Author: hypatia
Date: 02/01/2009, 09:38 pm
If they all talk like Bushranger I will need a translator.

Now Im scared of Dengue.....
!!!!!!!!!
What part now!!!
But you'll find translators a dime a dozen, discount for a 100 words, bargain price 50 cents!

Freebie for now.
This season has been a bit damper compared to past few and looks like staying that way for known outlook and like any tropical area, mosquitoes love water.

The government is deploying some mosquito fighting teams and resort type places ought to be checking grounds, rooms and generally taking precautions.
So, more a case of being forewarned, aware and alert rather than too alarmed.

If you have the skin/blood type of some people that mosquitoes just love, protect yourself better.
Plenty of repellant around ankles, neck ears etc., those places that you are usually not covering up and bare legs under a table can be a prime target.

haha I will, thanks.....thank goodness there's no malaria there to worry about...
I would love to go to Madagasgar but can take the preventatives...

I brought back a small piece of boulder opal on a chain from Australia and a clock in the shape of the North Island made out of Kauri wood in NZ.

How about local music? While in Australia in 2000, I purchased two CDs - Rules of the Road by Lee Kernaghan and Uluru by Tony O'Connor - - love them both. I go months without listening to these CDs but the minute the music starts it takes my instantly back to my visit down under.

I will be back in Australia in March and I plan to pick up a CD by The Audreys while in the Adelaide area.

I also brought back a CD of aboriginal music. CD's are a great souvenir and take up so little room in the suitcase.

The Australian Geographic shops have good stuff, as do the shops of major libraries, museums and galleries. I'm told the shop at the recently opened National Portrait Gallery (Canberra) is a beauty - and in close proximity there are the shops at the National Gallery, National Library and Old Parliament House. Canberra visitors are also well served by the War Memorial and National Museum shops and if making the trip out to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve there's a nice one there as well.

The weekend markets have interesting stuff. I got unique crystalline ice cream bowls at the Ayers Rocks market. From New Zealand I have a huge wooden plate I use to serve ice cream. I also bought Zyliss ice cream scoops - amazing design. I always return laden with wine and buy christmas tree ornaments wherever we travel - a platypus and a santa in shorts (where else!) represent Oz and a paua bird NZ.

I did not buy any wine to bring home. Remember if you change planes anywhere, you will need to put your wine in checed luggage even if you buy it at the airport.

I did buy wine in Australia and NZ but I drank it there.

My favorite gift item was aboriginal art. They are painted on canvas so very easy to roll up and put in suitcase. Once home, I had them professionally framed. Very cool.

Art is always a good souvenir. In my house, however, almost every inch of wall space is taken, so I had to swear off art. I did see a lot of Australian art in the museum in Brisbane, however, and learned a lot.

Then there's the matter of how much I pay the frame guy for framing the pictures when I get back. I figure I should have put him on retainer years ago.

In NZ--honey, All Blacks stuff, clip lock plastic tubs, surf boards,Throwogood Uk saddles, and interestingly pretty cheap Scottish single malt at duty free.