Raspberries Are My Baseline

I remember getting home from the UK after my 2 year stint over there, and being horrified at the price of raspberries at home in Australia. Like, stop in the shopping aisle dead, stunned. $7 in Safeway compared to £1 at Sainsbury's...and I don't think I ever bought any anyway - I mean, they don't go in Pimm's right?

But it stood out, the marked difference, the comparison.

Here, in Toronto, Canada, they are about in the middle of this price difference. I get to take in the look and smell of them as I walk by the Farmer's Market every Tuesday in the front garden at work. This array of colours, for which I have never seen in raspberries before, are from an Ontario farm.

I guess it's my gauge between countries. I don't remember what a coffee was in London, but here I can get a good take away coffee at Tim Horton's for $1.57. The same size in Melbourne or Ballarat is $4. Come on!

Taxes, and then tipping, does me in over here, though. Nothing is really the price that is posted. So annoying!

Flights here in Canada are expensive, that surprised me. We are pretty lucky with our fare wars in Australia. And Europe and the UK have it made, no matter how much you hate flying with EasyJet and RyanAir. The rates posted here look good, but then they add about 10 itemised extra taxes, and suddenly you wonder if you selected a city on the other side of the world instead of just an hour away.

There are so many similarities between these three nations, all born of the same monarchy, and yet little quirky individualisations that reveal themselves at random. But damn, Australia is expensive!

The sun is milder here in North America so far, too. I got what would have been a crippling, careless sunburn two weeks ago, and was fine the next day. Back home I would not have been able to move for days! So stupid! It has the heat, but clearly not the sting of our depleted section of Ozone layer.

The UK would have a 4 day period of hot and humid days like we are having here, for the whole Summer. Toronto is having the fourth humid heatwave right now since I have been here. Although when it's hot enough outside with the humidity that you cannot breathe, there is no fear of bushfires like back home. Lucky Canada!

Man, it sure is strange living in a city where people hose down their driveways in the middle of a heatwave! You don't see that at home anymore!