Brits Opinion on Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, and Tasmania Compared
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- Опубликовано: 28 сен 2024
- Brits' Opinions on Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, and Tasmania Compared
We are a British couple who moved to America (Las Vegas) who have recently travlled to Australia and thought we would give our honest opions on the locations we visited
We are back!
Now we have been to Australia we thought we would do some follow up videos, sharing what we thought about Australia as a place to potentially live.
We are going to do a video on our ultimate opinion on whether we would choose to move there but first we thought we share things we learnt, what we liked, didn’t like, what was as expected or different about the places we visited.
Everything we are going to say is based on being there for only 2 weeks, spending 9 nights in Melbourne, 2 nights in Hobart and 1 night in Sydney.
We are going to talk about what we thought of each city…
We realized that everyone that has been to Australia has varied opinion on where they like. We met people that prefer Melbourne and others that prefer Sydney.
Melbourne:
• Culture/ Lifestyle:
o Diverse, multicultural - lots of Asian and Indians
o Ant liked the architecture - wide variety of style from European, Victorian to contempary
o Melbourne not really busy, not in comparison to other cities - heard it was busier before the pandemic
o Nice blend of being a city, and having local beaches, access to wineries within an hours
• Food: We were told by everyone that it is a great place for food, and we would agree. Lots of great food options, from Breakfast to Dinner, and Coffee
o Surprisingly generous in their portions!
o Price: Food much cheaper than US
Paying at Restaurants was different - casual food was often paid at the counter versus the more fancy places where they bring the card reader and you pay at the table
Tips are not expected
Surcharge is common for paying with cards, and eating at weekends and on bank holidays.
• Transport:
o Driving in Melbourne was a bit confusing
o Public transport: CBD was a great spot to stay with tram system - really liked it. Was free and easy to use.
• Weather :
o is here there and everywhere - hot, cold, wet, grey
Coffee: this could have its own video
• Coffee was amazing!
• We never had a bad coffee. I even had great coffee at the hospital.
• However there were some differences and we had to learn how to order coffee
• We learnt coffee is very customizable.
• You have all the standards, latte, flat white, cappucine, espresso. They also have a piccolo which we had not heard of before.
• Coffee would come out not that strong and barely warm.
o We learnt you had to order cappacini “strong” and hot
Tassie: Hobart
• Every said how nice it is
• It is very scenic there. We stayed in one of the nicest hotel with the best views we ever had.
• Hobart was great for cocktails, gin, food
• We were lucky with the weather
• A great place to visit
Sydney:
• Culture: hard to express as we were only there for a day
o Beach attire, everyone ready to workout, keep fit
o Hanging out at coffee shops/ bars
o Outdoorsy
o social
o Nothing like Melbourne
• Food:
o Cant comment as we were not there long enough but seemed like lots of options.
o Good coffee
• Transport:
o Lots More traffic
o Good Public transport
o Have commuter ferrys - we used this to go to one of the bays. Watsons bay.
• Weather:
o felt different
o More humid
• Saw spiders
Australia general:
• Language - more like how we speak, lots of abbreviations, brekky, tassie. Did not need to adjust how we speak
• People - more like us
• Safety -
• Social outlook - more seemingly similar to UK
We really enjoyed our trip and would happily return. As for whether we would choose to live there. We are going to save that for our next video.
Thanks for watching
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Hospitality workers under law are paid 25-50% more on top of their ordinary hourly wage for Saturdays, 50-75% on Sundays and 125-150% for public holidays. I guess the 10-15% surcharge is to cover this.
Yep! That’s what I was about to comment!
Anyway great video guys! Glad you enjoyed your time here.❤
You are absolutely right - unions fought for these rights to compensate families for being away from family and friends over weekends and public holidays
Yep, highway robbery.
yep , just what i was going to say . we don`t mind , because the workers have to be covered and they are working on the weekend or public holiday . 💖💖
Who recommended not staying in Sydney city??? 😱😱 The city centre is a perfect base for minimum 4 day Sydney visit. Days 1 and 2 explore the City/Quay/Rocks/Harbour/Opera House areas; Day 3 head east to the beaches and set half a day aside for the Bondi to Brontë walk; Day 4 hop on the ferry to Manly.
2 weeks is really not enough time to KNOW any City.
Hope you enjoyed your time.
Cheers from Melbourne. 🇦🇺
YAY! I'M FROM MELBOURNE TOO😊
100% agreed! This is just our views on our short time there.
@@ANTSELyou really need to come back and spend at least a month in each state lol
@@ANTSEL😂I'm Tasmanian from North ( Launceston )
Ok so you went to Damn Hobart You need to see the whole state it's so diverse terrain is different every where you go I hope you enjoyed your visit here in Tassy
The restaurant surcharges reflect Australian wages, which are higher on weekends and holidays. Tipping is optional, pay rates are not.
Melbourne actually has the largest population of people who have Greek heritage outside of Athens.
Too many on benefits but generally living in Greece. Bludgers.
