This couple are fairly newly arrived from the UK and they are quite funny. They live in Queensland but what they say is true in NSW too.
Their comment about the noisy wild life did make me laugh it is so true. I have been here too long and it takes people like them to remind me not to take it for granted.
I can’t believe that you pay to pump up your tyres in the UK, I remember English servos used to have a sign, “Free Air”. Please tell me that isn’t true.
I’ve not knowingly paid for air. But if I thought one of my tyres looked a bit soft I’d ask my local friendly car mechanic, give him a tip next time he’s preparing the car for an MOT. I don’t do many miles, haven’t stopped at a motorway servo in years.
I remember when it was free but the pressure gauges used weren’t all that accurate. OK enough but not right on the ball. I used to go around the tyres with my own gauge and properly balance the tyre pressures up at a convenient time. I believe the current paid-for ones are accurate but I wouldn’t know for sure because I haven’t ever used one. My trusty Air Hawk PRO does the job these days. Runs on its own batteries or the car one.
That’s what I do Mart.
I’ve got a Michelin foot pump and like to give my legs a bit of a workout while doing something useful.
Mrs Fox bought me a digital compressor, she was worried about my heart, but I prefer using the foot pump while ever I’m able.
I think it’s disgraceful that we should have to pay for the air we put in out tyres, Tesco (among others) should be ashamed of themselves. Although in their favour, we suffer from quite a lot of vandals around here and they might think twice before they have to start paying to vandalise the air pumps.
What is not mentioned is that if you have a state UK pension you are stuck with that and no increase. Here in the UK state pension is increased annually. There arealso more animals that can kill ,such as spiders and snakes. In the sea killer sharks. Also as a pensioner you stand no chance of emigrating to Australia anyway. AS for air we have a pump in each car so apart from buying initially it is free
I used to have a foot pump. Can’t think what happed to it. I still use a manual pump for bicycle tyres …well, when I start riding the bike again anyway.
That’s not entirely accurate, There is a family reunion visa PR scheme which includes parents.
You have to be resident in Australia for 10 years to receive a state pension which is increased twice a year.
No one has died from a spider bite since the 1960s when anti-venom was devised. I have lost one dog to a spider bite. I have never been bitten even though I come across red backs in my garden all the time (they live in my garage door for a start).
The incidence of snakebites annually in Australia is between 3 and 18 per 100,000 with an average mortality rate of 0.03 per 100,000 per year, or roughly 1 to 2 persons (looked it up). They are usually people trying to kill the snake, leave them alone and they will leave you alone. You rarely see a snake they are are not hunting humans.
Sharks do not attack people on land so just stay out of the water. Crocs do attack people on land but very, very rarely - usually aboriginal children swimming in a waterhole it seems.
Bruce the thought of just sitting on a toilet and having a spider bite you on the bum. Or being kicked in the goolies by a 6ft Kangaroo is not my idea of a plesant life style. Lying out in the sun and having a poisonous snake taking a bit out of a penis is a bit worrying
Family reunion scheme doesn’t work if you have no family in Australia. Resident for 10 years before getting a pension is no good if you are already an OAP.
We have had the creep of more places charging for air, but it can still be found. A relatively newer treat are bicycle repair stations that are showing up in our parks and trails that include hand air pumps, but I think they made their way from Europe?
That was more for @realspeed 's benefit, personally I dislike sand more than sharks (the damn stuff gets everywhere). In a way I miss the English shingle beaches though I do not miss the cold water at all.
I would think spider bites on the toilet are very rare - being randomly kicked by kangaroos even rarer and a snake would never just come up to somebody lying in the sun and bite them
I’m sure Australia is a pleasant place to live by and large. I think Mike and Teresa are pretty easily shocked though. The points mentioned seem fairly minor to me. I also think all countries have something to grumble about.
Edit: Actually, on a second watching of the video, they don’t seem shocked. Just pointing out a few differences.