On Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:20:04 +1000, Herodotus
wrote:

On Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:54:00 -0500, Vic Smith
wrote:


I've read they have long freight train-like multi-trailer rigs in Oz.
That might require a little care in who is "engineering" the train.
I think doubles are the limit in the U.S., but wouldn't swear to it.
Most trucker regulation here is done after an accident.

--Vic
Hi Vic

Yes, the tractor (truck) unit tows three semi-trailers. They are
called "road trains". In the Northern Territory these travel at
whatever speed they care to as there is no speed limit. Bare in mind
that there is not the traffic density that would be on a similar US
highway. They carry stock, grain and goods. The longest are from
Adelaide at the bottom in South Australia to Darwin in Northern
Territory right at the top. Basically all of the goods that Darwin
consumes come from Adelaide.

Would be a great job for a while.

BTW Am back home in Malaysia staying with my kids with a
friend/colleague at his kampong near Kelang near the capital Kuala
Lumpur. The Indonesian maid makes superb black coffee from Java beans.
There is nothing like being greeted in the morning with a cup of such
coffee.
Now that says something about standards of living. Here you are in a
benighted, backward, 3rd world country and you've got a
housemaid.....I wonder how many readers in the U.S. have one?

You can keep your US imperialistic Starbucks. I'll have my real Java
coffee. She roasts and pounds the beans herself so that there is some
variation in taste each day. Not a science perhaps but allows the
delight of daily discovery and comparison. I offered to buy her an
electric coffee grounder but she merely screwed up her face at my
offer.

cheers
Peter

Many years ago, when I was working in Jakarta, my secretary married a
Batak. When she returned from Medan she, of course, brought back some
ola-ola (presents). Mine was a kilogram of coffee. Goodness, it was
good and as I was the only coffee drinker in my house I rationed
myself to one cup after supper each evening.

But of course, the time eventually came when the coffee bag was empty.
I mentioned to my secretary how good the coffee had been and was it
possible that she could get some more... No trouble she says, she'll
just call her sister-in-law and have her send another kilo. "I'll be
glad to pay for it", says I, whereupon she looks very embarrassed and
mutters that "no problem, it was the cheapest coffee in the market".

Ha! The cheapest coffee in the Medan market tastes better then
Starbuck's best.

Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct Address is bpaige125atgmaildotcom)