Am I an alcoholic, or just Australian?

I never used to drink, honestly, during high school there were 2 maybe 3 parties I went to where I drank, and even then only one or two drinks. Even during my apprenticeship it was only at the work Christmas parties, and one time on a TAFE excursion (the class went to the International Motor Show, but a group of us skipped out and went to the casino). But other than those few times I never drank, I didn't think I was missing out on anything.

Then I moved to a mining town, Moura a small town in the middle of nowhere central Queensland, not a lot to do there, 45 minutes to the nearest fast food joint (KFC) and 2 hours from the nearest cinema. The town had a population of about 2000, there was a chip shop, a grocery store, a bank, and 4 different places to drink.

It all started innocently enough, drinking with the guys after work on our pyjama day/night (24 hour break between day shifts and night shifts). It even worked out as a good routine, drink and party most of the night to make it easier to sleep during the day before the first night shift.

Not all the drinks for the weekend, just the spirits

We'd never lived in a small town before, it ended up being a good thing. We had a close group of friends, bbq's at someone's house every other day, and the occasional weekend away at Agnes Waters (1770). All the while drinking, I developed a huge tolerance. I'd drink massively to excess and still be able to wake up fine at 7 am the next morning.

The whole time no-one seemed to even frown upon my drinking, my parents actually enjoyed being able to have a couple drinks with one of their kids (older sister is anti drinking, and younger brother has stopped after overdoing it at university).


So when we moved to central NSW, to a town with 10 times the people, but still a mining town, I continued trying to keep up the drinking to excess like I used to, but over the years here since, I've sort of stopped (grown up maybe). I still drink, don't get me wrong, just a couple every night rather than the once or twice a week binge I used to.

I'm not sure what it is that has slowed me down (it happened years before Connor). I think it might be the fact that this town is too big to have that small town community feeling where everyone gets on.

It is still fun though when we organise  parties or get togethers with people I work with, the younger guys who go out 'partying down the coast' on their days off are usually surprised when I drink them under the table.

I've been told that Australians drink more than most but I never really thought so, we went on a Topdeck tour in Europe a couple years back and noticed alcohol was available everywhere over there, petrol stations, grocery stores even street vendors on the side of the road, but we don't hear anything negative about the drinking habits over there. I'm just wondering really, is it that some Australians can't handle their drink and turn into idiots or do we just not hear about the drinking problems in other countries.

It might have been a long-winded post but it's just a thought I was having.

                                                                                                     MAT