But as winter in the northern hemisphere approaches, as an expat – especially if you are one who’s already survived the dark, cold months a few times – you could be forgiven for questioning the whole enterprise yourself.

When the clocks move back an hour in late October you experience your first pre-5 o’clock sunset. Considering the sun doesn’t rise till about 7 o’clock, then get you stuck on public transport for almost an hour and perhaps you eat lunch at your desk, and then it’s dark by the time you are back on the Tube, you might get slightly depressed at having been outside during overcast daylight for all of six minutes for the whole day.

The most disheartening thing about this is the fact that it isn’t even November yet and there are at least four months of darkness ahead. By 21 December, the shortest day of the year, you wont even have eight days of sunlight at your disposal… and that is only if it is not overcast, raining or snowing on that particular day.

Always look on the bright side, right?

In Australia, September and October were my favourite months for seasonal weather. In Brisbane, it is the time of year when it is just warm enough to take a dip in the ocean, but it is not yet hot enough for to be suffering and sweltering in uncomfortable, sticky humidity. If you have survived the plight of the nesting magpies, you will be able to raise your eyes to gaze at the bright blue skies and blossoming purple jacarandas. It is a beautiful time of the year!

So, as you would expect, on the other side of the world this time of the year is almost the opposite… but strangely beautiful and intriguing in its own way. The winds bring a cool breeze and light drizzling rain that can blot out the sky in a dismal grey for days at a time. The leaves on the trees start to change and the brown, gold and orange foliage litter the streets in a swirl of dramatic colour. In stark contrast, people start to shed their summer colours and adorn drab yet fashionable autumn coats of grey, black, khaki or camel.

But what bemuses me most about autumn in the UK is, year-on-year, it seems to come as a surprise. On any given cold day people at work, in the streets, at the train station, on the Tube, mutter to each other about the weather and how cold they expect it to get in the coming months. Articles appear in papers about the coming of “the worst winter in years” and fearmongering weather experts declare that we will all be snowed-in by Christmas. The catch phrase “Winter is coming!” is dramatically declared so many times that you would think the entire city of London are descendants of the Starks. Hang on… isn’t winter is an annual occurrence? Didn’t the same thing happen approximately 12 months ago?

Guess what, dear reader…all over the city there are clues of what is to come. Carved pumpkins with gruesome faces are appearing on doorsteps. Broken umbrella debris clutter rubbish bins and the sidewalks like crumpled metal spiders doused in bug spray. Colleagues are organising trips home to see their families and mini- breaks to recover from them. Stores are already decorating with Christmas lights and trees, preparing us for gift buying, overindulging and overspending. Emails from management about expected behaviour at this year’s office Christmas party are being ignored. Gloves, hats, beanies and thick coats are being pulled out of storage and dusted off.

Winter also means we feel better about treating ourselves to mouth watering hot dishes, stews and comfort food that are not calorie friendly. Delicious mulled wine and cinnamon flavoured ciders are creeping back on to menus in bars all over town and the ice rinks are taking bookings.

When you put it like that, winter doesn’t sound all that bad, does it?

But don’t be surprised. The days will be dark… the nights will be cold… winter is coming.

Read more of Jacquie’s experiences as an Aussie expat in the UK:

The sometimes confronting English art of politeness

New to London? Here are some top tips to get you started

Is it time to break up with travel? It’s hard to do

Do I belong in the UK more than I belong in Australia?

Don’t make friends with travellers – they’ll only love you and leave you

10 strange ways your life will change when you move to London

Living overseas: Why your best friends now are your fellow expats

Also visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net

IMAGE: By Bikeworldtravel via Shutterstock.com

The post Winter is coming, London! But there’s brightness in the dark appeared first on Australian Times News.

Besides always displaying a “stiff upper lip” (probably why they don’t smile in public very often), the one thing that epitomises the English above all else is their etiquette and the pride they have in their manners.

Many foreigners come to London for travel, to experience the culture or to work, but no one arrives expecting the phenomenon of the English queue, the unspoken rule that you cannot speak to others on the Tube, and the biggest topic of all conversations — the weather.

But no matter what the season or time of the day, the English will always mind their Ps and Qs. They will politely ignore someone acting strangely in public and go out of their way to open doors for women and even hold them open for men.

While some might think it normal, English people would never dream of talking to a random person in the street, or tell someone they had green spinach in their teeth, for this would make others uncomfortable.

Have travellers confused this with being artificial and unfriendly? Are Londoners too polite to be considered friendly?

Visitors to London, if you are trying to make a friend in London, my recommendation to you is to be amused at their persevering politeness and simply start a conversation about the weather, nothing gets English folk more excited than talking about the unrelenting rain or unseasonable sunshine.

Brits and their rare sun

Speaking of which: another peculiarly British practice you may find amusing is when the sun comes out. At the first sign of sun English people strip off jackets and socks, roll up the pants and the sleeves and find a piece of grass, a wall or a bench to sit and bathe in the glow of the rarely seen sun. Such sunbathing seems to be a pastime that comes a close second to drinking tea, usually in the late morning, early afternoon or both, and sometimes served with scones and cucumber sandwiches.

Read more of Jacquie’s experiences as an Aussie expat in the UK:

New to London? Here are some top tips to get you started

Is it time to break up with travel? It’s hard to do

Do I belong in the UK more than I belong in Australia?

Don’t make friends with travellers – they’ll only love you and leave you

10 strange ways your life will change when you move to London

Living overseas: Why your best friends now are your fellow expats

Also visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net

TOP IMAGE: Photo by rawpixel.com from Pexels

The post The sometimes confronting English art of politeness appeared first on Australian Times News.

If you are an Australian or New Zealander committing to a year or two in the UK, it usually means applying for a Tier 5 working visa, which will enable you to stay in the country for up to two years.  Unless you have ancestry or a European passport, this might be the only chance you have to live in London Town and travel the European continent at will.

You will often find many Aussies and Kiwis making the most of their time in London by living cheaply, working hard and travelling often. The trick is to weigh up the pros and cons, work out what you need to tick off your bucket list and sometimes sacrifice a night out at one of the city’s hip clubs for a flight to Amsterdam.

Some will sacrifice more than others

Hubby and I decided to work fulltime, Monday to Friday, pay a little more in rent for a big room within zone 2 (that means closer to town on the Tube), and we sometimes treat ourselves to a nice night in a 3 star hotel or a better flight when we travel. But I am always in awe of those that have the whole travel/work thing figured out and do what they have to do to get where they want to go.

A friend of mine visited between 30 and 40 countries during her two years in London by travelling cheap and renting out her room when she was not using it. A Kiwi couple that we met on a tour in Egypt live in a zone 4 house in London with 19 other people, trading privacy and commute time for more travelling money and a ready made social scene.

There is no right or wrong way to enjoy your grown up gap year/s in London. It is a choice completely up to you and your budget.

But, to get you started, here are a few tips from me; some wisdom from an Aussie expat coming to the end of her two year stint in London.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU FIRST ARRIVE IN LONDON TO LIVE AND WORK

Find somewhere to live/doss

This is tricky since you don’t know where you want to be living, or because you might want to travel a little more before signing a lease.

If it is just you and the backpack/suitcase you rocked up with, take advantage of the situation while you don’t have much to lug around and sample a couple of areas to find out where you want to live. There are plenty of rooms, couches and beds available for a few weeks or months, especially over summer or Christmas. “Dossing” (temporary or cheap lodging in a large house, usually where a mate lives) is typical activity for many large sharehouses where residents are regular travellers and housemate turnover is high. There are many of these in London and you could pay as little as £50 a week, including bills, for a couch or bed.

Once you have found a bed/room/flat/house/cupboard you might need to purchase furniture, bedding, pillows, curtains, and a duvet (aka doona – see below). There are a few Ikea’s located around London, but it might be quicker and more convenient to order your items online to collect from Argos, Homebase, Marks & Spencer, Tesco or Sainsbury’s. Argos is a catalogue merchant and the largest general-goods retailer in the UK with collection points are located everywhere in London.

Tip — British duvets (known as a doona or quilt in other parts of the world) are sold in different weights called “tog”. As a general guide 4.5 tog is a light weight duvet for summer, 7.5 tog is usually for spring/autumn while 13.5/15 tog is extra-warm for the winter months.

Get your UK mobile phone, pronto!

You want to get off your Aussie mobile number/chip asap – using it in the UK will be horrendously expensive.

Your Aussie handset may or may not work on a UK sim card, depending if it has been locked by your Aussie provider or not. You can get it unlocked but be warned that it may damage the phone and kill it’s warranty.

Getting a new handset that does work in the UK need not be too expensive – check out the options at the phone shops found on every high street. Another option is to buy a second-hand one off a site like eBay or even off someone in your new share house who is leaving the UK.

Being new to the country, it is most likely you will not be able to get a monthly mobile phone plan for a while, as you don’t have a credit record in Britain. Fear not though; there are loads of pay-as-you-go and top-up pre-paid plans that are perfectly suitable – some companies even offer a cheap deal on a handset when you sign up.

Tip: Many places in London, like restaurants and pubs, have free Wi-Fi, including 260 London Underground (Tube) stations and 70 Overground (regular trains) which are free if you are a with the main providers – see a list here

Note: Numbers that begin with 07 are mobile numbers. Numbers that begin with 01, 02 and 03 are UK landlines. Calls to 0800 and 0808 numbers are free from landlines only. Calls to 0845 numbers are charged at higher rates.

To contact Emergency Services dial 999.

Open a Bank Account

You will need a UK current account to transfer your funds from overseas and to deposit any income you earn.

A current account is the account you can use for day-to-day banking transactions, standing orders, direct debits and online banking. In the UK, most current accounts come with a debit card and a cheque book. However, some bank accounts will offer travel insurance, contents insurance, or an overdraft for an extra monthly fee. There are usually no monthly fees on a current account, but they also offer no, or little, interest earnings.

The four big banks are Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group and RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland). Other major banks and building societies include Halifax, Santander, Coventry and Nationwide.

Even if you open a bank account online you will have to prove your identity in store. Sometimes it is easier just to visit each of the major banks on your nearest high street to find out what they offer and if they can open you a bank account on the same day. Sometimes you will need to book an appointment to see someone.

Barclays have been known to be happy to open a bank account with an Aussie passport, as long as you have a date stamp to prove you have arrived in the country recently. They will send a letter and new debit cards to the address you nominate, but you might have to take the letter back in to the store to prove your address. Other banks and building societies might also require your working permit or a utility bill with your address on it.

Always ask for the IBAN and SWIFT codes as both are required on all international transfers and payments. The International Bank Account Number (IBAN) is a 15 or 16 digit number that will include your account number. The SWIFT code (SWIFTBIC) is a bank identifier code.

Apply for a NIN (National Insurance Number)

Your NIN is different to your NHS Number (see below). Your NIN is used for tax, benefits and pensions; a bit like a Tax File Number in Australia. You must have the right to work or study in the UK to get a National Insurance Number.

Get more details on applying for a NIN here

Register for a Doctor and NHS

The National Health Service, referred to as the NHS, is the (almost) universal health care system of the UK. It works a bit like Medicare at home, but is even more accessible and largely free although waits can be just as long.

After you find a place to reside you should register with a local GP surgery. You have to register with a GP surgery that covers the area in which you live. Sometimes you will have to ring around to several surgeries to find one that covers the area in which you live and is accepting new patients. Use the NHS website to find the best rated surgeries in your area.

