The joy of number plates

Here's an example of the sort of reading challenge that we face
in Japan. Which one is sugar, which one is salt?

Yes, I know they are really "registration plates", but I've always called them "number plates". You know, the things on the backs and fronts of motorised vehicles with numbers and/or letters on them. They've become quite an conversation topic for our boys as we travel around. 


Queensland number plates are generally three numbers and three letters. The combination of letters can be particularly fun. For example, we can be driving along and suddenly from the back seat comes,

The car from which we're doing all this number-plate spotting.

"Oh look, there's QQQ on that yellow car beside us, wow!"

From another boy, "Coming up beside us is a blue DuCK." (DCK, being the actual letters).

Then David says, "Oh, there's a green C. That's an old number plate." (Current number plates are maroon.)

And the we might say to our personalised number plate expert, "I can see a a personalised number plate, reads, 'Mum10'. How much does three numbers and two letters cost?" (He's researched this and knows.)

This really is a small example of the joy our boys have in being able to read everything in Australia. Nothing is immune: signs, nutrition information on the sides of boxes, etc.

I revel with them. Being able to read and understand it all (or most of it) is an amazing thing, and not something to be taken for granted.