So, Man Piece and I have been in Australia for almost three months now and it would seem that the “honeymoon” phase of a new country/city is drawing to a close.

I’m starting to find more and more things that I hate about Australia/Sydney, which ultimately make me miss home like made.

So I have decided to make a list, just to get things off my chest and maybe, thanks to @thomasbeagle‘s suggestion, in six months time I will make a “Things I Love About Australia” list.

Here goes:

• The coins – the fact they are so big and that there are still 5c pieces. 5c pieces are SO over.
• The heat.
• The humidity.
• The people – the pure number of people and also, a lot of them can be right ol’ C U NEXT TUESDAYS.
• The lack of EFTPOS, especially in small denominations. I also find it ironic how there are advertisements on buses saying, “EFTPOS, the way Australia pays” which is absolutely false.
• The time it takes to get anywhere.
• Nice places being shut on weekends, particularly around where we live in the CBD, cafes etc.
• People not understanding my accent – it happens surprisingly often.
• Lack of culture.
• Alcohol pricing.
• Not being able to buy alcohol in supermarkets.
• Certain shops not being anywhere near the CBD, or any place that is even easy to get to. E.g. City Chic, Autograph, places like Kmart or Big W (which I find is a lot like the Warehouse)
• There being no big red sheds! I actually miss going and getting bargains – Target (and even Myer) failed me today when I tried to go and buy a cheap hand beater and spring-form cake tin. I’m actually going to have to make a specific trip out to Macquarie Park now just to go to Big W to try and find them.
• Not being able to split bills when going out for a meal with friends.
• An outdated payment system for transport. Seriously, install a tap card system already, it is so much easier and allows flexibility.
• The bugs, oh my god, the bugs.
• The heat.
• Non-air conditioned public transport, especially in 30° heat – which is often!
• The huge number of homeless people – it is actually shocking – and how they constantly ask you for money and if you say, “No, sorry” they abuse you.
• The noise – it’s enough to keep you up at night.
• Having to walk everywhere – my feet are so sore ALL THE TIME – but the alternative is driving with EVERY OTHER SINGLE PERSON and not being able to find parking, or having to pay ridiculous parking costs.
• Our shit came-with-the-apartment TV – where does a Celestial ChangHong TV come from, anyway?
• The fact I sweat constantly now because of the heat. I feel gross ALL THE TIME.
• The ridiculous price I paid for contraceptives at the pharmacy – I will be happy to pay the $5 price when I eventually return to NZ. Hell of a lot better than $25.

That’s about all I can think of right now. A few of those really got to me today and just seriously pissed me off. Especially the coin one – I was given $1.50 in change all in 10c pieces. If only there had been a homeless person asking for money in Chatswood. (It has now been put in our cute little Owl money jar.)

Australia is not all bad though, while writing this list, I have managed to think of things which are better than New Zealand, like the speed of internet and how awesome the public transport actually is, despite its payment methods and dodgy air-conditioning.

And even with all these things that I hate, which would probably make anyone re-think their decision to move to the Western Island, the one thing that is going to stop me going back right now is my job, because I am absolutely loving it.