The People, the Sun, the Food and the Suds

The people. It could be because people come from all sorts of places to enjoy the beaches and the life that Australia has to offer, or maybe it is all the sunshine, but Australians sure seem to be a happy folk. Everywhere I wandered, the people were friendly, cheerful and courteous; and just about every conversation ended with a “Cheers, mate!” or “No worries.” By and large, Aussies are an unworried people. They work, they play, and they live, love and laugh. There is a real sense of community “downunder”, probably because it takes such an effort just to get to this magnificent island. And it is worth the effort. The food. If I lived and ate in Australia for a year, I could easily weigh in at 400 pounds. The food is that good. Then again, you don’t see too many whales wandering the sidewalks, because the food is that good. The climate allows Oz to grow just about anything, and there are Product of Australia stickers on just about everything. With fresh and tasty food constantly coming in and out of season, there is no reason to eat crap, and not too many of the locals do. Because of the country’s diverse culture, visitors belly up to more Chinese, Thai, Indian or Lebanese eateries than greasy burger joints. You can snack on sushi, shwarma or salads as easily as fried chicken and chips, and chefs take pride in their work from the rooftop terrace to the streetside take-away. The weather. It gets hot in Australia. Blazing hot. Surface of the sun hot. But, like grandpa used to say, it is a dry heat. Even a 37-degree day, when you should be pouring enough sweat to float a boat, doesn’t seem all that bad when the humidity is low. On the days when you start to melt like plastic in a microwave oven, a beach and some cool ocean breezes are never far away; unless you are in the Outback, where only the hardiest of souls dare to tread. The sun can be harsh, to be sure, but hats and sunglasses are more common than shoes. Instead of complaining, you can always go surfing. The beer. Liquor and wine is pricey, way too pricey, but the beer makes up the difference. Because two major beer companies don’t dominate the Australian market, labels and tastes are diverse. Two of the best brews I found were Little Creatures from Perth and James Squire from Sydney, but the best you’ll discover is the cold one in front of you on a hot day. I especially love the notion of the traveller, where no one looks twice when you carry an open container down the street or on the beach. Abuse that privilege, and you’ll be fined, but nobody seems to think less of you if you like to crack a cold one. With such weather, food and people all smiling on you, who can really blame you.