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General => General info Somewhat hot tub related => Topic started by: East_TX_Spa on December 09, 2005, 05:02:00 pm

Title: Sydney, Australia
Post by: East_TX_Spa on December 09, 2005, 05:02:00 pm
Anyone on here ever been?  If so, what does one need to be sure and partake of when down under?

G'day!

Terminator
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Spatech_tuo on December 09, 2005, 05:33:59 pm
Quote
Anyone on here ever been?  If so, what does one need to be sure and partake of when down under?

G'day!

Terminator


Are you going there to open a 3rd spa store?
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: East_TX_Spa on December 09, 2005, 05:40:12 pm
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Are you going there to open a 3rd spa store?


Already got 3, Tyler-Longview-Shreveport.  I would imagine HS has already got that part of the world covered.  When I went to New Zealand 3 years ago, they had just opened up a distribution center there, I believe.

My boss told me that if I sold over 100 spas this year, he'd let me go on the HS trip.  Well, we're going and really looking forward to it.

Terminator


Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: r100rs on December 10, 2005, 06:16:16 am
Be sure you drive on the LEFT!!!

r100rs
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Tman122 on December 10, 2005, 07:50:26 am
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Anyone on here ever been?  If so, what does one need to be sure and partake of when down under?
G'day!
Terminator


Fosters
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Brewman on December 10, 2005, 08:00:35 am
 I'd seek out a pub, somewhere the locals hang out, and see what beer you can sample that may not be available here.  
 
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: wmccall on December 10, 2005, 10:37:51 am
I was almost deported to there once.
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: East_TX_Spa on December 10, 2005, 10:44:53 am
Foster's....Blech!!!  I thought they shipped it all here because no one there would drink it.

r100rs, you ain't kidding!  The worst part of my trip to New Zealand was crossing the street.  I almost got ran over 3 or 4 times.  I felt like a jackrabbit trying to dodge traffic.

Brewman, that's exactly what we did in New Zealand.  The best time we had was when we stopped in a little pub called The Pig n' Whistle.  It was a karaoke bar and they were singing old stuff like Copacabana and I Got You Babe.  Everyone had their arms around each other, dancing and singing.  It still gives me goosebumps when I think about how electric the atmosphere was.

They had some good beer, too.

Terminator
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Guzz on December 10, 2005, 11:26:21 am
I was fortunate enough to sail into Sydney harbour back in the 80's. It only took us 4 months to get there. Now, things may have changed since then, but here are some recomended requirements needed, going off my experiences back then.
1. You need to learn the entire verses of " Waltzing Matilda"
2. Get used to drinking very cold beer in very small glasses, like egg cups. You can practice with coors lite.
3. Take off your wedding ring, actually you can leave it on, it won't make any differance, you will be seduced by some very horny women,( called Sheilas).
4. Be prepared to drink lots of the local men under the table, ( they think they can drink).
5.Practice eating vegimite on toast, it is a very aquired taste.
6.Sing the 1st verse of "Waltzing Matilda"
7.Get used to driving on the right side of the road, which is the left.
8.If someone tells you "It's just down the road" Be prepared for a four day drive.
9.If some one says " we're going skinny dippin" be prepared to swim naked in a swamp at midnight with crocs & snakes, I did this so I know what I'm talking about.
10. Learn to play darts while drunk, and bet the locals you can beat them, you will, then they'll beat you up.
11. Sing the 2nd verse of " Waltzing Matilda"
12. If someone offers you some roo meat, kindly decline their offer.
13. a didgeree doo is a musical instument.
14. Don't try throwing a boomarang, it'll come back to hit you in the face.
15. Sing the 3rd verse of " Waltzing Matilda"
Finnally, they say "When in Rome do as the Romans do"
Do not follow this advice, remember that the entire population is made up of convicts.
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: East_TX_Spa on December 10, 2005, 11:32:52 am
Thank you kindly, Guzz!

I think I'm gonna like it there.  Sounds an awful lot like Texas! ;D

Terminator
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Guzz on December 10, 2005, 01:17:04 pm
Sorry Term, one last thing, you must check this out...
http://www.anu.edu.au/people/Roger.Clarke/WM/WMText.html
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: ssbraun on December 10, 2005, 01:31:44 pm
Foreplay in aussieland:  "Brace yourself, Sheila!" ;)
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: drewstar on December 12, 2005, 09:35:19 am
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Fosters



I've got some freinds who did a few weeks in NZ and then over to Austrialla and I learned that Foster's is not the beer of choice, or even that popular in Oz.     I ahte to shock you, but it's more of an American markerting gimmick.   :o

I am more interested if it's true, that the water does indeed swirl the opposite way down the drain.
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Brewman on December 12, 2005, 09:44:53 am
I'm not overly impressed with Fosters, either.  
It's the Australian equivalent of Corona.  Gotta be other, more interesting beers available down there.

