Here are ten things I never thought I’d do in Australia along with a few pictures:
- Get Locked up in Gaol (pronounced jail) or Come Face-to-Face with Ned Kelly
At the Old Melbourne Gaol you can come face-to-face with the death mask of Ned Kelly, the infamous Australian bushranger. After his capture in 1878 Kelly was held and later hung, here at the Melbourne Gaol. Kelly was a famous bushranger, which is to Australia what Jesse James and the outlaws of the Wild West were to America. Kelly’s fearless acts in defiance of the police made him an icon and a legend, much like Jesse James, and Kelly has been portrayed in almost every form of media imaginable. On screen, the part of Ned Kelly has been played by the likes of Mick Jagger and Heath Ledger.You can also experience getting locked up in the city watch house, just like all the other drunks and disturbers of the peace who were held there before the place was moved to a new facility in the mid-1990’s. There are still all the original poems and artwork scratched in the cells of the watch house.
- Eat Emu & Saltwater Crocodile Pizza
Australia has a great deal of animals that aren’t normally found in other parts of the world, many of which can be eaten. Next to our hostel in The Rocks neighborhood in Sydney, was the Australian Hotel, one of the oldest pubs in the city with a great selection of beers. It is also home to some fabulous pizzas, including the emu and saltwater crocodile pizzas that I tried. Emu meat is a red meat that is similar in flavor and texture to beef. Saltwater crocodile meat is sort of like chicken, but not as heavy. The pizzas were delicious! - Watch Australian Football (aka footy) While Having a Meat Pie
When we were grabbing lunch one day in the Gold Coast we caught a few minutes of a footy game on TV–it was fast and physical. After watching the game I wanted to know more about the sport and to see it live. Having had no previous exposure to Australian football I was very excited to check out this ‘new’ sport. Well, the sport has been around for over 150 years Continue reading