Many GP surgeries will ask you to provide proof of identity and to complete a registration form. You might also be asked to  make an appointment for a health check. These are usually done by the practice nurse, who will ask you about your medical history, measure your blood pressure and they might ask you to pee in a cup.

Hint –Don’t wait until you’re sick to register for a GP as there could be delays.

If you need to see a doctor or nurse and you are not registered, there are plenty of walk-in clinics around London and at some hospitals. Expect a lengthy wait though.

Getting your NHS Number

A NHS Number is a unique 10-digit number given to everyone registered with the NHS in England and Wales. Your NHS Number will be sent to you when you register at a GP practice. You will receive it on a medical card.

If you move or change your name you can simply take your NHS number with you to your new GP practice. Your NHS Number simply helps the NHS keep your health records correctly, safely and easily.

NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/

Find a Job

Be patient. In the beginning you might find it hard to find something suitable but there are many companies that you can work for to earn a little bit of cash to get by. Some have found that companies are more likely to give you a chance if you have already had a job in London.

If things are taking time to land a job in your vocation, it’s always worth checking out basic hospitality, catering and service companies. They tend to have a high turnover and are always looking for friendly, hardworking staff.

You can also try your hand at administration and office work with several temping agencies such as Morgan Spencer and Office Angels.

Register with online CV Libraries and job search engines such as indeed.co.uk, jobsearch.moster.co.uk, jobsite.co.uk, totaljobs.com, and cv-library.co.uk.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sometimes networking and introductions will help you in securing the right work.

Make Friends and Social Sport

Moving to a new city, in a new country, can be daunting and lonely. But London is a huge city with many opportunities to meet new and interesting people.

Join a Facebook page catering to expats in London. Some organise monthly drinks and wall posts about houseshares, sporting teams and (sometimes) available jobs. Like it or not, you will probably become friends with fellow Aussies… but they are an excellent support group and probably share your same interests!

You can also join a sports team (which will help you fight the dreaded Heathrow Injection). South West London Chargers is a rugby league team full of friendly Aussie, Kiwi and British blokes. Social Netball is a well run Wednesday night netball league for all ages and fitness levels in Fulham. In2Touch is a hugely popular social touch rugby gang in London while Try Tag is the British tag rugby cousin of OzTag. Both put an emphasis on mixed teams and social events. There’s also the very competitive AFL London competition which is renowned for its hard hits and even harder partying.

Most of all, enjoy your time in London – it’s the greatest city in the world!

Read more of Jacquie’s experiences as an Aussie expat in the UK:

Growing up is a choice: you don’t have to get married, buy a house and have kids

Is it time to break up with travel? It’s hard to do

Do I belong in the UK more than I belong in Australia?

Don’t make friends with travellers – they’ll only love you and leave you

10 strange ways your life will change when you move to London

Living overseas: Why your best friends now are your fellow expats

Also visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net

The post New to London? Here are some top tips to get you started appeared first on Australian Times News.

Held over every August Bank Holiday long-weekend, culminating in Monday’s Notting Hill Grand Finale Parade, it has evolved into the largest street festival in Europe. The two-day carnival hosts some 50,000 street performers, around 40 sound systems and is enjoyed by an estimated 2.5 million people.

Festivities kick-off this year on Saturday night with a steel band competition at Emslie Horniman’s Pleasance Park from 6pm. The first full day of the festival, Sunday, is children’s day with a shorter parade route and costume prizes. The main parade is held on Bank Holiday Monday between 9am and 7pm and festivities continue at the many after-parties once the float procession has finished.

The parade snakes through 2.2 miles (or 3.5km) of Notting Hill streets, starting at Great Western Road travelling south along Chepstow Road, west along Westbourne Grove and north along Ladbroke Grove. The many streets and laneways in between are full of incredible smelling Caribbean and Jamaican food stalls, pumping sound systems, overflowing party pubs and crowded street bars.

Most of the shop fronts and many homes have been boarded up for the weekend and all of the streets are restricted to foot traffic or parade traffic only.

Notting Hill Carnival Survival Guide

How to get there

The carnival is surrounded by several London Tube stations including Notting Hill Gate, Bayswater, Royal Oak, Westbourne Park, Holland Park and Queensway. Notting Hill Gate station on the jam-packed Central Line is particularly busy and should be avoided if possible. Check tfl.gov.uk for changes to bus routes and Tube travel during this time.

What to eat

The wonderful aromas of traditional Caribbean food provoke a healthy appetite for all carnival goers. As someone who had not experienced these exotic cuisines, the Notting Hill Carnival provided me with the perfect introduction to tasty jerk chicken with rice and peas, potent rum punch and char-grilled corn on the cob. Shop around for the best deals and expect to queue for the food stalls with the best smells and best meal deals.

What to listen to

While the traditional steel bands, Soca & Calypso music are still there, huge sound systems have taken over the streets and play anything from Reggae to R&B, Funk, House, Dub and much more. Live stages feature many local bands, but top international artists have been known to make appearances. Steel Pan, or Steelbands, fill the streets with melodic sounds and strings of followers and dancers. Samba music and dance, Latin Jazz, Reggae and Drum ‘n’ Bass provide a loud but fun atmosphere in almost every street.

5 essential Notting Hill Carnival items

 1. Loo paper: whether you are having a drink or not, you will need to use the toilet at some point during the day.  Within a couple of hours the toilets are filthy, the lines are ridiculously long and the toilet paper is non-existent. If you want to be able to use the facilities comfortably, take your own stash of loo paper so that you are not caught out. Alternatively, there are many home owners and pubs along the route that will open up their toilet to you for a small fee.

 2. Cash: ATMs are limited and lines are long, also many of the food and drinks stalls are cash only. It’s a good idea to take some cash to cover your food, drinks and possible toilet stops!

3. Your typical British weather kit: Summer in London is usually warm, with an average August temperature of about 20°C (68°F) and lows of 13°C (55°F). With cool nights, 16 hours of sunlight and a chance of showers approximately 12 days in the month, I would take your usual “British Weather Kit” — an umbrella, a light jumper/jacket and sunglasses and possibly a hat.

 4. A mobile phone alternative: With so many people in a relatively small area, there is a chance that you will not have enough mobile phone reception to use the Notting Hill Carnival app, check in on Facebook or make a phone call. Use the maps to make a time and place to meet with your friends before you get there. Have a plan for what to do if someone from your group goes walkabout.

 5. Your best dance moves: With such an array of bands, DJs and stereo systems you will find yourself wanting to put on your dancing shoes and sway your hips to the addictive and melodic Caribbean sounds that fill the streets. Let your hair down and enjoy a dance!

TOP IMAGE: rmac8oppo/Pixabay

The post Notting Hill Carnival sights and sounds survival guide appeared first on Australian Times News.

Living the expat high-life, the entire thought of settling down in one place for the rest of my life frightened me beyond reason. Was it just me?

Of course, I am happy to leave adolescence behind, and I like to think I am a sensible and responsible young woman. But I also believe being grown up is different to what it was 100 years ago, 50 years ago and even 20 years ago. Perhaps the norm doesn’t have to be to grow up, get married, buy a house and have kids?

TV sitcoms and numerous films feature comic stereotypes of adults acting like juveniles and still relying on their parents for financial and emotional support. In real life there are an increasing number of men and women in their late 20s, or even early 30s, still living at home with parents. There has been a cultural shift, but it doesn’t mean there is a loss of aspiration for independence or reluctance to ‘grow up’.

How to grow up

According to wikiHow’s ‘Grow Up‘, the steps to follow to grow up include becoming financially independent, becoming emotionally independent, stop being selfish, stop being a doormat (unless you are selfish), realise life is not fair, take responsibility for yourself, and plan your future. While I don’t treat wiki-anything as gospel, it is interesting to note there is nothing there about buying a house and having kids.

For many people, buying a house is considered one of life’s greatest achievements and the most appealing aspect is the idea of putting down roots and taking ownership of a property you can live in as you please. What if you don’t want to ‘put down roots’? What if you would rather the greater flexibility and freedom renting offers? For me, buying a house would is more about the benefits of property investment or long term financial stability.

Adulthood development

According to numerous studies, cognitive development, judgment, emotional maturity and hormonal activity continues into your early 20s. Child psychologists are increasing the age range of the children they work with from 0-18 to 0-24. In the US, even the Obama administration implemented a rule in 2010 allowing “children” up to 26 to remain on their parents’ health insurance.

Traditional milestones such as finishing education, graduating from college/uni, establishing careers, living on your own, getting married and having children, are taking longer to reach. Not because they are unachievable, but probably because the culture and values have changed. Rather than being a prerequisite to becoming an adult, marriage and rearing children are now life-style choices.

Growing up is a choice, not a rule

Our generation seems to enjoy busy lives and rushing from one thing to the next, but when it comes to life-changing choices we are nervous about what we might miss out on as a consequence.  So, instead, some of us #neverendinghoneymooners on a #grownupgapyear spend our disposable incomes on travel, leisure activities and life changing experiences. We are financially and emotionally independent, we realise life is not fair, we take responsibility for ourselves and we plan our foreseeable future. We know growing old is mandatory, but ‘growing up’ is a choice.

TOP IMAGE: Via Pixabay

Read more of Jacquie’s experiences as an Aussie expat:

Is it time to break up with travel? It’s hard to do

Do I belong in the UK more than I belong in Australia?

Don’t make friends with travellers – they’ll only love you and leave you

10 strange ways your life will change when you move to London

Living overseas: Why your best friends now are your fellow expats

Also visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net

The post Growing up is a choice: you don’t have to get married, buy a house and have kids appeared first on Australian Times News.

The Peak District has rugged moorland, rolling hills, lush meadows and leafy forests, perfect for the explorer in anyone. While the peaceful gardens and historical houses are a backdrop for a relaxing weekend away from it all.

Hubby and I drove on the M1 from London, stopping briefly in Birmingham for lunch, and arrived at our bed and breakfast in Cromford three and a half hours later. Realising we were, by far, the youngest couple in the hotel (and possibly the tiny town) we walked 20 minutes into Matlock Bath for fish and chips at Charlies before retreating to a restful night of sleep.

On our first full day in the English countryside we weaved our way through the green fields and rolling hills, avoiding sheep (and sheep poo) in fenceless paddocks, and stopped off at Chatsworth House, a stately home on the east bank of the River Derwent in North Derbyshire. It has been the home of the Duke of Devonshire since 1549.

The House is open to the public (entry was £16 when we visited) and set in expansive park lands and beautiful gardens. The house itself contains a unique collection of priceless paintings, antique furniture and a collection of stone and marble statues in their very own gallery.

While it is beautiful in more ways than one, one of my favourite things about Chatsworth House is it appeared as Pemberley, the home of Mr Darcy, in the 2005 film adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Another highlight is the beautiful manicured garden making up a large part of the estate. We were very lucky to visit the estate early enough in the autumn for the grounds to still be green and lush. With so much to see and do we spent hours exploring the rose garden, water cascade, lake, rock garden and hedge maze.

That night we treated ourselves to a great pie and ale at The Boathouse in Cromford, preparing for our adventures the following day.

On our second day we enlisted the help of a good friend, and Matlock local, Richard who guided us through a few special historic sites many people probably have not had a chance to experience.

Matlock is one of the many small country towns in Derbyshire, south east of the Peak District. Many of the towns in the area lie on the River Derwent and are known for their former thermal springs and old mills. Many of the mills have been converted into shopping centres or parking lots, but others have been long abandoned and claimed back by nature. We visited the 19th century Riber Castle with glorious views over Matlock before retreating down to the derelict mills near Lumsdale.

