Drink Refills in the U.S.
Anytime you go to a restaurant in the U.S., every person will be given a water glass that will be refilled by the waiter anytime it gets low. In the same way, if you order a soda, the waiter will also continually refill your soda glass. There is no limit to the amount of refills you get, and the vast majority of restaurants will only charge you for one drink.
Drink Refills in Australia
Water glasses are provided at some restaurants in Australia along with a carafe filled with water. Waiters do not routinely check on their customers, so if you drink all the water in your carafe, your waiter may not be around to notice. If you order a soda, the glass is about 2/3 the size of a soda glass in the U.S. Free refills in restaurants do not exist. If you want a refill on your soda, you have to pay for another drink.
Fast Food Restaurants in Australia
Fast food restaurant chains in Australia are McDonald's (called Macca's), Burger King (called Hungry Jack's), KFC, Subway, and Red Rooster. If you order a regular size combo meal, the drink and French fries (called hot chips) are about the size of those in a Happy Meal. If you upsize your meal once, the drink and French fries are about the size of those in an All-American Meal. If you upsize your meal twice, you will receive a drink and French fries the size of a regular combo in the U.S. The only fast food chain that has its drink machine in the dining area and not behind the counter is Hungry Jack's, so that's the only place you can get free refills. I think the food at McDonald's, Hungry Jack's, KFC, and Subway tastes about the same as it does in the U.S., however KFC does not sell biscuits or strawberry shortcakes in Australia.
Fast Food Restaurants in the U.S.
There are no Red Roosters in the U.S., but with that exception, the U.S. has the same fast food chains as Australia and quite a few more.The vast majority of fast food restaurants have their drink machines in the dining area, not behind the counter, so you can always get free refills.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Housing & Driving
Housing in Australia.
The vast majority of single adults live in shared housing, meaning they share a house or apartment with at least one other person. Rent is charged on a weekly basis, and bond (deposit) is usually 4 weeks rent. Some houses and apartments have air conditioning, but definitely not all. Even those with air conditioning often only have a wall air conditioner in the living room, but nowhere else. Housing is very expensive. A furnished 1 bedroom or studio apartment at the lowest end of the scale would be at least $400-$450/week not including utilities.
Housing in the U.S.
Most single adults have their own apartments. Shared housing after graduating from college (uni) is fairly uncommon. Rent is charged on a monthly basis. Deposit varies, but I think my deposit when I lived in Houston was $250. My friend's apartment in Boston did not have air conditioning, but I think that's the only house or apartment I've ever been in that didn't have AC. Every apartment I've lived in has had central (ducted) air conditioning except one, which was very old and had a window unit. Housing costs vary by region. An unfurnished one bedroom or studio apartment in Houston would cost from just under $600/month to around $900/month. Furnished one bedroom or studio apartments in Washington, DC and Chicago would be $1100-$1500/month, New York City $2600/month, and San Francisco and Boston $1850/month. An unfurnished lower end one bedroom or studio apartment in New York City would be $1600-$1750/month.
Driving in Australia.
Cars drive on the left side of the road (People also walk on the left hand side of the sidewalk (footpath), store aisle, hallway, etc.). The driver's side of the car is the right hand side. Drivers shift gears with their left hands. I have not seen any intersections with stop signs. All intersections without stoplights have roundabouts. Speeds are measured in kilometers/hour and distances are measured in kilometers. The fastest speed limit is 110km/h (68mph). Petrol (gasoline) is measured in liters. The average price of petrol in Brisbane is $1.303/L AUD ($4.82/gallon USD). I don't think I've seen any gas stations with pay-at-the-pump. Gas stations are called servos. Street lines are painted in white. Chevys, GMC's, Pontiacs, and Saturns are not sold in Australia. Even for the brands that are the same as in the U.S., the vast majority of the models are different. I can count the number of luxury cars I've seen on one hand. Most cars are compact cars or small sedans. There really aren't trucks like the ones in the U.S. Utes and sport utes are probably the closest thing to a truck. I think vehicle registration is around $700 AUD($642.34 USD)/year.
Driving in the U.S.
