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Electricity Question



 
 
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  #21  
Old September 23rd, 2007, 06:00 AM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Janet Wilder
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 439
Default Electricity Question

kangaroo16 wrote:


You will at least appreciate the size of Australia more than
those making a quick visit here.


I live in Texas. Way at the very, very southeastern most tip of it. I
can well appreciate it when someone thinks Dallas is just around the
corner when it's at least a two day trip.

Radio Shack operates here under the name of
"Tandy Electronics", actually owned by Woolworth's
Pty./Ltd.


Radio Shack here used to be "A Tandy Company" but I think the US Tandy
company may no longer be in business. It started, IIRC, as a craft
supplier--mostly leathercraft and crystal radio kits.

If you want some good shots of Sydney and have time to do it
a trip to the top of Centre Point Tower observation deck might be
worthwhile.


"Here's a tip to all the tourists coming to Sydney,
Australia.. Center Point tower is 300m tall and has the best 360º
views of Sydney. You could pay $23 to visit the tourist platform
OR take the free lift to the 360º bar and relax enjoy a cocktail
in comfort AND the view for only $14 "
http://www.flickr.com/photos/goz/119293715/

Thanks for that tip. I bookmarked the site. It reminds me of the tower
in Toronto, Ontario, Canada though the scenery from the one in Sydney
looks much more interesting. Toronto has some great museums and
neighborhoods, but "scenic" isn't one of its virtues.


There is also a tour where tourists can climb the Sydney
Harbour Bridge, but it is more expensive than the tower,
and as you can see from the photo links, the bridge is
nowhere near as high.


I saw that one in the ship's offered excursions. Not for us.

initially, perhaps a bit of a "diary" on your trip to Oz.

I shall post about the battery decision. I will not be on line during my
trip. Though Internet service will be available, I'm taking a *real*
vacation.


You mean that you can go that long without e-mail? :-) Libraries
often have free public computers, can't you at least
let us know when you have arrived. :-)


There might be accommodation computers in the hotels, but I'm sure
there are no newsreaders with Usenet subscriptions on them. I am not
going to take my laptop. Do much of a circus with airport security and a
bother to carry around. I might check email if I have access to a public
computer, but Usenet is out of the question. Everyone will just have to
wait until I get home for the details.

Actually writing these words reminds me of a good
joke, but too long to post here. See
The Executive
sent by Dave of New York at following link.
http://www.tgifjoke.com/stranded-executive.html


That was really funny. I thought it was going to be like one my husband
tells, but it wasn't.

If you cannot be bothered to do this, perhaps a post when you
return, stating what you have learned about Australia?

I would be delighted to post upon my return and share my impressions. I
get back 11 November.


Looking forward to it. As it is getting into summer here, expect
warm or even hot weather. An nylon windcheater with parka could
be needed for occasional rainstorm.


Where I live we have two climates: warm and hot. I don't think I'll have
any problems with the weather in Australia. New Zealand will probably be
cold for my thin blood. I intend to dress in layers. I am also packing
rain ponchos and a small umbrella. Packing them averts the Evil Eye.

You might like to check monthly climate and weather data for
various locations, there is plenty of info on Google.


I already have a site bookmarked for the weather there, thank you anyway.

The sunlight in Australia is more intense than anywhere in the
US, with lots of ultraviolet, so sunglasses are highly
recommended as well as high protection factor sun block cream,
especially if on a beach anywhere.


We live in the semi-tropics. I always have SPF 45 over SPF 15 on my face
and neck because of recent radiation treatments for cancer. I also wear
a hat with a brim. I'm really careful about the sun. DH can afford to be
a little more reckless, but he also wears a hat and uses SPF 45 sun screen.

Both of us wear Transition lenses on our eye glasses. They are really
good at blocking UV rays.

On my early journeys used a good 35 mm camera. Unfortunately,
seldom bothered to jot down notes as to time date location of
photos. Same for keeping a daily diary. Just became too much
trouble.

So something you might consider bringing is a pocket tape
recorder using standard tape cassettes so you can dictate
notes as go along. That is, if you can find one that uses
standard cassettes.



I was the last of my friends to give up my 35mm camera. It finally died
on me in the middle of a journey (actually on a raft in the middle of
the Missouri River) and I had to replace it with another camera so I got
my digital one. I did get one that has a view finder and makes a
clicking sound when I depress the shutter so I know it's taken a
picture. It works very similarly to my 35mm except there is no film and
I don't have to worry about wasting film on shots. I just delete them.

Most of the newer ones use mini-cassettes, or are totally
electronic. Mini cassettes can be hard to find out of the major
cities, and standard cassettes offer longer recording time
than mini-cassettes.


I am a freelance journalist by avocation, I always diary my trips. I
have a micro cassette recorder with extra itty-bitty cassettes. I don't
need to record a lot, just a few words to jog my memory. I've been doing
it for years and years. I also know that if I go to a paid attraction, I
pick up brochures and ask for a "press package" which will give me
additional information. That reminds me to take some business-business
cards.

A couple of things that would urge all travelers and tourists
to carry would be as good torch ("flashlight") and if interested
in nature, a good hand lens.


We will be on guided tours. I don't think we'll need a flashlight. I am
bringing my binoculars, however.

I don't know much about electronic cameras, but on my
35 mm film camera had a f1.8 50 mm lens, auxiliary close up
lenses and filters.


I have a PHD camera: Push Here, Dummy. I just set it on "automatic" and
it finds the right settings. It does several modes that seem to work if
I want to set it myself, but the PHD works just fine. It has an Image
Stabilizer so it takes wonderful photos of things like birds in flight
and animals. I call it my "critter camera"

Australian flowering plants tend to be much more striking than
most plants in the US, and some very unusual animals and insects.


You need to take a trip into our Southwestern deserts after a good rain.
We have some pretty "striking" flowering plants here, too.

The critter camera has a 10X optical zoom (Macro lens) and the image
stabilization. I have some wonderful shots of butterflies on flowers,
closeups of flowers and assorted animals on the move. I intend to take
lots of photos which is why I needed to know about the battery stuff.

I have several memory cards, too. The photographer's shop on the cruise
ship has a service that will copy your memory cards to a CD or DVD for a
fee and free up the cards for reuse. It's actually cheaper than buying
enough extra cards for the 3 week trip, so I'll use the service.

Tourists suffering from jet lag after a long flight from US or
UK, ...or those who have tried Aussie beer for the first time...,
probably wouldn't believe their eyes if ran across one.


