Thank you for writing this, because it's a fascinating set of insights. Sadly, due to exhaustion I am not coherent enough at the moment to contribute intelligently to discussion. I will try to remember to come back later and add something more useful.
I will take a moment to note, at least, that I am aware of the difference between NZ and Australia, and know enough about the dichotomy there to never confuse the two. For a while, I was able to tell accents apart between the two countries, even, which startled several New Zealanders and Australians I ran into here in the US. (I credit that to working for an investment banking firm that had offices in Perth and Sydney, among other places.) I've always been aware of the sheer size of Australia, too, along with the basics of its geography -- such as the fact that Sydney is not "right by" Perth. I was so horribly embarrassed when I found out that there were Americans who were asking pre-Olympics about making that sort of trip in "a quick drive." I wanted to shake them all and then shove maps down their throats. Sorry about that.
(Evidently I did get a bit talkative after all, hm.)
I do intend to visit someday, when I have both time and money enough to make a two-week plus trip. But again, thank you for writing this, because it's the sort of information that I find incredibly interesting and which is so difficult to discover save through experience.
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I will take a moment to note, at least, that I am aware of the difference between NZ and Australia, and know enough about the dichotomy there to never confuse the two. For a while, I was able to tell accents apart between the two countries, even, which startled several New Zealanders and Australians I ran into here in the US. (I credit that to working for an investment banking firm that had offices in Perth and Sydney, among other places.) I've always been aware of the sheer size of Australia, too, along with the basics of its geography -- such as the fact that Sydney is not "right by" Perth. I was so horribly embarrassed when I found out that there were Americans who were asking pre-Olympics about making that sort of trip in "a quick drive." I wanted to shake them all and then shove maps down their throats. Sorry about that.
(Evidently I did get a bit talkative after all, hm.)
I do intend to visit someday, when I have both time and money enough to make a two-week plus trip. But again, thank you for writing this, because it's the sort of information that I find incredibly interesting and which is so difficult to discover save through experience.