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Saturday, March 6, 2010

Aussie-land, Day 2a

I am about to launch myself into Canberra tourism (the Australian War Memorial, the shopping on the north side of town [need sim card for phone, cable or card reader for camera], and perhaps Questcom--their science/touch museum).  But whilst I wait for the bus, let me just note a few bits of cultural differences:
  • Whilst.  I have seen it on a number of signs here but never anywhere else, not even in the UK.
  • Double-bladed room key: My hotel room key has two blades (I cannot think of a better term) and the keyhole is essentially u-shaped.  I cannot remember having such a key before, not in East Europe or anywhere else.
  • Field hockey:  I was not surprised to see televised rugby, cricket, golf or even tennis (doubles only thus far!), but men's field hockey?  The good news is that my understanding of cricket has increased dramatically already.  I think I get 5% of the sport now.
  • Sin bin: The name Aussies use for the penalty box in rugby (didn't know there were penalties in Rugby) and field hockey.
  • Bruce?  Thus far, I have failed to meet or see any Bruces.  Monty Python must be sorely out of date.
One common cultural experience--wherever I go on these travels, I always seem to be somewhere between two and three decades than most of the people partaking of the breakfast buffet at the hotel--Berlin, Canberra, wherever.

Now to figure out the bus system.  Cheers!

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