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Canadian couple backpacking Australia reveals the things that shocked them most while traveling across the country in a van
- Canadian couple recently moved to Australia on a one-year work and holiday visa
- They have documented features of Aussie’s life that left them shocked
- These include TAB machines, people with mullets, the price of alcohol and utes
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A young tourist has mentioned the things that shocked him and his partner as they traveled down, in particular Australia’s love of gambling.
Backpacker, James Jones, 25, and his partner Micaela Snow, 24, who are from Toronto, Canada, recently moved to Australia on a one-year working holiday visa.
The pair have documented some of the uniquely Australian characteristics they experienced and how they compare to Canada, including pub TAB machines, mullets, the price of alcohol and utes.
James Jones, 25 (pictured with his partner Micaela Snow, 24), of Toronto, Canada, recently moved to Australia on a one-year work visa. The pair have documented some of the uniquely Australian characteristics they experienced and how they compare to Canada
In a video on his TikTok channel @vanmanwithoutaplan titled ‘Things that shock me as a Canadian in Australia part 2’, posted on Wednesday and garnering more than 27,000 views, Mr. Jones shares his surprise at seeing so many TAB- machines in the Sports Bar at Highpoint Hotel in Maribyrnong, Victoria.
Mr Jones told Daily Mail Australia: ‘We popped in for a drink in a bar to celebrate a new job we had accepted in Queensland and decided to check out betting as it seems so popular.
“We only bet $5 for a little fun, not knowing what we were doing, and lost it pretty well right away. We did have fun!
“Our intention is not to criticize Aussie culture in any way, but just to highlight the differences we notice along the way,” he added.
The video was captioned: ‘This was just a corner of a regular pub. Aussies apparently like a good bet!’
The couple were surprised by the number of TAB machines (pictured) and TVs in the sports bar of a Victorian pub
After entering the TAB area of the sports bar in the pub, the couple were shocked by the betting options on offer: ‘Gaming machines everywhere!’
Reactions from Australians to the video included one person saying, ‘Yes, we have quite a big problem with gambling and our version of the NRA for gambling is deeply embedded in our politics.’
“Ahhh that makes sense…” Mr. Jones replied. ‘I can’t believe how open it is compared to Canada! We can only gamble in casinos which are heavily regulated and not common.”
Commenting on comments, Mr Jones said: ‘It is illegal to bet outside a casino/online at home. So strange to see in a bar for me’
Another asked, “Are you surprised by slot machines in a sports bar?”
Mr Jones replied: ‘Yes! At home it is illegal to bet outside a casino/online. So strange to see in a bar for me.’
A third said: ‘Every pub has a horse racing/dog racing room and poker machines lol. It’s ridiculous. We also have online gambling companies that sponsor everything.’
“Come on some dogs,” a fourth remarked.
He replied, “If you said that in North America, they’d think you meant something completely different.”
In one of her videos, Ms Snow was shocked after seeing Australian alcohol prices (pictured)
Some other uniquely Australian features they have experienced include high prices of alcohol, which Ms Snow suggested were almost double what they would normally pay in Canada.
In another video, Mr Jones pointed to the growing trend of people walking around with mullets, saying: ‘The differences between Canada and Australia continue to shock me’.
Meanwhile, the pair were also surprised by how many utes they’ve seen on Australian roads: ‘Why does everyone have one?’