A former mill pond is now a picturesque reservoir nestled between a windy country road and old Georgian houses. The water trickles down the millstones and smooth rocks into a glorious waterfall between the mossy ruins of the abandoned mills. There is a peaceful overgrown path in the hillside that provides access to this photographers dream. It is well worth a visit if you are ever in the area.

After a few fantastic photo opportunities we were back in the car and on our way to a pub lunch in Hartington, via the Matlock Meadows farm for some real dairy ice cream. We stocked up on some local Derbyshire cheese at the Old Cheese Shop in Hartington and settled into the car for the four hour drive back to London.

I fell in love with the Peak District and its surrounds, especially since we were able to spend a few rare magnificently warm and sunny days in the incredible English countryside.

TOP IMAGE: Peak District waterfall. (By JonNrp via Pixabay)

ADDITIONAL IMAGES: Jacqui Moroney

Read more of Jacquie’s experiences as an Aussie expat:

Is it time to break up with travel? It’s hard to do

Do I belong in the UK more than I belong in Australia?

Don’t make friends with travellers – they’ll only love you and leave you

10 strange ways your life will change when you move to London

Drinking culture in boozy London: the ‘even on weeknights’, bingy truth

I have absolutely been spoiled by London, and it may not be a good thing

Living overseas: Why your best friends now are your fellow expats

Also visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net

The post Hitting the Peak – District, that is – for a perfect English country romantic getaway appeared first on Australian Times News.

However, we returned from two glorious sunny weeks in Spain to the hottest weather London had faced in seven years. There was a week of consecutive days where the temperature exceeded 30 degrees Celsius and the heatwave warning was officially raised to “level three”. Owch.

Level three is a health watch criteria for the very old or the chronically sick. For everyone else it simply means the temperature has exceeded the day max of 32C. Apparently it is one stage short of a national emergency. An Aussie has to laugh.

Londoners need not have panicked. In such oppressive circumstances, helpful articles, blogs and social media posts popped up all over the Internet with tips and suggestions on how to keep cool during the day and sleep at night.

My favourites included “get a hammock” and “sleep on a wet towel”. Thankfully there are also some more sensible suggestions such as “buy an electric fan” or “where to find the best Lidos in London” – which, for those new to London, simply means a public pool.

Why is London seemingly never prepared for a hot summer? Perhaps it is because London media spends months telling us of how we have all just “survived” the coldest winter since whenever B.C.?

I think what amazes me the most about London ‘heatwaves’ is how journalists are compelled to complain in dry and lengthy spells about the sunshine and excessive heat. But it is a British tradition to complain about the weather – either too hot or too cold.

Forget about Brexit, Wimbledon, and even the football World Cup; instead for the next three months it will be all about the heatwaves.

It will just about make you look forward to winter’s chilly return.

Read more of Jacquie’s experiences as an expat:

Is it time to break up with travel? It’s hard to do

Do I belong in the UK more than I belong in Australia?

Don’t make friends with travellers – they’ll only love you and leave you

10 strange ways your life will change when you move to London

Drinking culture in boozy London: the ‘even on weeknights’, bingy truth

I have absolutely been spoiled by London, and it may not be a good thing

Living overseas: Why your best friends now are your fellow expats

Also visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net

The post Hot summer nights: are you ready, London? appeared first on Australian Times News.

But I thought this relationship was different. I knew there would be bumps in the road, financial struggles, droughts and even ruts. But I didn’t expect it to be this bad.

For so long, I had been loyal and constant in my love for travel.

My relationship with travel had begun on a high note of excitement and hope for the future. Like a drug, I became hooked on travel. I was obsessed. Travel allowed me to realise my dreams and let me live them in the way that I wanted to. I adored travel. Travel also allowed me to open my eyes to the world and grow as a person. I was in love with travel.

I was delusional in thinking the honeymoon period was going to last forever. I should have known better, as there were certainly ups and downs along the way.

There was that time that my flight was cancelled and I almost missed New Year’s Eve in Melbourne. And the time I dropped a heavy glass door on my leg and struggled to find a doctor in New York who would x-ray me without travel insurance. There was the time our travel agent forgot to tell us that our flight was bumped forward and we spent an awful day passed out on the floor of the airport in Vegas, still hung-over from the night before. Then, of course, the pub crawl in Paris where my bag and passports were stolen moments before I tripped over the gutter and broke my foot. That one earned me foot surgery and three months recovery… in a cast… in France.

I had sacrificed a lot for travel and it had always given back. But something changed.

It started with what I suspected was food poisoning. We were in Manchester to watch the Aussies dominate the Kiwis in the Rugby League World Cup final. It was a brilliant game, for the Aussies at least. Later that night, whilst dining out in one of Manchester’s famed curry houses, I was struck down with the most awful stomach bug. Even though I didn’t have a chance to sample the Indian food, I was on a downhill spiral that would take me weeks to resurface from.

As we approached Christmas my stomach sunk with anticipation of our upcoming travels. It was the first time that I was not looking forward to our holiday. I could feel the resentment growing.

Boarding the airplane at Gatwick airport was a short lived dream. I was terrified to be further than a short run from the toilet and my stomach was curling. In the end, we disembarked the flight and the airline staff helped us make our way back through security. The rest of the night was spent in the waiting room of the A&E until I was finally seen by a doctor and referred to a specialist.

Four days later we made it to Krakow, spent two nights holed up in a hotel room and then five nights in Berlin where I was able to consume little and barely move from our apartment. It was a holiday I almost wish I could forget.

I was defeated. In my state, travel was no fun. It provided me with no support and taunted me day and night. We missed seeing Copenhagen, Prague and Krakow. I was too unwell to enjoy New Year’s Eve with friends on the streets of Berlin. I felt like it was my fault. Why was travel doing this to me?

That wasn’t the only trip that was ruined. I was still too unwell during the following February to join my friends on a ski trip to Serbia. It was during that week, around the same time that I was admitted to hospital for further tests, that I realised my love for travel was slowly dying.

I started flirting with other dreams and had thoughts of stability and comfort. Things that I thought I didn’t have a place in my life. I started to re-pin home décor posts on Pintrest. I signed up for email newsletters for RealEstate.com.au and curled up on the couch to watch Grand Designs. I felt like I was cheating on travel but I was nostalgic for the sweet excitement of a new relationship.

Is there a time in every traveller’s travelling life when they reach this point? Is this the first sign that you should turn back?

I didn’t give in that easily, though. I want to live a life of no regrets. So, I determined to give another go; just one last fling, for old time’s sake.

Read more of Jacquie’s experiences as an expat:

Do I belong in the UK more than I belong in Australia?

Don’t make friends with travellers – they’ll only love you and leave you

10 strange ways your life will change when you move to London

Drinking culture in boozy London: the ‘even on weeknights’, bingy truth

I have absolutely been spoiled by London, and it may not be a good thing

Living overseas: Why your best friends now are your fellow expats

Also visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net

IMAGE: Shutterstock.com

The post Is it time to break up with travel? It’s hard to do appeared first on Australian Times News.

Was it on my recent trip to Madrid when we rowed boats in the park? Did I dash back to Australia for a week, desperate for the summer sun? Was I trying to work up a tan on a beach somewhere exotic?

No. I was at home, in London, during winter, on a cloudy and slightly rainy day with a high of seven degrees Celsius. And I got sun burnt!

Have you ever, ever felt like this?

When strange things happen…

That was when I started to wonder if I was more suited to the UK than Queensland, Australia. In fact, I wrote about my “London tan” in this very publication.

I came to the conclusion that someone was playing a very cruel joke for me to be born in the Aussie desert and brought up on one of the most beautiful, sunny coastlines in the world.  With my fair, freckled skin and high risk to skin cancer, how could this be… fair? (see what I did there?)

Had I gone around the twist?

Perhaps I had finally found where I was meant to exist in the world? Did I belong in the UK more than I belong in Australia?

Actually, I like the weather

London weather and I get along much better, compared with my relationship with the Aussie sun. I don’t mind the rain and clouds as much as I thought I would. And I like that there is a clear difference between winter, with snow, less sunlight and cosy winter coats, and summer, which has a surprising amount of sun stretched over long, cider filled days.

You can’t beat the travel

I love the proximity to Europe and all that it has to offer. For example, my hubby and I booked a week on Malta for our wedding anniversary. The flights were cheap and took less than 3.5 hours for us to get there. We paid less for our six-night holiday than if we had visited Noosa for a week (and had to stock up on litres of aloe vera gel to chill in the fridge).

And the work is great, thank you

But it’s not all about the holidays. I’ve worked for a variety of global clients, consulting and advising them on big campaigns and projects, on a scale that probably wouldn’t be possible if I was still living in Brisbane. Challenging and rewarding, yes – but awesome. And when freelancing, there is plenty of time to travel.

So, UK vs Australia?

While I love Australia and appreciate that it has a lot going for it, for me the UK is scores more points…

So, even though I have proved that I can get sunburn in the unlikeliest of circumstances in the UK, it was so mild that it didn’t even require aloe vera application. That’s a win in my books!

Read more of Jacquie’s experiences as an expat:

Don’t make friends with travellers – they’ll only love you and leave you

10 strange ways your life will change when you move to London

Drinking culture in boozy London: the ‘even on weeknights’, bingy truth

I have absolutely been spoiled by London, and it may not be a good thing

Living overseas: Why your best friends now are your fellow expats

Also visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net

IMAGE: Shutterstock.com

The post Do I belong in the UK more than I belong in Australia? appeared first on Australian Times News.

“Because you come gallivanting over to our side of the world, make us all fall in love with your outgoing personalities and sarcastic sense of humour, and then run back home after two years. It’s not fair on a person.”

She has a point. It’s really not that fair.

I have been to an extraordinary number of leaving dos and deportation parties. I didn’t even realise that I knew so many people in London. However, at almost every leaving do I found myself being introduced to a new bunch of fellow Aussie and Kiwi working travellers that I was immediately fond of.

Always, one of the first questions asked by, or of, your new acquaintance is the obligatory, “How long are you here for?” or “What visa are you on?”

This is a perfectly acceptable question to ask, since you don’t want to be making a new friend to find out they will be leaving you within a few months. But then again, every time you hear the “I have sponsorship/Ancestry Visa/European Passport” response, you enviously congratulate them and secretly just want to punch them in the face.

There are great benefits, however, to befriending fellow travellers – such as finding out about all of their adventures, learning from their experiences, and getting recommendations on where to go next. With every new travelling friend you add more to your list of places to see and things to do. My ultimate bucket list is #neverending.

Usually it is the aim of every Aussie or Kiwi on a working holiday visa to outdo their fellow traveller by naming the most obscure place they have been, or the worst travel experience they have had. Since my hubby and I were the victims of stolen passports and a broken foot on the same night on our honeymoon, we are usually the top contenders for the imaginary “worst travel story prize”.

That story can only be topped by “being mugged at gun point” or “going out to a party one night and waking up in another foreign country” (all true).

While the stories are incredible and the people you meet are amazing, making a new friend that is a traveller usually means that your Facebook friends list is ever increasing while your personal downtime decreasing as a result of trying to catch-up with them all face-to-face.

Sometimes a quick comment or “like” will have to suffice for a few months, or you can just have a big round up and invite everyone to a large gathering at a London park or a house party. Even then you will no doubt forget someone.

