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would it be prudent for me to get some lessons before trying to open ocean scuba?
Like Fezzik from Princess Bride, I only dog paddle.
I wasn't in too great of shape when I took the course but I managed to swim the required distance with a mix of freestyle and backstroke. What got me was the floating/treading water part because my legs tend to sink. My instructor allowed me to wear a wet suit (gives buoyancy) at the end of the day to pass that portion. You'll probably be fine.
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Any other restaurant suggestions?
There is a place for food in Uluru called the Pioneer BBQ and Bar where you can order various meats and other items and cook it yourself on their grills. They have a good mix of exotic meats (emu, kangaroo, etc.) and live music.
Beware of Beets! You have been forewarned. Aussies tend to put beets on burgers and any standard order of a burger will likely have a beetroot in the middle.
The fish market in Melbourne was a great place to eat and grab little bites from various vendors to try out. Barramundi, John Dory, and some interesting looking bugs (shellfish).
Another thing about Melbourne (I can't remember any other city that had this notation). Many streets have the notation of Lt or Little. This notation can be confusing if you are bad with directions or just are unknowing. For example, there is a Collins Street and a Little Collins Street. Another example, there is a Flinders Lane and a Flinders Street.
You can try Vegemite (Marmite) if you wish, but I don't see how anyone likes that stuff.
Do try Tim Tams. They are a pretty good chocolate biscuit.
Also try at least one meat pie. I loved Pie Face over there and there are now even some in New York city. It's supposedly one of the (if not the) fastest growing franchises in Australia. It is on the fast food side of things, so don't expect it to be too fancy.
If you like lemon, and you like soda, definitely try Solo. I still order some every year because I miss the taste.
If you were just going to do Australia I would also mention the Aussie Airpass by Quantas. This allows you to pay one fee and fly an unlimited amount of times around Australia for 30 days. They may have changed it up some but the idea is still similar to what they have now.