I saw a show on it and other regional critters on Discovery Channel. I
don't much care for insects. I have a small bottle of repellent that I'm
packing and I'm also taking some netting gear that covers us from head
to waste and arms that I got from a catalog. I read somewhere that there
are biting flies and mosquitoes at Ayers Rock. Buying the netting gear
will make it a certainty that the bugs won't be there when we will. I
like being pro-active. g


No matter how much research you have done on your trip to
Australia, I would almost guarantee quite a few surprises. A
photo of you holding one would be a great conversation starter
in the USA when you return. They are harmless, incidentally.


I am looking forward to making many discoveries and experiencing
surprises. That's the real reason for recreational travel, isn't it.
Don't look for me to hold the bug. UGH! Maybe I'll get DH to hold it.

Don't pick up any snakes, most are poisonous. Or Sydney
Funnel Web spiders, as their fangs can penetrate a fingernail.
Or any "redbacks" which are closely related to US "black widow".
Or the small cute blue ringed octpus commonly found in tidal
pools.


Oh you can count on my not picking up any of those. As much as I don't
care for insects, I disdain snakes even more. Thanks for the heads up on
the octopi.


So Australians are pleased by the outcome of the Revolutionary
War and American Independence. Otherwise Australia probably
would have been claimed and settled by the French, Dutch, or
others. :-)


We were most happy to oblige. I guess you owe us something for
preventing you from being French g


Perhaps you will change your mind after visiting Australia.
...At least your kids won't ask you to fly up and babysit for
them. :-)


They don't do that now. We lived in a recreational vehicle for 9 years
and they got used to not depending on us for such things. Though they
could reach us by voice mail and later cell phone, they never knew where
we were and we liked it that way. We love our children and grandchildren
very much and enjoy visiting them or having them visit us, but we like
to control the duration and occasions of those visits. We raised and
educated 6 children. We worked hard to support them and put them through
college and now it's our turn to enjoy ourselves. We have absolutely no
sense of guilt about spending their inheritance on ourselves.

This post is probably getting a bit long, but possibly you and
other readers will find some interesting info in it. Both this
group and misc.immigration.Australia + NZ strike me as very
slow groups, with few daily posts on either.


....then perhaps no one will notice that we are using it as a "chat room" g

Thanks for all of the help. You've been a great resource and very
entertaining, too.

Janet
--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life
  #22  
Old September 23rd, 2007, 06:01 AM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Mr. Sandman
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 8
Default Electricity Question




"Janet Wilder" wrote in message
...
Alan S wrote:
On Fri, 21 Sep 2007 19:47:28 -0500, Janet Wilder
wrote:

AlmostBob wrote:
Hi Janet
Am an Aussie living in Canada
Just about every department store in Aus sells the same alkaline
rechargeable battery kit with a 240V charger and 4/8 batteries
Grandcell is one brandname.
brought my batteries with me, and brought a WalMart "Pure Energy"
charger
kit, now have twice as many batteries and a charger for each continent,
$20

watch for dropbears

thanks, what's a "dropbear"


Well, first you have to try to come to terms with the
concept that Bundaberg Rum, a product of our canefields,
uses a Polar Bear in it's advertising. An animal that is
never seen here outside a zoo:-)

Then you have to accept that the bear acts like a human
being in the ads. Just a couple of leaps of logic.

Then: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULEQpUY_crc


That was cute! I will definitely watch out for the "dropbears"

BTW, do they dropbears come with the good looking young men? g

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life


What does g stand for?

Sandman


  #23  
Old September 23rd, 2007, 06:13 AM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
John H
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 113
Default Electricity Question

Kangaroo16,
After reading your further postings on every subject never asked by the
poster,
and seeing how you expand a simple question into a massive posting on every
subject matter under the sun, I have decided to plonk the whole thing.

Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill, you would be the best I have
ever seen

Only points I would come back on a
Domestic wiring installation as defined in AS3000 (I cant be bothered going
to the vehicle to get it out to give you chapter and verse)
A 240 volts 15 amps AC GPO could theoretically provide 3.6KVa load (and are
rated at that). Watts to my knowledge havent be used to refer to other than
DC voltage for decades.
As GPO's are rarely installed with one per 15Amp circuit, then one would
need to take into account of loading/rating factors and the other GPO's in
the said circuit.
As laid down in AS3000, when placing "x" GPO's into anyone circuit.
The nominal 240 volts AC (RMS) can and does on occasions rise to in excess
of 260Volts AC and drop to 180volts AC. Electrical generating companies do
allow quite a variation of + & - .
regards
John H
"kangaroo16" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 21 Sep 2007 10:29:31 +0930, "John H"
wrote in
:

Kangaroo216 stated


I don't know who kangaroo216 might be if the pseudonym
exists at all. I post as kangaroo16 :-)

(1) "but US voltage is a nominal 110-220 volts"
Since when?
I have never known any supply to fluctuate that much!
I think you may mean 110 -120 volts


You are right, of course! I should proofread my posts rather
than just spell checking them.

As you probably know, though, A.C. voltages are usually given
in RMS [Root Mean Square] values rather than peak to peak.

The variation in RMS values depends on the tapping on the pole
transformer, and how far the consumer is from the nearest
one. There are conductor losses and other factors.

Of course, had you proofread yours, or included my post in your
reply, or checked the full headers, you wouldn't have made the
kangaroo216 error :-)

(2) " in US"
I think YOU mean AUST.


Dunno what you are referring to, which is a good argument for
not censoring the senders post. After all, plenty of bandwidth
these days, and it makes replies a lot easier for all concerned.
I usually don't snip the senders post in a reply, but sometimes I
do. When I do, I note that the post is snipped and the reader
is referred to the original.



(3) "It might be more convenient
and probably cheaper to buy one in the USA".
Using your vernacular, maybe "probably",
but would depend on many factors such as store at which purchased,
whether it was on sale etc. all which are actually about as relevant as
your
statement.


Actually, was thinking more along the lines of simple
availability. Most tourists and travelers take a lot of photos
on a trip and don't want to be caught with a "dead" electronic
camera.

Could you guarantee that someone landing at Cairns international
airport on a Sunday afternoon could easily get a recharger? Have
been to Cairns by road, not by air, so admit I really don't
know.


(4) "Some tourists seem to assume that an "adaptor" plug changes the
voltage, which it doesn't.

Conjecture on your part!