Cars drive on the right side of the road (People also walk on the right hand side of the sidewalk (footpath), store aisle, hallway, etc.). The driver's side of the car is the left hand side. Drivers shift gears with their right hands. Intersections with stop signs are common. The only place I can think of that has roundabouts is Washington, DC. Speeds are measured in miles/hour and distances are measured in miles. Speed limits vary state to state. The fastest speed in New York is 55mph (86km/h), 65mph (105km/h) in most of the east, 70mph (113km/h) in most of the midwest and California, 75mph (121km/h) in the west, and 80mph (129km/h) in west Texas. Gasoline (petrol) is measured in gallons. The average price of gas in Texas is $2.745/gallon USD (74 cents/L AUD). Servos are called gas stations. The vast majority of gas stations have pay-at-the-pump, where you can pay by swiping your credit or debit card at the pump, and never have to go inside the store. Street lines are painted yellow to separate oncoming traffic and white to separate same direction traffic. Holdens and Peugeots are not sold in the U.S. Luxury cars are commonplace. There are a few compact cars, but most cars are medium sized sedans, SUV's (sport utility vehicles), or trucks. Vehicle registration in Texas is around $70 USD ($76.31 AUD)/year.
The vast majority of single adults live in shared housing, meaning they share a house or apartment with at least one other person. Rent is charged on a weekly basis, and bond (deposit) is usually 4 weeks rent. Some houses and apartments have air conditioning, but definitely not all. Even those with air conditioning often only have a wall air conditioner in the living room, but nowhere else. Housing is very expensive. A furnished 1 bedroom or studio apartment at the lowest end of the scale would be at least $400-$450/week not including utilities.
Housing in the U.S.
Most single adults have their own apartments. Shared housing after graduating from college (uni) is fairly uncommon. Rent is charged on a monthly basis. Deposit varies, but I think my deposit when I lived in Houston was $250. My friend's apartment in Boston did not have air conditioning, but I think that's the only house or apartment I've ever been in that didn't have AC. Every apartment I've lived in has had central (ducted) air conditioning except one, which was very old and had a window unit. Housing costs vary by region. An unfurnished one bedroom or studio apartment in Houston would cost from just under $600/month to around $900/month. Furnished one bedroom or studio apartments in Washington, DC and Chicago would be $1100-$1500/month, New York City $2600/month, and San Francisco and Boston $1850/month. An unfurnished lower end one bedroom or studio apartment in New York City would be $1600-$1750/month.
Driving in Australia.
Cars drive on the left side of the road (People also walk on the left hand side of the sidewalk (footpath), store aisle, hallway, etc.). The driver's side of the car is the right hand side. Drivers shift gears with their left hands. I have not seen any intersections with stop signs. All intersections without stoplights have roundabouts. Speeds are measured in kilometers/hour and distances are measured in kilometers. The fastest speed limit is 110km/h (68mph). Petrol (gasoline) is measured in liters. The average price of petrol in Brisbane is $1.303/L AUD ($4.82/gallon USD). I don't think I've seen any gas stations with pay-at-the-pump. Gas stations are called servos. Street lines are painted in white. Chevys, GMC's, Pontiacs, and Saturns are not sold in Australia. Even for the brands that are the same as in the U.S., the vast majority of the models are different. I can count the number of luxury cars I've seen on one hand. Most cars are compact cars or small sedans. There really aren't trucks like the ones in the U.S. Utes and sport utes are probably the closest thing to a truck. I think vehicle registration is around $700 AUD($642.34 USD)/year.
Driving in the U.S.
Cars drive on the right side of the road (People also walk on the right hand side of the sidewalk (footpath), store aisle, hallway, etc.). The driver's side of the car is the left hand side. Drivers shift gears with their right hands. Intersections with stop signs are common. The only place I can think of that has roundabouts is Washington, DC. Speeds are measured in miles/hour and distances are measured in miles. Speed limits vary state to state. The fastest speed in New York is 55mph (86km/h), 65mph (105km/h) in most of the east, 70mph (113km/h) in most of the midwest and California, 75mph (121km/h) in the west, and 80mph (129km/h) in west Texas. Gasoline (petrol) is measured in gallons. The average price of gas in Texas is $2.745/gallon USD (74 cents/L AUD). Servos are called gas stations. The vast majority of gas stations have pay-at-the-pump, where you can pay by swiping your credit or debit card at the pump, and never have to go inside the store. Street lines are painted yellow to separate oncoming traffic and white to separate same direction traffic. Holdens and Peugeots are not sold in the U.S. Luxury cars are commonplace. There are a few compact cars, but most cars are medium sized sedans, SUV's (sport utility vehicles), or trucks. Vehicle registration in Texas is around $70 USD ($76.31 AUD)/year.
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