I think Thessaloniki has recently moved into second place, however Melbourne is still top three at the very least and an awesome place because of it - Love Melbourne!
Much respect from Sydney.
@Dobuan75 we both share the same patron saint.
Do you know there is twice as many Italians in Mel than greeks?
I’m American and was in Sydney for 10 days right around the same time as you guys (late Feb/early March) and absolutely loved it. I live in Los Angeles and it’s in a broad sense an alternate reality version of LA where things are actually clean, quality of life is high, food is amazing and public transport ruled. I did stay in the CBD and thought it’s a great place to stay as you have the best transport access there
Completely completely agree on the safety issue and I don’t think a lot of Americans really get it
Thanks for sharing! You were lucky as you got to spend much longer there but like you we loved it for all those reasons.
You were in Melbourne during the Autumn equinox which is when the weather is very changeable. The same during the Spring equinox in September. It can be very hot in Summer and cold in Winter. We are at the most southerly point of the continent and are subject to southerly winds from Antarctica.
What about Tassie? That would be similar but more so.
No it's Melbourneian heavy breathing.
The Weather in Aus is better than the UK because winter is not as miserable. You can have an outdoor lifestyle all year around. And pristine nature to enjoy outdoors.
Fully agreed!
Not in Hobart. I live here! 😅
You might be interested that the city of Perth on the Western coast of Australia has the perfect weather from an English perspective.
In fact it has the highest proportion of British expats than any other Aussie city.
Only one problem, it's just a bit shit
Did not know that, in terms of the number of british expats. We hope to visit Perth next year.
I'm going to be controversial and say Canberra has some of the best weather. It has four distinct seasons which no other Australian capital city really has, lots of sun, a moderate amount of rain fairly evenly distributed throughout the year and generally low relative humidity. While summer days can be hot, nights are almost always pleasantly cool and air conditioning is rarely required. In the last decade or two the climate has noticeably warmed, so winters, while cold by Australian standards, are really not that bad. It's the only city along with Hobart where you can sometimes see snow on nearby mountains.
Yeah, but Melbourne has all 4 seasons in one day, bonus!
Melbourne does get snow in the Dandenongs, and sometimes in the lower suburbs too. But Canberra does famously have properly cold winters. I have cousins there, and have always wanted to visit.
I lived in Sydney and now the Blue Mountains. My wife and I love Canberra. If I couldn't live at Wentworth Falls, I'd live in Canberra. The cold weather is my thing.
I agree, Canberra has amazing weather! I live for the four distinct seasons, so special and Mother Nature's Gift that money just can't buy imho. Food for the soul. 2 hours to the beach and 2 to the snow. People say oh it's sooo cold. Well, compared to what? No where close to most major cities globally e.g. London, Paris, NYC, Chicago, Vienna, Toronto etc. now THAT is cold!!!! More winter days than not are clear, crisp and sunny. Sit in front of a north facing window and soak up the sun with a cuppa is just so divine. And bonus is I love a winter wardrobe e.g cool boots and jackets etc. I find it interesting that most northerners bang on about fantastic weather when southerners are experiencing 'our' winter for a few short months, yet while they're living in their 'hot soup' summer weather (with destructive cyclones) for a much longer length of time they're all suddenly quiet. In the end, love where you live, and that is a different thing for each of us. Overall, we're very lucky.
@@barbararowley6077 Occasionally the nearby Canberra hills and mountains will be cloaked in a winter wonderland white. Makes for a spectacular sight. Sadly it used to be more common but it still occurs.
So glad that you enjoyed your stay in Australia! Hi from a couple of Melbournites. We've lived here all our lives. Personally I always find it amusing when people criticise our weather 😀 I just look at the weather app to see what to expect, what to wear and where to go on our trips in Victoria. We rarely go to the city but get loads of stunning days to take our cameras out to see amazing wildlife in our beautiful state. 😊
Hi! Honestly the weather is still much better than the UK. It was just odd how much it could change within the day itself.
We look forward to coming back.
Typically, I don't tune into travel reviews like these, but it was quite comprehensive and your straightforward, relaxed demeanour was very much appreciated and really hooked me from the beginning. I'm actually from Australia and contemplating moving states... a fresh perspective was surprisingly beneficial!
Thanks a bunch
Hi guys, I've quite enjoyed your videos and I hope you can enjoy Australia again in the future. I was born and raised in Melbourne and our weather obviously seems quite normal to me 🙂 Our weather does change from day to day, fortunately, as it feels better to have a change to me. Recently we had three days in a row of 39,38 and 39. Then we had 3 days in the mid to high 20's, which was a great relief. Going to bed with the temperature at or over 30 at night isn't much fun if you don't have air conditioning 🙁and going to bed when it's 21 is a welcome relief. People in Sydney seem to be very dismissive of Melbourne weather, but the average yearly rainfall in Sydney is 1175mm compared to 649mm in Melbourne. 😄 Anyway, glad you enjoyed your stay here and as I was told in a town called Toad Suck in Arkansas, "Y'all come back now!"