Do try to be more clear in your replies! Most adaptor plugs just
provide a match between physical plug and socket. I don't doubt
that some adaptors consist of a transformer with a plug for the
Australian sockets and a U.S. two pin socket. Have one as a
matter of fact.

(5) "Make sure the power supply on the
appliance you intend to use has a switch to change the voltage
from 240 volts to 120 volts, and remember to switch to proper
voltage before plugging it in!


Think that this is a fair warning, as have heard of cases where
the tourist or traveler did exactly that.

AND (6)
So what if Janet's charger doesn't have a voltage change switch?
In that case, she would have to find an adapter that includes a
transformer, or buy a 240 volt charger to charge her batteries at
the proper low voltage and polarity.


Lots of appliances are nowadays "multi" voltage and will cover from
110v to 240v and 50 - 60 Hz without any voltage or frequency switch of
any
kind.
Laptops are one that "springs to mind" as mine does exactly that.
My battery charger for the digital camera does, and also has the ability
to
have the plug slide
off the back of the unit and another countries plug slid in to replace it
and no other "transformer " or anything else needed.


"Lots" doesn't mean "all".:-)

Your answer would only apply if her appliance was of an earlier vintage
that
would only work on 110 volts,
thus need a 240v to 110v step down device, usually (but not always) a
transformer.


How do we know from her original post just what she has?
+++

Frequency difference (50Hz to 60Hz) on a small charger would have
negligible
effect,
perhaps slight heating of the unit depending upon whether it is has a
wound
transformer in unit .


True, but not important from a safety aspect.

The Earth pin may or may not be longer, The standard states 1.63 mm for
all
of them,
some supplied are same length and some slightly longer, in fact some are
actually larger in height
and width ie 15 amp socket, where earth pin is same length, wider,
and higher, so they wont fit into the standard 10 amp socket,
but the standard 10 amp plug will fit into a 15 amp socket.



Perhaps most of my small appliances are obsolescent, then, as
most have a longer earth pin. Presumably the reason for this is
that the earth ["ground" in US] connection is established before
the active and neutral prongs reach the contacts.

There is also a 20 Amp plug & socket, where all pins are wider (thicker),

but rarely ever seen by 90% of population, never seen in domestic premises
AFAIK.


Depending on how you define "domestic premises" of course. Would
you define a farm shop as a part of a "domestic premise"? Some
do have 20 amp outlets, though will agree that 15 amp are
probably more common.

If we ignore other technical terms such as power factor,
conductor resistance, etc. a 20 amp socket at 220 volts will
theoretically provide 4,400 watts. At a line voltage of
240 volts, 4,800 watts.

A 15 amp outlet at 220 volts would provide 3,300 watts,
and at 240, 3,600 watts.

Want to dispute this? :-)

Also most small appliances do not even have the 3rd (earth pin) anyway as
they are invariably double insulated.
No double insulated appliance has to have the 3rd (earth) pin, but here
again some are supplied with plug that has it.


I might quibble about the "invariably", but would agree with the
rest of your statement.

However, I'm more concerned with safety than what is available,
or what a tourist or migrant might be trying to use.

The US system doesn't automatically provide a true earth
connection. With only two pins, and two conductors, whether a
given conductor is active or neutral depends on which way the
user plugs it in. A cheap, but not safe, way to do it, IMHO.

At one time, a lot of American mains operated valve ["tube" in
US] radios didn't have a transformer. They relied on using
valves of different voltage ratings in series. [ Can list some
typical valve types if you wish. ] They were once prohibited
imports on the grounds of safety.

They typically used a "chassis" ground, and relied on plastic
knobs, etc. to protect the user from the shaft of volume or
tuning knobs which were often at chassis potential.

O.K., what happens if the knob is missing, and the bare
shaft is exposed? What happens if the user is washing dishes and
touches that bare shaft?

Well, it depends on how the radio was plugged in. One way, and
the chassis is at neutral potential. Put the plug in the other
and the chassis is at "active" potential and they provide a path
to true earth ground.

I assume you know that even at a mere 110 volts from arm to arm
can provide a potentially lethal 10 milliamps to the heart. To
quote a bit from a book at hand "Australian Electrical Wiring:
Theory and Practice" by K Pethbridge and W.Williams, ISBN
0 07 93407 x. [In your local library you might find a copy under
Dewey Decimal Classification 621.31924, or you could always
request a copy on interlibrary loan if you want to dispute an
issue. :-)

On page 25 of my copy, chapter 2, "Electrical Safety"

------------------
"2.1 Effects of electric current on the human body

Electric shocks due to the use of electrical equipment occur
without warning and are often serious. The average worker is
frequently involved in a dangerous situations though not
realising that voltages as low as 32 V a.c. and 115 V d.c. can be
just as lethal as much higher voltages.
There are three ways by which electric shock may be directly
fatal. The following considerations refer to 50 Hz a.c. shock to
a normal, healthy, adult male."

No need to go into details, but if anyone is curious, they are
respiratory arrest, asphyxia, and ventricular fibrillation.

Naturally, there are a lot of variables...

but it is not wired/terminated as the cable to it is only two core anyway.


Agreed
See same url but another page ie
http://www.accesscomms.com.au/Refere...ugVariants.htm

+++
The url I supplied showed poster what it looked like a damn sight more
than
your "stick drawing",


Well, actually I usually respond to posts line by line and
hadn't even read your reference when wrote my reply.

Easier and quicker just to give a rough illustration which most
people would understand. You could be an exception, of course
:-)

Some people read posts offline, and I thought my illustration
should be adequate.

and they would surely know what their own plug looked like.


Has the average American ever seen an Australian 3 pin plug on an
appliance?

BTW Do you always nitpick things others say? What was given was basically
all the person needed to know,
using her post as the basis for the reply.


When people criticise or get "nitpicky" with me, I can and often
do reply in kind. For someone claiming that I posted under the
nym of kangaroo216 you would seem to qualify. :-)

The poster didnt even elaborate other than to say it was a charger unit
for
a camera.


When people are posting info on the group it does help to be
explicit as to details.
viz.
I would agree with the "should be able to", but that doesn't mean
you actually "will be able to" :-) It might be more convenient
and probably cheaper to buy one in the USA.

+++
Whilst the rest of your reply to Janet was very informative, it was not
anything the poster asked about,
Hell! I wonder what your reply to, a child who asked the question :"where
do
I come from" would be?


Well, my wife and I don't have kids, by choice. If talking to
some other kid, I would probably be diplomatic and untruthful and
simply say "ask your parents".

