What I like and dont like about Perth

[GerhardinOz]

I hear it's k@k in Perth.

You stop at a robot, and there's noting to buy

Yes, unfortunately you have to go to a store and buy stuff you actually want.

[Die Fourie's]

Hi all,

Let's make another list.

What we like & don't like about a SA city, ex. Jo'burg.

[Griffcat]

What I don't like about Durbs:

I noticed the other day when I was cycling how stinky Durbs is! PEEEYUUU!! You can smell everything from human excretement to something dead!!

I hate the potholes! When we went for our LSD to Australia 4 years ago there were really bad potholes in my area, so bad that if you drove through them you could get a blowout! When I came back from my LSD trip 6 weeks later lo and behold the potholes were still there for another 6 months. Now 4 years have passed and the exact same potholes have reappeared along with a bunch more and guess what it has been over 6 months and no sign of repair, AAAARGGGH!! Stupid and irritating and potentially deadly for cyclists!!

I hate the glass that is EVERYWHERE!! I spend my life repairing bike punctures and it costs a fortune in tubes.

I hate that I have to ride in a group (in the cane for safety from thieves and on the road to avoid being taken out by our disgusting drivers)

I hate Durban drivers, particularly the taxi drivers and I hate the fact that they cause me severe road rage that I battle to control!

I hate the queues and the bad service! There seems to be a lethargy which is completely selfish with the people of this country.

I hate African time, it drives me up the pole. I like to be on time in consideration of others and people just don't bother any more.

I hate having to leave my family and my Country, it makes me mad!!

I hate the fireworks and what it does to our poor animals.

No rules sucks!!

I am so amped for Oz, only 36 sleeps and then bring on all the little Aussie rules, bring them on!!!

[Miss H]

I love Perth. I think it is much easier than Melbourne to get around here. The streets and highways are laid out well that I don't need a GPS anymore no matter where I go.

I hate the way people don't seem to look after their gardens. They have alot of flowers, trees, bushes etc but don't keep it neat and don't cut their grass. It makes the suburbs look untidy. I understand there is not that much help here and the garden services are very expensive, but then don't have a garden. I think it adds to the problem of snakes and spiders which I am petrified of! And on the point of snakes and spiders, it makes me nervous when every beach I go to has a sign saying "snakes have been sited on this reserve"

Perth is great though and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else!

[JanCPT]

Have not been there yet but from what I hear maybe you should add:

Saffers that whine a lot!

Carry on whinging .... I love it

Gives me somesomething to look forward to - whinging about incidental & negligible things that can't hurt or kill

7 weeks tomorrow

I'm gonna become a whinger of note .... when the postman is 5 minutes late, the council workers don't put my bin back in exactly the same spot as I left it for them, that it has to rain in order to have water, that I don't have the burgler alarms going off to wake me up on time, having to stop at a red light at night ....... absolute bliss

[GerhardinOz]

Carry on whinging .... I love it

Gives me somesomething to look forward to - whinging about incidental & negligible things that can't hurt or kill

7 weeks tomorrow

I'm gonna become a whinger of note .... when the postman is 5 minutes late, the council workers don't put my bin back in exactly the same spot as I left it for them, that it has to rain in order to have water, that I don't have the burgler alarms going off to wake me up on time, having to stop at a red light at night ....... absolute bliss

I actually forgot to mention one thing I usually whine about. After moving to WA from NZ I actually think service is not so great here in Australia as in NZ. A bit of a surprise. Then again I hate standing in a queue with two people in front of me.

[lyall]

in Tasmania we have Tasmanian time...African time has got nothing on it..no one stesses about anything here, and everyone tries to do the least that they can.....i thought i was quite laid back, coming from Amanzimtoti, we were pretty relaxed and never really rushed around, but these guys take the cake.

I am always been told to slow down and relax..if i went any slower i'd be asleep..at the supermarket/shops, no one stresses in the queue, you just stand around and chat while the cashier takes a break, or has a chat to the next cashier about her date last night..if someone drives fast, they say..oh, he probably comes from south africa!!!

no worries mate, she'll be ok

Edited November 2, 2008 by lyall

[GerhardinOz]

in Tasmania we have Tasmanian time...African time has got nothing on it..no one stesses about anything here, and everyone tries to do the least that they can.....i thought i was quite laid back, coming from Amanzimtoti, we were pretty relaxed and never really rushed around, but these guys take the cake.

I am always been told to slow down and relax..if i went any slower i'd be asleep..at the supermarket/shops, no one stresses in the queue, you just stand around and chat while the cashier takes a break, or has a chat to the next cashier about her date last night..if someone drives fast, they say..oh, he probably comes from south africa!!!

no worries mate, she'll be ok

I’m starting to wonder if all the stuff I’ve been hearing about Tasmanians are true….

[Rose and Terry]

Laws governing everything, including when your kids are supposed to wear shoes.

Before I get into trouble - when are your kids supposed to wear shoes ?

[Eva]

Before I get into trouble - when are your kids supposed to wear shoes ?

Yeah, please tell us. My kids LOVE being barefoot!

Friends of ours kids were playing in the sea with an empty coke bottle using it like a ball and got severely reprimanded! Going to be very different....

In lots of good ways.

[Philipp & Lana]

Hi everyone,

Please start a list with you likes and dislikes of Melbourne?

Thanks

P & L

[Enrica]

Before I get into trouble - when are your kids supposed to wear shoes ?

When playing in the sand pits, children must wear shoes!!!

It is also recommended when you go bushwalking

[lyall]

and I see the children wear hats ALL the time..sorry if this has been said already my memeroy is not what it should be..too much Tasmanian time

(Gerhard..naughty naughty!!! but it could be promising)

[Legalbuff]

Just my 2c, as a new Perth-er (Perthonian? - whatever...)

