Lost Out Back

(source: Wikipedia) In darkest, deepest Tasmania lurks a secretive creature that may or may not be.  The Tasmanian Tiger is officially extinct.  But many unconfirmed sightings as well as shady photos suggest that it is alive and well.  Join Kevin and John as they venture into tiger land on a quest for the truth.

Invented by the English, Cricket nonetheless is as Australian as you can get. Frankly if you don’t understand this ancient game, you don’t understand Australia. In this episode Kev and John try their best to explain why Australians love Cricket so much. (Hint, it has a bit to do with beating the English).

Let it never be said that we forget the essentials here on Lost Out Back! In this episode, John teaches Kev to secure one of the essentials of life in Australia: a tasty meal. Play along at home and see what kind of table service you get in this latest entry of the Talkin’ Strine series!

It’s no laughing matter folks.  Sharks kill and Australia is surrounded by them.  In this episode you can find out how to survive a shark attack when you’re down under.

So, who had the better Christmas? Was it John, who embraced tradition, stayed in and cooked a turkey before curling up by the fire? Or was it Kevin, who set out to experience a dinkum Aussie Christmas: sun, sand and surf? Listen in to this episode and find out!

Australia has many more cities than big old Sydney.  There’s the cultural city of Melbourne, the wine guzzling town of Adelaide, bronzed Brisbane, mining mecca Perth, Darwin home of Mick Dundee and last but lest there’s Hobart.  Join Kev and John as they go on a virtual tour of all the big cities in Australia.

Get some culture into ya! In the first installment of “Dinkum Aussie Art”, Kevin reveals to John the mysteries hidden within Australia’s most recognized painting, “Shearing the Rams” by Tom Roberts. John has his doubts. To make this episode extra special, we have also produced a video version for you to watch here on our site, or in the palm of your hand if you have a device so equipped. Enjoy!

This is the video edition of LOB020: Shear Aussie Art.

It’s the age old question.  A guy meets a pretty lady and he wants to ask her out on a date.  This question is hard enough even in your own language.  But what if it’s not your own language.  What if instead its Australian or ‘Stalian to be more correct.  In this episode of the Lost Out Back podcast John and Kev teach you how to ask an Australian woman out on a date.

What’s the big deal, anyway? Call it Ayers Rock or Uluru, Kevin thinks the big, red rock at the centre of Australia is nothing more than a glorified tourist trap. Having just experienced the magic for himself, John sets out to change his mind. Listen in and experience for yourself an Uluru sunrise with bikini-clad resort babes jaded smokers and yoga instructors, and ponder the improprieties of the satellite photography in Google Earth. I ask you: is this not paradise on earth? For the low-budget tour, install Google Earth and open this placemark. As mentioned in the show this is an image of Mulga Man, which is one of Uluru’s many weathered features.

Hey folks, it’s the listener feedback special of the Lost Out Back podcast. Yes that’s right, Kev & John have run out of material so they’ve decided to read out some of your posts, in the hope that they might be funny. The LOB boys talk of Lara the German journo’, Aleksey the Ukrainian super fan, Emily “I think Russell Crowe is God” Twatson and Ian from Switzerland who is learning English using the LOB podcast – god help you Ian. Isn’t it cool how so many different people, from so many different places around the world are brought together to listen to this podcast. Peace.

The lie must end. Kevin and John have been less than honest with you over the last bit. We’ve been overseas and we haven’t made a new episode in months. Instead we have been playing a series of pre-recorded stuff to cover up our absence. Ha! And you guys didn’t even notice. Now that we are back in Aus, it’s time to reveal our tales of abroad.

In this episode, John and Kev discuss the four stereotypical types of Australian, the cars they drive and what they all have to do with Kath and Kim. Pictured here is a Holden Commodore Kingswood (the “Town” Australian’s vehicle of choice) decked out in “Country” corrugated iron—what a clash of subcultures! Photo by Gary A. K. Also in this episode, Kev recounts the experience his girlfriend had when she set out to cash in on a special offer at her local gym.

G’Day, g’day. Welcome to episode 14 of your favourite podcast about Australia, brought to you by two non-Australians. In this week’s episode Kev tells John about the new additions to his family while John tells Kev why he hates Jamie Oliver. Hmm, not much to do about Australia this week. I guess we will have to work on that for our next show. Hope you like it all the same.

G’Day world. This is Australia calling. This week Kev and John have their biggest episode yet. Yeah, I know we keep saying that but really this one is massive. Why? Well we’ve secured our first celebrity interview with none other than Russell Crowe (the best Australian actor to ever come out of New Zealand). And if that wasn’t enough for you, we also introduce you to Australia’s national dessert the Pavlova, as well as Christmas in July and the Lyrebird, which would have to be world’s most amazing song bird. Huge isn’t it? Music this week is brought to you by this fabo’ band from Canada called Maticulous, whose song “Australian Vacation” could have been written for LOB, it’s so apt. Their record label is Broken Wreckords Studio. Hope you like the show and keep those posts coming.