Thats the thing I always hear from Melbournians........ Difference is in Sydney can bucket down for a day or Two... Melbourne spreads rains over MORE days... 4 seasonal in one day........... So easy Stats can be easily picked ...LOL
Really enjoyed your video. We have lived in Melbourne since 1980. The best choice we ever made 🏴🇬🇧🇦🇺. It was great to see your review of our city through different eyes. Thank You 😊
Ps Were you having coffee at Eastland SC Ringwood ? If you did I remember you gave me a lovely smile 😊.
Thankyou, you pronounced Melbourne correctly ❤❤❤ The surcharge is to cover the workers higher pay-rate on a weekend and and public holidays. It’s quite a hefty pay increase for the workers (which is good) but, a lot of the smaller places would not be able to open if they had to cover the gazetted pay rise. So the compromise is the surcharge.
A shame you couldn't spend more time in Sydney, it is a magnificent city. We are from Melbourne but have family in Sydney and get back there as much as possible.
An old saying in Mebourne, if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes.
The city is still quiet after covid as many still work from home.
Sydney? Melbourne? Both great cities, come back again.
Thanks!
😂 7mins in and I am clicking the like button 😂... Love when people discuss our AUS👍🏽...... Cheerio from Down Under 🌺
Melbourne is pronounced "Melb'n". Glad you enjoyed it here. It's a great city. As for the weather, you just have to check a weather app twice a day and adjust your wardrobe accordingly. Easy peasy 😅 And don't worry; Aussies from interstate find driving in areas with trams confusing too!
Thanks!
Layers! Melbourne dressing is about layers 😂
Pronunciation: Melb'n.
Weather: four seasons in one day.
Loved your honest well spoken post on my country, please come back and see more of this beautiful land. Take care come back soon.
This is a lovely comment, thank you! We definitely want to come back.
For some reason, don’t ask me why, there is a Sydney versus Melbourne rivalry. I have lived n Melbourne all my life but holidayed and worked in Sydney and loved my time in Sydney and never noticed any difference in people or culture except after deplaning in the middle of Winter once, a taxi driver was wearing shorts. Next time you come, do more time in Sydney but also check out Queensland. Australians are made up of around 300 ethnicities so accents are no problem for us whereas our fast spoken vernacular is really strange to visitors with the “Gday” or “AvaGday” being a good example. I had never seen a hand gun until I was 22 and that was on a police officer and although I had grown up in a family of hunters and sports shooters, the only time I saw a rifle was when they were being cleaned by my father and brothers. My family took safety so seriously that the rifles were always kept in a broken down state in the roof cavity and ammunition was stored at my grandparents home where there were no rifles . Rifles were never seen as “weapons”, just sporting equipment. If an Australian was to hear explosive sounds they would be more likely to think it was a car backfiring than assume it was a weapon being fired.
Born and bred in Sydney, have lived in Melbourne since the late 80's. I love both cities. Both have their charms. Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. Melbourne has a different culture, a mad sporting culture and very artistic/cool.
All Aus Capital cities are great, including Darwin and Canberra. Each has its various attractions and histories. I’ve just left Sydney after living there for 55 years. I lived in Melbourne for 4 years, North Fitzroy. Loved it. Lived in Canberra in winter for a while. Visited all the other cities and States. New South Wales and Sydney are unique because they were the European Foundation Colony and township, from 1788. Hobart shares a Georgian history with Sydney. Other States were established in Victorian times.
Thanks for sharing. We have 100% learnt there is a Sydney vs Melbourne rivalry which we had no idea about.
We definitely want to explore more in Sydney but other places in Australia too. Great place with great people.
@@ANTSEL Be aware that Sydney and Hobart started as penal colonies. This was on advice from Sir Joseph Banks, after Britain lost its American colonies. Melbourne was never penal.
@@anEyePhil And? Dont forget it was almost called "Batmainia" Now thats way more important ! ;)
Great video! You've got to visit Perth on your next trip. The perfect blue sky. Got everything just quieter.
Everything is a stretch for Perth lol
@@Littleyeti7 Perth sucks
Thank you and hopefully next time!
Bad Melbourne weather is such a myth. Lowest rainfall of any Australian capital city and we've just finished 3 months straight of brilliant sunshine and mild to warm temperatures without the storms and humidity of other cities. You might get 10 days a year that are genuine washouts where you can't do any outdoor activites. In Brisbane you can easily get 10 washout days a month during wet season.
Definitely not a myth. Worst weather in the whole of Australia
@@RootedMate how much time have you actually spent in Melbourne?
@@dallasr8555 44 years there. Horrible weather.
@@RootedMate sounds like your mindset was the bigger problem.
@@dallasr8555nah, melbourne weather is terrible. Perth weather is far better. Perth is the sunniest city in australia. Were probably about to beat melbourne for lack of rain too.but the difference is that melbournes cloudy weather is spread through the year. Perth’s cloudy wet weather is in a short part of winter. Much more pleasant weather here.
Sydney is probably the greatest place on earth to live imo (if you can afford it)
Next time you come to Australia, check out the Gold Coast and Brisbane 😊
Brisbane is really underrated. Beautiful.