Were I to be completely truthful, could always tell him or her
that they were probably an accident due to failure of the
contraceptive methods used. :-)

Do you believe that all children are "planned"? ...A very
optimistic and unrealistic view, IMHO.

Take a look at abortion statistics for any country. Check the
subject of "abortion" on
http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php

Or better yet,
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/he...alth-abortions

On second thought, will save you a bit of research. Of the top
19, Russia ranks #1, the USA #2. Australia doesn't make the
list, but I suspect we have much better sex education here.

In addition, "condoms" or "rubbers" are sold in supermarkets, and
most Australians wouldn't even raise an eyebrow at a 12 or 13
year old kid buying them, although the legal age of consent is
16 in most states.

Should a girl prefer the pill, we also have a free Medicare
system here, and kids can get their own Medicare card if
desired.

For privacy reasons, it is up to the physician, and he or she
cannot legally involve the parents.

Sorry if this information shocks you or other readers, but I
thought I should let readers know what living in a truly free
country involves. :-)

A diatribe on the reproductive systems of both male and female, which
would
naturally be totally overkill.


Sorry about that, I believe in telling the truth to adults.

Perhaps you should jump back into your Joeys pouch.


Were I actually a "joey" I might be tempted to jump back
into the pouch of "mother kangaroo" rather than get hassled when
I post on the net.:-)

It is intended for the free exchange of information worldwide,
but perhaps you haven't realized this yet.

Will you, or others on the group bother to check on the
"nationmaster" links?

Perhaps they think that pregnant women only consider abortion
if they have been forcibly raped?

Easy enough to check on the "rape" statistics, no?

In your opinion, is abortion preferable to infanticide?

Looking forward to your reply to issues raised in this post.
Those who aren't interested in such issues are not required
to read my posts. :-)

John H

"kangaroo16" wrote in message
. ..
On Thu, 20 Sep 2007 17:28:45 +0930, "John H"
wrote in
:


Ah, then you DID know that I was kangaroo16. Am not used to
"top posts". Why not reply to questions and statements line by
line?

Hi Janet,
Cairns like rest of Australia is 240 volts US is 110 volts.
SO if your appliance is shown as multi voltage ie 110 - 240 then all you
will need is an adapter plug to go from US two round pin horizontally in
line TO the Australian 3 pin.

Essentially correct, but US voltage is a nominal 110-220 volts
RMS at 60 Hertz [ cycle] , and uses a non polarized plug with
two vertical flat pins.

| |

Australia is a nominal 220-240 volt, 50 Hertz, uses a three pin
polarized plug with two angled flat plugs for active and neutral,
and a longer flat pin for a safety earth or "ground" in US.

/ \

|
Lots of chargers are multi voltage so you may indeed be OK for the
voltage
situation
Have a look at this site for the plug shape
http://www.accesscomms.com.au/Reference/powerplug.htm
If you cant buy an adaptor in US then you should be able to buy one in
Cairns (at least at the airport if not the town).regards
John H

I would agree with the "should be able to", but that doesn't mean
you actually "will be able to" :-) It might be more convenient
and probably cheaper to buy one in the USA.

Some tourists seem to assume that an "adaptor" plug changes the
voltage, which it doesn't. Make sure the power supply on the
appliance you intend to use has a switch to change the voltage
from 240 volts to 120 volts, and remember to switch to proper
voltage before plugging it in!

Have heard of tourists forgetting to switch an electric razor to
the 220-240 volt range then trying to use it. The results can
be both spectacular and hazardous.

Admittedly, this probably happens more often when someone
assumes the voltage is the same in Australia and the US and
simply bends the blades of a US appliance at an angle to fit
an Australian outlet. This is not advisable.

So what if Janet's charger doesn't have a voltage change switch?
In that case, she would have to find an adapter that includes a
transformer, or buy a 240 volt charger to charge her batteries at
the proper low voltage and polarity.

Am sure if she takes her charger down to a camera store in the
USA, or checks the net, she can get more info.

I don't expect that US tourists would bring a portable TV set on
a trip, but if so, it won't work in Australia. The US uses the
obsolete NTSC standard rather than PAL used here. Channel
allocations are also different.

If bringing a mobile phone, they should check if it will work
here.

Incidentally, on a different topic, currency rates constantly
change. Radio news at 7.08 AM here says that due to loss of
value in US$ it is on a par with Canadian dollar for the first
time in 30 years. As to Aussie dollar:

At the moment
Live rates at 2007.09.20 21:13:37 UTC
1.00 USD 1.16020 AUD



United States Dollars Australia Dollars
1 USD = 1.16020 AUD 1 AUD = 0.861921 USD
http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi


At time that actually am finishing this post in my spare time:

1.15635 AUD=United States Dollars
1 USD = 1.15635 AUD 1 AUD = 0.864790 USD

Live rates at 2007.09.22 05:00:21 UTC
1.00 USD = 0.00136836 XAU
United States Dollars Gold Ounces
1 USD = 0.00136836 XAU 1 XAU = 730.800 USD

Again, if you or other readers are curious about current rates:
http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi

3:10 pm, or 1530 Saturday here, so cannot offer any info local
stock markets.

Looking forward to your reply.

Cheers,
Kangaroo16

To repeat: Kangaroo16:-)

=




Cheers,
kangaroo16
[I usually post on misc.immigration Australia+ NZ.]




"Janet Wilder" wrote in message
m...
Will I need an electricity adapter in Cairns and at Ayers Rock to plug
in
my battery charger for the rechargeable batteries for my camera? The
charger is United States-flavor electric.

TIA
--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life




  #24  
Old September 23rd, 2007, 07:51 AM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
kangaroo16
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 222
Default Electricity Question

On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 14:43:27 +0930, "John H"
wrote in
:

Kangaroo16,
After reading your further postings on every subject never asked by the
poster,
and seeing how you expand a simple question into a massive posting on every
subject matter under the sun, I have decided to plonk the whole thing.


Be my guest :-)

Talk about making a mountain out of a molehill, you would be the best I have
ever seen


Thanks! Nice to know have done my bit to enliven the group. :-)

Only points I would come back on a
Domestic wiring installation as defined in AS3000 (I cant be bothered going
to the vehicle to get it out to give you chapter and verse)


I happen to have my book at hand. :-)
A 240 volts 15 amps AC GPO could theoretically provide 3.6KVa load (and are
rated at that). Watts to my knowledge havent be used to refer to other than
DC voltage for decades.


