Sunday, January 29, 2012

Australian Signs



Zac was peeling this egg and noticed how much it looked like Australia.


We have been back in London, Ontario for 3 weeks today!  The excitement of being home and reunited with our dog Ceilidh and friends has worn off a bit.  The reality of grey damp weather, bills, work, homework, and decluttering our space has set in.  Don't get me wrong, we are still very happy and grateful to have a wonderful home and community to return too but Australia is feeling very far away and long ago.  So today I will post a blog on Australian signs that I have been collecting.   I actually love interesting signs and have been collecting pictures of them from Europe, Asia, North and South America, for years.   I once thought it would make a great coffee table sort of book.  No doubt someone has beat me to that one.  Oh well enjoy these ones free of charge! 

You may notice a bias towards toilet signs.  Toilet signs always crack me up - clearly my 8 year old (His Birthday is today) and I have similar taste in humour!





Sadly we did see some Roo roadkill.  We were told that if we hit a Koala or see Koala roadkill, we should stop and check the pouch.  Even if the mother dies, the joey can survive for several more hours.  There are signs with wildlife help line phone numbers posted and someone will come and pick up the baby, or injured mother.




Wombat signs are rare- finding this was a treasure!

We were surprised to find this sign in the Outback (near Ayer's Rock).  We did see a feral camel while there.



enough said.
I liked the 'totally' on this sign.



Australia's coat of arms

We loved trying to say some of the Aboriginal names.

Great name for a liquor store chain!

My mom's name is Gloria Jean, so I had to include this coffee chain sign.

Signs warning people about imminent danger are often amusing.


Sign found on one of a many hikes.
This one was found on hikes in the Blue Mountains.
This is a highway sign to prevent you from entering the on ramp in the wrong direction.



Last January, Brisbane had a huge flood.  All properties along the Brisbane River, which runs through the heart of the river were submerged.  Our apartment building garage and first floor were under water.  People lost cars, bikes, and anything stored below the second floor.  The pictures we saw of the floods were unbelievable.  Brisbane has spent tons of money and time repairing homes and and property, bikes and walking paths along the river.  After the water levels receded, they were left with a toxic mess of sewage and chemicals.  In fact, the sports fields and parks, along the river's edge were closed for months.  Right after the flood, kids who played there were getting sores that would not heal. They had to have layers of top soil removed and then re soiled and grassed.   A year on, the city is in much better shape.  We moved out just before the completion of the gorgeous bike path that stretched from our apartment building right into the city (about 10 km). 


Here are a few sign I saw in restaurants that amused me.

It is such a polite request.

Napkin from our fav. pizza restaurant.


Here you may notice a bias towards toilet signs. Toilet signs always crack me up - clearly my 8 year old (His Birthday is today) and I have similar taste in humour!


You'd think it would be obvious, but keep in mind, Australia is close to Asia where I can assure you first hand, toilet practices are different.  I remember a time in Hanoi,Vietnam where I was very excited to see a throne style toilet after weeks of only finding a hole in the floor.  My gratitude soon turned to disappointed when I saw all the dirty shoe prints on the toilet seat!!



In other countries the sign might say, please put the TP in the bin provided.  Still others don't even provide toilet paper!

This one kinda scared me!  Performance anxiety.
This toilet facility was not in the outback or some remote place, it was the washroom at a plaza in a small city!

Here is the whole reason for the trip.  Thank you UQ for helping support this sabbatical!


We tried it... I'll stick with peanut butter, thanks.


Men At Work » Land Down Under Lyrics

Traveling in a fried-out combie
On a hippie trail, head full of zombie
I met a strange lady, she made me nervous
She took me in and gave me breakfast
And she said,

"Do you come from a land down under?
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover."

Buying bread from a man in Brussels
He was six foot four and full of muscles
I said, "Do you speak-a my language?"
He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwichAnd he said,

"I come from a land down under
Where beer does flow and men chunder
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover."

Lying in a den in Bombay
With a slack jaw, and not much to say
I said to the man, "Are you trying to tempt me
Because I come from the land of plenty?"
And he said,

"Oh! Do you come from a land down under? (oh yeah yeah)
Where women glow and men plunder?
Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?
You better run, you better take cover."
 
 
We heard "Land Down Under"  everyday!   Those Aussies love that song.  On New Year's Eve the band played it at midnight!!!
 
Well, I have one more blog in me.  The Great Barrier Reef deserves a blog, so the next time I get some time I will post that one.  I really do have 1000s of photos to sort through first.
Until then, be a "Happy little Vegemite"  (someone in a good mood).
Penni-Sue

No comments:

Post a Comment