we’re not in kansas any more…
so we’re south of the equator for the next few months, and aside from the anti-clockwise drains and inverted seasons, there’s something about being “down under” that lends itself to a more relaxed vibe, a more laidback and open feeling. people being nice for the sake of being nice. maybe it’s harder to be in a bad mood when you’re near all these beautiful beaches.
as i suspected before i even set foot in oz, i could easily grow to love this country, this city. it puts me in mind of some of my other favourite cities – with it’s palm trees, seashore, cleanliness, spaciousness, and mix of old and new, it reminds me a little bit of san diego, toronto, and even boston if you squint hard.
and there’s something about aussies (god help me, but i *cannot* bring myself to say “oz-zies” because, dammit, there’s no zed in that word!) that’s just more familiar to me than other nationalities. they may drive on the left and (gah!) even play cricket, but there’s a certain scrappy go-getter mentality, an eager enthusiasm, and a pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps ethic, which seems more akin to north america than the u.k. I’m wildly overgeneralising here, of course, but perhaps it’s the youthfulness as a country, or coming from pioneer stock which generates a feeling of commonality. i can’t quite pinpoint what it is, but it’s definitely there.
and if it weren’t so damn far away from everyone i love, i could easily see myself living here.
so sydney is a welcomely warm city – even if it’s chilly as hell out. we’ve hired a car to head up the coast for a few days and try to catch up with some friends, so if we don’t update for a few, it’s coz’ we’re at the pub 
(and since rugby’s tri-nations tournament is getting underway and the south africa v. australia matchup is on saturday… go springboks!)
more photos here
July 17th, 2006 22:05
My reaction to Australia was very much the same as yours. It’s much more American in spirit than it is British.