracked me up. Slippery when icy? Nope, slippery when frosty!
I saved the best for last. This by far cracked me up. Slippery when icy? Nope, slippery when frosty!
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Guest 07-Aug-2009 16:59
You're nt exactly Ansel Admas but i do like your images and your commentary Always interesting to see observations from abroad of our little island. If you have more please post them.
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