On the way to Australia, somewhere over the Pacific, you lose an entire day. I don't know where this day actually goes but the phenomenon underscores the fact that, even though they speak English and enjoy "Seinfeld" reruns as much as Americans do, you are headed to a place very, very far away. And, like any country, Australia has its own customs and quirks. To help you get along on this continent, which is also a country that is also an island, follow this guide of what not to do.

Believe tales of crazy wildlife
Only the English beat the Aussies when it comes to bullshitting with a straight face and gullible tourists make perfect targets for their tall tales. When I was 20, my first traveling companion was an Australian I made the mistake of asking about kangaroos – essentially my only reference point for her country (sophisticated traveler I was not). "Oh, they are everywhere in Sydney," she told me. She then proceeded to explain the city's need for "roo shooers," men whose job it is to "shoo" the kangaroos off the Harbour Bridge each dusk and dawn. This was followed by warnings about drop bears (they perch in branches and drop onto unsuspecting tourists' shoulders, so give trees a wide berth) and hoop snakes (who can chase you uphill). Don't believe a word of this. Sydney and other major Australian cities are as urban and developed as any metropolis. Still, while drop bears and hoop snakes don't exist, you might run into any number of strange and frightening creatures out in the bush.

Use the phrase "Throw Another Shrimp on the Barbie"(especially in your Australian accent you think is so good but, rest assured, is not)

It's the middle of a long workweek and you're having that island escape fantasy again. You're picturing yourself tan and shoeless and thousands of miles away from your office, beer in hand, lazing away afternoons on the deck of your cozy little bungalow. The location: one of a few independent islands ungoverned by international law and free from the outside world – a place where you, your money and your history can disappear.

Sound too good to be true? Believe it or not, there are still a few corners of this world where you can really escape. Read on to find out where.

Norfolk Island
One thousand miles east of Sydney and 900 north of New Zealand, the choice to inhabit this tiny piece of land adrift in the rollicking Pacific requires an active desire to be absorbed into a quirky community that prides itself on being behind the times. Inhabitants brag that the island's telephone book is the only one in the world listed by nicknames. Residents speak Norf'k – a blend of old seafaring English and Tahitian. There are no stoplights – nor any railways, ports or harbors for that matter.

Although technically part of Australia, with that country's postcode, currency and police force, Norfolk Island is proudly independent. It has its own nine-member government, not to mention its own customs rules, immigration laws and stamps. In true competitive Aussie form, it even has its own Commonwealth and South Pacific Games teams. Australian residents are not automatically entitled to relocate there. You have to be sponsored by an existing resident or business. If you make the cut, part of your Norfolkian reward is not having to pay Australian federal taxes. Instead the island raises money through an import duty, fuel and Medicare levies, and GST and local and international phone calls (and good luck getting an Internet connection consistent enough to use Skype).

Gallery: Disappear From The Map On These Independent Islands

Many people's winter vacation plans understandably revolve around sand and sun and colorful cocktails sporting tiny umbrellas. But summer in the states can be just as oppressive, whether you're battling sweat-inducing humidity, malodorous public transportation, or overzealous mosquitoes. So for those who want to skip the sunscreen (I know, I know, you're supposed to wear sunscreen all year round) and instead wrangle that favorite fuzzy sweater out of storage, here are eight cooler cities to visit. A few are in the Southern Hemisphere, offering a double helping of winter. Others have an Arctic vibe. And some made the cut because they stay relatively chilly all year round. Forget endless summer and embrace its polar opposite.

Anchorage, Alaska
Explore the U.S.'s northernmost city this summer by walking or biking the 11-mile Tony Knowles trail. The paved path curls along the spectacular coastline where you might even catch a glimpse of beluga whales along the way. And, since temperatures stay pretty cool, you won't even break a sweat doing it.

St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
If you think Canadians in general are nice, Newfoundlanders will blow your socks off – and then give you their own socks because your feet might be cold. St. John's, the capital, is the foggiest, snowiest, wettest, windiest and cloudiest of the major Canadian cities. Have I sold you on it?