Interesting facts about Australia

I will post a collection of some interesting factoids I learned about Australia and will update as I remember them more, in no particular order.
- Ozzies: how Australians like to call themselves.
- Ozzies drive on the left side of the street, which is a well known fact, but there is more to it when you actively participate in the traffic. When crossing the street, you have to look to the right first. This is very important, and a very strange thing to get used to for us right-side-of-the-road-driving people. (some street crossings actually have a sign on the asphalt: "look right") To catch a bus, look for the one coming on your right - it looks strange coming into the bus through a door where we'd expect the driver to sit. When on a highway, and you look to the car right of you, it's ok if you don't see a driver in the left-side seat - he is on the other side. I haven't tried driving there, but even sitting as a passenger in a car that makes a wide right turn is very, very confusing.
- More on driving:
There is no "left-turn-on-red", unless there is a specific sign for it, which we didn't see in the city.
Use of cell phones while driving, without a hand-free device, is against the law.
Most intersections have sound enhanced traffic lights, but they make different noises in different cities. Sydney lights make a really loud, high pitch sound when the light turns green.
- Restaurant:
Tipping is not expected.
Water is served in glass label-less bottles, and each person pours his/her own glass. Ice you'll get only if you ask for it.
- Water:
Safe to drink from faucets (in Sydney and Melbourne at least).
Toilets have half and full flush buttons, for #1 and #2 - very echo friendly country
I examined all the toilets I used in Australia to find out which direction does water spin in the southern hemisphere (I know, I am strange sometimes). None of the toilets had a spinning flush - water just went straight down. The water in the sink was turning in the clockwise direction.
- Kangaroos and emus are the only two native animals that cannot go backwards, only forward, and that is why they are chosen to be on the national symbols (like coins) - as a symbol for the country to only go forward.
- Ozzies are very easy going people. "no worries, mate" we heard a lot. My other favorite words are "rubbish", which they use for both trash and to say that something is like junk, and "bugger", which is what they say when they are upset by something.
- They are also very nice. With all the thousands of pilgrims that were on the streets in those days, locals were very polite and welcoming. Although we met some people who told us they don't agree with the Catholic church's teachings, they were still nice and told us they were glad that all the young people who were there enjoyed the WYD.
- Shopping:
Prices are rounded; there are no .95 and .99 deals.
It's ok to bargain, in both flea markets and touristy shops. Didn't try boutiques.
We saw many "Xmas in July" sale signs and several Christmas trees through the apartment windows.