Sometimes I think that there should be some sort of indication, or countdown, on a person to indicate how long they will be in the country for. That way, it would be easier to decide, depending on the time they have left, if we’re going to be passing acquaintances, or new best friends.

Read more of Jacquie’s experiences as an expat:

10 strange ways your life will change when you move to London

Drinking culture in boozy London: the ‘even on weeknights’, bingy truth

I have absolutely been spoiled by London, and it may not be a good thing

Living overseas: Why your best friends now are your fellow expats

Also visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net

TOP IMAGE: By Adina Voicu, Via Pixabay

The post Don’t make friends with travellers – they’ll only love you and leave you appeared first on Australian Times News.

Here’s the reality of life in London

1) Your journey will be full of queues. You will often look up and find yourself in a queue. You might not know why or where it leads, but you will stand there patiently in that perfectly ordered queue for as long as it takes.

2) Many London museums are free; a good place to go to on a rainy day and a great place to go if you are suddenly feeling clucky.

3) The “Heathrow injection” is not a myth. You will find yourself wondering why your waistband is getting tighter and blame it on the lack of sunlight, but it’s probably the beer and cider.

4) Bathroom scales are no longer used to measure one’s Heathrow injection. In fact, they are strictly used as a tool to measure if one’s carry-on baggage is within the required limits for your budget flight.

5) Your toiletries are now no more than 100mls each, you can expertly roll all of your belongings into your carry-on and you have more travel adapters than anyone can count.

6) The Tube is awesome. Even if you arrive at work dishevelled after getting your hair stuck in the closing door, you sweat buckets with your arms pinned against your sides and your makeup has rubbed off on to the shoulder of someone’s suit.

7) Winter fashion doesn’t matter when all you care about is keeping warm. You are quietly thankful for your thick-soled, waterproofed, sensible boots that don’t match your thick puffy coat and thick furry hat with the ear flaps.

8) You realise summer has arrived when office workers emerge for lunch in the sun with their trouser legs and sleeves rolled up for maximum exposure, the evenings are spent guzzling wine and cider in the park and weekends simply exist so you can spend two days abroad.

9) You cannot confidently use the words ‘thongs’ or ‘pants’ without someone thinking you are perverted.

10) Living in a share house until the age of 40 is totally acceptable, living a 45-60 minute commute from work is a reality and living in a sharehouse with 18 other Antipodeans and 1 shower is a scary possibility but you need to save on rent if you want to travel.

Read more of Jacquie’s experiences as an expat:

Drinking culture in boozy London: the ‘even on weeknights’, bingy truth

I have absolutely been spoiled by London, and it may not be a good thing

Living overseas: Why your best friends now are your fellow expats

Also visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net

_________________________________

IMAGE: skyearth / Shutterstock.com

The post 10 strange ways your life will change when you move to London appeared first on Australian Times News.

The Kilconquhar Castle Estate is a large family resort situated 15 minutes drive from St Andrews and 90 minutes from Edinburgh in the the beautiful Scottish countryside. It offers self-catering villas, cottages and apartments, and a leisure centre equipped with a swimming pool, snooker tables and a games room as well as putting greens, a driving range and a tennis court.

The grounds boast rolling green hills just moments from the North Sea and the castle itself provides a beautiful backdrop for any family holiday, cheeky romantic getaway or a group of friends after some adventure.

This time, we were the latter.

Of monsters and men – It’s absolutely Nessiesary

Sunday morning saw us heading north on a rural road in the hunt for monsters. Admiring the beautiful autumn countryside on the three hour drive, we by-passed Perth and Inverness and continued to drive down the east bank of the Loch Ness.

Loch Ness is a large freshwater loch located in the Scottish Highlands about 167 miles (270km) from Scotland’s capital city, Edinburgh. The cold, murky Loch stretches southwest for 23 miles (37km) from Inverness and is best known for alleged sightings of the (mythical) Loch Ness Monster, known affectionately as Nessie.

In our little Fiat we crawled along the east bank, stumbling upon a fantastic photo opportunity of the stunning Loch in all its glory and a small waterfall. The beautiful greens, reds, oranges and yellows of autumn had provided an incredible backdrop to what must be one of the most scenic routes in the world.

After we posed for awkward selfies and announced to the world via Facebook of our current location, we backtracked to Inverness to explore the west bank of the great Loch.

Nessie evaded us this time.

A Scotsman’s home is his castle and there’s plenty of them

One mile past Drumnadrochit we came across the ruins of Urquhart Castle (also see top image) along the west bank of Loch Ness. Dating from the 13th and 16th centuries, this castle has a history of raids and destruction until 1692 when it was left to decay.

Urquhart Castle was one of the largest, and is one of the most beautiful castles in all of Scotland. The impressive stronghold boasts a brilliant view from the Grant Tower battlements, and visitors are able to scramble over the remains of the gatehouse, chapel and hall with the scenic Loch Ness backdrop. It is no wonder that now, more than 300 years after it was deserted, it is also one of the most visited castles in Scotland.

Urquhart Castle is 174 miles/ 280km from Edinburgh. It is open until 6pm April – September but closes earlier during winter months. Last entry is one hour before closing time. Entry from £5.40. Go to VisitScotland – Urquhart Castle

Stirling Castle, the stunning Royal Palace of James V, is situated high on a grand mountain in Stirling’s Old Town, 37 miles (60km) North West of Edinburgh.

We visited Stirling Castle on our third full day in Scotland, hoping the rain would hold off long enough for us to explore the gatehouse erected by King James IV in about 1506, the King’s Old Building (circa 1497), the Great Hall, the Royal Palace, the Chapel Royal and artillery fortifications dating back to the 1550s. Almost all of the present buildings were built between 1490 and 1600 for the Stewart Kings James IV, James V and James VI.

On three sides of the castle are steep cliffs. On the fourth side is Stirling Old Town.

We enjoyed exploring the museums and learned much about how the Castle has played an important part in Scottish history, specifically the crowning of Mary, Queen of Scots, and during the Wars of Scottish Independence. Much of the Palace has been redecorated with tapestry and bright colours to reflect the way it would have once been adorned.

Stirling Castle is 40 miles/ 65km from Edinburgh. It is open until 6pm April – September and 5pm october until March. Last entry is one hour before closing time. Go to Stirlingcastle.gov.uk

On our visit to Edinburgh Castle, perched 130 meters high on the rocky cliffs above the very centre of Scotland’s capital, we discovered a historic fortress dominating the skyline and commanding stunning views across the city.

The oldest building in the castle is St Margaret’s Chapel, which dates back to the early 12th century. However, archaeologists believe there was some form of human occupation on Castle Rock from the 2nd century AD.

The Great Hall dates back to the early 16th century and sits on the cliff side adjacent to the Scottish National War Memorial, the Prisons of War and the Royal Palace where Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to James, future King of both Scotland and England. If you do visit, try to arrive for the One O’clock Gun, fired at precisely 13.00 every day, except Sundays, Good Friday and Christmas Day.

A taste of Scotch – whisky away

When I visit different countries and cities, I like to sample the local cuisines and experience the local fare. Scotland was no different, so during our stay I was lucky enough to taste succulent Aberdeen Angus beef, and ventured north to the small town of Crieff for a Scotch whisky distillery tour.

Established in 1775, the Glenturret Distillery offers a range of tours and samples of The Glenturret Highland Single Malt. On the “Taste of Scotland” tour we were guided through the distillery where traditional methods and equipment are used to produce The Glenturret Highland Single Malt, used in The Famous Grouse blended whisky.

We sampled The Famous Grouse blended whisky and The Glenturret Highland Single Malt before our guide matched three Highland Single Malts with different food samples designed to enhance the whisky’s unique tastes. The Macallan Gold was a personal favourite of mine, and not just because it is the whisky featured in the recent movie Skyfall. The Highland Park single malt is also well worth a try.

The Glenturret Distillery is home to the largest bottle of whisky in the world, authenticated by Guinness World Records, and has a great bar/restaurant and gift shop where you can sample and purchase your scotch whisky of choice. As a souvenir of our tasting experience I took home a personalised bottle of The Famous Grouse complete with my (new) surname.

Saddling up

We had no luck tracking down Nessie on Sunday, so on our second day in Scotland we ventured north to Kenmore, Perthshire, to the Mains of Taymouth Stables.

The country estate offers trekking and hacking among forest tracks and rolling hills, guided by stable manager Katy. Katy’s warmth and enthusiasm was much appreciated since none of our party had much experience with horses. She paired us with our horses, Star, Poni-o, Connie and Lou, and guided us along a picturesque track with the most spectacular views over the quaint village of Kenmore and magnificent Loch Tay.

The Mains of Taymouth Country Estate is an expansive estate complete with five star accommodations, campervan accommodation, stables, a golf course and many more activities in this perfect setting. It is well worth a visit. Go to Taymouth.co.uk

Shooting clay

On our last morning in Scotland the male half of the party decided to try their hand at clay target shooting, a popular sporting activity in Scotland which can be traced back to the early Middle Ages.

We ventured to Chesterstone Farm located near Upper Largo and situated on a hillside overlooking Largo Bay, Elie Point and, on a clear day, the magnificent coast line across the Firth of Forth. Chesterton Farm also offers self-contained cottages for holidaymakers looking for a place to stay with plenty to do. Bill, one of the farm’s owners, drove us across the paddocks to a safe area of the farm where the boys learned the art of clay target shooting. I have to say, they didn’t do too badly.

During we afternoon we visited Edinburgh Castle before departing on the train back to London. Our five-day holiday had been full of activities and adventure, but I still feel I will return some day, perhaps to stay at the The Mains of Taymouth Country Estate or Chesterstone Farm Holiday Cottage.

The post Castles, lochs, guns and whisky… It’s got to be Scotland appeared first on Australian Times News.

In Brisbane, stories of binge drinking teens and young adults litter the pages of the Courier Mail or local rag, and in-depth analysis claims most violence and alcohol fuelled mayhem occurs on Friday and Saturday nights between midnight and 4am.

Meanwhile, in the UK it is not uncommon to see work colleagues and friends out for a drink on a school night. In my experience it is almost considered acceptable to turn up to work every so often with a hangover, or still drunk from the night before.

This new version of binge drinking – binge drinking 2.0 – is no longer confined to just the weekend. It’s a weeklong activity.

London: booze capital

I was thrown into the pint glass, so to speak, and had to quickly learn which of the 200 plus pubs and clubs in the City of London offered the best deals, the best dance floor and the best ales when I was working there. Lucky for me, I discovered the ‘trick of the trade’ for a personal assistant/team secretary in the City was to know all about the bars and the beers.

Since I am a great believer in researching (and yes, that’s me – above – with my face in a bucket of snakebite) before recommending, it wasn’t long before I was well acquainted with events staff at most major pub chains, and became the key contact for those in the office searching for a good deal on a night out.

With this kind of attitude towards drinking during the work week, I was unsurprised to find that British men and women reportedly drink over the recommended weekly alcohol limit (21 units for men, 14 units for women) and some regularly drink harmful quantities (over 50 units for men, and 35 for women). And binge-drinking and drunken behaviour are not unusual among older adults aged 30 to 50; quashing the theory that we become more moderate with age.

Peer pressure

Further evidence from the Medical Research Council reveals middle-aged drinkers in the UK still face pressure from their friends and peers to drink.

