Summer holidays in Australia: 13 things that shock foreign visitors

some locals to be avoided at all costs -

https://www.smh.com.au/national/he-s...10-p50l89.html

and these -

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-...=statenews_nsw

The whole no air con thing shocked the hell out of us when we moved to Australia. I got so tired of being hot.

Can't say I miss the roaches, spiders and snakes, but man, do I miss the birds!

I haven't clicked on the links (would be better to copy the text to the thread I think) but we always find airconditioning in America way too cold. It must be what you're used to. We now live in a hot climate in Brisbane and very rarely use our aircon. Growing up, aircon didn't exist, it was summer, get used to it

Kay

I find the lack of air conditioning uncomfortable in the summer but surprising have not noticed it in my travels to Australia. Granted, it was unseasonably cool when we were there a few weeks ago, although places in Queensland seemed to have it on. I did notice the lack of AC in parts of Northern Europe in the summer though.

The flying insect bit did give me a laugh though. Definitely had my share on Kangaroo Island and in Noosa on this visit. Nothing as bad as what is at Uluru in the summer though.

and heatstroke! -

Three tourists and toddler's lucky escape after suffering heatstroke while hiking in 45C outback

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-31/tourists-heatstroke-no-water-during-outback-heatwave/10676020

"...warned visitors to Central Australian parks "to consider postponing their walks or to walk very early in the morning when it's cooler".

"Even if you are an experienced walker you must take precautions when visiting Territory parks," she said.

In February 2017, German tourists Wilfred and Gisela Thor tragically perished from heat stress and dehydration in the East McDonnell Ranges after wandering off a marked trail at Trephina Gorge.

Whoa! That font is somewhat larger than I was hoping, but the potentially lethal outcome of heatstroke is important to keep in mind - and not only tourists succumb - this year has also seen tragedies involving experienced locals.

"A Perth man has been left red-faced after his angry interaction with a household spider prompted a full emergency police callout to his suburban house."

"Only in Australia — snakes, spiders, crocodiles and sharks, that's what we're known for, but it doesn't usually happen in the metro area. It's out of the ordinary," he said.

"We want to create the SRT — the Spider Reaction Team.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-...pider/10683454

Thanks for the laugh farrermog!

Tourists and new arrivals tend to be over represented in drownings, so at the beach remember to always swim between the flags - the area patrolled by volunteer lifeguards or surf lifesavers as they are known here.

"The beach can seem like the ultimate destination at any time on the long, hot days of the Australian summer.

But the desire to cool off with a dip in the ocean can end in tragedy – and already has for far too many people this summer."

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/good...pot-rip-beach/

I think we should make swimming lessons free and compulsory in all schools - primary and secondary.

That won’t stop visitors who can’t swim & don’t have the good sense to stay out of the water from drowning,
nor will it stop the idiots, usually males, full of booze & bravado. But it will at least give our newcomers, and those whose parents don’t swim, a chance to enjoy our wonderful beaches, lakes and rivers safely.

I also think people who ignore life savers’ instructions to get out of the water, or into safer areas, should be charged and fined. An on the spot fine of $250 or so, going to the Life Saving Club, would be an effective deterrent - and put some much needed $ back in their coffers. They are putting other’s lives at risk, and being an unnecessary nuisance, when they have to be rescued - and setting a bad example if they don’t.

Bokhara - couldn't agree more; would save almost all except those from heart attacks due to over exertion and rock fishing deaths where being knocked out presumably precedes drowning (my old man was washed off the high South Curly cliffs and miraculously washed back on without being sconed - perhaps because there was not much there to start with!). Fresh water difficulties due to lack of buoyancy and snags are another thing of course.

And bluebottles! -

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-46777854

The odd shark in a swimming enclosure -

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-...beach/10701940

btw in the background that's Botany Bay and a Sydney Airport runway and at the end of the clip the heads of the Bay where Cook sailed in.

Reminds me of our weekly school swimming in an exclosure in the Noah's Arky Lane Cove River off Sydney Harbour; one day we arrived to find an abnormally low tide and a huge hole in the bottom of the net.

Missing German tourist "...has travelled off the beaten path for many years and in many countries and has always proceeded with caution", but "Police have said they believed Ms Billen went hiking on the 43.5 degrees Celsius day."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-...clues/10715938

[The temperature's just climbed above 39C here in Canberra and I'm avoiding going out to check the letter box until this evening.]

farrermog- are you working for the anti tourism board ��

"farrermog- are you working for the anti tourism board ��"

Working for a few years in the outright tourism booster industry many moons ago (between unrelated careers) proved quite an eye opener, so have long since worked (over compensated if you like) pro bono for the safe and informed tourism board, with, I hope, the occasional bit of Australian humour (so perhaps not to everyone's comprehension or liking) thrown in. All the same, did have this rare lapse not long ago, admittedly qualified by the story about the rotting carcasses -

Surfing in Australia

Btw the story about the missing German tourist Monika Billen - by all accounts an experienced and thoughtful traveller - has not had a happy ending -

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-...pring/10721000

Sadly another succumbs to the heat, this time an apparently fit local -

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-...in-wa/10721528

It really is too hot to be doing anything at all outside throughout much of Australia at the moment. No matter how fit you are it can be deadly.

Meanwhile here in Canberra it's about 41C and I've just survived a trip to the clothesline and back; at least the humidity's only 17%.

A reminder of the time before aircon and when HG Wells was among those who suffered and assisted during our 1939 heatwave -

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/opi...15-p50rga.html