Let it never be said that Kev and John shy away from the big issues. This episode, they confront squarely the national crisis that has shaken every Australian household to its very foundation: the Australian banana shortage. Restaurant menus are changing, school children are suffering, monkeys are starving… think of the monkeys! Before you brave the banana black market (the black banana market?), make sure you have all the facts. It’s a jungle out there. Related links: Disaster drives bug price surge (Sydney Morning Herald) Banana shortage to ease (The Australian) Also this episode, John takes a moment to share his revealing encounter with an Ozzie Osborne impersonator. I think the less said about that here, the better. And for those who enjoyed (and survived) the last time, John again shares his practical tips for surviving an encounter with Australian wildlife. This episode, we look at the scariest Australian native of them all: the crocodile. Find out why those long pants might not be the best thing to wear on your next trip to Tropical North Queensland.

It happens to the best of us. You’re on your way to your wedding anniversary, gift in hand and then you realise. “OMG I live in a Australia so how can I be sure that I got the right gift?” In this episode of Lost Out Back, Kev and John tackle this important issue by delivering to the world the definitive Aussie Wedding Anniversary list. Also, Waltzing Matilda is a Classic Aussie bush ballad. But its lyrics have befuddled the world. Its true meaning is hidden behind a mask that is more complex than the DaVinci code. This week Kev and John smash it open. See: Traditional and Modern anniversary gifts

Travel from state to state in Australia, and one of the first things you’ll notice is how the local beer changes… or doesn’t change, as the case may be. This episode, John and Kev find out whether any of the local favourites of Australia’s various states actually stand out from the crowd. Happily, this also meant drinking a lot of beer. Beers tested: Cascade Pale Ale (Tasmania) Coopers Red (South Australia) Foster’s Blue (nobody drinks this) Tooheys Extra Dry (New South Wales) Victoria Bitter (Victoria) XXXX Gold (Queensland) Listen in for the results! Also mentioned: Aussie beer sizes The Victoria Bitter theme Talking Boonie

It’s a big week folks. Australia is in the World Cup and we have a fan in the Ukraine. In this week’s huge episode Kev and John talk about: The Socceroos making it into the World Cup 2006. The massive impact LOB has had in the Ukraine. (Go Ruslana.) The return of Dinkum Aussie History: The Rum Rebellion ‘Told you it was huge.

In this special episode, John and Kev sit down to watch Bart vs Australia (The Simpsons season 6, episode 16) and discuss every bit of Australian trivia—both fact and fiction—to be found in the episode. If you happen to have the episode on DVD, put it on while you listen to the podcast! If not, just listen along—we describe most of what we’re seeing as we go. Special thanks to The Simpsons Archive, and James A. Cherry, whose episode summary was instrumental in compiling our list of minutiae. For the full story on the fall of Skylab, see The Day the Sky(lab) Fell (Wired News).

It’s another huge episode folks, heck it’s almost as big as this big brown land we call home. In this episode: Kev get excited about Google Maps, mapping Australia John tells you all you need to know to survive in the desert Talk’n ‘Stralian: John teaches Kev how to buy bread and milk with an Aussie accent.

Vegemite. The iconic Australian salty spread. Listen in as Kev tries it for the first time. In this episode: the sordid history of Vegemite John sings the jingle under protest the (after)taste test Links: The official Vegemite web site make a Vegemite milkshake Stuart Hamilton’s Sandy Spread (photos of Vegemite on the beach) Photo credit: Stuart Hamilton.

April 25th is ANZAC day in Australia, so Kev thought that he’d tell John all about this important Australian holiday. Background and histroy Funny observations Learn to play “Two Up” (and play along!) So listen in and “come in spinner!”

Welcome to episode four. This week John and Kevin have got even more amazing stories from Down Under. Kevin goes Bra Shopping John gets High on Diesel Dinkum Aussie History: William Buckley Where do they get them all from? Duration: 30:58

It’s episode three, this week with 90% fewer Australian accent attempts by Kev. My ego can only take so much bashing, people! To make up for it, we have the triumphant return of Dinkum Aussie History. All about AFL/Aussie Rules/Footy Dinkum Aussie History: Captain Moonlite Duration: 29:39

It’s our second show so we’re offically no longer a one hit wonder. In this episode: John talks of possums Kev recounts eating bad noodles Talk’n ‘Stralian: John teaches Kev to talk like they do on the ads. Duration: 27:55

G’day — it’s our first episode! Kev books a plane ticket like a drongo John learns to shift a bogged van Dinkum Aussie History: The Castle Hill (aka Vinegar Hill) Rebellion Duration: 25:29

Kev & John are confused.  It’s Christmas time and you’d think they’d be merry.  But no, it’s the weather you see.  Kev & John are used to Christmas with snow, but down under in Aus they’ve sunshine instead.  Join them in the Christmas special of the Lost Out Back podcast as they try to work out if you can still have Christmas in the middle of summer.