I think the biggest surprise of our time spent in Australia is how few surprises there have been. There is a clear brotherhood between the land Down Under and the land of Stars and Stripes. But if there is one fundamental difference to point out, it is the general kindness, and openness, of the Aussie spirit. I don’t mean to say that we as Americans are cretins, just that the Aussies are noticeably more outgoing in their gestures of warmth. Take this sign, for example. The lifeguard explains that swimming here will guarantee certain death by drowning in a deep hole, but just can’t refrain from wishing you a “nice day!” Having a pleasant afternoon isn’t exactly my next thought after envisioning being sucked into a deep hole. I guess that’s where I differ from the common Aussie.
The greatest quality to their kindness is that it can be coaxed to even greater levels. Aussies love a good compliment. At a beach bar in Surfer’s Paradise I gushed to the bartender for a bit about how much I enjoy Australian beer. I told him it was the best I’d had (maybe exaggerated a bit by consumption of said product), and my drink suddenly became gratis.
They seem to be very trusting people. They are willing to show themselves in a way that is quite endearing. Conversations come easy—a quality in a host that is invaluable to the traveler. Some of my most memorable experiences here have been chatting with the service people I’ve encountered. The man in the convenience store who sold me a calling card, the guy who showed me how to make my coffee at the self-service machine, the Gold Coast cab driver from New South Wales, the concierge at the hotel desk—its amazing where a conversation can go from a simple, “hey, mate.” (For the record, I think “g’day” left the Aussie vernacular the same time we stopped saying “groovy”).
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