KVa is probably better measurement as it takes power factor into
account. For purely resistive loads, like light globes, they are
identical.

All Janet, and most users need to know about travel chargers are
the safety aspects, IMHO.

However to keep up my reputation of someone who tosses in the
occasional odd topic or fact, what do you think about the
possibility that bacteria concentrate gold? :-)

Before you answer, you might want to check a Dr. Karl post
Bacteria Make Gold
http://www.abc.net.au/science/k2/trek/4wd/Over44.htm

I would think that at least some migrants would like to know that
gold is still being found by accident here. There was a news
item not that long ago about some citizen stumbling across
a reasonable nugget lying on the surface at his local sports
field, but I can't be bothered to look for it.

For those who might like to try their hand at prospecting, opals
can be worth more than gold. You would know that I suppose...

I do hope that you aren't one of those dreary specialists who are
only interested in a limited number of areas.....


[snip]
Cheers,
kangaroo16
  #25  
Old September 23rd, 2007, 10:14 AM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Alan S[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,163
Default Electricity Question

On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:00:39 -0500, Janet Wilder
wrote:

I live in Texas. Way at the very, very southeastern most tip of it. I
can well appreciate it when someone thinks Dallas is just around the
corner when it's at least a two day trip.


This will give you some idea of the scale of things.

These are the states and territories of Australia.

Rank State/Territory Area (km²)
1 Western Australia 2,529,875
2 Queensland 1,730,648
3 Northern Territory 1,349,129
4 South Australia 983,482
5 New South Wales 800,642
6 Victoria 227,146
7 Tasmania 68,401
8 Australian Capital Territory 2,358

Australia 7,691,681
USA (incl Alaska, Hawaii) 9,631,420

At 261,797 mi² or 678051 km² Texas fits in at 6th, smaller
than NSW but bigger than Victoria.

Of course, I accept that there's a lot of empty out there.
When flying as an Engineer in the RAAF from Canberra via
Alice Springs to Pt Headland the pilots described it as
flying over the GAFA. The Great Australian .... All.


Cheers, Alan, Australia
--
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com/
latest: Slovenia
http://loraltraveloz.blogspot.com/
latest: Mossman Gorge in the Daintree Rainforest
  #26  
Old September 23rd, 2007, 05:09 PM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Janet Wilder
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 439
Default Electricity Question

Mr. Sandman wrote:


What does g stand for?


g = grin.
vbg + very big grin.

They are generally preferred by Usenet junkies over emoticons.

Janet, a Usenet junkie since 1995

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life
  #27  
Old September 23rd, 2007, 05:12 PM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Janet Wilder
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 439
Default Electricity Question

Alan S wrote:
On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:00:39 -0500, Janet Wilder
wrote:

I live in Texas. Way at the very, very southeastern most tip of it. I
can well appreciate it when someone thinks Dallas is just around the
corner when it's at least a two day trip.


This will give you some idea of the scale of things.

These are the states and territories of Australia.

Rank State/Territory Area (km²)
1 Western Australia 2,529,875
2 Queensland 1,730,648
3 Northern Territory 1,349,129
4 South Australia 983,482
5 New South Wales 800,642
6 Victoria 227,146
7 Tasmania 68,401
8 Australian Capital Territory 2,358

Australia 7,691,681
USA (incl Alaska, Hawaii) 9,631,420

At 261,797 mi² or 678051 km² Texas fits in at 6th, smaller
than NSW but bigger than Victoria.

Of course, I accept that there's a lot of empty out there.
When flying as an Engineer in the RAAF from Canberra via
Alice Springs to Pt Headland the pilots described it as
flying over the GAFA. The Great Australian .... All.


Thank you, Alan, for the geography lesson.


--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life
  #28  
Old September 23rd, 2007, 10:32 PM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Alan S[_1_]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,163
Default Electricity Question

On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 11:12:24 -0500, Janet Wilder
wrote:

Thank you, Alan, for the geography lesson.


I hope we're still friends;-)

Cheers, Alan, Australia
  #29  
Old September 24th, 2007, 12:59 AM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
Janet Wilder
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 439
Default Electricity Question

Alan S wrote:
On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 11:12:24 -0500, Janet Wilder
wrote:

Thank you, Alan, for the geography lesson.


I hope we're still friends;-)

Cheers, Alan, Australia


Of course! Why shouldn't we be?

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life
  #30  
Old September 24th, 2007, 02:37 AM posted to rec.travel.australia+nz
kangaroo16
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 222
Default Electricity Question

On Sun, 23 Sep 2007 00:00:39 -0500, Janet Wilder
wrote in
:

kangaroo16 wrote:


You will at least appreciate the size of Australia more than
those making a quick visit here.


I live in Texas. Way at the very, very southeastern most tip of it. I
can well appreciate it when someone thinks Dallas is just around the
corner when it's at least a two day trip.


I know it is pretty large compared to the other US states, as
once lived there :-)

I have heard claims here that Queensland once had a cattle
station ("ranch") that had a greater area than the state of Texas
before it was broken up before WW1. To be fair, though, have
never bothered to verify this.:-)

Some Aussies are much like Texans where telling tall tales is
concerned...


Radio Shack operates here under the name of
"Tandy Electronics", actually owned by Woolworth's
Pty./Ltd.


Radio Shack here used to be "A Tandy Company" but I think the US Tandy
company may no longer be in business. It started, IIRC, as a craft
supplier--mostly leathercraft and crystal radio kits.

If you want some good shots of Sydney and have time to do it
a trip to the top of Centre Point Tower observation deck might be
worthwhile.


"Here's a tip to all the tourists coming to Sydney,
Australia.. Center Point tower is 300m tall and has the best 360º
views of Sydney. You could pay $23 to visit the tourist platform
OR take the free lift to the 360º bar and relax enjoy a cocktail
in comfort AND the view for only $14 "
http://www.flickr.com/photos/goz/119293715/


Thanks for that tip. I bookmarked the site. It reminds me of the tower
in Toronto, Ontario, Canada though the scenery from the one in Sydney
looks much more interesting. Toronto has some great museums and
neighborhoods, but "scenic" isn't one of its virtues.


Think you would be surprised at just how scenic is. It also has
the advantage of a much better climate than Toronto. I've lived
in areas of the US with a fair bit of snow in winter, but
personally don't care if I ever see any snow again. :-)


There is also a tour where tourists can climb the Sydney
Harbour Bridge, but it is more expensive than the tower,
and as you can see from the photo links, the bridge is
nowhere near as high.