Sometimes not drinking on a night out with friends, or work colleagues, requires more explanation. Excuses such as ‘I am calorie counting’ or ‘I am participating in Go Sober for October’ are frequently used to get out of a large drinking session. While the phrase, ‘I’m not drinking tonight’, simply can’t be uttered without some shame or embarrassment.

While working in London I was constantly amazed when people turned up to work so hung over they couldn’t concentrate, or they’d brag of still being pissed from the night before. Surely this is more embarrassing?

I don’t have anything against alcohol, and I have often succumbed to one-too-many, but I do have a problem with the peer pressure to drink. Examples of the pressure we are faced with are drinking games such as Kings and Beer Pong, which admittedly I have eagerly taken part (or instigated). They are considered social entertainment but actually promote risky drinking in dangerous quantities.

Why is it young people and, more evidently, adults are getting drunk for the sake of it, without consideration of the consequences? Well, the mental and physical health issues caused by alcohol are usually the last thing on your mind when you lift the first cold pint of ale to your lips after a long day at the office.

Maybe you are a binger?

According to the NHS, even if you don’t drink alcohol every day, you could be a binge drinker. Measures of binge drinking include if you regularly drink to get drunk, if you regularly drink more than the daily unit guideline in a single session, or if you regularly drink quickly.

Apparently it is only when you find it hard to stop drinking once you have started your binge that it could actually be alcohol dependence.

Some studies show drinking a large amount of alcohol over a short period of time may be significantly worse for your health than frequently drinking small quantities. Perhaps this is why people in London, in a bid to avoid binging, try to span their drinking out over an entire week?

In many cultures where consuming alcohol is off limits to those under the age of 18 or 21, we tend to be drawn to it as soon as we are of legal drinking age; like drunks to a pub. But when did drinking in dangerous quantities and ridiculous drunken behaviour become socially acceptable?

Isn’t it better to have a night you will never forget rather than a night you will never remember?

______________________________

Also by Jacqui on Australian Times: 

This is what six whole weeks of London rental house hunting hell is really like

Preparing for your return home to Australia: the countdown is on

Living overseas: Why your best friends now are your fellow expats

I have absolutely been spoiled by London, and it may not be a good thing

Read Jacqui’s blog about her overseas working holiday adventures with her husband: NeverEndingHoneymoon.net

TOP IMAGE: (By Eagletonc / via Pixabay.com)

The post Drinking culture in boozy London: the ‘even on weeknights’, bingy truth appeared first on Australian Times News.

Having lived in London for almost two years prior we thought knew what we wanted in a house and what we could expect. During our first week of house hunting we wanted a large double room, in a pretty Victorian house with a garden, within 10 minutes walk of the nearest Tube station, on a line that takes me directly to work within 30 minutes, with a maximum of two other (cool) housemates. Our new house family would be 9to5 professionals who travel frequently, enjoy being out in London and were fun but chilled when at home.

Was that too much to ask?

After the second week of hunting we were no longer looking for a pretty house with a garden. We had become more flexible in terms of the perfect housemate and started to look at rooms in smaller ex-council flats with tiny windows and a kitchen that was in great need of renovation.

By the end of the third week we were exhausted. Our 70+ inquiries on Spareroom.co.uk had less than a 10% response rate and the rejection was starting to take its toll. Was it something in our profile that was offensive or off-putting?

Change of tactics… DIY share house

We decided that joining an existing share house was proving too difficult and we needed to change tactics. We were going to create our own awesome share house, with a garden and a nice kitchen, in a great location with brilliant housemates. Another week passed and I started to lose hope.

Surely we didn’t need to be within 15 minutes walk of the Tube? And we definitely didn’t need a garden or outdoor space. Living with 18-year-old students – why not? Furniture: we could probably do without that too!

Even buddying-up with others seemed too difficult and there was always something to contend with: their budget was higher than ours, it would take longer for us to commute from the location they wanted, they didn’t believe in sharing bills, she didn’t want to be on a lease, he couldn’t provide references, was there room for her two cats, French bulldog and budgie?

The entire buddying-up process is much like online dating. You sign up, pay your monthly fee, select your preferences (double room, non-smoking, no pets), describe who you are (a social, tidy and friendly professional couple), what you like to do in your spare time (long walks along the beach, authentic cultural experiences… blah, blah, blah), and what you expect in another housemate (don’t be dirty or mean).

I found a profile that perfectly captured what I was feeling at the time. The profile started like this: “Once upon a time there was a professional, called George. It was very important for George to remind people he was a professional because it meant, in the eyes of many other self-proclaimed professionals, that he wasn’t smelly (like a student), and that he had a time during every 24 hours when he switched off to recharge his batteries (unlike a student).

It was brilliant! George then continued to write his creative and intriguing ad in third person. I wanted this guy as our new housemate – if only he would respond to our request.

Pinning down the right housemate was hard. At one point last week we were submitting an offer to rent a property with another couple who we hadn’t met yet. It was like committing to an arranged marriage without having been on a first date.

So, six weeks into our futile hunt, my hubby and had viewed close to 20 properties between us, submitted offers on three properties unsuccessfully, had 169 conversations on Spareroom.co.uk, found eight potential housemates to move in with but zero housemates who wanted what we wanted, contacted approximately 45 letting agents, changed our preferences hundreds of times and every morning at 9.01am I would get a phone call from Igor at Foxtons following up on our search.

What we really needed was Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer on hand to expertly select the perfect house to meet all of our requirements and desires.

By week seven we finally had a home. What a trial. But that’s all part of living in London.

______________________________

Also by Jacqui on Australian Times: 

Preparing for your return home to Australia: the countdown is on

Living overseas: Why your best friends now are your fellow expats

I have absolutely been spoiled by London, and it may not be a good thing

Read Jacqui’s blog about her overseas working holiday adventures with her husband: NeverEndingHoneymoon.net

IMAGE: London renting (By R.Nagy via Shutterstock.com)

The post This is what six whole weeks of London rental house hunting hell is really like appeared first on Australian Times News.

Its tail was red and I swear I could see that iconic white kangaroo. I had sudden recollection of the Qantas ad from years ago, the one where the children’s choir was filmed singing in the red desert, on the rock cliffs and on the white sands of Australia’s amazing beaches.

Only after having been away for so long, could I comprehend the meaning of that song.

It had been over two years since my last swim in the Aussie ocean.  I missed the quality of the beef steak, I missed the freedom of owning a car, and I missed being able to drop around to a long-term friend’s place for a cuppa or a beer.

It’s the little things that get you in the end, and I knew I was ready.

When your visa expiry date is fast approaching and you have a limited time left in London, you start to go a little crazy. Having witnessed it happen to many others before me, I decided to prepare well in advance. But you get lost in the London life and suddenly months become weeks and the countdown is on. Fear sets in when you realise the little time you have left and you start to think of ways you can come back.

The last minute must-do bucket-list

My husband and I started to prepare for our return to reality in Australia with five months left in the UK; we planned out our last holidays and weekends.

My first step was to work out what needed to be ticked off the bucket-list and what countries we wanted to visit. At the top of our list; the ANZAC Day dawn service at Gallipoli, cooking classes in Tuscany, sailing in Croatia, beers in Prague and historical sites in Poland.

Then we made a list of all of the things we wanted to do while in London; the Jack the Ripper tour, the secret bar at the Breakfast Club, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards at the Natural History Museum, a night out at Fabric, and a music festival in Hyde Park. Having missed out on tickets for Glastonbury, a summer on the European continent was ours for the taking and we were going to make the most of it.

Unfortunately, our bank balance was not keeping up with the programme and we were not going to be able to achieve as much as we had hoped.

The longest (and cheapest) way home

So began the daily ordeal of scanning flight websites and travel agent deals, trying to find the cheapest way home that didn’t include an 11 hour stop-over or driving through the Middle East. We considered some crazy options… If we made it to Eastern Europe we could catch a bus to Istanbul and fly to Brisbane via a quick holiday in Beijing, the Philippines and Perth. If we were somewhere in Italy we could go via the Maldives for only a few hundred more… the possibilities were endless, but sadly, the bank account was not.

Frustratingly, a one way flight is about 80% of the cost of a return flight. The best priced flight we found was around £550 per person on a one way, 35 hour flight, stopping over in the Philippines. The reviews weren’t great.

What to put in the bag (or shipping box)?

Then it was time to work out what was coming home with us, what was going to the local charity shop and what we could sell on eBay or Gumtree to make a little extra cash.

Every souvenir, item of clothing,  electronic and adapter was strewn across every surface of the bedroom as we tried to eliminate the unnecessary and calculate the number of shipping boxes we would need to order. The entire process only raised more questions. How did hubby end up with so many winter coats? Would we ever use that many shot glasses? Will we ever wear the dinosaur onesie again?

It took two weeks to get the room back to a state where we could see the floor again. I crossed my fingers that it would all fit into four large boxes to be shipped home.

At first I was sad to be leaving behind the life that we had created in London and the friends we had met along the way. Since leaving Australia for our extended honeymoon we had travelled to so many wonderful places, from New York, to Lyon and old London town.

To borrow some fitting lyrics from that haunting song, I’m always travelling, I love being free. And so I keep leaving the sun and the sea. But my heart lies waiting, over the foam…

I still call Australia home.

Reader poll: What’s the greatest song for homesick Australians?

Also by Jacqui on Australian Times: 

Living overseas: Why your best friends now are your fellow expats

I have absolutely been spoiled by London, and it may not be a good thing

Read Jacqui’s blog about her overseas working holiday adventures with her husband: NeverEndingHoneymoon.net

The post Preparing for your return home to Australia: the countdown is on appeared first on Australian Times News.

You plucked up the courage to leave your old life behind and you feel so much better for it. Without sounding too corny, you have probably been on a journey that enabled you to escape or discover the real you.

So why, in your new life, do you still have so many friends from “back home”?

You wanted to see the world, try new things, learn about other cultures, party in faraway places and meet new people. It is likely, though, that many of the people you have met along your travels and have kept an ongoing friendship with, are in fact your fellow expats.

They probably have similar ideas and ideals as you. They too have packed up their lives and become nomads, running away from it all on a journey of discovery. They might even come from your same home town. Sometimes you can’t help but think: “How did I travel to the other side of the world to become mates with someone who lived only a few streets away from me in high school?”

Expat communities all over the world form over the bond of having come from the same place. They hold the same values and they like the same things. It is only normal to want to be friends with others who are in your boat; it makes sense.

Those that you have left behind will never fully understand you again. They ask about your work, your love life, your intended return date and what you plan on doing when you finally come home to grow up. They may ask why you left home in the first place. They are just not as prone to the travel bug as you – they may never catch it or ever truly understand the affliction.

But the friends that you are making on your travels will understand completely. And because of the special bond you share, these are people who you will be friends with for life. You feel that you don’t have to explain to them why you are travelling. They understand that this is you growing up and discovering yourself. You don’t have to make excuses or reason with them about why. For you, travel is a better choice than buying a house. They just get it.

They say that the hardest part about travel is not the crappy beds, stomach-upsetting food, or budgeting, but the returning home to find nothing has changed and realising that family and old friends can’t see how much you have changed.

But the truth is that everything did change. They have moved on, bought houses, renovated kitchens, had babies, adopted fur babies, been promoted, started their own company, invested in shares, upgraded their cars. You might not see it, but they too have changed.

You’ve accepted that everyone has their own path in life and the friends you left behind are living life differently to you. But you have come to the realisation that you need others who will recognise that your dreams have changed and how you see the world differently.