I love all the "loves" that have already been mentioned.

I don't mind the rain - I've lived in the desert for 3 years and love waking up to the sound of rain on the roof.

I hate the spiders, I'm a bit scared and they are everywhere, no matter what amount of care you take, they still re-appear.

In hindsight, the spiders eat the flies. Maybe we need more spiders?

I love the beaches. I can just sit there for hours looking at the waves, feeling fortunate to be here.

I don't like some of the Saffers - keeping up with the Jones's and just a general feeling of "I know sooooo much more about everything than you do".

I don't like some of the Aussies - they seem to whinge about everything. They have so much to be thankful for but still can find something to complain about daily. But then again - maybe that's what make things work so efficiently?

I don't like the hairstyles of the teenagers. Get a brush.

I don't like GRAFFITI!!!!!

I love gas bbq.s

I love the shopping here. Good choice, and not traffic light related.

I love the absence of the South African taxi.

I love putting in petrol and doing my own housework. I find it rewarding and I feel frugal.

I love that I can sleep through every night, not waking at every little sound.

I love that I have the God-given opportunity to be here.

[KathyW]

"""I don't like some of the Saffers - keeping up with the Jones's and just a general feeling of "I know sooooo much more about everything than you do". """

Hee!! Hee!! I thought it was only me who had this gripe, so you have also met these types. Actually enough to put you off and make you wish you had your good old chommies here!!

Edited November 2, 2008 by KathyW

[Almost Aussie]

Just my 2c, as a new Perth-er (Perthonian? - whatever...)

I believe we're called Perthites and Sandgropers by the dinkum Aussies....

[polly]

In Melbourne the kids have to wear shoes and hats, especially when going to school. Everyone takes their shoes off when entering a home though. If the kids don't have a hat at school, they have to play under an awning. My kids get really upset if they forgot their hat. They are supposed to take suncream with to school as well. Haven't done that yet. (bad mommy, BAD! ) I am also a barefoot person and so are the kids. It is a little frustrating, but the kids get sent home if they don't have shoes on at school.

About the sand pits. Parents generally don't seem to let the kids play in public sand pits. Basically the fear of needles.

[ronfire]

Everyone takes their shoes off when entering a home though.

Do people in Melbourne all do this? We had some friends over from Melbourne some weeks ago and they always took their shoes off when entering our house. Must say it must've made their feet very uncomfortable cos we were all clomping through the house with our shoes on and my son, being a typical boy, usually has a collection of sand in his shoes all the time which he trails onto the floor.....Hmmm, maybe that's why they didn't stay so long...I never thought of this....

[polly]

They seem to, though I don't have much experience . You leave your shoes at the door so you don't tromp dirt through the house. Especially with the current chronic drizzle, your shoes are usually dirty/muddy.

Women here also seem to mostly wear very little if any makeup. I like it since I am too lazy to wear any most of the time I think if you have a formal job then you might need to wear some makeup

[Griffcat]

"""I don't like some of the Saffers - keeping up with the Jones's and just a general feeling of "I know sooooo much more about everything than you do". """

Hee!! Hee!! I thought it was only me who had this gripe, so you have also met these types. Actually enough to put you off and make you wish you had your good old chommies here!!

Ag no!! That is what I was hoping to get away from..."keeping up with the jones's" syndrome! What is it with Saffers who do that? Durbs NEVER used to be like but it has definitely become our culture here and now Perth has inherited some of them???

[Enrica]

You will never get away from them. I suppose, the good thing is Freedom of association.

You can choose to associate with them or not!!!

[Legalbuff]

You hit the nail on the head Enrica - you just don't associate with them.

I guess it's inevitable that people take their mentality with them when they move.

But I must add - these were in the minority of the Saffers I have met whilst here. Most are really nice people, all beginning from scratch!! It's a good feeling of "we're all in the same boat". That, I DO like!

L

[lyall]

some houses in Tasmania even have signs up on the front door saying no smoking and please remove your shoes before entering. I find it a bit difficult cause I am usually wearing boots with about three pairs of socks cause Im so cold...sometimes the clients prefer to do their banking in the garden if I CANT TAKE MY SHOES OFF. (I DO MOBILE BANKING)'..I guess people tracking mud in and out can be a bit painful. we had some plumber chaps to fix the shower last week and they automatically took off their boots, I felt a bit guilty , for some reason, MUST BE A SOUTH AFRICAN THING!!

I keep on saying how things are in Tasmania, so I''m sorry for hijacking the Perth thread, , its just that so much is similar, and here I was thinking the mainland was very different. Except we dont have that many South Africans here, so we all know each other, quite a few of us on the forum, but I seem to be the only one doing so much talking..oh well...

[Are we there Yet?]

You will never get away from them. I suppose, the good thing is Freedom of association.

You can choose to associate with them or not!!!

Yes, I have also met one or two myself. At least you can distance yourself from them. A dear Aussie friend of mine says that they don't like to hear immigrants complaining about their new country, makes sense I suppose.

There seems to be a particular breed of saffers that still bring their ethnicity with them . I am sure that they find difficulty making friends. Just be yourself , the rest will all fall into place. Make an effort to mix with Aussies and not only Saffers that way you will integrate easier.

[Enrica]

I dont have an issue with Ethnicity....infact I have an issue with Saffers that are "try hards" , they try so hard to be "Aussie" , but what on earth is a true Aussie?

I dont like the Saffers that make out they just know it all, and look down upon people...you know like they are some lesser being.

I think you need to embrass the fact that you have a certain culture and be proud of it, and assimilate into the Australian Culture, because you know what most Aussie will accept the fact that you are South African. Its those that look down their noses at others that are an issue for me!!!!