Idiosyncrasies

Here are some things Australians would probably not think to tell you about because they are commonplace, but which Americans might find interesting:

-Outlets are called power-points, and they all come with switches.

-Light switches do not stick out and are not flickable. Rather, they are more like buttons: they are just like the switches on "power-points", and they seem to be backwards. That is, when they are off the top is engaged and when they are on the bottom is engaged. I should really just include a picture:

-Toilets do not flush the other way (this is a big disappointment). They are designed entirely differently and just flush straight down.

-The birds here are crazy!
Parrots are all over the place:
galahs







rainbow lorikeets









cockatoos fly around and screech like banshees, spreading terror over suburbs;
and on occasion I see these guys just flittin' around, like it's no big deal:
The locals don't bat an eye when these amazingly beautiful animals fly all around and try to steal their lunch. In fact, they are treated more like pigeons!








Take a look at these fellahs, too:
Monstrous, stinky ibises is what they are. (I think that's their scientific name...) They walk around like they own everything. They strike fear into my very soul. And nobody seems to notice. It's almost disturbing.

Last week, a wild turkey came into Thea's backyard,and got it's asspecked by a family of nervous mynahs.
























Hell, even the seagulls are better.

They're little and cute and red.




Aussies really don't know how lucky they are when it comes to ornithology.





Or entomology, for that matter--
totally flying next to the train yesterday.


I just can't wait to get up to the tropical north... Apparently the rain forest up there has a wider variety of plants and animals than anywhere else in the world! Including the Amazon, folks. This place is awesome.