Will do!
I have a feeling you both would absolutely LOVE the Gold Coast. A must on your next trip!
Next time!
Employees in retail or hospitality are paid time and a half on Saturdays, and double time on Public Holidays unlike in America.. We pay staff quite well here in OZ so a surcharge is not unreasonable.
You have to pay more on weekends and public holidays because we pay staff properly. This is also why shops aren't open longer, everyone deserves time off. You really need to spend more time in Sydney ❤
Sydney is gorgeous! It’s subtropical weather. Very different climate to Melbourne but you only have to go to central Victoria and the weather is much hotter than Melbourne. For me to travel from Bendigo 2 1/2 hours ( 150 kilometres ) away from Melbourne it only costs me $6 return trip . It’s extremely cheap on public transport.
Travelling to a place is different to living there.
It's great to hear your experience of my country!
Melbourne hasn't recovered from Covid with the majority of city workers now having work from home arrangements. Really has sucked the life out especially after work culture. But it's slowly returning.
Except the city has been pumping for months. Work habits are different, but the city is pumping.
Give me Melbourne and Hobart weather over Sydney any day. Hate the humidity. As a Tasmanian, I think a week minimum is required and ten days is even better. We have beautiful scenery, World Heritage wilderness, stunning beaches and wild coastlines, museums, convict history, wineries and distilleries to explore. I think your observations on each city and life in Australia were very accurate.
Agreed can't stand hot weather 😂
@@FORTISIAKING They'll hate Brisbane then!
@@peterbreis5407 don't mind brissy in September but that's it 🤣 and Cairns in June or July
Thanks!
I think as we live in such a dry state, we now really appreciate anywhere with humidity. We definitely needed longer in Tassie and Sydney,
@@ANTSEL Keep in mind that with humidity comes a LOT of rain! Sydney gets more than twice as much rain as London. (By comparison, both Hobart & Melbourne get less rain than London)
I’m from Melb and I can tell you from what older people have said to me is that the Italians that came out in the 50s and 60s brought their coffee and barista skills that were exceptional. We were lucky to get there craftsmanship with coffee. Having said that, the second best coffee I’ve had outside of Melbourne was actually in Hobart and the third in Sydney. So we’re very blessed to have great coffee in this country.
You guys should try Adelaide! Dry heat, great food and coffee, and English, Irish, Scottish based, wine etc.
Definitely sold Adelaide to us :)
Next level public transport is not Melb or Syd.. it is Japan/Korea.. and the best thing ever is respect for fellow travelers.. no talking on 'PHONES'.. considered super rude. Japan takes cleanliness and punctuality beyond.. they really get a lot of social niceties perfectly!! .. and another word to consider... 'Bullet Trains'. Just amazing. Hope you guys had an awesome time in AUS.. please come back again :) I am from Melb
Slowly working my way through your Australia trip videos thought I'd cut the line quickly and then jump back! Sounds incredible, definitely on my list of places to visit!
Only thing that put me off a permanent move down under years ago was all the stories of snakes and spiders haha 😆
The stories are highly exaggerated, particularly if you live in the city or suburbs. I’ve lived in Melbourne all my life and never had a problem.
Can agree that the stories about venomous snakes and spiders all over Australia are just an urban legend. Not gonna lie, they are definitely existing somewhere in the desert, but the likelihood you encounter one is definitely zero.
@@k.vn.k we live on a wetland in south west Melbourne and see them occasionally on our walks, but we leave them alone and visa versa. Over hyped.
The dangers are greatly exaggerated.
We do have some of the most venomous snakes and spiders in the world, but venomous and dangerous are two quite distinct things. Almost all of our snakes are active hunters, rather than passive ambushers (vipers), and actively avoid humans too. There are snakes everywhere there’s water in Australia, including in the middle of major cities, but you’ll rarely see them. The cause of almost all of the very few cases of snakebite in humans here is people trying to stop a poor innocent snake from biting the person’s pet that’s attacking it.
I don’t think any of our big spiders are seriously venomous. Huntsmen are the big bois you’re most likely to encounter indoors (because they seek out shelter when it’s going to rain) but they won’t hurt you. We have beautiful big Orb Weavers too - also harmless, with magnificent webs (and they don’t venture indoors). Redbacks are potentially dangerous, but they don’t move around much so as long as you remember the cardinal rule ‘don’t put your hands where your mouth can’t see’ you’ll be fine. (Though do always check the toes of shoes before you put them on. Or store them in sealed box.) Funnel webs and Trapdoors are ambush hunters, so wear gloves (and shoes) if you’re gardening and you should be fine. Like with the majority of wildlife: don’t bother them and they won’t bother you.
If you’re from the US they’re just the normal precautions you’d take whilst camping, with the added benefit of not needing to worry about scorpions. We have plenty, just none that have any real venom to speak of. They might give you a nip, but their pincers aren’t venomous! Also no bears or big cats.
Lol. Australia definitely has a bad reputation when it comes to that. It seems that everyone living in Australia claim it is not so bad.