Befriending expats who are in a similar situation to you means that you can share and discuss your experiences with someone who understands them. As your family away from home, they speak your language and they accept you for who you are. And they are there for you on the occasion that you are feeling a little homesick. What more could you ask for?

Read Jacqui’s blog about her overseas working holiday adventures with her husband: NeverEndingHoneymoon.net

IMAGE: Via Yakovlevmax0/Pixabay

The post Living overseas: Why your best friends now are your fellow expats appeared first on Australian Times News.

I am the perfect case study of self inflicted drama and complications, but I always turn it around and make the best of most situations.

Our (hubby and me) time in London were years in the making and were a dream come true.

I love the way that everyone rejoices when the sun makes an appearance. I love that there are no less than six airports that can take you to another country within an hour. I love that it is affordable. I love that it is accommodating to the busy single or couple lifestyle. And I love that the museums are (almost) all free!

While I have loved my time here, I feel that I will be (eventually) returning home to Australia a changed woman; but possibly not for the better.

London has made me impatient and lazy. I am one of those awful people that roll their eyes and huffs when the Tube is delayed for more than 3 or 4 minutes. Even though I pride myself on being a live-in-tourist, I clench my jaw in frustration when actual tourists clog up the Tube with suitcases during peak hour or stand lost in the middle of the narrow footpath with a huge umbrella and their map the wrong way around. I clear my throat loudly when I am waiting for the cashier to finished trawling Facebook when I am waiting to be served.

I swear that I was not this bad when I lived in Australia! Over here in London, I have definitely been spoiled.

London caters well for the busy individual or couple. There is no need to create your own culinary experience when healthy, cheap food comes pre-packaged for easy re-heating. Rooms come fully furnished in well-equipped flats and public transport across the city provides the means to get almost anywhere in greater London within an hour.

Despite the perceptions many people might have about living in a big city, the lifestyle in London seems be laid back and relaxed. On any night during the week you can find someone to have a cheeky pint (or three) with. When the sun comes out Londoners run outside, roll up their sleeves and simply celebrate the warmth. There are crazy activities happening all the time — a cockroach tour at the Science Museum, a hot tub cinema, live music, free yoga in the park, sport activities, ice skating, numerous tours and limitless shopping opportunities.

When London is operating, it works well. But when one of its components falls out of place, it can be a disaster — especially for someone who has become used a certain standards, such as the Tube running every 2 minutes and foot traffic moving at a quick and steady pace.

It is the quick, instantaneous standard of living that I have become accustomed to. In less than two years I have become used to the unlimited public transport connections, travel opportunities and ease of busy city living.

When we return to Australia, I fear that it will feel like a different planet. Culture Shock is the term usually used when referring to an immigrant or tourist becoming disorientated when experiencing an unfamiliar way of life. But could it apply when you are trying to integrate your way back into an old life?

Eventually we will be battling our way back home to Brisbane. It will take longer to fly from one major city to another in our home country than it takes to fly from London to Amsterdam. Once we arrive in Brisbane the public transport is another story altogether. The trains operate every 15 — 20 minutes, while many bus routes are even less frequent. Then there is the cost of food, petrol and beer to contend with.

We often hear of Brissy folk who can’t return home to the “small town living” after their rite of passage in London. Instead, many travellers will move on to bigger things in Sydney or Melbourne. I am afraid that we might be on a similar path.

Read Jacqui’s blog about her overseas working holiday adventures with her husband: NeverEndingHoneymoon.net

IMAGE Via Pixabay

The post I have absolutely been spoiled by London, and it may not be a good thing appeared first on Australian Times News.

1) Brighton and Hove

Best for: Pebble beaches, seaside sun, retro markets, hens/stag parties.
When to go: Spring and summer.
What to see/do: 1. Rides and games at the end of the Pier, 2. Markets, chic cafés and retro stores in The Lanes, 3. The beach, 4. Banksy street art.
How to get there: South West Train or Southern train from Victoria Station or London Bridge Station, National Express from Victoria Coach Station.
Where to eat: Fish and chips on the beach, 24 St Georges, Pop Pie, Blue Mango.

2) Portsmouth

Best for: Maritime history, seaside sun, history in general (launch of the first fleet to Australia in 1787).
When to go: Visit anytime the sun is out and the wind is mild
What to see/do: 1. Follow the Renaissance Trail along Portsmouth‘s Millennium Promenade, 2. Go to the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard and Royal Marines Museum, 3. See the view from atop the Spinnaker Tower.
How to get there: Train from Waterloo Station or Victoria Station, National Express from Victoria Coach Station.
Where to eat: Grab a quick bite or Jamie’s Italian in the Gunwharf Quays shopping complex, or settle into a beer garden and enjoy a pub lunch at Spice Island Inn or Old Portsmouth in the sun as the ferries glide past.

3) Oxford

Best for: UK history lessons, architecture, pubs.
When to go: Anytime.
What to see/do: 1. Join a guided walking tour from the blue gates of Trinity College, 2. Explore the quads and buildings of the colleges, 3. See the view from the top of St Mary the Virgin Church , 4. See the famous great hall and grounds that Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone film were based on.
How to get there: First Great Western train from Paddington Station or the “Oxford Tube” bus from Victoria Station.
Where to eat: Oli’s Thai, St Giles Cafe, and The Covered Market.

4) Richmond Park

Best for: Countryside, wildlife, picnics, walking.
When to go: Visit on a sunny day.
What to see/do: 1. Take a picnic and games, 2. Walk through the forest, 3. Watch the deer frolic in the wilderness.
How to get there: National Rail train or District Line tube to Richmond Station and then catch the 371 or 65 buses to the pedestrian gate at Petersham.
Where to eat: take a picnic or find a local pub nearby.

5) Woodstock & Blenheim Palace

Best for: UK history, architecture, walking, countryside, wildlife, a family day out, pubs.
When to go: Anytime. The Palace is open 10.30-17.30 daily until 20 December.
What to see/do: 1. Tour the Palace and walk through the vast parkland full of wildlife, 2. Visit the Formal Gardens and The Pleasure Gardens, 3. Enjoy the village atmosphere and pubs in Woodstock.
How to get there: First Great Western train from Paddington Station or the “Oxford Tube” bus from Victoria Station to Oxford Station then catch the S3 bus towards Chipping Norton and depart at Blenheim Palace. Allow 2.5 hours for the total journey each way.
Where to eat: Blue Dog & Sought,Woodstock Arms, The Punchbowl, The Blenheim Buttery, The Crown.
Where to stay nearby: The Blenheim Buttery, Macdonald Bear Hotel, The Feathers.

6) Peak District & Chatsworth House

Best for: UK history, picnics, a family day out, Pride and Prejudice or Jane Austen fans.
When to go: Anytime. Visit on a sunny day to enjoy the countryside.
What to see/do: 1. Explore Chatsworth House and its manicured gardens, 2. Discover rugged moorland, rolling hills, lush meadows and leafy forests, and derelict mills near Lumsdale, 3. Visit 19th century Riber Castle with glorious views over Matlock.
How to get there: East Midlands Trains train to Matlock from London St Pancras International allowing 2.5 hours each way. Catch the 217 bus to Chatsworth House.
Where to eat: Charlies for fish and chips in Matlock Bath, Matlock Meadows for real dairy ice-cream.
Where to stay in Matlock: Red Lion (from £70 per night), Castle Green Guest House, Riverbank House, Ellen House B&B. In Cromford: Alison House.

IN-TEXT IMAGES: Jacqui Moroney

TOP IMAGE: Seafront, Brighton and Hove (Via Pixabay.com)

Read Jacqui’s blog about her overseas working holiday adventures with her husband: NeverEndingHoneymoon.net

The post Countryside delights and seaside rambles: six great day trips and weekend escapes from London appeared first on Australian Times News.

This is not something that I usually mind, but a few of my friends laughed at me for saying “thank you” to the driver as I departed a London bus.

Now, this particular bus driver had not done anything at all to deserve my thanks and was, in fact, fairly grumpy. However, I like to think that my thanks might have brightened her day just a little.

Then I read an article that claimed to have sent undercover reporters to 35 countries to assess the politeness in their biggest cities. London and Paris were tied for 15th place in the most courteous list of countries, with Auckland ranked 7th. Deservedly, New York was ranked number 1. This makes sense to me, as it is tied with London for my favourite two cities.

But where was Australia represented on the list?

Regrettably, Sydney was tied with Milan as number 24 on the LEAST courteous list, lumped in with the likes of Bangkok, Amsterdam and Montreal. I was saddened by this revelation as I like to think that my fellow Aussies are always polite, and that old-fashioned customer service is still evident in our friendly but laidback life-style.

Apparently not…

Maybe I think too highly of my fellow Aussies? It’s something that became apparent after my two friends laughed at me when I thanked the grumpy, old bus driver in the middle of London. You see, they were both Aussies. Even my husband had a giggle at my expense.

While some people might think that being overly polite is insincere and humbug, I am truly a believer that being polite is all about being considerate and appreciative of others. Just like booking your transport, packing your underwear, or investigating the cultural norms of your travel destination, I believe that being courteous and polite are essential qualities for every traveler (and human being).

After having lived in London, I was not surprised that the city fared better than most… but tied with Paris? After our misfortunes in Paris and being forced to deal with local police and foreign embassies while trying to replace stolen passports, I just can’t see how Paris was considered London’s equal in terms of politeness.

Although in terms of pastries, Paris is definitely your lady.

Read Jacqui’s blog about her overseas working holiday adventures with her husband: NeverEndingHoneymoon.net

TOP IMAGE: Via Pixabay

The post Do you say ‘thank you’ to the London bus driver? appeared first on Australian Times News.

No matter how you travel, there is always room for mishaps, mistakes, disasters and embarrassing moments. Trust me, it happens. You just need to be prepared and remember, what’s the point in travelling if you don’t have a good story to tell at the end of it?

In what I hope makes for a good story (and might help you to prepare for the unexpected), here are my five top travel fails and most cringe-worthy moments:

1) Where’s the painting?

Thailand, February 2011: Along with good friends Ryan and Loren, Daniel and I spent an amazing two weeks exploring the culture and beaches of Thailand. We had just checked in for our flight from Phuket to Koh Samui when Loren asked us where our painting was. It took a few moments for Dan and I to realise that she was talking about the tube which contained a large rolled up canvas that was a beautiful piece of artwork we had purchased a couple of days previous.

Much to our horror, we realised that it was lost in the back of the taxi we had hailed outside our hotel earlier that morning. We quickly contacted the hotel, who sent someone out to speak with other taxi drivers on the street. Eventually we were able to convey to them our issue and, after much broken English conversation and confusion, they helped to track down our driver. He promptly turned back to the airport to deliver our package. I still remember the sight of Dan running through crowds of people and security checks to make it onto the flight just in time.

Lesson learned: To this day, “where’s the painting?!” is a question we regularly ask each other as a prompt to double check that we have all of our belongings with us.

Travel tips: The ultimate packing list.

2) The Hangover: Viva Las Vagas!

Las Vegas, May 2012: We woke to persistent alarm clocks, a glass door detached from its hinges, a broken glass sprinkled all over the floor, and our belongings strewn from one end to the other of our Flamingo hotel room. Our three nights in Vegas had been alcohol-fuelled madness, but so much fun! Sadly, we were charged for the “damage” to the unhinged door that I had stupidly dropped on my left leg as I tried to pull it open (as it turns out, it was a sliding door).

