G'day, Mates!
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OK, when you get your outdoor barbecue rig set up and stock up on dead cow, I'm flying over.
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You can always arrange a Club 30 BBQ and stock up on dead cowOriginally posted by av98m:OK, when you get your outdoor barbecue rig set up and stock up on dead cow, I'm flying over. -
I reckon there are more sheep than cows there ...Originally posted by av98m:OK, when you get your outdoor barbecue rig set up and stock up on dead cow, I'm flying over. -
Well, seafood will be nice too. Like lobster.Originally posted by Fatum:I reckon there are more sheep than cows there ... 
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Shouldn't that be New Zealand?Originally posted by Fatum:I reckon there are more sheep than cows there ... -
Hmm..I was thinking, we can buy a few pigs and roast them over open flames on spits. But that'll have to be more of a half day thingy thenOriginally posted by elindra:You can always arrange a Club 30 BBQ and stock up on dead cow -
*rattles kitty and googles around for airfares ....
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I guess the most we can have is pork chops or something glazed with apricot *drools*Originally posted by av98m:Hmm..I was thinking, we can buy a few pigs and roast them over open flames on spits. But that'll have to be more of a half day thingy then -
I know what Rhonda is going to say when she comes back to this thread
"How come my life in aussieland thread become barbecue thread hah?
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I think our dear missy should know by now that ANY Club 30 thread will somehow turn into a food threadOriginally posted by av98m:I know what Rhonda is going to say when she comes back to this thread
"How come my life in aussieland thread become barbecue thread hah? " -
deleted double post
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Rhonda has mentioned the 2 most important 4-letter words... FOOD & SALE!!! Thank you Rhonda for alerting me to the Myer sale... and oh, while you're in Myer don't forget to apply for the Myer One card (free application & this is not a credit card but more like a loyalty card kinda thing) so you can get privileges like exclusive shopping days for card holders.
Oh, you should get this book called 'Melbourne & surrounds: a discovery guide' with photography done by Steve Parish (famous photographer in Aus); the piccys are breathtaking and the info in the book are excellent for someone who's just moved to Melbourne & wanting to know more about what interesting places there are to visit! -
Originally posted by elindra:I think our dear missy should know by now that ANY Club 30 thread will somehow turn into a food thread
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Pls do remember to take up private health insurance with one of the insurers eg. HCF, Medibank Private. Not only will you not be penalised by the additional Medicare Levy, your waiting list esp. for operations/major illnesses is very much shortened!Originally posted by Rhonda:I had a fun time working out the Salary Packaging and Superannuation stuff but now, I understand them fully.
I've filled out my tax form too since this time round, it's extremely clear-cut and straightforward for me. The tax rates here are high, but at the end of the day, I keep one eye closed and I still get more than I did back home, so fair enough!
....
I love to read the local papers. At first, I was put off by their prices, but am used to it now. I only buy the papers on weekends - The Age on Saturdays, and The Age, The Australian, and The Herald on Sundays. I love the local TV current affairs and social issues programs like the news, Today Tonight, You are What You Eat, etc. So informative!
You can read the newspapers online for free unlike a certain country who has recently killed off a newspaper column because some kiasu and kiasee govt spokesperson complained.
http://www.smh.com.au
http://news.com.au
http://theage.com.au
You will find that you save more in Australia than in Singapore because of the difference in wages. Despite the somewhat high taxes, you can easily afford a place to stay and OWN PERMANENTLY (not some 99 year paper) and able to get a car (no COE).
Oz Nurses also belong to a very strong union. Should you decide to purchase a place in the future and need a loan, they are also able to help (with reasonable rates).
I can't say for you but putting more money into superannuation (to lower taxes) isn't what I want to do at this point in life because laws regularly change over time and I don't want to be at the stage where the Oz govt taxes more when you reach retirement age (current tax is 15% entry and 15% exit). -
Everything sounds really great, glad you're having fun there Rhonda!
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http://grabyourfork.blogspot.com/
Australian Food Blog
Looks like more in Sydney than Mel but the latest Turkish rest they featured has one in Mel too!!!
Looks really good to me -
Thanks for the info!Originally posted by auxor:Pls do remember to take up private health insurance with one of the insurers eg. HCF, Medibank Private. Not only will you not be penalised by the additional Medicare Levy, your waiting list esp. for operations/major illnesses is very much shortened!
You can read the newspapers online for free unlike a certain country who has recently killed off a newspaper column because some kiasu and kiasee govt spokesperson complained.
http://www.smh.com.au
http://news.com.au
http://theage.com.au
You will find that you save more in Australia than in Singapore because of the difference in wages. Despite the somewhat high taxes, you can easily afford a place to stay and OWN PERMANENTLY (not some 99 year paper) and able to get a car (no COE).