Highly recommend visiting Australia.
You can’t judge Australia in two weeks…
How come you didn’t go to Brisbane and Gold Coast…
I agree we have great coffee…
Melbourne is known for 4 season in one day…
You need to go up north…
Great comments from a delightful couple.
On language differences, I also find some Americans are disoriented by an Australian accent, even when not using any local slang. What is weird is that I've never had any issues talking with English-speaking Germans (which is most of them). My sister married a Brit with a southern English accent - which sounds quite 'posh' to Aussies. But sometimes it works both ways. A good friend of mine was an environmental biologist, a Scouser who had worked in the Caribbean and the USA, had picked up bits of each accent along the way, and talked very fast if excited about almost anything. Listening to her was like decoding a scrambler.
Just on Sydney's weather - Feb and Mar are the hot and humid months. November to January are hot, but drier. Sometimes you will get a cycle of increasingly hot days (north westerly winds from the hot desert interior) with a refreshing (sometimes dramatic) southerly change that drops temperatures and often brings storms or rain for a while. It never snows in coastal Sydney, but does on parts of the Blue Mountains (think scaled down Grand Canyons covered with forest) during most years. I think the best months in Sydney are April and May; cool clear mornings that turn into delightfully warm days.
One thing I often get asked about (I have an emergency management background) is bushfires. They are a natural phenomenon and a largely seasonal thing. For example, their peak risk moves like a wave from north tor south each year. So in northern Australia it is around mid year (dry season), it then moves through Queensland around Sep to Nov or so, Sydney peaks around Christmas time, and it moves on to Victoria in Jan and Feb. Local conditions can lead to variations, and particularly dangerous years are usually associated with El Niño and positive Indian Ocean Dipole conditions. (This is all very over-simplified) They are a very real risk that can produce tragic losses; but they are also often over-stated, particularly in overseas media. So (in 2019/20) "all of Australia is on fire" meant that (in the worst affected state), about 6 to 7% of its area was involved (still a historically large figure).
I've travelled quite a bit in the USA. Not had any issues in country areas, but some cities do feel edgy. But, for me it's not a guns thing (only one I saw was a friend who drove me around remote places in her native state of Alaska, mainly for the wildlife - she had 'incident's' with bears on two occasions, one while she was changing a flat tyre). To me the big danger seemed to be fentanyl - a fair number of people spaced out and difficult to predict. Really sad. I checked the stats later and apparently it kills about three times the number of people as guns. Seems odd that it doesn't get more attention. Tipping annoys me in the USA, but I go along with the gag. I found TSA rude and aggressive (though immigration was OK), but most Americans are really friendly. They will easily chat with you, unlike in London where everyone seems terrified of the concept.
@michaelrogers2080 Yeah I know. I've been to both and walked extensively in the Blue Mountains.
Grand Canyon is about 4000' deep mostly, and up to 6000' in places. The rim is typically around 7000' - Highest point in the Blue Mtns is under 4000' - Most of my walks from a valley floor to the top of plateau were about 1500-2000'', Biggest low to high I've done was on the Six Foot Track (about 3000').
They are both very impressive in different ways, but if I hadn't said 'scaled down' there would have been a few Americans having a justifiable sook.
I'll grant them bragging rights on altitude. Last year I drove on a US four lane interstate highway (I-70) that topped out at 11,000' (and that was inside a tunnel!)
Lots of the flora in the Australian bush actually REQUIRES fire to maintain the beautiful plant life.
I have surfed in morning, snowboarded in Arvo in Hobart
25:00 If you ever head to Brisbane do the same thing with the ferries, set a third of the day to just ride the ferry up and down the river.
Thanks for the tip! Many people recommending we visit Brisbane, so it is definitely on our list for next time.
so glad you got to tassie. such a beautiful place
Us too!
If you ever come back to Australia and land in Sydney, i highly recommend spending a couple of days in Sydney and then travel north up the east coast. Central Coast, Forster(Seal Rocks), Port Macquarie (Cresent Head).
The best part about NSW is that everything is cheaper than Sydney.
How about the fresh air in Tassy?
Our Huntsman spiders are our friends because they won’t hurt us and eat the nasty bugs we all hate like cockroaches, flies and ants. They don’t build webs because they hide in wait for a meal to come by! Sometimes they stay on your wall or ceiling, looking down to search for bugs, then they can move very rapidly to get closer and lie in wait or slowly stalk the unsuspecting cockroach! The channel ABC Science is great, especially when Ann Jones is hosting the video! (Australian Broadcasting Service)
staff are paid more for those times when the surcharge is applied. My daughter did weekend work in a cafe while she was still in school and as a result to make more than if she had just worked on a weekday after school.
Aussies fly to UK, Europe and the US all the time and just fly prepared for a long flight, it’s normal for us.
True! The flight really wasn't too bad either and like you say it just becomes normal.
North Hobart is also food hub. A whole long Main Street with nothing but restaurants
Caffe in Melbourne, there’s big influence from large Italian and Greek communities, Melbourne is second largest Greek city in the world. Just saying.
