Southern Cross

The Backwards Man

I've never been in the southern hemisphere, is it as great as C,S,&N say it is?

Why would any of us Northen Hemispherian folk travel to the Antipodes anyway, save for penguins and kangaroos?

People who have been there, change my mind

Cookie_Monster

NZ: Better weather, shorter hours and less tax. Not to mention nicer people and stunning landscapes.
Nobody cares about soccer and it doesn't have a million thing trying to kill you like Aus. what's not to like

The Backwards Man

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

NZ: Better weather, shorter hours and less tax. Not to mention nicer people and stunning landscapes.
Nobody cares about soccer and it doesn't have a million thing trying to kill you like Aus. what's not to like

Earthquakes and those Peter Jackson documentaries before he was famous spring to mind! Plus all New Zealanders want to stab you when you ask them what part of OZ they're from. They could just say the wee part out east like.

foggy_lad

water in the toilet swirls the wrong way when it's flushed:eek:

Canis Lupus

The Backwards Man wrote: »

I've never been in the southern hemisphere, is it as great as C,S,&N say it is?

Why would any of us Northen Hemispherian folk travel to the Antipodes anyway, save for penguins and kangaroos?

People who have been there, change my mind

Brisbane is nice enough. Gets stupid hot in summer and it rains a lot. Can get very cold in winter and it doesn't rain much.

Culture is pretty much the same as home/UK but obviously more outdoorsy.

Is it worth travelling here.... meh... it's travelling lite if I may be so snobby. It's hardly taking someone out of their comfort zone. Nice enough place to work though. The sheer scale of the place takes some getting used to. Brisbane to Perth is some 6 hours flying.

MadYaker

The sky! Earth is about two thirds out from the centre of our galaxy (the milky way) and the way our planet is aligned the northern hemisphere faces out into outer space but the southern hemisphere faces into the centre of our galaxy so when your down in the southern hemisphere and you look at the night sky it's far more beautiful and packed with stars. I was blown away first time I went to South Africa as we were quite high up in the Draconsbergs. Noticed it too in Chile but not as much, it was cloudy and we spent most of the time in the jungle.

Cookie_Monster

MadYaker wrote: »

The sky! Earth is about two thirds out from the centre of our galaxy (the milky way) and the way our planet is aligned the northern hemisphere faces out into outer space but the southern hemisphere faces into the centre of our galaxy

er, wut

do you mean the solar system sits above the galactic plane? Because the earth spins and orbits the sun so north and south always face the same direction at night...

Speedwell

I really enjoyed Buenos Aires when I was there on a business trip. If you understand a little Spanish (surprisingly easy when you have context clues) or have a local bilingual friend, you can get around quite well and easily. The city is just beautiful (an architectural tour is on the must-do list) and the food truly indulgent (you will eat beef and drink red wine and get utterly spoiled!). You will want to buy things made of leather there, since they are top-class craftsmen, particularly in the butter-soft leather of the capybara. Five years later my husband still wears the excellent locally made designer belt I bought him for his birthday (I never told him how much I paid for it, but come on, what belt lasts five years of everyday use?), and I bought a gorgeous handbag, a leather jacket, and a capybara wrist clutch that I use for a sewing kit and that hasn't shown a bit of wear. I visited a churrascaria (one of those places where they walk around with the roast meat on skewers and you eat yourself into a coma) with colleagues; never had better food in my life, and I'm from Houston where we think we know how to eat beef. I found the people lovely (in both senses) and accommodating. It wasn't that expensive to stay or to buy things there, and I was able to find all I needed to buy locally, despite the scare stories about their economy. I recommend the Microcentro neighborhood as "home base" because it is upper-crust, accessible by the subway (do take the subway everywhere, it is safe, clean, and cheap), and within easy walking distance of everything (you'll want to catch some sun in the local park). Check out Frommers before you go for crucial tips about things like the local schedule of eating (dinner is late!), and carry a Spanish phrasebook, though you'll hardly need it. Definitely a place where photography buffs will need a stack of memory cards though

learn_more

MadYaker wrote: »

The sky! Earth is about two thirds out from the centre of our galaxy (the milky way) and the way our planet is aligned the northern hemisphere faces out into outer space but the southern hemisphere faces into the centre of our galaxy so when your down in the southern hemisphere and you look at the night sky it's far more beautiful and packed with stars. I was blown away first time I went to South Africa as we were quite high up in the Draconsbergs. Noticed it too in Chile but not as much, it was cloudy and we spent most of the time in the jungle.