Upon arriving dishevelled and hungover at the airport we were told that our flight had been bumped forward an hour and had left without us. I attempted to sleep off my hangover on the airport floor and Dan played a round of slot machines while we waited 5 hours for our replacement flight. The small aeroplane that took us San Francisco was bumpy and claustrophobic. It was the last thing my hangover could handle and I spent much of the descent in the bathroom.

A few days later, while we were in New York, I handed over US$250 for an X-Ray of my severely bruised left leg. The diagnosis was ligament damage and the treatment was rest, ice and compression. This injury earned me a fancy old man walking stick for the duration of our stay in the US. I was lucky considering I didn’t have any travel insurance for this trip and the doctors were wary about treating me at all.

Lesson learned: Travel insurance!! Always have travel insurance… and don’t drop doors on yourself.

Travel tips: How to choose the best travel insurance for you.

3) Steak-bakes and crutches

London, August 2012: On a weekend trip to watch the Aussies smash the British in the Men’s Volleyball during the London Olympics 2012, we stayed at a hotel in Earl’s Court. On the day of our departure, we went on a morning outing and then decided to split and meet up at the EasyBus airport transfer stop. Dan went to the hotel to collect our luggage and I slowly hobbled on my crutches to the bus stop. In a costly error of judgement, that I can only put down to his Greggs Steak Bake addiction, Dan decided to stop for a snack on his way and we missed our scheduled transfer.

We arrived at the airport 30 minutes later than planned to a large delayed queue for the security check. Since travelling with crutches can be troublesome and slow, airport services transported us on a motorised cart the other end of the terminal, delivering us to our gate just as the doors closed. The airline turned us away and we watched out flight pull away.

Dejected and over budget, we returned to France on the EuroStar later that afternoon. Had the card services been operating correctly at the ticket office that day we would have been out of pocket over £260.

Lesson learned: it is better to rush to wait than wait to rush. I would rather rush to the airport and wait around for my flight than stress about getting there in time.

Travel tips: Tips for travelling with crutches.

4) Burned by Ra, the Egyptian god of the sun

Egypt, April 2013: We celebrated our first wedding anniversary by joining a 14 day tour in Egypt. We arrived in Cairo a day early and enjoyed the warmth and the sun by the pool of our resort-like hotel after almost 9 months in London and suffering through our first ever northern hemisphere winter. As a fair skinned person from Australia I am an advocate of sunblock, hats and shade, but it seemed to have slipped my mind and I paid no attention to the hot ball of gas illuminating the sky.

At first the burn was tender. Within a couple of hours it was painful, and the following morning I could barely walk. My legs were so red raw that they had swelled to the point that I could not bend my knees.

We joined our tour group and I spent the first week of the tour applying creams and gels and covering up the hideous burn with thick jeans or long pants. It was agonising and embarrassing, but I was grateful that it was just my legs.

Lesson learned: don’t trust the burning sun no matter where you are in the world. It is not your friend.

Travel tips: Finding the perfect tour.

5) Paris Broke Me

Paris, June 2012: On a spring eve on a pub crawl through the historical district of Montmartre in Paris, we enjoyed a drink (or three) in an Irish pub. It was a couple of weeks after I had dropped a door on my leg in Vegas and we were still getting around to organising our travel insurance.

At a point in the night when I was both careless and merry I noticed that my bag was not on the table beside me. When I asked the bartender to help me look for the missing bag he mentioned that a man had just left the bar carrying what could have been my bag. In a fit of what I can only describe as hysteria, I ran outside after the bag, tripping over the kerb in my haste and falling flat on my face, injuring my left foot. (Why is it always the left?)

We found the man who we believed stole our bag, but he was adamant that he didn’t speak English and he claimed not to have my bag. Drunk, bag-less and unable to walk, we retreated back to our hotel and I cried into the night. I was devastated and broken.

My bag contained all of my credit cards, travel cards, bank cards, driver licence, cash and BOTH Dan and my passports containing our UK working visas. I no longer had a single original document that could prove my identity. Dan got me crutches and we spent the next few days at police stations and the Australian Embassy sorting out replacement passports and police statements.

Six days later we arrived in Lyon, France, and I had X-Rays of my left foot at the local hospital. Up to this point I had been hobbling on crutches, too stubborn to give into the pain and add another disaster to the list of travel fails on our honeymoon. My madness meant that my acutely fractured fifth metatarsal was displaced with my hobbling and I earned myself expensive foot surgery and 10 weeks in a non-weight baring cast… in France… on my honeymoon.

The financial blow that we took for all the foot surgery and medical bills in France was large. Recovering the passports and our work visas was more. Travel insurance would have come in handy…

Lesson Learned: Be wary, dear Traveller, and take care of your belongings, for tourists are targets for theft and pick pocketing. Keep copies of everything and never keep all of your important items in the same place.

Travel tips: What to do when your passport is lost or stolen.

I truly can not stress enough – TRAVEL INSURANCE is so important and can help you in almost every situation.

Travel mishaps and fails are all part of the journey and make for a good story at the end of it. Remember not to panic, go with the flow and ask for help. You might not believe it at the time, but eventually you will be able to look back on your trip and laugh about it.

Read Jacqui’s blog about her overseas working holiday adventures with her husband: NeverEndingHoneymoon.net

TOP IMAGE: Ryan McGuire via Pixabay

The post Five biggest travel fails: suck it up and laugh appeared first on Australian Times News.

School leavers do it for their gap year before starting university and, of course, many twentysomething Aussies and Kiwis make the voyage to the UK for a two year working holiday – that traditional rite-of-passage.

But what if you have just passed through your mid-twenties, graduated university many-a-Jagerbomb ago, and have just been hitched? Is it acceptable to follow the herd heading to the northern hemisphere with nothing but a smartphone, camera and backpack? What age is ‘too old’ to experience that traditional ‘gap year’ or ‘working holiday’?

Life experience and no savings

Unless you have been living under a rock for the last decade or more, you must know that Generation Y (those born 1981 — 1999) is shaped by constant social connectivity and known for living off credit. Work seems less fundamental and we are much more flexible about how we work, when we work and why we work. But Generation Y’s flexible work ethic and increased spending means that it is much harder to break into the property market or score a high paid management job in the hope of settling down. Instead, our CVs are overflowing with ‘life experience’ and our savings accounts have become overdrafts.

When faced with a life-changing opportunity Generation Y have the ability (but perhaps not the money) to say “why not?”

Why not see the world at an age when you can better appreciate the history and the culture, not just the cheap hostel beds and student drinking prices? Why not live out of a backpack and experience the world with my best friend? Why not move to London, jobless and homeless, in our first year of marriage?

The benefits of coupling it on the road

My husband and I travel as a couple, share our expenses and together we are creating memories to last a lifetime. Traveling as a couple means that there is always someone to help carry your pack and there is someone to take a photo of you doing stupid poses at the leaning Tower of Pisa or on the back of an elephant.

In our case, it also meant that I had someone to cry with after my bag was stolen in Paris and I had someone to help me with the forms for our replacement passports. I also had someone to sit in hospital with, waiting for X-rays, numerous doctors’ visits and surgery to fix my broken foot.

It doesn’t bother me that we missed out on the traditional gap year. Our one-way, around-the-world honeymoon became an incredible adventure, and sharing the whole experience with my best friend made it much less scary.

We didn’t do a ‘gap year’, we did a ‘honeymoon year’. If you are hitched or getting hitched, throw caution to the travelling winds and give it a go. You won’t regret it.

Read Jacqui’s blog about her overseas working holiday adventures with her husband: NeverEndingHoneymoon.net

IMAGE: Via Pixabay

The post Is being married too old to do the working holiday thing? appeared first on Australian Times News.

Leadenhall Market

Tucked between busy Gracechurch Street and the striking Lloyds of London building, the scenic Leadenhall Market stands on what was the centre of Roman London and is now the centre of the financial district. The market dates back to the 14th century when it was used primarily as a game and poultry market and is now home to restaurants, retailers and a number of classic British pubs.

The beautiful and ornate roof structure was designed in 1881 and shelters the cobblestone streets and drunk brokers as they spill out of the pubs on almost any evening during the week. It’s much quieter on the weekends; a perfect opportunity to wander through the narrow passageways and boutique stores.

St Dunstan-in-the-East

This gem is a couple of minutes walk from Leadenhall Market and is located between the Tower of London and the Monument. Built in 1100, St Dunstan-in-the-East was largely destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666 and again in the Second World War Blitz in 1941. The Grade I listed ruins and are now a stunning and peaceful public garden right in the centre of the City of London.

Somerset House

Somerset House is a large Neoclassical building designed and built in the late 1700s and extended with Victorian wings in the 1800s. It’s located on the south side of the Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames.

Surrounding the stunning central courtyard, Somerset House is an art centre with galleries and offices that are home to “the largest and most diverse collection of creative organisations, freelancers, artists, makers and thinkers in London.” On the day we visited, the 55 courtyard fountains that usually dance in the summer were turned off while members of the general public wandered around reading books out loud. It was one of the many contemporary installations that feature at Somerset House at any time of the year. During the winter, the beautifully list courtyard is home to a gorgeous Christmas tree and ice skating rink.

The unique Stamp Stair and the Nelson Stair stand at either end of the South Wing and connect historic rooms and spaces across five stories. They’re often filled with budding photographers fighting for the best angle.

London’s bridges

London is home to 24 road, rail and foot bridges that span across the River Thames from Kew Gardens to Tower Bridge and offer brilliant views of the city landscape. Often confused with London Bridge, Tower Bridge is probably the most iconic. Here’s a photo of Amber and Tower Bridge a few months ago.

I snapped a couple of in-the-moment rockstar shots as we crossed Waterloo Bridge from Somerset House to Southbank. The crisp, cool air and cloudy skies were a great contrast against the historic and iconic buildings that line the River Thames.

Waterloo Station and the London Underground

I love the London Underground. Not only is it a fast mode of transport that easily zooms millions of people every day from one end of London to the other, it’s also a great place for people watching. As are the major train stations located around central London.

This shot at Waterloo Station was mainly an excuse to experiment with the manual settings I don’t use very often on my Fujifilm X-T10. But I’m sure Amber and Rory had fun gazing into each other’s eyes standing perfectly still for a few minutes at a time while I tried to get the perfect angle. ????

On our way home I couldn’t resist snapping this one on the Jubilee Line. I think it’s my favourite.

I would love to hear what you think about these photos and if you have any suggestions for other hidden gems in London. I have a few up my sleeve, so stay tuned for a second instalment!

*All shots in this post were taken by me

Camera: Fujifilm X-T10

Lens: Fujinon XC 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OIS II Lens and XC 50-230mm f/4.5-6.7 OIS Lens

Accessories: small tripod (cheap) and my camera bag – nothing fancy!

_______________________________

Feature courtesy of Jacqui Moroney’s NeverEndingHoneymoon.net

The post Amazingly romantic places in central London you need to see (and photograph) to believe appeared first on Australian Times News.

The morning rush northbound on the Northern Line is certainly an experience you only need to go through once before you realise you don’t want to do it again. The pushing, elbowing and shoving to get on the bloody thing is enough to put anyone off. If you are lucky enough to actually squeeze onto the already overflowing carriage, ducking your head for fear of being decapitated by the closing doors, you then find yourself crammed under someone’s armpit, between someone’s soft man boobs and a lumpy backpack with someone else’s hair in your mouth. That’s ok, since you don’t talk on the Tube anyway and there is no need to hold on — you are not going anywhere fast.