I guess it really does depend on what a person likes, for example Melbourne is that place that feels like New York and London if u like that kind of artsy hip style New York has but also combined with that modern like architecture that looks similar to London but has its own uniqueness, Sydney feels like a breath of air that’s the only way I could put it as
Great video, thank you
Farmers Daughter is the worse place I've had dinner in Melb. But glad you guys liked it, we hope you come back to visit! :)
Excellent review. Thank you...
Glad you enjoyed it!
awesome video guys, cant believe you've been on YT for three years, posted 280 videos and only have 3k subs WTF???
Thank you! It has definitely been a slow grind but we keep going :)
Your reaction to the restaurant process is how I felt when I first started going to Cape Town. Much cheaper at high end places for both food and alcohol.
Surcharge is to cover higher worker wages because there is an Award rate.
I find driving in Melbourne more stressful than driving in Sydney.
glad it is not only us!
Most visitors to OZ either stay in Sydney or Melbourne there is another great city that surprises everyone and that is Brissie which is a beautiful place with great weather if a bit humid mid summer but with beautibul beaches and very scenic views a few miles out of the CBD just an amazing plce to vist and enjoy. They have the same coffee counture and beaut resturants overlooking the Brisie river quite and eye opening experience.
i think melbourne is a surname thats a version of milburn... and that lord melbourne did pronounce is 'melbin' like they do in australia
Our very credible Taxi source was very adamant that Lord Melbourne pronounce his name "Melbourne" :)
"The Brits arrived. They imprisoned everybody and made them work" WTH....who told you that? 😮😂 They brought their prisoners with them from England.
It’s usually much hotter in Melbourne but this summer is part of a cool cycle that comes and goes every five or six years. February most days over 30.
Year round Melbourne only averages 2° less than Sydney, that's mostly because winter and early spring months are about 3° colder but summer is almost identical in both (Melbourne just has less humidity in summer).
@@JesusManera well said mate. Melbourne is often hotter than Brisbane because people mistake humidity with temperature.
On weekends, Australians usually get paid more as part of the penalty rates. Usually large corporate businesses will cover this cost for their employees, but for small to medium businesses such as cafes and restaurants the operating cost is too high for the busier days so they will ask the customers to help with the operating cost. It is legal, and there will be a notice to inform customers before hand. The 15% surcharge of public holiday is also due to the penalty rate but it is also an extra incentive to the employees to work the public holiday as in most businesses it is a voluntary work day. It is based on the work-life-balance idealism that Australians have.
Fun fact: Australia should get snow in a lot more areas than it does, such as in Melbourne. But because there's no land bridge to the southern pole (i.e. Antarctica) the air is too warm and thus Melbourne only gets fridge temperatures and not freezer temperatures. That's why America gets snow in a lot of cities but Australia doesn't. Otherwise it would snow in Melbourne. That's why winter seems to last so long.
Hilarious hearing English people talk about pronunciations of place names. 🤣 Worchestershire anyone?
haha true!
The card charge is a great way of letting you know what banks and card companies make. At 1.3%, amex is higher, a $10 transaction is 13 cents. Conservatively if that $10 turns over 4 times a week or 208 times a year that $10 generates $27.04 in fees and for banks there's none of the costs of dealing with cash, counting it, handling or secure transport. If overseas, as well as clipping you a few percent on the exchange rate there's often a $1.50, $2.50 foreign transaction fee. Not a bad little earner
Melbourne weather is similar to London but bit hotter in summer and bit less cold in winter plus a bit more sunshine overall.
Melbonite Brit here. You have some restaurants that have the QR codes on the table so you can scan the code, look at the menu and pay right there and then. A really efficient service where there’s no confusion on when to pay. Hope all is well. My favourite take on Melbourne apart from everything you’ve listed… what other place in Australia can you have ski resorts and beaches within a 2-3hrs drive from each other? History is of Australia is sad. Brits arrived but also massacred a lot in addition to imprisoning them and made them work
Our wages are much higher on public holidays, and weekend wages are significantly higher than week days so the restaurants etc cost more to run so they have to charge more.
To prevent fraud and card skimming, retailers should not be taking your card away to pay. That’s why you either go up to the counter to pay or they bring the machine to you. The credit card fee is usually imposed by the bank or the company providing the machine to the retailer.
You guys should to check out the goldcoast next time your here
Absolutely!
Melbourne is the most chill and intimate City in the World. Growing up in Singapore, Melbourne makes me feel at Home. And I love the unpredictable weather.
In some ways the unpredictable made the day more exciting and added variety to the day :)
Brilliantly said! And, the unpredictable weather is one of Melbourne’s great charms IMHO
I loved this , my new favourite travellers 😄if you come back you have to go to Queensland, the weather is amazing on a next level , far north Queensland rainforests are the most beautiful places you'll ever see , western Australia is also stunning but a long way from everything
Thank you! :) We really want to come back and visit Queensland.
