Hi. I heard that in Austrailia and New Zealand barefoot is generally accepted and not many places will give you a problem for it. I am a barefooter in the US and we run into a lot of trouble here. I just wanted an idea of how things work there. Is being barefoot generally accepted even in the big cities? (Which is where I would probably go if I were to visit) Also another question is Do you have DSL there? Or high speed internet?
Depends where you are. Australia doesn't really have big cities by world standards (Sydney's population is somewhere between 3 and 4 million), but people will pay attention to your general appearence. There are plenty of places in Australia where I wouldn't walk barefoot. Just like the rest of the world, we have problems with people injecting drugs (then leaving dirty needles on the street). You will get into most pubs without shoes. Most RSL/Bowling clubs have a closed shoe policy. You won't get into any nightclubs without shoes. Thongs are a good compromise option for everyday purposes. We have broadband (DSL/ADSL/Cable etc...), but I'm not sure how the prices compare to oversease. Whirlpool forums (http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/) will give you the best idea about internet speeds and costs in Australia.
I spend all of summer barefoot. It isen't the end of summer unless the bottom of your feet are hard as rock.
