It was a slow start for me today. The heater in my room set off the smoke alarm last night, so I quickly turned off the heater and fanned down the alarm before it caused too much of a stir in the Guest House. Instead, I snuggled in before the temperature dropped, collecting all possible bedding in the room. When daylight arrived I couldn't bring myself to peel back the covers, so I stayed snuggled under for the morning. I was greeted late morning by Jan and Cathy with the comment at the door; 'Your room's cold! Why haven't you got your heater on?" Well silly me!... apparently the smoke alarm is set off in any of the rooms where the heater has been off for a little while. So no more chilly nights - or days. ahhh.
It was shopping day today, and I can be a little slow in the supermarket aisles in Sydney, esp. when a one-stop shop is all that I am accustomed to in the NT... but in another country, ... even where English is the common language, still presents a culturally challenging experience.
Cathy returned to pick Jan and I up around lunchtime to 'nip' down to Kroger Grocery store, for what turned out to be a long wait for Cathy! First of all, I needed to check that my Bankcard worked on the store's 'EFTPos' (or whatever it's called) machine. The woman who served me at the 'money counter' gave me a dollar for checking! - I told her she should take it as she earned it! But she passed the $1 over to me!
Jan and I were exhausted by the end of the couple of hours experience. Here's just a few things I needed to learn;
It was shopping day today, and I can be a little slow in the supermarket aisles in Sydney, esp. when a one-stop shop is all that I am accustomed to in the NT... but in another country, ... even where English is the common language, still presents a culturally challenging experience.
Cathy returned to pick Jan and I up around lunchtime to 'nip' down to Kroger Grocery store, for what turned out to be a long wait for Cathy! First of all, I needed to check that my Bankcard worked on the store's 'EFTPos' (or whatever it's called) machine. The woman who served me at the 'money counter' gave me a dollar for checking! - I told her she should take it as she earned it! But she passed the $1 over to me!
Jan and I were exhausted by the end of the couple of hours experience. Here's just a few things I needed to learn;
OZZIE Oi! Oi! Oi! lingo vs STARS & STRIPES speak
Washing Powder (for clothes) = Detergent
Porridge = Muffins (oatmeal)
Margarine = Butter - it's NOT!
My biggest delights were Maple Syrup at $4.79 and novel spread 'The bee's knees' @ $3.69 -a Peanut butter and honey Mix - yum!
Washing Powder (for clothes) = Detergent
Porridge = Muffins (oatmeal)
Margarine = Butter - it's NOT!
My biggest delights were Maple Syrup at $4.79 and novel spread 'The bee's knees' @ $3.69 -a Peanut butter and honey Mix - yum!
My biggest disappointment - teabags! I missed the only variety of teabags -Lipton's - and picked up what appeared to be Twinings English Breakfast variety... only to find at home that the small print explains I have acquired 10 small cups of tea grains (half-full) called K-Cup Packs to be used with 'Keurig K-cup Brewing Systems' - whatever is that? I'm inventing my own 'brewing system' for now and can see that Lipton's is 'it' - OK sigh - no Aussie Madura - not even Bushells! I'll just have to get used to coffee, methinks.
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