Electricity!

No, I'm not referring to the excitement about our travel plans. At the last meeting many asked about the electrical requirements for Australian plugs. Australian electrical outlets use 220-240 volts, unlike our 110-120 system here in the U.S. That I had correct. Their plug configuration, which I had wrong, is similar to ours, but with two flat plugs that are not parallel, as ours are, but at 45 degree angles to each other, like this: /\

This link to the Radio Shack website will show you a picture of what the plug looks like:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2104182

Remember: you must also make sure your appliance can take 220-240 volts! If any item you want to plug into an outlet in Australia doesn't take 240 volts, you'll also need a transformer. No, not a toy figure that changes from a car to a robot, but a device which "transforms" the electrical current from 240 to 110 volts. Here is a link to a site selling them:
http://www.walkabouttravelgear.com/elect.htm

While I like the name (walkabout is very Australian, if you don't know that by now), I'm not sure about the price. I remember paying much closer to $20 for a similar kit, but that was some time ago. Maybe I'm just living in the past. If anyone finds a similar product, on-line or in a "brick and mortar" store, please let me know and I'll pass the information along!

Not sure if your electrical item can handle the voltage difference? Check your owners manual! Many items, such as camera battery and i-Pod chargers can handle the voltage with just a plug adaptor. However, know that if your appliance cannot convert the voltage, the first time you plug it into an Australian outlet might be just AFTER the last time you use that appliance! Also remember that a unit which can accept the higher voltage will do you no good if you can't plug it in.