I saw that one in the ship's offered excursions. Not for us.


I doubt that I would be all that interested either. If I was
younger and more fit, perhaps... :-)

A bit more on Sydney Tower, although haven't been up it
for years:. There used to be an opal shop which had some
beautiful black opal on display. AFIK, only Australia has black
opal, and a solid chunk can be worth more weight by weight than
diamonds. I don't know if the shop is still there, but if so,
might be worth a quick look.

Most opal sold as jewelry is in the form of doublets or
triplets which only use a thin slice of black opal.

I know a few people who have done a bit of opal prospecting.
The problem is that it tends to occur in pockets or even as
single stones, much like raisins in a cake, and to get down to
the layer where it exists, first have stake a claim, then dig
down through 40 feet of sandstone, although can pay to have a
rock drill do this work.

Ran across an article many years ago that told of a "new chum"
migrant who decided to have a go at mining opal. Some other
miners rather unkindly took him to a part of an opal field where
no one had managed to find anything of value, urged him that it
was a good place to dig. About 6 feet down discovered a huge
pocket of opal. This was decades ago, and from memory he
sold the opal for around 250,000 pounds, close to a million
dollars in those days, and retired.

Had a quick look on Google but couldn't find it, so can't provide
a reference.


initially, perhaps a bit of a "diary" on your trip to Oz.
I shall post about the battery decision. I will not be on line during my
trip. Though Internet service will be available, I'm taking a *real*
vacation.


You mean that you can go that long without e-mail? :-) Libraries
often have free public computers, can't you at least
let us know when you have arrived. :-)


There might be accommodation computers in the hotels, but I'm sure
there are no newsreaders with Usenet subscriptions on them. I am not
going to take my laptop. Do much of a circus with airport security and a
bother to carry around. I might check email if I have access to a public
computer, but Usenet is out of the question. Everyone will just have to
wait until I get home for the details.


Fair enough!

Actually writing these words reminds me of a good
joke, but too long to post here. See
The Executive
sent by Dave of New York at following link.
http://www.tgifjoke.com/stranded-executive.html


That was really funny. I thought it was going to be like one my husband
tells, but it wasn't.

If you cannot be bothered to do this, perhaps a post when you
return, stating what you have learned about Australia?
I would be delighted to post upon my return and share my impressions. I
get back 11 November.


Looking forward to it. As it is getting into summer here, expect
warm or even hot weather. An nylon windcheater with parka could
be needed for occasional rainstorm.


Where I live we have two climates: warm and hot. I don't think I'll have
any problems with the weather in Australia. New Zealand will probably be
cold for my thin blood. I intend to dress in layers. I am also packing
rain ponchos and a small umbrella. Packing them averts the Evil Eye.

You might like to check monthly climate and weather data for
various locations, there is plenty of info on Google.


I already have a site bookmarked for the weather there, thank you anyway.

The sunlight in Australia is more intense than anywhere in the
US, with lots of ultraviolet, so sunglasses are highly
recommended as well as high protection factor sun block cream,
especially if on a beach anywhere.


We live in the semi-tropics. I always have SPF 45 over SPF 15 on my face
and neck because of recent radiation treatments for cancer. I also wear
a hat with a brim. I'm really careful about the sun. DH can afford to be
a little more reckless, but he also wears a hat and uses SPF 45 sun screen.

Both of us wear Transition lenses on our eye glasses. They are really
good at blocking UV rays.

You are wise! Fair skinned people can burn quickly in the bush.
Once had my shirt off for 20 minutes and was starting to burn.

When I first came to Australia, most Australians tried to get a
good tan, despite the dangers of doing so. About 25 years
ago the Australian Gov't others started the ‘Slip!, Slop!,
Slap!’ campaign 25 years ago. [Slip on a shirt, slop on
sunscreen, slap on a hat.]

It has been reasonably successful, for Adults & kids, a bit
less successful among teenagers and young people who
often far too optimistic and tend to think that bad things will
never happen to them. Check Google for
slip,slop,slap
and will get 23,600 results.
On my early journeys used a good 35 mm camera. Unfortunately,
seldom bothered to jot down notes as to time date location of
photos. Same for keeping a daily diary. Just became too much
trouble.

So something you might consider bringing is a pocket tape
recorder using standard tape cassettes so you can dictate
notes as go along. That is, if you can find one that uses
standard cassettes.



I was the last of my friends to give up my 35mm camera. It finally died
on me in the middle of a journey (actually on a raft in the middle of
the Missouri River) and I had to replace it with another camera so I got
my digital one. I did get one that has a view finder and makes a
clicking sound when I depress the shutter so I know it's taken a
picture. It works very similarly to my 35mm except there is no film and
I don't have to worry about wasting film on shots. I just delete them.


Might consider one. How is the image quality compared to 35mm
film though? Must admit haven't checked it out. Never very
interested in prints, used 35mm Ektachrome for slides. First
suggestion: If a tourist wants accurate color rendition, slides
are almost always a better way to go, despite the inconvenience
of displaying them.

Why? Well, had worked for a film development lab in the U.S.
before coming here. Properly exposed slide film always came out
well as went through an automated line.

Color negative film for prints often yielded poorer results. It
depended on who was running the enlarger. Learning to
run a black and white enlarger isn't all that easy if one wants
to get the most out of a negative.

A color enlarger is more complex. It was equipped with manually
operated blue, cyan, and magenta of +2,+1,0, -1, -2 filters
for each color. According to the boss, it took about ten
years to fully train a good enlarger operator.

A experienced operator could glance at a negative and almost
intuitively select the proper filter settings for a realistic
mix. She could print color negs faster than I could print
black and white from a roll of perfectly exposed negs.

Various factors operative here, of course. Some people have
better color vision than others. Some people have a better
sense of color balance, some people react faster than others.

Then to, there are the usual business considerations of the time
an enlarger operator could spend on assessing each negative
and printing it. Have processed my own black and white, and
even an amateur photographer such as myself could probably make
a decent enlarged color print if could afford to spend 5 to 10
minutes on each one!

Second suggestion: If have a film negative that produces a poor
print and it is important to you, have the negative
professionally processed so they can spend more time on getting
the best possible print out of it.

