Hooters and a “sticky”, an Australian odessey

Another Australian expression with which I have been confronted over the past few days is to have a “sticky beak”. This apparently means to have a good look around and stick your nose in to find what’s going on. Over the years the expression has been shortened to “having a sticky”. Now call me old-fashioned, but I don’t think I could announce to my friends, or even to that nice lady decorator that I was ready for a sticky, and god forbid in front of the kids or better still their friends.

My picture today is of wild long beaked Ibis (today’s tenuous link) in a park in Brisbane, where they are seen as scavengers, which is a bit rich coming from a country which emerged from a felons paradise.  One of the Barmy Army’s most popular hymns memorably describes Australians in this manner; “You all live in a convict colony” sung to the tune of Yellow Submarine. It is one of my favorite hymns.  Expect now some sarky comment from The Reverend Jeff about the sanctity of hymn singing or some other religious tripe, in fact that is the only reason I referred to the Barmy Army’s choral output as hymns.

A few Ibis having a bit of a "sticky"

And talking of religion, for my second tenuous link, I can think of a religious context to the way The First Ashes Test has unfolded. After 3 days England was dead and buried, but the resurrection followed and cricket followers will know that history was made in the first Test in Brisbane, with England declaring on a massive 517 for 1 managing to draw the opening match.

I have one day left in Brisbane before flying home, so I have alerted some of my BA pilot friends of my flight numbers, and frankly I am expecting a bit more effort from them in order to make my flight back “a bit more comfortable”

Tomorrow I think I will find out what Brisbane has to offer in the way of entertainment out on the coast, having spent the last six days in the city. The city itself is very nice, a tad modern for my personal tastes, but the Australians seem to like that kind of thing.  In fact last night I was tempted to enter a very modern looking establishment in the city which was called “Hooters”.  The entrance fee looked a bit expensive at $50AUS (about thirty five quid at today’s exchange rates) but as I am a car enthusiasts and am particularly attracted to their horns, I thought at first this was marvellous way to spend an evening, hearing the different tones of the hooters from what I thought would be a range of classic cars, and also there was a charming and rather scantily dressed lady in the doorway who kindly invited me in.

However, It did not take me long (less than two hours)  to discover that rather than the collection of fine old motor cars to look at and enjoy their hooters as I had expected, it was an establishment of doubtful repute, although I am prepared to concede there were some very decent chassis on show. All in all though,  I thought the evening was worth the “sticky”.

Chris France

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