Oz Nurses also belong to a very strong union. Should you decide to purchase a place in the future and need a loan, they are also able to help (with reasonable rates).
I can't say for you but putting more money into superannuation (to lower taxes) isn't what I want to do at this point in life because laws regularly change over time and I don't want to be at the stage where the Oz govt taxes more when you reach retirement age (current tax is 15% entry and 15% exit).
I had health coverage by the 2nd week of work and salary packaging by the 3rd. Neat!
I've been talking to my colleagues who migrated to Melbourne from other countries (and there are quite a few Singaporeans, or even Filipinos and PRC's who worked in Singapore before) about their accommodation arrangements and quite a number of them are paying for their own houses by the 3rd year or so.
You're right - it's much easier to save here. I've discovered that whilst the shopping isn't great in terms of variety, the sales here are really SALES! The sales helped me tremendously when I had to furnish a totally empty apartment - got my A$169.90 comforter for just A$36.90; my A$400+ TV for just A$320; a A$89.90 faux fur queen-sized blanket for just A$49.50; a flannel bedsheet for just A$3.99 (!!!) etc etc!
... and oh... the entire series of Sex & The City at a hefty discount!
And I was just sms'ing elindra the other day - you can get dozens of original anime DVD's here, even series that cannot be found in Singapore because it had been sold out there! I saw TWO different boxed sets of Rurouni Kenshin here - something I could never find back in Singapore! If I remain a good girl, I might reward myself with that for my b'day this year!
I'm not going to put extra money in my Superannuation now either. I'm in the process of deciding if I'm going to apply for PR independantly (in which case, costs will be involved), or if I'm going to get hospital sponsorship for my PR... and then, there's the PC and associated costs (I desperately WANT a PC with unlimited broadband and am patiently waiting for the 'best' deal! ), the setting aside money for a rainy day and driving lessons and subsequently, a car... I heard from SL that the first year of setting up home here would be a time when money just flows like a river straight out of your pockets and I'm finding it oh, so true! -
Hanor! Hanor!! I peng sanz, man!Originally posted by av98m:I know what Rhonda is going to say when she comes back to this thread
"How come my life in aussieland thread become barbecue thread hah? " -
btw, stella says you love him
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RHONDA!!!
Sorry I couldn't sms you last night coz I thought I lost my phone
And it happens I left it in my boss's office and it got covered with paper and I couldn't check when I left my office coz he locked the door!!! -
Oh, auxor... forgot to mention about the newspapers here... darn blardy expensive, man!!
I don't buy the papers on weekdays - I only buy the newspapers during the weekends. The Age on Saturdays, and on Sundays, I buy the big three - The Age, The Australian, and The Herald and then slowly peruse over the week. Besides, the weekend papers come with supplements!
Oh, in case you guys are wondering, The Age on Sunday costs $2.20!!! Tamade!! 
I think The Australian costs $1.60 on weekends (Sat cum Sun version). -
Originally posted by the Bear:btw, stella says you love him
I blardy peng sanz and tor hwek!!!
Luckily I live too far away for him to stalk now! -
btw, Herald-Sun is useless... it's like our New Paper here.. random rubbish
The Australian is kinda... staid
The Age is somewhere in the middle... the only thing good about the Herald-Sun are the funnies
found The Souvlaki Bar's souvlaki yet?
found Swanston Walk's Mekong pho yet?
found Stalactites yet?
found Kino cinema yet?
found Lygon Street yet?
found La Porchetta yet?
these places are MUST KNOW places -
Orh...Originally posted by elindra:RHONDA!!!
Sorry I couldn't sms you last night coz I thought I lost my phone
And it happens I left it in my boss's office and it got covered with paper and I couldn't check when I left my office coz he locked the door!!! Nevermind... call you tonight (unless I fall asleep again! )
And oh, I bought my first bottle of CHOYA liao! Haven't even opened it yet because I'm waiting for a special occasion to do so! I'm going to travel back to town again soon and lug home those big bottles of Pokka drinks from one of the big asian grocery shops in Chinatown so I can make my CHOYA cocktails!
It's funny... you know, not having eaten greasy, lard-laden food for what... two months already, last week when I discovered this 'Singapore Chom Chom' restaurant in town and ate Bak Chor Mee, the greasiness didn't agree with my stomach, man! 2nd day I returned to eat Char Kway Teow, same thing happened! But 3rd day when I went to eat Laksa, not so bad liao! I think I must now and then tuck into 'wholesome comfort food' so that when I return early next year and feast with you guys, I can tahan the greasy makan! -
heh heh heh.. when i was there, i never actually thought about eating "singapore food"
only when i was forced to do so by fellow asian friends to go to this restaurant in the little alleyway of chinatown... behind the cinema where that huge Target shop in the city is
was more than happy to eat steak sandwiches