I have some reasons for getting a bit technical here, as some
people still use negative film. Firstly, Australian sunlight has
a different spectral value than US sunlight, as much less
pollution in the Southern Hemisphere, and more ultraviolet.
Secondly, people tend to see color tints that they expect, not
what is actually there. Suppose they have a light blue car
or house.

To prove this with a film camera, and I suspect it works
much the same with digital cameras, there is a little test
you, or any photographer, can try. Take a photo of
it every hour from dawn to dusk and compare the results.

Or better yet get a test set of photo test cards for various
colors and try it.

Develop and print, and if the car or house is not a very pure
white, each print will be different. As you would know, colors
render differently within a couple of hours of dawn or dusk.

The human eye has a different spectral sensitivity curve
than film. If your car isn't pure white, you still think of
it as being a specific shade of color, as the brain alters
the color vision to conform to your preconception of
the car colour. The camera print shows that it varies
depending on illumination.

In the same way, if outdoor color film is used indoors
under fluorescent light the color in the print will not
render colors accurately as the average fluorescent
tube isn't the same spectrum as daylight.

How does this relate to travel in Australia? Well, most
trees in the US have green leaves. Most native Australian
trees are various species of eucalypts, some of which
you will find in California, as they were imported from
Australia. The leaves are not the same shade as most U.S.
native trees, but a blue-green shade.

So if photos are taken in Australia and processed here, the
enlarger operator will not usually not correct for their
color. However, if have it processed in the US, the operator
who may have never seen a eucalypt will use her filters
to reduce the blue to make the leaves look like what she thinks
is a "natural green". Of course, this changes the color of the
other objects and skin color of people in the print. Consider
that as the third suggestion.:-)

Fourth suggestion, which you probably already know, heat
can affect both camera and film, even memory cards, so keep both
cool.

Fifth suggestion, if a camera can take a filter over the
lens, use a clear filter or a u.v. skylight filter to protect
the surface of the actual lens.

Sixth suggestion: Always clean lenses with proper lens cleaning
paper and use a proper lens cleaning solution.

Seventh: Most tourists like to take a lot of photos, and they
want them to come out well. If take a photo in your yard at home
and it doesn't come out well can always take another photo.
Coming back to Australia to reshoot a photo.

Of course, if want just a "record" shot of the Harbour Bridge or
something, it is simpler and easier to just buy a professionally
produced slide or print. :-)

There are many books available on photography which may
be easier to follow than my "off of the top of the head"
suggestions.

If you have the time, there are a lot of photos and webcams
available on the net, and a quick look at these might give
you an idea of what you might want to photograph here.

Most of the newer ones use mini-cassettes, or are totally
electronic. Mini cassettes can be hard to find out of the major
cities, and standard cassettes offer longer recording time
than mini-cassettes.


I am a freelance journalist by avocation, I always diary my trips. I
have a micro cassette recorder with extra itty-bitty cassettes. I don't
need to record a lot, just a few words to jog my memory. I've been doing
it for years and years. I also know that if I go to a paid attraction, I
pick up brochures and ask for a "press package" which will give me
additional information. That reminds me to take some business-business
cards.


I see that I am preaching to the converted?! :-) Oh well, the
suggestions might be beneficial to others. I really should read
a post or reply before starting to reply to it.

A couple of things that would urge all travelers and tourists
to carry would be as good torch ("flashlight") and if interested
in nature, a good hand lens.


We will be on guided tours. I don't think we'll need a flashlight. I am
bringing my binoculars, however.


A flashlight is one of those things you may never need, on the
other hand when you to really need one and don't have it
you notice its absence. Even a cheap "AA" penlight is better
than nothing, is small and lightweight,and also serves as a rough
indicator as to the condition of rechargeable "AA" cells.

However, all of my suggestions are just suggestions. I don't
mind if people follow them or not.:-)


I don't know much about electronic cameras, but on my
35 mm film camera had a f1.8 50 mm lens, auxiliary close up
lenses and filters.


I have a PHD camera: Push Here, Dummy. I just set it on "automatic" and
it finds the right settings. It does several modes that seem to work if
I want to set it myself, but the PHD works just fine. It has an Image
Stabilizer so it takes wonderful photos of things like birds in flight
and animals. I call it my "critter camera".

Australian flowering plants tend to be much more striking than
most plants in the US, and some very unusual animals and insects.


You need to take a trip into our Southwestern deserts after a good rain.
We have some pretty "striking" flowering plants here, too.


Have spent a bit of time in Western deserts, actually. They were
in walking distance of a town I spent some years in. I still
think you will see some striking new flowers here though.

Most countries these days are very fussy about allowing the
import of both plants and animals from overseas, especially new
ones.

Early settlers brought in foxes and rabbits for hunting purposes,
and at one time Australia had huge rabbit plagues. The cane toad
was brought into Australia in the hopes that it would control
insect pests in sugar cane. It much preferred native wildlife,
and is still spreading. Its skin oozes bufotenine, a
hallucinogenic poison.

They are about the size of a dinner plate, about 5 inches high,
and most unpleasant to step on barefoot when walking to a caravan
park loo ["toilet"] at night. :-) [Since did this
once,perhaps the reason I prefer to have a small flashlight
handy.:-)

See:
http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiv...oad/index.html
or
http://tinyurl.com/2spk4f

The critter camera has a 10X optical zoom (Macro lens) and the image
stabilization. I have some wonderful shots of butterflies on flowers,
closeups of flowers and assorted animals on the move. I intend to take
lots of photos which is why I needed to know about the battery stuff.


Sounds like an ideal unit!
I have several memory cards, too. The photographer's shop on the cruise
ship has a service that will copy your memory cards to a CD or DVD for a
fee and free up the cards for reuse. It's actually cheaper than buying
enough extra cards for the 3 week trip, so I'll use the service.


Sounds like a great idea!

Tourists suffering from jet lag after a long flight from US or
UK, ...or those who have tried Aussie beer for the first time...,
probably wouldn't believe their eyes if ran across one.


I saw a show on it and other regional critters on Discovery Channel. I
don't much care for insects. I have a small bottle of repellent that I'm
packing and I'm also taking some netting gear that covers us from head
to waste and arms that I got from a catalog. I read somewhere that there
are biting flies and mosquitoes at Ayers Rock. Buying the netting gear
will make it a certainty that the bugs won't be there when we will. I
like being pro-active. g


Always a sound idea, especially when visiting unfamiliar
territory. If I were to travel by ship again, even a large
cruise liner, would ensure a supply of tablets for seasickness.
Then again, I can get a bit nauseated crossing Sydney
Harbour on a large ferry when the water is rough. :-)


No matter how much research you have done on your trip to
Australia, I would almost guarantee quite a few surprises. A
photo of you holding one would be a great conversation starter
in the USA when you return. They are harmless, incidentally.


