The Heat Is Off...

YOU can (and many people do) say a lot of things about Port Douglas.
I can now add to that list: six months in North Queensland's swankiest town does NOT prepare you for English weather.
Then again there's very little in Australia that can prepare you for England in general. For one, the Aussie dollar isn't quite worthless but approaching that stage; the people can dress rather inappropriately for the climatic conditions; and most disturbingly, the beer is warm.
Come to think of it, it's easy to see the appeal of warm beer in cold weather. This doesn't absolve the English completely, but does give a reason for what many Australian would consider a crime against humanity.
As would be expected, the people are a lot different too. In London it's only tourists and expats that start conversations on the Tube, while out in Cheltenham at least the girls got around in tiny skirts and singlet tops. To give an idea of how cold it was, when we walked home it was through the snow...
There are, though, many good things about England. For one, they don't fuck around with their Sunday pub roasts. They can be very friendly (if hard to understand sometimes), and are as fond of a drink or thirty as those from thirstier climes.
Now if I could understand just why Neighbours, Peter Andre and Fosters are so popular over here, I'd be a lot happier...