Melodie I thought we agreed on more things than you thought actually. I am honoured that you are of a similiar opinion to mine about Steve.

I feel 'homesick' when I watch the Australian Tourism's ad, and I'm not Australian - just a regular visitor!
Can somebody enlighten me about the Falls used. I thought they were the Millaa Millaa Falls but I think they might be too small.
Dot

Ok girls --- I capitulate....... My hands are up. Oopps I just dropped a baby.

No seriously, I do partially agree with you and its only partial. I do like what he's done in a lot of respects. I simply can't cope with his "Steve On Speed" routine. Nor can I cope with the "she's a narly little Sheila" rubbish. I think this is predominately because whilst living in the States where he is hugely popular, people used to ask us ALL the time why we didn't sound like that. It frankly got on my goat. But to make matters worse, my husband bought me a huge Steve T.Shirt to sleep in so I could "sleep with Steve". A seriously misguided attempt at humour on his part.

Melodie, what is your job and how can I get it? you seem to get to go everywhere.

Hi,

LizF, that's absolutely wonderful that you think we agree more than disagree! I feel positively warm and fuzzy now! Seriously.

Jjah: my job is a travel agent, travel consultant, whatever you want to call me! One of the areas (my FAVORITE areas)are Australia and New Zealand. In order to become a Specialist (desigated by the Australian Tourism Commission), you have to pass a pretty lengthy test, have visited the country, etc.

While it may seem like I've "been everywhere", trust me, I haven't. There are still plenty of places on my "Wish List" that I'd like to investigate and experience .

My husband and I take a 3 week trip each year and then there's a "fam" or in Oz-speak, a "famil" trip which stand for "familiarization" where agents visit hotels, doing site inspections, go on tours, etc. to familiarize themselves on a destinatiion. (this is not with a spouse by the way - strictly business).

I've read things on various boards where people have a misconception about this: i.e. "you get free stuff and then try to tout that to clients". This is not the case. There is no "free stuff". Every trip costs me something (admittedly a reduced rate), but be assured, it IS work!

I'm leaving on Sunday for Tahiti (and the Cook Islands). It sounds exotic and wonderful, but believe me, it's WORK!

Neil was all ready to take my place and / or schelp my bags for me...until I emailed him the itinerary. Then, for some reason, he recinded!

I have no secrets - if anyone wants to see what a travel agent does on a fam trip, and what it's all about, I'd be happy to mail them the itinerary for my upcoming trip! (probably more info than you wanted)!

Regards,

Melodie

Now there is talk that the Canadians do not like the word "hell" in the add. C... A.... Bloody Mighty what words are going to be OK I ask you?

I watched Little Britain last night seeing that I know Pat and could not wait to see what she liked about that show. C.A.B.M what on earth are the Brits watching now? That show has just about reached the bottoms of anyone's pit in my opinion and the language left a lot to be desired. If that and the Kumars of 42 is all the Poms can come up with now then what is the world coming to?

I read an article about the Canadian problem yesterday and found it quite surreal - I really thought our Canadian cousins were made of sterner stuff.(http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/blo...703389739.html

It's CBC that has, or might have, a problem with the word "hell" - they'll monitor the situation and pull the ad if it traumatises too many small children.

For its part, the Canadian regulator is worried that the phrase "I've bought you a beer" implies the consumption of unbranded alcohol! "I've bought you a Tooheys" (or a Fourex, Carlton, Swan, Cascade or whatever) would be OK.

Liz, I think the Poms earned themselves a few credits with "The Office", but oh, for the days of "Rumpole of the Bailey" and "Minder". I did enjoy the item in "Little Britain" in which a Conservative MP appeared outside his country house, accompanied by his loyally supportive (?) wife and children, with a wildly implausible explanation for being caught in the act with another man. "Suddenly, my clothes fell off..."

"And that, as far as I am concerned, is the end of the matter", he concludes, turning on his heel.

Following on from uses of "bloody" and "hell" we now have beer reference getting the ad into strife. Australian Tourism minister, Fran Bailey, the line "we've bought you a beer" has run foul of Canadian regulator. She did clarify that it was not beer consumption itself that was causing the problem for the Canadians, but the fact that the beer was unbranded. "That's some sort of quirky Canadian regulation" said an astonished Ms Bailey.

Neil, we must have read the article at the same time.

Right, Pat. So Ms Bailey is up for another overseas trip, this time Ottawa?

Taste , or lack thereof, in local beer is certainly a hot button topic for Canadians. The only stuff I like up here is the home brewed kind I've tippled at private parties. But hey, I'm a Guiness Stout kind of guy

bloodly hell right, eh

AndrewDavid

Way back in 1975 when I lived in Edmonton, Canada I was somewhat "gob-smacked" to see, broadcast on TV, a Nude Miss Edmonton competition. It could have been a Nude Miss Canada competition but whatever the title was the content was the same. I cannot understand how on earth the problem is now over an unclothed bottle of beer. I can only suppose that it is in retaliation against our Commonwealth Team who have crushed any opposition put up against them and shown up the Canadians, Brits et al what sport is all about! Anyway that is my theory. By the way, I do not endorse a Miss Nude anyone because really they do look much better with clothes on.

Oh come on Liz we all know you are just dying to take it all off.

Dear Melodie,

Thanks for the reply, I think I will stick with my job. In two weeks I'm going to NYC and then down to San Juan, then cruising the Caribbean for a week, and best of all I don't have to do anything except suck back margaritas. Yours sounds like too much hard work.!!!. Congrats on being accepted by the Aussie Tourist Board - you can be a honorary Aussie.!!

If Britain and Canada are losing sporting events, maybe they've got their priorities straighter than ours. What I want to know, though, is what's the problem with unbranded beer? Is home brewing illegal in Canada?

How about Liz's idea for a benefit calendar of naked images of Fodorites?

There is naked (male) news on Out TV broadcast from Toronto and certainly a few naked women versions available amongst the gazzillion channels one can subscribe to.

I don't know if home brewing is legal or not, but its happening in our basement as I tap, Neil

A/D

Streuth A/D if I did a naked Fodors calendar I'd have to shave my legs and they just don't make whipper-snippers small enough!

The latest news is an American Lobby group wants tourists to boycott OZ because they dont like .. Bloody Hell.." at all. They also dissaprove of the lovely bikin clad chick. I think they had some objection about promoting beer as well!!

"She did clarify that it was not beer consumption itself that was causing the problem for the Canadians, but the fact that the beer was unbranded. "That's some sort of quirky Canadian regulation" said an astonished Ms Bailey. "


Huh, and I was expecting the ad to be banned for false advertising. I mean the last thing we want is to have thousands of tourists asking for their free beer!

oh and bluey, my response is "pffft". there is a lobby group for everything there.

if they want to miss out on the best continent / island / country in the world for hypocritical reasons then yay for us

A/D, I trust your brew is a stout, or at least a good srong top-fermented ale.

Bhuty, that just cracked me up, especially when the spokesman for American Family whatever's name is Randy Sharp!