Deep In Thought at McDonald's

I take my job as a professional tourist down here very seriously, and it struck me today at lunch as I enjoyed my tasty cheeseburger, that people have strange habits here at Macker's (as it is referred to at times...I know...what?). Is it me, or do most people in the states take their sandwich out of the "to go" bag (or take away as it is called here), open the wrapper, spread the wrapper down like a place mat, put your drink in one corner, and your fries and ketchup (or chips and tomato sauce) in the other corner? Okay...maybe it is just me. Or maybe most people don't order the cheeseburger.

But down here, I've seen people time and time again (yes, I eat at McDonald's way too much) take the "to go" bag, rip one whole side of it open and then eat the food as it lays from inside the bag. It looks like they're dining from a feed bag.

And what's with the opening of the burger (cheeseburger, quarter pounder, big mac, whatever) and piling on a fist full of fries before they bite into it? On the burger? How does that taste good?

Speaking of taste...the menu now sports that you can add avocado to your quarter pounder. Eeww. And if you want to, you can add tomato and avocado to your Egg McMuffin breakfast (or brekkie) sandwich. Double eeww. Yes...deep thoughts down here. But again...I take my job very seriously and wish to report all aspects of Australian culture as I experience them.

Yes...my "experiences" haven't been much to report lately. I've been volunteering at the church in the office a couple of days a week, so the weeks have flown by. I'm liking it. (Although I still have a bit of a problem trying to figure out what people are saying over the phone with their accents. I think I drove some guy nuts yesterday trying to figure out if he was saying his name was Matthew or Michael. I'm still not sure.)

I am happy to report that I now feel pretty comfortable driving around Sydney. Who would've thought? I still cringe when I cross the Harbour Bridge, praying that I haven't just breathed my last, but the music has returned. (I tend to sing while I drive.) Still not crazy about changing lanes because I can't see behind the darn head rests in the back seat, so I try and look, send up a prayer, hope nothing's there, and then get over into the next lane. I've pretty much memorized the route and what lanes to get in so I don't have to do much changing.

We are trying to arrange a trip to New Zealand next weekend, so hopefully that happens. Will keep you posted...