Twelfth Night

[At home in NZ]

I trust that the lights are solar powered?

I have no idea for that house but seeing as electricity is expensive in this country I suspect it might be.

That does look like a bit of overkill. We missed seeing any lights this year since we have had no reason to leave our home once it gets dark.

All those in the light trail are similar, we didn't bother to do the trail this year as we've seen the same houses a few years in a row. Just looking out of the window to see what's down the street was enough for me.

 

[jorghes]

We have an annual 'Christmas Lights Trail' which wasn't so extensive this year. The idea is you nominate your house for people to visit then the sponsor and the newspaper get together to publicise it. There are prizes to be had too, for voting for the best house. There was one missing this year, an older man who had decorated his house and his neighbour's for many years died not long before Christmas, not Covid related, quite sad.
The attached is from an entry in 2017 and shows the lengths some people go to.

Ours don't do it for a competition, but occasionally to get on the TV. I think there was one person in Melbourne who set their Christmas lights to music and there was quite a show.

There are a lot of websites for Melbourne which give you a list of places that you can go to see the lights - do remember it's summer, so it doesn't actually get properly dark in Melbourne until about 9pm, but a lot of people have a tradition to drive around looking at lights.

Here's one from one of the websites not sure if the photo was taken this year or not.

 

[Bob Spiers]

Takes me back to our Oz visit at the start of the Millenium and the day before Xmas Eve being driven around the local area of the Shire (in Victoria)by my sister and brother-in-law to see the various household displays. To this day the one that gave the most amusement was not really associated with great sparkling vistas (although they were there in abundance) but just one property with a spotlighted Santa crash landing on the roof, complete with sleigh and Rudolph all precariously hanging from a chimney with the words a foot or more high saying "OH BU**ER" (the second word was written in full of course). Not sure if it won one of the prizes offered by the Shire, but for my money it certainly deserved too.

 

[At home in NZ]

"OH BU**ER" (the second word was written in full of course).

Of course it was because here downunder it's not overly offensive. Digressing from Twelfth Night and lights I am reminded of a TV advert for Toyota Hilux which used the word. It still makes me laugh. See here

 

[Bob Spiers]

Of course it was because here downunder it's not overly offensive. Digressing from Twelfth Night and lights I am reminded of a TV advert for Toyota Hilux which used the word. It still makes me laugh. See here

To be fair it isn't all that outrageous in the UK and certainly not in my family, but when typing it out I thought I ought to obey British protocol by substituting asterisks. Everyone reading it will say the word to themselves anyway. Mind I did enjoy the media clip you posted ...no other word (unless really offensive) could possibly convey the same feelings. Great.

 

[jorghes]

Of course it was because here downunder it's not overly offensive. Digressing from Twelfth Night and lights I am reminded of a TV advert for Toyota Hilux which used the word. It still makes me laugh. See here

I remember that ad - it also played in Australia. It's almost as good as the Tourism Australia one which seemingly causes more controversy now than it did when it was made - it included a quintessentially Aussie (could very well be Kiwi too) expletive "bl**dy" - you can find it here

 

[At home in NZ]

the Tourism Australia one

It aired in NZ and gave the impression it was specifically for Kiwis.

 

[Margery]

TV advert for Toyota Hilux

Digressing even further - the latest advert for the Toyota Hilux (Where's Bonzo?) was filmed in our country town a couple of months ago. The crew were in town for a few days and we had great fun watching them drive along our street filming the ute being towed on a low-loader, giving the impression that the occupants were actually driving it.

 

[jorghes]

It aired in NZ and gave the impression it was specifically for Kiwis.

It was for everyone as far as I remember, they also played it in Australia.

 

[Margery]

also played it in Australia.

It featured many Australian icons - Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Outback, etc. and was presented by an Aussie "actress", Laura Bingle. Maybe a specific Kiwi version was made?

 

[At home in NZ]

Maybe a specific Kiwi version was made?

I don't think so, it was just the impression it gave.

 

[jorghes]

It featured many Australian icons - Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Outback, etc. and was presented by an Aussie "actress", Laura Bingle. Maybe a specific Kiwi version was made?

I don't think so, it was just the impression it gave.

It was trying to sell Australia, so it would have been played around the world, they did though do one especially for the UK after the loss of the Ashes in 2019, pretty amusing - you can find it here. I don't know if they've done one specifically for the Kiwis... I might have a search and see.

The other famous one of course is Paul Hogan who "threw another shrimp on the barbie" (not that it was of course shrimp.)

Currently, since Australian citizens aren't actually allowed to leave the country, they're encouraging us to "holiday here" for 2020... though that's pretty hard since the state borders keep opening and shutting. (you can find 2020's here)

 

[At home in NZ]

Currently, since Australian citizens aren't actually allowed to leave the country, they're encouraging us to "holiday here"

We are allowed to go but must pay for 14 days quarantine on return, no thanks!
We are being encouraged to holiday here too and it has helped some tourist spots 'bounce back' but they miss the international visitors and will do even more when the school hols finish in early Feb.

(you can find 2020's here)

I particularly like this one, been to some of the places and enjoyed them.
I am still wanting to go back to WA to see my youngest brother and back to Melbourne to see my middle brother's family. Middle brother is deceased.
Roll on worldwide vaccination.

 

[jorghes]

We are allowed to go but must pay for 14 days quarantine on return, no thanks!
We are being encouraged to holiday here too and it has helped some tourist spots 'bounce back' but they miss the international visitors and will do even more when the school hols finish in early Feb.

I particularly like this one, been to some of the places and enjoyed them.
I am still wanting to go back to WA to see my youngest brother and back to Melbourne to see my middle brother's family. Middle brother is deceased.
Roll on worldwide vaccination.

Currently, we have to quarantine in a hotel at your own cost if you want to go from Sydney (really anywhere in NSW) to Melbourne (or Adelaide, or Perth) or even Melbourne to Perth. It's beyond ridiculous. - Well I'll adjust that, Melbournians on holiday in NSW have until midnight to get back or they have to quarantine, and that's from anywhere in NSW, not just the "hot spot".

But as for the national border, the only way Australian citizens are allowed to leave is if they're rich and famous (!) or if they've been living overseas and aren't planning on coming back. The national border is shut internally as well as externally. My sibling will be leaving in January, he's allowed out because he's been overseas for the majority of the past 8 years.

WA is one of the worst at the moment for having its borders shut - probably lucky you can't get in at the moment, I wouldn't want to get stuck there! But when the place calms down, or the PM finally takes control of the state borders from the Premiers, you won't have much luck with WA or Melbourne.