I am looking forward to making many discoveries and experiencing
surprises. That's the real reason for recreational travel, isn't it.
Don't look for me to hold the bug. UGH! Maybe I'll get DH to hold it.


Hmm, suggests a good basis for a trick photo. Have him put one
on his head, take a portrait shot, show photo to people who have
never met your DH. If they have no knowledge of large stick
insects, they may assume that your husband has a head the size of
an orange. :-) ....Sorry, I've been told I have an odd sense of
humour.

Don't pick up any snakes, most are poisonous. Or Sydney
Funnel Web spiders, as their fangs can penetrate a fingernail.
Or any "redbacks" which are closely related to US "black widow".
Or the small cute blue ringed octpus commonly found in tidal
pools.


Oh you can count on my not picking up any of those. As much as I don't
care for insects, I disdain snakes even more. Thanks for the heads up on
the octopi.


Actually, the poisonous jellyfish can be a greater hazard if
swimming or snorkeling on an unpatrolled beach. They are hard
to see in the water. Years ago, when snorkeling in shallow
water off Surfers Paradise, Qld, I encountered some very
small marine organism. Don't know what they were, looked
a bit like very small wet snowflakes. When they contacted my
skin they produced a sensation much like standing in a sandstorm
on land. Wouldn't really call it a "sting" but was unexpected.
c


So Australians are pleased by the outcome of the Revolutionary
War and American Independence. Otherwise Australia probably
would have been claimed and settled by the French, Dutch, or
others. :-)


We were most happy to oblige. I guess you owe us something for
preventing you from being French g


Oh well, wouldn't have mattered to me personally. ancestors were
some time in the US, and Australia well settled when I came here.
Australia separated peacefully from England over a century ago.

For a brief description, see "Australia" in CIA world factbook
https://www.cia.gov/library/publicat...k/geos/as.html

This gives a brief rundown on various facts about Australia.


Perhaps you will change your mind after visiting Australia.
...At least your kids won't ask you to fly up and babysit for
them. :-)


They don't do that now. We lived in a recreational vehicle for 9 years
and they got used to not depending on us for such things. Though they
could reach us by voice mail and later cell phone, they never knew where
we were and we liked it that way. We love our children and grandchildren
very much and enjoy visiting them or having them visit us, but we like
to control the duration and occasions of those visits. We raised and
educated 6 children. We worked hard to support them and put them through
college and now it's our turn to enjoy ourselves. We have absolutely no
sense of guilt about spending their inheritance on ourselves.


Sounds very sensible to me!

This post is probably getting a bit long, but possibly you and
other readers will find some interesting info in it. Both this
group and misc.immigration.Australia + NZ strike me as very
slow groups, with few daily posts on either.


...then perhaps no one will notice that we are using it as a "chat room" g

Thanks for all of the help. You've been a great resource and very
entertaining, too.

Janet


Thank you! Actually, a lot of groups are more or less "chat
rooms" in the sense that almost any comment relates to the
topic in one way or another.

I tend to write long posts, but don't necessarily expect detailed
replies. As the date for your departure from Texas is fast
approaching, I don't expect you to provide detailed replies.

We probably have covered most essentials, and I do want to
leaving something for you to be surprised about, ...as long as
it isn't an unpleasant surprise, such as a blue ringed octopus.

Consider the info on the "blue ringed octopus" and other
potential hazards. To me, this should be of interest to
any tourist or immigrant. Although I suspect that the
cute little critter is not often mentioned in most tourist
literature.

One important area I haven't mentioned yet is that of travel
insurance.

Decades ago a elderly Aussie couple, who were friends and
neighbors, were planning a visit to the states. Australia
has a universal Medicare system for citizens and migrants, but it
doesn't generally cover tourists.

Neither are Aussies covered in the USA, and medical costs are
high there compared to here.

Being a pessimist, I thought they might not know this, so asked
if they had taken out travel insurance. They hadn't, but they
fortunately followed my advice.

The trip there was uneventful, but about a week after arrival
in the USA the husband suffered a severe stroke. He spent
a few weeks in hospital there, which was very expensive.

When well enough to return to Australia, the airlines insisted
that he travel on a stretcher, which took up the same space as
three airline seats, so three times the normal fare. They
also insisted that he hire a registered nurse to accompany him,
which wasn't cheap, and neither was her round trip fare.

As he had followed my advice and taken out adequate insurance for
the trip, the medical care and the trip back was covered.

What if he hadn't had insurance? From memory, would have cost
them around $US 160,000 at the time, perhaps $US 400,000 in
today's values.

Perhaps he would have a stroke even if he hadn't taken the
trip, but I doubt it. Passenger aircraft aren't pressurized
to sea level, but to about the same pressure as would
experience if located 6000 to 8000 feet (1830 to 2440 metres).

The values quoted from The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and
Therapy latest professional online edition. Subject
Air Travel

You, and other readers, can find this at:
http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec22/ch33...333-ch333b-412
or
http://tinyurl.com/27fzjy

See also link to "Foreign Travel" or can reach it directly at
http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec22/ch333/ch333c.html
but you really should check both.

Some medical abbreviations might be unfamiliar.

If anyone finds this a problem, Merck also has a home
edition online. A Google search will reveal other travel
books by Merck, although haven't check which, if any, are
online.

At least information on given links might give realists
some questions to ask their G.P. if they see anything
of possible concern.

In the section on restricted mobility discussing deep vein
thrombosis, I notice that they don't mention elastic stockings or
firm pantyhose, but I understand that many adult air travelers
use them these days.

As the old saying goes, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound
of cure."

I have a older edition in book form, and carried that when
traveling. About the dimensions of a standard King James
Bible, printed on India paper, except that probably twice as
thick.

The Merck Manual has long been known as "The Bible Of Medical
Practice" and makes great reading material on a flight. Travelers
can learn all sorts of new things.

Am not sure if hypochondriacs should read it, though. :-)
.....Or even those considering pregnancy, for that matter.:-)

However, as most of us know, life itself is full of risks. If
most readers of this post had seen the results of severe motor
vehicle accidents they wouldn't dare drive a car or
motorcycle. :-)

Cheers,
kangaroo16




Cheers,
Kangaroo16
 




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