Marg's Man
Member
Yesterday's Good Morning post got me thinking that a number of you apart from KateM will be sending loved ones here for World Youth Day.
I have just sent KateM a PM but I got to thinking - we are, literally, for most of you on the other side of the world. It is the dead of winter here and even the stars are different.
The big thing for the kids will be the weather. I was watching the news last night as the first planeloads of pilgrims arrived dressed for whatever the weather was like where they came from. Nearly all were freezing their 'bits' off because a light shirt and shorts does not cut it in what is the coldest it gets in Sydney. By northern hemisphere standards it is not that cold but it still a shock. My new offsider at work is Irish. He got here last November straight out of their winter into (for us) a mild summer and he is FREEZING his a** off.
So here's my advice:
Make sure they have the right gear for the weather. Summer there is winter here. It won't drop below freezing; but even 10 degrees Celsius above freezing can be very cold to someone who was in 80 dgrees Fahrenheit 24 hours earlier
Show your kids these links:
http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/forecasts/sydney.shtml
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR033.shtml
They are the Bureau of Meterology forecast website for the Sydney area and the rain radar scan for 128km (80 miles) around. Don't be scared by the temperatures, they are Celsius but it is still plurry cold.
The kids really need to have layers of clothing that they can peel off in warmer places indoors.
The other thing to watch is quarantine. We have a unique biology here and want to keep it that way. Religious items of wood especially (such as crosses or icons, rosary bead), holy water (it may be blessed but it may not be sterile) plus arnage of other things are subject to check. Also don't bring ANY food in (even off the plane).
If in doubt ASK at the declaration counter, there won't be a problem even if you declare a prohibited item, okay they'll confiscate it but you won't get into trouble. The quarantine people are really helpful but if you try to put anything over them then there WILL be trouble. We had a campaign here a few years ago by Steve Irwin. As he said "Quarantine MATTERS!"
Australians are in general easy going, friendly people who love to pull a visitor's leg. I hope your kids enjoy our country.
Just look out for the Drop Bears.
Marg's Man
I have just sent KateM a PM but I got to thinking - we are, literally, for most of you on the other side of the world. It is the dead of winter here and even the stars are different.
The big thing for the kids will be the weather. I was watching the news last night as the first planeloads of pilgrims arrived dressed for whatever the weather was like where they came from. Nearly all were freezing their 'bits' off because a light shirt and shorts does not cut it in what is the coldest it gets in Sydney. By northern hemisphere standards it is not that cold but it still a shock. My new offsider at work is Irish. He got here last November straight out of their winter into (for us) a mild summer and he is FREEZING his a** off.
So here's my advice:
Make sure they have the right gear for the weather. Summer there is winter here. It won't drop below freezing; but even 10 degrees Celsius above freezing can be very cold to someone who was in 80 dgrees Fahrenheit 24 hours earlier
Show your kids these links:
http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/forecasts/sydney.shtml
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR033.shtml
They are the Bureau of Meterology forecast website for the Sydney area and the rain radar scan for 128km (80 miles) around. Don't be scared by the temperatures, they are Celsius but it is still plurry cold.
The kids really need to have layers of clothing that they can peel off in warmer places indoors.
The other thing to watch is quarantine. We have a unique biology here and want to keep it that way. Religious items of wood especially (such as crosses or icons, rosary bead), holy water (it may be blessed but it may not be sterile) plus arnage of other things are subject to check. Also don't bring ANY food in (even off the plane).
If in doubt ASK at the declaration counter, there won't be a problem even if you declare a prohibited item, okay they'll confiscate it but you won't get into trouble. The quarantine people are really helpful but if you try to put anything over them then there WILL be trouble. We had a campaign here a few years ago by Steve Irwin. As he said "Quarantine MATTERS!"
Australians are in general easy going, friendly people who love to pull a visitor's leg. I hope your kids enjoy our country.
Just look out for the Drop Bears.
Marg's Man