Australia loves a good queue.
When there is nothing to do, we will head out in the middle of winter to line up for three hours for a single scoop of gelato. When a fashion store opens, we need to get our grubby hands on the out-of-season stock immediately -- or 24 hours after we first join the queue. There is nothing in life we wouldn't wait days for, especially if it is free. Give us nuts with our magnum and we need it yesterday.
On Thursday night, more than 100 beauty diehards camped overnight in Pitt Street Mall, Sydney, to get their hands on cosmetic products, which no doubt could be bought a few feet away at David Jones. But Sephora.
That $10 savings (Sephora is keeping its American pricing) is worth a night on hard cement to many dedicated fools shoppers. The store opens midday Friday and you can purchase the products forever to come, but if you don't get your Sephora Collection Perfection Mist Airbrush Foundation today you may as well be dead.
Queues for Sephora... because you haven't been able to buy makeup before. (@ Sephora Sydney) https://t.co/skz7bBMoT8 pic.twitter.com/4JEHHDRYWe— Daniel (@dtknz) December 4, 2014
Watching the grand opening of @Sephora Sydney from my hotel. Line as long as I can see. #americansdownunder pic.twitter.com/6C2JUMmLwh— Samantha Wingrove (@SamWingrove) December 4, 2014
In celebration of the national sport of queuing, here is a rundown of ridiculous things Australians love to queue for. If you are in the Sephora line right now, this might make you feel better about your life.
Transport
If you are not queuing for the bus or train home, you don't live in the right area.
One thing Sydney people do particularly well.... Queue for a bus. pic.twitter.com/tukfdsal15— Jonno Simpson (@JonnoSimpson) October 17, 2014
H&M
Because before we had to fly to Europe.
H & M finally opens its doors in Sydney and the queue of almost 2 floors to get in competes with Apple's launches.. pic.twitter.com/VUruXoleQO— Utkarsh Savla (@Ootkarsh) October 25, 2014
Yes, that is an epic queue to enter an H&M - #melbourne is a slightly odd place sometimes... pic.twitter.com/4J9pkb3l51— Paul Osbourne (@paulosbourne) April 24, 2014
New hobby: 3000 shoppers queued for #hmaustralia opening, 270 staff http://t.co/ELxKenIav6 @hmaustralia #fashion pic.twitter.com/5hmEqyLqhz— Suzanne Carbone (@SuzanneCarbone) April 5, 2014
Gelato
Preferably in winter.
This is the queue for @messina at the Sydney #noodlemarkets crazy eh? pic.twitter.com/AdkIi22CtC— Carrington Brigham (@DigitalMediaBoy) October 11, 2014
You know you're in #Sydney when the queue for @Gelato_Messina is a mile long & it's the middle of winter.. pic.twitter.com/s5xaW93VF5— Auskar Surbakti (@AuskarSurbakti) August 17, 2013
And more gelato
Not a fire-alarm evacuation but queue outside @Gelato_Messina in #fitzroy on winter-spring day #Melbourne pic.twitter.com/2lGLoQjPkX— Suzanne Carbone (@SuzanneCarbone) August 30, 2014
Never enough gelato
It is good and worth the wait - queue outside world's best gelato winner Cow and the Moon, Enmore Rd, Enmore. pic.twitter.com/gUONfs8btU— MarrickvillEats (@MarrickvillEats) September 14, 2014
This is the line at Gelato Messina. If you are willing to queue for an hour to buy ice cream, re-assess your life. pic.twitter.com/tOOj2xUZhq— NorthSpied (@northspied) November 18, 2013
To bet $2 on a horse race
The queue that stops a nation.
The Game of Thrones exhibition
We are used to waiting for HBO series.
Seven hour wait to get into #GameOfThrones exhibition in Sydney. Might be able to read 1 GOT book in the queue. pic.twitter.com/wFXsPuy4xr— Daniel Moloney (@danielmoloney) July 4, 2014
Free chocolate
Did someone say free?
Amazing to see how quickly a queue develops when @CadburyAU offer free chocolate in #Sydney pic.twitter.com/cVfA5MLpZV— Andrew Witham (@AndrewWitham) June 20, 2014
Duff Beer
We will even line up for imaginary brands.
Long lines to queue for the first Duff beer bar in #woolloomooloo #sydney. Daft for duff? pic.twitter.com/ZYrXTQEAR9— Shinta Benilda (@ShintaBenilda) May 25, 2014
The ability to choose a Magnum topping
The joys of making your own Magnum were worth the long wait.
Welcome to Sydney, where 100ppl queue to spend $7 on a Magnum ice cream bec they can choose toppings e.g. nuts. #mad pic.twitter.com/RLXW3ROcq9— aptronym ® (@aptronym) August 22, 2013
So this queue is the line for the custom Magnum stand in Sydney. It's 11 degrees. There's your obesity epidemic. pic.twitter.com/qrhvAJ2127— Rick (@RickIsAce) July 21, 2013
Bread
Fresh bread is super desirable for Aussies.
Oh Sydney peeps, y'all just love to queue don't ya.. pic.twitter.com/72judPE2mF— Denéa Buckingham (@GourmetRabbit) March 8, 2013
Drinks
An orderly single-file queue at a bar might not make sense, but it works for us.
Impressive bar but service via a single file queue! Waste of a good bar or tried & tested practice in #melbourne? ^RW pic.twitter.com/4rPT0imkSW— Prop Hospitality (@prophospitality) October 12, 2014
To get football tickets
Football is a religion. There is no getting around the wait list.
Long queue of @PAFC members in #CityCross #Adelaide buying tix to Sundays @AFL #Elimination Final @TheAdelaideOval pic.twitter.com/QOPen1alPq— FIVEaa News Director (@MatthewPantelis) August 31, 2014
While watching football
In fact, football fans enjoy queuing so much, they do it while they watch the game.
If there is one thing Adelaide people can do, it's forming a beautiful queue #thisgameistooclose #AFLCrowsDees pic.twitter.com/a5Afc7yars— Davey Warhol (@daveywarhol) May 3, 2014
The worst part? We've been doing it since at least 1938
Oh, the shame.
#Queue #Sydney #NSW #1938 not at the #applestore for #iPhone6 but for Empire Game tickets. http://t.co/ygPGclZbhH pic.twitter.com/p7W4BJW1M4— State Library of NSW (@statelibrarynsw) September 18, 2014