And I thought SoWal is expensive ...

[Beach Runner]

We just got back from Australia. Breakfast is $26.50 per person without tip. A 15-pack of Diet Coke at Cole's (owned by K-Mart) is $16.49. A 6-pack of beer at Cole's is $20.

We had dinner at a seafood restaurant in Sydney. The cab driver said it was well-priced. Well, fresh seafood was $60-$120 per kg. I had the specialty, mud crab, and the waiter brought out a bag with the live crab in it. $65 just for the crab. Everything was a la carte.

We went to a steak restaurant in an alley in Geelong. $50 just for a beef filet with no sides. It was certified Australian Angus beef. Yummy, but very expensive.

We did try Micky D's (called Mackers there) for breakfast on Wednesday. Daughter and I shared a Mates Brekkie for $9.95 -- two sandwiches, two hash browns, and two drinks. The meat in the Sausage Egg McMuffin was a beef hamburger. Yuck. I got the Bacon Egg McMuffin -- real bacon instead of processed "Canadian" bacon as we have here in the states.

A burger with "chips" (french fries) is $16.50 at the most casual of restaurants. I had a salad with no meat as my main course one night (they are big on meat and "chips" and not vegetables). It was $16.50.

Oh, and multiply these prices by 1.09 for conversion rates, plus tip.

That being said, our trip was great, and I'd go back in a flash. It is a magical country.

 

[DD]

Well BR, I'm pretty sure I'll not be going any time soon. Yikes! But, so glad you had this opportunity and I bet it WAS magical. What an experience!!!

 

[Beach Runner]

One night we were at the pier in Geelong for dinner. There was a birthday party being celebrating at the next table by a bunch of kids Lauren's age. All of a sudden a bunch of the blokes ran out of the restaurant. We looked outside and saw some young females streaking naked at the pier. The blokes stole the girls' clothes, so they were hiding behind some decorative anchors by the bay. The females at the table next to us retreived the streakers' clothes and all was well.

Lauren says the message is that if you're gonna streak, take your clothes with you.

Reminds me of the streaking craze at The University of Florida when we were grad students there. Hilarious.

 

[Mango]

This is it?? I was looking for your trip report and it's about the expensive food? You need to post your daughters pictures. Expensive food and all, you can't beat those beautiful shots she took and the memories.

 

[sunspotbaby]

Sounds like Disney prices.

 

[Kurt]

No wonder they travel so much.

 

[scooterbug44]

Australia is an island - you pay more for imports.

Also think it might be some of the places you went/what you ordered - I haven't heard that it was ridiculously expensive (more so than other foreign travel) from others.

 

[Beach Runner]

Oh, yeah. Because of the cyclone in Australia that destroyed many banana farms, one of our hosts told us that 3 bananas cost $19 at Coles.

BTW Mango, I will post a positive trip report as soon as I recover from the 14-hour time change.

 

[RiverOtter]

We are on another Western tour. Trying to book a room in Jackson Hole was the most frustrating thing ever. One freakin night at the Super 8 (<-- Did you hear that? The FREAKIN Super 8) is almost $200 + Tax and Fees. :angry: I'm not complaining about SoWal prices anymore!

 

[Beach Runner]

We are on another Western tour. Trying to book a room in Jackson Hole was the most frustrating thing ever. One freakin night at the Super 8 (<-- Did you hear that? The FREAKIN Super 8) is almost $200 + Tax and Fees. :angry: I'm not complaining about SoWal prices anymore!

That's ridiculous. I thought their rooms were like $49.99 a night.