My Aussie Dictionary

Who knew English could be so different??? There have certainly been times when I feel like I'm in a country with a completely foreign language.

Australia has certainly maintained much of their British English words, but they definitely have a few slang words of their own. I have only just begun to keep track...

Oh, I forgot that there is no word that can't be shortened. Most people didn't bother to call me Rebecca at work, they went straight to Bec without even knowing that it is my actual nickname. Nothing like making a girl feel at home right?

Biscuit or Bicky – Cookie
Breaky – Breakfast
Capsicum – Green/Red peppers
Chips – Chips can mean french fries or potato chips
Crisps – Potato chips can be crisps or chips
Daggy – Loser; disheveled person
Dodgy – Suspicious
Dummy – Pacifier
Dunny – Toilet or loo; this word was the old name for an outhouse
Fairy Floss – Cotton candy
Good on you – Good for you; Way to go!**
How ya going? – How are you?
Lolly/Lollies - Candy (although a lollipop is still the same)
Mackers – McDonald's
Motorway – Highway, freeway, interstate
Plodding along – Getting by
Queue - Line
Take the piss out of you – Making fun of; joking around with
Serviette – Napkin
Smash – Accident, ex. There is a large smash on the motorway.
Ta – Thank you

**"Good on you" is my personal favorite so far.

Road Trip!

I have finally been able to load some of my pictures online. There are still more to come, but this definitely gives you an idea of the landscape. You will have to excuse me as I am big on taking pictures of scenery. My mom always says, "Where are the people?" There will eventually be more people shots for sure. Since there are a few albums, I should probably explain a little... We have mainly stuck to local spots that are within driving or train distance for weekend trips since the work schedule is fairly intense right now.  (Link to PicasaWeb)

In the first week Travis and I went to the wine country in Hunter Valley, which is about 2 hours north of Sydney. If you ever get the chance to go, I would definitely suggest taking one of the wine tour buses. They drive you around all day to various wineries. No worries about "drink driving" as they call it here.

The next trip was a "bush walk" or hike in the Blue Mountains. I believe the name came from the fact that the Eucalyptus oil in the air reflects a blue glow. This range actually reminds me very much of the Shenandoah Mountains in Virginia, but the foliage is definitely more tropical. Plus, the walk we took was incredibly more steep! We probably walked down 3 km of stairs, which equates to approximately 1.8 miles. My knees hurt enough after the walk down, but some people actually choose to walk up it. Crazy!! The path eventually evens out, and there is a nice tram after Katoomba Falls to take you back to the top. Whew! (Link to Blue Mountains)

After that, we took a brief trip to Newcastle, which is a 3hr train ride from Sydney and not very far from Hunter Valley. It's a much smaller beach area and more family-oriented.

In April, Travis's brothers, Tom and Justin, visited Sydney with a few of their friends, and one stop on the tour was the Red Bull Flugtag event held at the Royal Botanic Gardens, not far from the Opera House. I am not sure if any of you have ever seen this type of event, but people try to make some sort of aircraft that is launched off a big ramp into water. The objective is to have it fly the farthest, I think. I actually had no idea that the event is actually judged and in the end there is a winner! It was pretty silly, but I enjoyed it.

The last one out there is a few pictures of the Grand Pacific Drive. Much like the Pacific Coast Highway in California, New South Wales built a nice, windy road along the Pacific Ocean to meander through the countryside between Sydney and Wollongong. I dare say that the PCH is a bit grander though, but I only saw a portion of it. (Link to Grand Pacific Drive)

That's it for now...

G'day Sydney!

I cannot believe I am actually living in the land down under...  Welcome to Sydney, Australia!

Since I am here, I thought I would try out this whole blogging trend.  Being far away from home can be tough, and this is a great way to share some of my experiences here.  So, we shall see how it goes.  Stay tuned for more from Oz...

Here are some pictures of my new neighborhood.  (Kodak Gallery)