It Came from a Land Down Under (and Nobody Chundered)

Tea: Irish Breakfast

Music: Men at Work, "I Can See It In Your Eyes"

Time: Night

(Yeah, the obvious song was just a bit too obvious, y'know?)

My son, who returned home from Australia tonight, managed to smuggle in a packet of Vegemite in his pocket. (I'm really not so sure that's illegal, but I didn't want to dampen his chuffitude at pulling off the deed.)

I've never had Vegemite before. That's reason enough to try it in my book. So three of us gamely spread some of the stuff on bread and took our bites.

"Bleah," said one. "INteresting," said another. "I'm not having any," said a third.

Me, I didn't mind the stuff. Salty as anything, but not bad. The big strike against it, I suppose, is that it's now under the Kraft umbrella. When it comes to food, I'm not a gigantic fan of multinationals (although Mezzo Mix and Lift are among the allowable hypocrisies. Exceptions must be made.).

My son snickered through the whole process.

"I can't believe you like that stuff," he told me. "I can't stand it."

I wouldn't make a habit of eating it -- but it's one more item off the list of things to try before I die.

Anyone want to smuggle me in a durian?