The surcharge on public holidays & weekends is because by law staff are meant to be paid extra working outside 9-5 week days
I live in Marvellous Melbourne. We have Bayside beaches closer to the city such as Port Melbourne (which you visited), Sandridge and St. Kilda. In Sydney you have to travel further from the CBD to access a beach. You did not see many people at the beach because the weather was not hot enough. Wait until hot days come and there will be many people at beaches around the Bay and on the ocean coast. Melbourne's weather is changing due to climate change from global warming. We are now getting more of Sydney-type weather - warmer with more humidity and heavy downpours of rain. March in Melbourne was the driest month in March on record ever experienced. After that we got a day and night of a very heavy rain downfall like that which Sydney gets. We used to get mostly temperate weather with an even spread of lighter rain. Sydney is becoming a more tropical-like climate. The weather seems to be moving south permanently !
The word Melbourne is pronounced "Melb'n" - we leave out the 'our'. Aussies' speech is lazy. It is as if we have an elastic band tight around our jaw. Your speech is not a 'posh' accent . A posh accent is called an English Received Accent. The people who made such a comment to you are apparently ignorant of the types of different accents in England. Yes, we do speak strangely at times. I think you are referring to our slang and idioms and shortening of words, especially adding an E or O sound at the end of a word. Our everyday speech is fairly casual .We are straight talkers - we tell it like it is ie. very direct.
While Aussies are known for being hard workers, we value a work-life balance. (Australia was the first country to mandate an eight hour work day.) We work to live NOT live to work !
Melbourne is known as the Sports capital of Australia, as well as for its Arts and Academia. Melbourne has the most extensive tram system in the world. Whereas Sydney was built in a haphazard way, Melbourne was designed on grid system which is easy to navigate. Melbourne does get busy and vibrant. You must have gone to the quieter places or at quieter times. If Sydney was a personality it would be a sassy show-off. Melbourne would be a personality of substance and culture.
I think the people who made the "posh" comment were not ignorant but having a bit of fun and meaning to compliment Selina in a joking manner, which is typical of Aussies. However, I do agree that Melbourne is indeed a marvellous city. I've visited twice and hope to return later this year! The food does it for me. 😄
I don't think you know Sydney very well, there are a lot of harbour beaches and eastern suburbs beaches are under 7kms from the city, real beaches on the ocean not a bay.
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Sydney has proper beaches, with waves. 🤣
Waves you can surf, i.e. real ocean-swell-generated long-period waves, not just quick shore-break dumpers.
I had American mate also said Melbourne is 20-30% cheaper in dining out prices because he simply used US current exchange rate - He boasted how rich he felt. But when I said what’s the median wage - even after the exchange rate - US is lower than Aus wages let alone the minimum wage rate
Yep last time I went to the US I was shocked at how expensive dining out was especially considering the wages are so much lower as is the general quality of the food. Looking at a menu looks deceptively cheap. When you pay at the end, and factor in the added tax, tip and currency conversion, it was significantly more than dining out locally here.
Great intelligent video. The credit or debit card charge annoys me too. Also businesses often round up the bill which annoys me.
It costs a business around $6000 a year in charges to have eftpos in a shop.. that's a huge amount especially for a small business to cover , hence the surcharge . If people don't like it then carry and pay with cash.
Sydney is a great place, as is Perth, which is a bit of a flight but weather is mint. Here in South Australia, where I am, weather is mint as well a little slower town, Queensland is awesome too. Melbourne is 4 seasons in 1 day...
Lol, don't worry, no one outside of Victoria (including me) knows what to do with the trams amongst the traffic. I think it's called a hook turn?? Best to read up on traffic rules regarding trams if anyone wants to drive in Melbourne City.
It's rocket science. Only we Melburnians have the extra brain capacity to cope with hook turns. It's why we enjoy superior coffee our palates are more sophisticated among with our brains.
😉
LOL
Sydney rent prices for eateries are high so food bills are a reflection of that cheers and all the best to you two
I’m confused on the portion sizes I’ve always seen Americans with bigger sizes that aus just can’t compare to but I’m from Sydney and they did visit Melbourne I feel like Melbourne gives u more than Sydney if there getting a lot for what they pay for then has to be in Melbourne cuz Sydney businesses r stingy a sugar doughnut has a pinch of sugar on it in USA they cover the whole thing with it
Melbourne's weather I think cops a bad reputation mostly because grey skies are common and people often equate that with "It's going to rain", but generally in Melbourne it doesn't. Melbourne is the driest and least rainy out of all the major cities in Australia. And when it's hot, like you say in the video, there's no humidity so it's generally a more comfortable "hot" than what you get in Brisbane or Sydney (both of which get more than double Melbourne's rain too). The two legitimate criticisms regarding Melbourne weather are really just that winter really is very cold and lasts 4-5 months, and it is unpredictable. Otherwise it's generally a pretty comfortable, mild climate with very little rain.
