Australia: Very Dangerous
I got a new bookcase for Christmas that was finally delivered today. The truck wouldn't start on the way out and the delivery guys spent half the afternoon here waiting for rescue, after trying unsuccessfully to jump-start the truck from my car. Both were fairly new to Australia, one from India and the other having grown up in the Ukraine and then having spent nine years in the Israeli army. They couldn't understand why I would live here and thought it was both very boring and very unsafe.
Ukrainan Ex-Army Guy: How far is it to the nearest police station or hospital?
Me: About 20 minutes up the highway.
Him: You could die of a spider bite before you could get to the hospital!
Me: Possibly, I suppose.
Later the conversation turned to Queensland.
Him: Before I came to Australia, I watched one of those National Geographic programs they show on Foxtel. The most dangerous animals in the world are in Queensland! Jellyfish, snakes, sharks, spiders, crocodiles.
Me: When I think of dangerous animals, I think of lions.
Him: I am much too afraid to get in the water here.
Me: I'd think it would be much more dangerous to be in the Israeli army. There were only 14 shark attacks last year in Australia. Your odds are pretty good!
Him: No, I wouldn't swim in the ocean. Plus, if you go up north, there's those cone mussels! You only have to pick them up and you're dead!
Me, who'd never even heard of cone mussels: I don't think most Australians spend much time worrying about these things.
I have to wonder what impact those nature programs are having on the tourist industry!
Ukrainan Ex-Army Guy: How far is it to the nearest police station or hospital?
Me: About 20 minutes up the highway.
Him: You could die of a spider bite before you could get to the hospital!
Me: Possibly, I suppose.
Later the conversation turned to Queensland.
Him: Before I came to Australia, I watched one of those National Geographic programs they show on Foxtel. The most dangerous animals in the world are in Queensland! Jellyfish, snakes, sharks, spiders, crocodiles.
Me: When I think of dangerous animals, I think of lions.
Him: I am much too afraid to get in the water here.
Me: I'd think it would be much more dangerous to be in the Israeli army. There were only 14 shark attacks last year in Australia. Your odds are pretty good!
Him: No, I wouldn't swim in the ocean. Plus, if you go up north, there's those cone mussels! You only have to pick them up and you're dead!
Me, who'd never even heard of cone mussels: I don't think most Australians spend much time worrying about these things.
I have to wonder what impact those nature programs are having on the tourist industry!