I have no idea if the drain swirl thing is true.  I've read conflicting information on that.  And I've spoken to a few people who've visited, and they were divided as well.  

Did you ever see the episode of "The Simpsons" when they visited there?  The American embassy had this horribly complicated machine hooked up to the toilet, for the sole purpose of reversing the direction the water swirled down the bowl.  I found that extremely funny.

Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: East_TX_Spa on December 12, 2005, 10:01:21 am
The drain does indeed swirl the opposite direction.  When we were in New Zealand, that was the very first thing I checked out when we got to our hotel (well, the second thing).  I was in the bathroom taking pictures of the toilet.  My wife thought that I'd gone insane again.

Terminator
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Wisoki on December 12, 2005, 10:37:55 am
I had no idea beer was supposed to be interesting. My concept of beer is cold, wet and alchohol content. There is almost nothing worse than tepid Bass Ale or Guiness.

Quote
I'm not overly impressed with Fosters, either.  
 It's the Australian equivalent of Corona.  Gotta be other, more interesting beers available down there.


Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Chas on December 13, 2005, 01:21:11 am
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The drain does indeed swirl the opposite direction.  When we were in New Zealand, that was the very first thing I checked out when we got to our hotel (well, the second thing).  I was in the bathroom taking pictures of the toilet.  My wife thought that I'd gone insane again.

Terminator

How funny! I was on that same trip, and I did the same thing!

The biggest laugh I got on the NZ trip was the day we all had rental cars in Queenstown. My wife and I drove over to Aerotown to shop for Opossum. It is a bit different than you might think...

But as we were trying to get out of town, we came to our first "roundabout" in the road. And here came four other white rental cars (Toyota Camry with the wheel 'over there'). We all stopped, stared blankly at each other, realized the only rental cars in town that day belonged to our group, and then as if on cue we all grabbed for the turn signal which in those cars was on the other side. So here you had four cars full of HotSpring geniuses, stopped at an intersection designed so you don't have to stop, all with our windshield wipers going madly.

But we were on the last Australia trip, and loved it. We have wanted to go again, and I can’t tell you how close I was to just buying a bunch of spas at the end of the year so we could go!! You will have a blast. Be sure to check prices carefully: you remember how on the NZ trip you could show your passport and get stuff tax-free. And don’t listen to Guzz – you will know far too many verses of “Waltzing Mathilda” before you leave. We sang it at every event, and on just about all of the outings and tour busses too! It was as if they though we had never heard it – which was fun for the first ten times…

And if anyone offers to take you to Bondi beach to see the ‘white pointers,’ don’t bother. That’s just one more thing we seem to do better in ‘mericah.
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Tman122 on December 13, 2005, 06:29:43 am
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Foster's is not the beer of choice, or even that popular in Oz.     I ahte to shock you, but it's more of an American markerting gimmick.   :o


Sorry I made the Fosters comment. Its the only thing I know regarding down under is what I see in the TV commercials, hell I drink Budwieser.

I did watch Crocidile Dundee once! Seems hot and open down there. I need my trees.
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Brewman on December 13, 2005, 08:32:27 am
No need to be sorry.  You were just participating in a conversation, that's all.  
For the most part, the imported beer we get here isn't always the best expample of what a country has to offer- often it's just their version of what's already available here.  That's why it's fun to try stuff that you can't get anywhere else.  
And if you're not into beer so much, it probably doesn't really matter anyway.
But I know Terminator is into beer!

And you never know- maybe the Foster's that they serve in Australia is better than what we get.  I've been told this is true for Henieken.  Every bottle or can of the stuff I've ever drank is skunky.  Some people even think that's the character of the beer- but it's a defect.
People that have sampled the product in Europe say it's a much different, and better, product.

Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Brewman on December 13, 2005, 08:33:54 am
Quote
I had no idea beer was supposed to be interesting. My concept of beer is cold, wet and alchohol content. There is almost nothing worse than tepid Bass Ale or Guiness.



If that's what you like in a beer, you should be in paradise.  To me, a Guiness served at the correct temperature is plenty tasty.

Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: East_TX_Spa on December 13, 2005, 09:31:23 am
Love that tepid Guinness!

Chas, the NZ trip was wonderful in every way except for the night I almost died.  It was when we were eating dinner at the restaurant on the side of the mountain, the one we had to take the gondola to reach.  I had just loaded up my plate with all kinds of oysters on the half shell.  The very first one I swallowed got stuck in my esophagus.

I'm sitting there hacking with my hands at my throat and turning purple.  Craig Coleman from Dallas is sitting across from me saying "Everyone stand back, he's going to be sick!"

My wife is elbowing me in the ribs whispering "Quit acting stupid!"

When they say your life flashes before your eyes when you're dying, they're right!  My mind was racing.

"Crap, I'm going to die in New Zealand.  How are they going to get my big ol' butt down this mountain?  Doesn't anyone realize I'm choking?  Dang, I'm going to miss dessert!"

Finally, I managed to cough it up.  A piece of shell the size of a dime had stuck to the oyster.  It scratched my esophagus up pretty good, so I wasn't able to eat anything but ice cream (which ain't necessarily all that bad).

Mr. Coleman told me I sounded like a cat coughing up a hairball.  I told him I appreciated it.

Terminator
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: drewstar on December 13, 2005, 10:03:14 am
Quote

Sorry I made the Fosters comment. Its the only thing I know regarding down under is what I see in the TV commercials, hell I drink Budwieser.

I did watch Crocidile Dundee once! Seems hot and open down there. I need my trees.



No need to apoligize Tman. Well for the Fosters comment. at least.  

As for drinking Bud, there's not excuse for that.  That's  just wrong.  


;D ;)
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Rayman on December 13, 2005, 02:48:26 pm
Castlemans XXXX

The beer of choice
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Ehizzle on December 13, 2005, 04:12:15 pm
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When they say your life flashes before your eyes when you're dying, they're right!


What was the main theme?
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: East_TX_Spa on December 13, 2005, 05:41:08 pm
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What was the main theme?

I guess mine was food and how to get me down the mountain.  I guess I haven't had much of a life.  Thanks for making me realize it...... :( :'(

Terminator
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Ehizzle on December 13, 2005, 07:19:39 pm
Hey thats what Im here for
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Chas on January 03, 2006, 10:06:19 pm
That was an amazing evening. I think I may even remember somebody hockin' up half and oyster - where you on the upper floor or the lower floor?

What did you think of the fireworks show? I have never seen them launched from a helocopter before!
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: East_TX_Spa on January 04, 2006, 09:19:17 am
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That was an amazing evening. I think I may even remember somebody hockin' up half and oyster - where you on the upper floor or the lower floor?

What did you think of the fireworks show? I have never seen them launched from a helocopter before!


I was on the upper floor.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to stay for the fireworks as my throat was pretty raw and I hated sitting there looking at all that fabulous food and not being able to eat any.  We went back down the mountain to the Pig n' Whistle.  The fireworks on the video looked fantastic!

Are you going to be in Palm Springs next week?

Terminator
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: East_TX_Spa on January 25, 2006, 10:02:06 am
Look what the DHL man brung me yesterday!  Plane tickets, itinerary, luggage tags, travel wallet, and a bloomerang!!!  Crikey!

(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b206/EastTexasSpa/DSC00494.jpg)

Terminator Dundee
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: luvmytub on January 25, 2006, 11:46:13 am
I ate some vegemite once...yuk!  I couldn't choke down enough of that to "acquire the taste" for it.  It was back in 1983, when I was a junior in high school. (Wow, it really doesn't seem that long ago....)  We had an exchange student from Australia, and he brought some goodies to history class for us to sample.  The only person that liked the vegemite had been smoking pot at lunch break and had the munchies :o!
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: East_TX_Spa on January 25, 2006, 11:49:30 am
I tried that goat-smelling crud when we went to New Zealand.  It was horrible!  I'd just as soon eat escargot or even snails before I ate that stuff again.  Blecchh!

Terminator
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: East_TX_Spa on February 10, 2006, 06:30:10 pm
I'm off!  See ya'll in a week or so. :)

Terminator
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Bonibelle on February 10, 2006, 06:40:58 pm
Have a safe trip..we'll miss you!   ;)
Title: Re: Sydney, Australia
Post by: Spatech_tuo on February 10, 2006, 06:54:11 pm
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I'm off!  See ya'll in a week or so. :)

Terminator


What, no International Pic of the Day while you're traveling???!!!