Observations on Oz

We've been here two months now and I haven't done a random observations brain dump post in a while.  I have observed many random things so here we go with more:

- Geyser is pronounced geezer

How this

Came to be pronounced like this

Will forever be a source of entertainment for me.

- Liquor stores are Drive Thru, kind of

I don't really get the logistics of this, since those parked cars will block the passage of any cars behind them.  You don't get service at your window, you still have to get out of your car and in to the 3-walled store to make your purchase.  I don't really get the purpose of the drive thru besides it being an ill conceived parking lot.

- You can get sunburned when the sun isn't even shining

And shocking to most, that sunburn has actually turned into something resembling a tan on my shoulders and arms!  You almost have to see it to believe it.  Heidi has a tan!

Oddly enough, however, my legs do not tan AT ALL.  Even if I'm out all day with bare legs and no sunblock on them they're still white as a sheet.  A few years ago I was tubing down Red Lake River, got drunk and fell asleep on my tube for god knows how long.  My legs burned really, REALLY bad (so bad that it felt like my shin bones were splitting when I tried to walk) and they've been ghostly white ever since.  Is it possible to burn the pigment out of your skin?  Somebody alert medical science.  I need to be studied.

Don't cry for me, though, it wasn't all bad.  It was a really good nap.

- If you work at a classy place a pianist will greet you as you arrive at work every day

Martin's building has a grand piano in the lobby and a pianist plays every morning as people arrive to work.  Fancy!

Mmm, quite.

- Australians freaking love their schnitzel


They LOVE it!  It's everywhere.  I want to believe it has something to do with their love of TV cooking competitions, but there is no culinary excuse for schnitzel. It's deep fried meat.

- They have fruit you didn't even know existed


As I was heading to the fruit and veg market one day Martin demanded that I pick up some exotic fruits for us to try.  It's a good cultural experience, I agree, but I was apprehensive about how to actually eat these freaky looking things.

Have you seen such crazy things before?

Persimmons

Longans

(These could totes be used as 'eyeballs' instead of peeled grapes for Halloween parties)

Mangosteens

They were all edible enough, creepy texture notwithstanding, but the persimmons were the tastiest.  After we'd eaten most of it we noticed a huge-ass caterpillar waltzing all over it, so that's where the fruit tasting session came to an abrupt end.  Nasty, but 'tis better to find a whole caterpillar than a half caterpillar, I say.

And that's all for today in the whacky world of Oz!