Wow, I never heard that before. Thanks for the info.

The Backwards Man

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Earthquakes and those Peter Jackson documentaries before he was famous spring to mind! Plus all New Zealanders want to stab you when you ask them what part of OZ they're from. They could just say the wee part out east like.

Why limit it to his documentaries? Must admit his films leave me pretty cold. Oh really, a dragon slew the Orc army, how interesting.

But wouldn't single out NZ in the murder stuff. Adelaide is the capital of weird crimes, the Snowton Murders, the Beaumont Children, Bevan Spencer Von Einem and the Family child murder ring etc.

Esel

Speedwell wrote: »

I really enjoyed Buenos Aires when I was there on a business trip. If you understand a little Spanish (surprisingly easy when you have context clues) or have a local bilingual friend, you can get around quite well and easily. The city is just beautiful (an architectural tour is on the must-do list) and the food truly indulgent (you will eat beef and drink red wine and get utterly spoiled!). You will want to buy things made of leather there, since they are top-class craftsmen, particularly in the butter-soft leather of the capybara. Five years later my husband still wears the excellent locally made designer belt I bought him for his birthday (I never told him how much I paid for it, but come on, what belt lasts five years of everyday use?), and I bought a gorgeous handbag, a leather jacket, and a capybara wrist clutch that I use for a sewing kit and that hasn't shown a bit of wear. I visited a churrascaria (one of those places where they walk around with the roast meat on skewers and you eat yourself into a coma) with colleagues; never had better food in my life, and I'm from Houston where we think we know how to eat beef. I found the people lovely (in both senses) and accommodating. It wasn't that expensive to stay or to buy things there, and I was able to find all I needed to buy locally, despite the scare stories about their economy. I recommend the Microcentro neighborhood as "home base" because it is upper-crust, accessible by the subway (do take the subway everywhere, it is safe, clean, and cheap), and within easy walking distance of everything (you'll want to catch some sun in the local park). Check out Frommers before you go for crucial tips about things like the local schedule of eating (dinner is late!), and carry a Spanish phrasebook, though you'll hardly need it. Definitely a place where photography buffs will need a stack of memory cards though

tl/dr Paragraphs, or something like Carriage Return (every so often).

Speedwell

Esel wrote: »

tl/dr Paragraphs, or something like Carriage Return (every so often).

I copy edit when someone pays me for it.

Winterlong

foggy_lad wrote: »

water in the toilet swirls the wrong way when it's flushed:eek:

This alone is a good reason to visit the southern hemisphere.

That and the people speak all funny.

Yeah_Right

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Earthquakes and those Peter Jackson documentaries before he was famous spring to mind! Plus all New Zealanders want to stab you when you ask them what part of OZ they're from. They could just say the wee part out east like.

20 plus years in NZ and never felt an earthquake. Maybe I'm just unlucky.

PJ made documentaries before LOTR? Never knew that.

You obviously haven't met many kiwis as they don't tend to carry knives. They'd just punch you in the head for being a stupid Pom.

323

MadYaker wrote: »

The sky! Earth is about two thirds out from the centre of our galaxy (the milky way) and the way our planet is aligned the northern hemisphere faces out into outer space but the southern hemisphere faces into the centre of our galaxy so when your down in the southern hemisphere and you look at the night sky it's far more beautiful and packed with stars. I was blown away first time I went to South Africa as we were quite high up in the Draconsbergs. Noticed it too in Chile but not as much, it was cloudy and we spent most of the time in the jungle.

Hadn't been aware of the different view of the Galaxy, but explains a lot, thanks.
Seen the Southern cross from various locations in Auz, no great desire to see it from there again. Loved seeing Chile same problem as you in Chile and the Falklands, seen the penguins but usually too cloudy to see the sky.
South Africa, absolutely stunning country (Still kick myself sometimes for turning down a job there after uni in late '80's), rural areas of South Africa, with no light pollution, the night sky is amazing, same for Namibia.

beertons

I thought this was about the M50 going around Rathfarnam.

Maximus Alexander

I enjoyed Australia. Great weather, tons of outdoor activities available everywhere all year round. Lots of wide open spaces, great beaches, good food, the people don't take themselves too seriously for the most part and they like a drink. Definitely worth a visit, even if I was happy enough to be coming home after 10 months. I'd go back for another visit.

Haven't ventured to NZ, but given the great press it gets I'm eager to.