The Americans Are Coming ... Downunder .....

[aussielass]

We have 2,500 American Troops headed downunder to settle in a base in Darwin, Northern Territory, the most inhospitable place in the country AND the only city that was ever bombed during the war. Poor wee buggers, I hope they bring as much smoke and spare pipes as they need for the duration of their stay or they're in for a real rude shock!
We can't, for the life of us, figure out why they're coming, no-one can except for the polititians that organised it all very quickly without telling people. Oz is in an uproar, believing it makes us a target for unfriendlies, pfft not that we weren't already. Nevermind that, the conditions these poor blokes have to live in are just inhumane, second only to the stinking damn deserts they're currently habitating.

 

[drsam]

Deserts?....Aussielass, you got deserts???
Do you mean that little dry patch around Ayers rock?

 

[seanz]

I think she means everything else that isnt coastline dr :D

And then only some coastline

 

[aussielass]

Ey Doc, she's a very inhospitable land in every respect - we were always taught at school that we were the dryest continent in the world so the vast majority is horrid bloody desert.
As I once said to the PM's Butler in Harrod's Food Hall, "t'aint not much here except red dirt, a boulder, more red dirt (aka bulldust), a scraggly looking gum tree and more red bleedin' dirt". Unfortunately where these lads are headed is pretty much like that except for the amazing rainforests here & there if they travel, but the entire state is populated by anything and everything that'll kill you from it's sting or it's bite, be that 5m salty crocs, deadly snakes, spiders, scorps, wild boar & camels etc. and between Nov/Jan is called "Suicide Season". Oh, and the white natives, one has to be particularly wary of those!!!
One thing the troops might like about the hell hole is that the beer comes in "Darwin Stubbies" - bottles that hold 0.6 of a gallon (2.25 Litres) of beer and there's a rumour that Darwin has the highest beer consumption per capita of anywhere in the world.

 

[buckeye]

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/marines-headed-down-under/

 

[olderthandirt]

As for pipes and baccy the troops may actually be at an advantage?

AFAIR some of the online vendors ship to APO addresses free in support of the troops.
I wonder if shipping to a military address would be subject to the same import restrictions and duties.

A US based vendor shipping to an APO/FPO address is "technically" shipping to a US address so......

 

[drsam]

yes...I was lucky enough to spend about 3 years at one of the major Aussie citys, Alice Springs, one week back in the early 70's.

 

[aussielass]

Woot, woot OTD, I'd better find me some soldier boy penfriends I don't reckon they would get charged but, then again, there's no telling with our greedy Govt.
Tourists are only permitted to bring in 200 "sticks" or pay additional 66% duty/tax based on retail prices they see fit.
Doc, your pic fits my description to a tee, thank you Although, there's far, far more nasty, spiky greenery in your pic than in most places. Oh what I'd give to see an Oak tree again, even an elm or a birch, sigh.

 

[kcvet67]

I wonder if shipping to a military address would be subject to the same import restrictions and duties.

A US based vendor shipping to an APO/FPO address is "technically" shipping to a US address so......

That's subject to the Status of Forces Agreement in effect with the host country. In nearly all cases an APO is treated as U.S. territory for the purposes of incoming mail. When I was in Viet Nam I ordered quite a bit from Iwan Ries with no problem.

We can't, for the life of us, figure out why they're coming

Maybe they heard how good the beer is in Oz.

 

[olderthandirt]

In nearly all cases an APO is treated as U.S. territory for the purposes of incoming mail.

That's what I was thinking, really wasn't sure'

I'd better find me some soldier boy penfriends

Had you in mind in that regard the whole time Lass!! (-:

 

[francois1]

WAS in a sim situation when i was in my 20 living in south africa in the army

we were sent to nambiba (then known as south west africa) one feels as if you

have dropped off the end of the world hot as hell during the day40 + cold

at night dont see a cloud for mths tend to forget what day it is or mth

but one thing there was a lot of beer so life was not too bad a person learns

to live with the conditions

david(sct)

 

[aussielass]

Ditto the temps up there David, but it's usually around 100% humidity Nov-Jan so you can imagine the jock itch (don't know what you call it over there seeing a Jock is a Football Playing Uni Student isn't it? Anyway, I meant that groin rash fungal thing boys get?), athlete's foot and all the other suffering involved, not the least of which is B52 Bomber Mosquitos carrying Ross River Fever and a whole heap of other nasties that stay with you for life.