A few things that you should understand is that hospitality workers are paid penalty rates on weekends and public holidays and as you said no tipping. Coffee is dire in the USA. The history of Tasmania is more involved than a penal colony
The crowding or people flow of central Melbourne has declined a lot since 2020 because of COVID and there's still a LOT of people working from home because they like it, not because of any lingering COVID restrictions - there are no restrictions or lockdowns at all, unlike in 2020/2021. If one could compare 2019 with 2024 I think you'd find that Melbourne in 2019 was a far more busy and far more crowded city.
I was also outraged by the increase on public holidays when I moved to Australia but the business has to pay penalty rates to staff which are significantly higher. It's still way better than having to pay a service charge every time you eat out.
i forget to say that the guy who owns mona in hobart was a pro gambler in vegas and came back to open it apparently he had to leave as he cleaned em out ,playing cards
Ooo interesting!
Hook turns are famous as a Melbourne thing. Turning right you are meant to park in front of the other stream of traffic and then go on their green.
Ah, so that is what it is. How strange,
@@ANTSEL it is so cars don’t queue for right turns along the tram tracks blocking the trams.
Blimey what a good video , interesting you both said language was not a problem in Oz
as compared to the States , but remember you guys as in ‘Britain’ invented us.
Thanks! Moving to the States was a shock in how we need to adjust how we speak. It was so nice speaking normally in Australia. Haha, true.
That quality of coffee is why Starbucks went broke in Australia. Also did you experience the hook turn (turn right from left lane), which is unique to Melbourne.
The hook turns for turning right and allowing for the trams are only CBD, in the suburbs we still use middle lane for turn right. Confusing yes but it makes sense. I agree that signage for being in the correct lane is lacking here and after 30 years living here I still find myself in the wrong lanes at times! 🤦♀️
We say Melbourne often gives you 4 seasons in one day, so you have to prepare for change. 🥶🥵
Melbourne is the coffee capital of Australia and Sydney is very hit and miss. We Aussies consider American coffee as bad, do you even have McCafes in the US? 😂
Your take on Sydney was specific for Bondi only, Bondi is super expensive for property and has a very different culture to the rest of Sydney. You definitely should stay city next time, locals hate it but visitors love it. ❤
I’d also be interested to find out where you were working, because there are some outer suburbs and most country areas that are not as accustomed to multi culturalism.
The reason you pay more on weekends and public holidays is staff get paid more.
Melbourne weather isn’t bad, it’s just erratic. There are great positives to it - you can never get bored, and you’ll never run out of a topic for small talk. It (plus Adelaide and Hobart) are perhaps more Arts centred than Sydney. Sydney is definitely where you go to party. It also has a bit more of the US-style grind culture, but that’s balanced out by arguably nicer beaches. (Both Melbourne and Sydney beaches are a bit rubbish compared the more rural areas in each State - Perth is where you go for gorgeous city beaches. No snub intended to the other State capitals!) It rains significantly more in Sydney than Melbourne - just over fewer days - and hailstorms are truly vicious.
It’s genuinely difficult to find a bad cup of coffee anywhere in Australia (though the last time I was in Sydney for work the hotel gave it a red hot go. Thankfully there was a Coffee Club around the corner.) but east coast coffee is much cheaper than on the west coast.
Good video and review ,If you come back you have to check out perth ,brisbane ,Adelaide is quieter has great museums lots of beautiful churches and parks .And as an ausie that worked in construction and have lived and worked in every state except tassy adelaide ,when i was there is the cleanest town i have ever been in,come again,maybe you might like to visit townsville Q.L.D. P.S KEEP YOUR CAR LOCKED.
Thanks for the tips!
Paying a surcharge on public holidays etc is easily explained by the fact that waitstaff etc get a wage loading on weekends & public holidays. They earn a living wage unlike The US where they have to scrape by on the tips.
Melbourne is still recovering from covid after affects, its slowly coming back.. that's why it seems dead especially in the city, the suburbs close to the city are probably better than the actual city itself in terms of nightlife, food about the same, there's good restaurants in the city but just as good quality in the inner and even outer suburbs
The surcharge on weekends is due to additional loading, increasing the hourly rates paid on weekends
Dangerous? We have one of the safest roads in the world, first to introduce seat belts, strict alcohol use great freeways.
Beautiful intelligent people!
Not sure everyone agrees but thank you alot :)
Please add bookmarks to future videos. Melbourne / Tasmania / Sydney would have been enough. 😶
Happy and Blessed couple!!
Thanks!
i suppose if you dont have much chance of getting a mortgage these days there are always alternatives
now. Its more agreeable in some parts of the world besides the hassles of
only qualifying for a visa. maybe real consistent baristas rather than the one i found where i live
Never mind the spiders...... You should see our snakes..... And also beware of the Drop Bears.
Weather in Melbourne is well known for they can get 4 seasons in one day
I grew up in Tassie and there is seriously no chance you can really get a feel for Hobart in 2 or 3 days.. East Coast is boss
Unfortunately this year we really didn't get much summer weather. Sorry!!!
Contrary to the beliefs of Queenslanders and English tourists, we are not actually personally responsible for our weather. Don't apologise!