Then there is the awkward elbowing and shuffling at each stop for people getting on and off. You know you are not doing it right if you are not touching someone else.

On the very rare occasion (like when you go to work an hour early) you get lucky and there is enough space for you to stand peacefully and read the morning news with one hand while clutching the germ ridden poles with your free hand.

Don’t get me wrong; while it is not particularly enjoyable, it is all part of the ‘living in London experience’. The only thing you can do is take advantage of it. Hence, ‘Tube people watching’.

Tube people watching can be a relaxing and enjoyable way to pass the time if you have no free hands to read your morning paper. It can be informative, inspiring, and a healthy alternative to Facebook stalking or other addictive social media that seem to be hindering the world’s ability to be social without electronics.

The London Underground offers what some afficionados might say is one of the world’s, if not THE world’s, finest people watching opportunities. On the Tube you can find a variety of people from all walks of life. Each Underground line and each stop offer a smorgasbord of entertainment and questions yet to be answered.

Why is that man wearing glasses with no lenses? Are you allowed to bring a dog that big on the train? Will that woman finish her Sudoku before she gets to her stop? Is that a girl or a guy dressed up like a giant hotdog? Will the young guy ask for the number of the girl he has been making eyes at since Bank? Where are the couple in the ball gown and white bow tie going? Can I go with them? Where can I get a satchel like the one that woman has? Is that guy with the guitar in a band? Maybe he’s famous?

There are people from different parts of the world, people from different socio-economic backgrounds, people wearing expensive suits, people reading the latest romance novels and homeless people wearing newspapers. The most difficult part about being a people watcher, especially on the Underground, is not to be caught daydreaming like a moron.

So the next time you find yourself crammed on the Northern Line during rush hour, look out for girls like me… a fresh faced Aussie with a hint of a smile, moronically gawking in wonder at the masses as they migrate through London.

Check out more of Jacqui’s observations on her personal blog, NeverEndingHoneymoon.net

The post Is the best people watching in the world on London’s Tube? appeared first on Australian Times News.

We should have had our bags packed and ready, tickets printed, and accommodation booked for somewhere in Europe. No one wants to be in Britain right now.

Now that we’re in the first week of August, I’m already forgetting about it: that wild, warm weekend at the beginning of May, when we rejoiced the notion that summer had come early this year and we would be enjoying sunny days for months to come.

Do you remember it? Do you remember the first weekend in May? You were probably sunbathing in Spain and had no idea that you were missing out on London’s only summer fling. It was a long weekend and those who left it too late to get a cheap RyanAir flight out of the country celebrated as temperatures jumped to 22 and 25 degrees Celsius.

It’s a distant memory. A legend. Did it even happen? Did London even have a summer?

I’m sure there have been days that I wore a summer dress and sandals. But, with May temperatures falling to 12 degrees Celsius more often than they reached above 20, could we be sure that it really happened?

Since 2012, this is my first summer in London that we’ve missed out on that glorious “heat wave” all Aussies in London dream of. The days where we boast to our colleagues, “you call this a heatwave? This is what it’s like for eight months of the year in Brissy!” and follow the summer-ready crowds to the closest patch of grass that is not already taken up with picnic rugs, shirtless men playing football and people filling plastic cups with cider and Pimms.

In last year’s heat wave (picture three days in a row where temperatures soared to 30 degrees Celsius), I dashed home from work via Argos to purchase a large paddling pool for our back garden. That afternoon we had a BBQ and enjoyed getting our feet wet – it was simply delightful!

This year, I had to get out my TOG 11 duvet out from under the bed only week after I put it away. Clearly, I got a little too excited too early about a warm summer. I think I’ve worn a scarf almost every day this year – and not because I’m trying to be fashionable. I even had the hot water bottle out one day to warm my cold toes after a walk through the local park.

Get it together, London!

Am I being a little too harsh? Am I’m forgetting that week in July when we were finally surprised by temperatures between 27 and 30 degrees?

No. Don’t get me wrong; there’s been evenings in the park with a bottle of rose, outdoor music concerts and games of Twenty20. But overall, London is putting on a terrible summer show this year. It’s just not cricket!

So, what can we do about it?

Pack your bags and run away to somewhere with sweltering hot days, sunny skies and inviting blue seas. I hear Malta, Spain and Croatia are good this time of year.

Or, if you’re like us and you’ve used up the majority of your annual leave on winter holidays and the mudfest that was Glastonbury, check out London’s summer pop-ups, street food markets, gin bus and hundreds of indoor exhibitions at some of the best museums and galleries in the world. You can see the Natural History Museum’s Colour and Vision, Beatrix Potter’s work at the V&A or original artwork from Roald Dhal’s BFG at the House of Illustration. You can also pay a small fortune to go to see summer blockbusters like Ghostbusters, The BFG or Finding Dori at the cinema (sadly, the review’s for Suicide Squad featuring our very own Margot Robbie have been pretty dismal).

One thing’s for sure, at least now we’ve got more to whine about than just Brexit…

Jacquie is a veteren Aussie expat living in London. Check out her awesome travel blog NeverEndingHoneymoon.net

The post Let’s face it; this London summer has been absolutely dreadful appeared first on Australian Times News.

Australia

There is something serene and sacred but so exciting and wild about this enormous island (and my home country). If you’re planning a trip to Australia, don’t use up all your days surfing the coast. Go “walkabout” and take a trip into the bush, and see what really makes this country so extraordinary. In the Aussie outback there are amazing species of wildlife to meet, as well as incredible people to talk to.

Tanzania

This East African country has become very popular with tourists. And it’s not hard to see why. For such a relatively small part of the continent, it has a remarkable amount to offer you. From the beauty of Mount Kilimanjaro to the extraordinary resorts of Zanzibar, you won’t be disappointed. The islands that make up the archipelago of Zanzibar have beautiful sandy beaches and clear blue waters and few of the best diving spots in Africa. With perfect weather to enjoy, it’s no wonder so many people come here for their holiday of a lifetime. To get an idea about the kind of accommodation you can expect, have a look at www.zanzibarresorts.com and other online resources.

Finland

This little European gem may be cold, but you’ll soon warm to the friendly people and incredible landscapes on offer. There are also plenty of winter sports to try here. And the wildlife in the wilderness is second to none. You can take a trek across the snow or an adrenaline pumping snowmobile. Hear the wolves howling in the forests. Of course, you mustn’t miss the chance to enjoy a Scandinavian sauna either! It’s a great way to get healthy and is considered a wonderful social activity too.

Egypt

If you haven’t been to Egypt yet, then this must be at the top of your bucket list. The pyramids and sphinx are incredible to see from a distance and up close. And, one of my favourite memories of our trip to Egypt in 2013 were the plenty of exciting museums to visit, full of amazing artefacts from the Ancient Egyptians. But there is also plenty to enjoy about modern Egypt too, such as the charming markets and bustling cities. The character of Egypt simply can’t be replicated – it’s an experience of a lifetime.

Traveling the world is something most of us wish we will have a chance to do. But sometimes it is better to focus on just a few places that hold special meaning or intrigue for us. So, when you’re compiling your bucket list of must-see places, consider pushing some of these once-in-a-lifetime destinations to the very top. It’s not every day that you can travel to the far flung corners of our globe, so each trip needs to be special and unique. Where will you go next?

Check out more from Jacqui’s awesome travel blog NeverEndingHoneymoon.net

ADDITIONAL IMAGES: Flickr

The post 4 awesome countries that you just have to include on your travel bucket list appeared first on Australian Times News.

But, did you know that summer is the best time of the year to discover the underbelly of London’s creativity? Especially in July when comic, artist and creative geniuses test their hilarity before heading north to Edinburgh Fringe.

I recently caught up with my mate Robert Blackwood of Interrupt the Routine, to chat about creativity in London, and how his creativity is inspired by his desire to bring people joy (and gin) and by a wonderful trip to Australia that ended disastrously. But, I’m guessing that it’s mainly the gin that inspired him to write a hilarious staged radio play set in Britain post-WWII…

Wait. What on earth is staged radio play?

Picture four energetic actors bouncing across the stage behind four vintage microphones as they slip in and out of multiple characters, accents and costume changes, accompanied by a Foley artist sat behind a table overflowing with everyday objects and props he expertly manipulates into hilarious sound effects.

Think classic Monty Python crossed with the 1960s Get Smart TV series and you might come close to this rollercoaster of comedy and delightfully silly story of mystery, gin, Scottishness, and more gin.

So Rob, what’s with all the gin?

Growing up in a British household, gin o’clock was a regular time for me. At home, a cup of tea or a G&T makes everything alright. It’s that!

And, gin is now very much a part of The Gin Chronicles?

Gin is very much part of the whole vintage experience. The radio play is centred on two funny characters in the 1940s and their love of Captain Botanicals gin, (currently) a fictional brand of gin. But, because we love our audience, we’ve married our British comedy with delicious Darnley’s View Gin and Fentimans authentically English soft drinks to give every adult punter a complimentary Gin & Tonic with their ticket so as to share the whole vintage experience with you!

So you’ve always enjoyed a G&T?

Always. Even when I lived in Japan, my flat was known as the “British Embassy” and we always greeted our guests with a welcoming G&T or a beer. And these days, gin is in. It’s British and it’s very London.

Do you enjoy performing in London before you go to Edinburgh Fringe?

London is so…. right for a lot of people to test. It’s one of the best melting pots, which includes senses of humour. Performers can be hardened by it but it’s a good challenge. You question yourself. What is good? Do I need to change it? Are there more ways, or better ways, to be creative? There’s a raw energy about that.

I like writing/directing/performing but I have to produce because we can’t afford someone else to do it at the moment (though we’ve a plan for that to change). There’s a trick to covering all bases. There are so many companies in London that produce fantastic stuff, but without the marketing savvy they get nowhere. Sadly, you can’t keep doing this for the love of it because London is not the most forgiving city economically.

Still, there are so many people who work so hard in this city to create awesome things, and that includes every one of The Misfits of London. We rehearse all day before heading off to work a long shift at a pub, or as an usher in a theatre, or to host an event. So, my co-director and I have to be careful in what we ask of our actors. In spite of this, London is still one of the top places to try to be great, and if/when you fail, you train better, go to a different venue, and start afresh.

I can’t believe how many characters and accents The Gin Chronicles has! I particularly liked Blue, the Aussie redhead. When you write a play, how do you decide on the characters and the actors?

The Misfits of London have evolved over the last four years. Along with Interrupt the Routine’s co-founder Nick Cowell, Helen Foster (Doris Golightly), Luke (our Foley artist) and I have worked together for the past 16 months on the first instalment of The Gin Chronicles. With The Gin Chronicles: A Scottish Adventure, we’ve got two new actors (Emer O’Connor and Nicholas Limm) and they’ve been wonderful. They have a very different energy and are progressing quickly.

We’ve spent a lot of time evolving our style, but I’m not precious about the script. As the writer I hear the actors and what they’re doing and I try to write to their style and strengths. I adapt to actors in the space. I give them a brief rundown of how I see the character and I’ll leave it to them to develop their own take, and when we recast a show, you see things change again: you thought the rhythm was flowing well but then someone brings their own take to it and there’s a new joy that comes from that. During the process you see how hard people work and how much they want to do a good job. It’s true what they say: comedy is a serious business.

I love Doris Golightly, but Mr Jobling is hilarious! And, you seem very comfortable playing him – any similarities there?

There is a huge part of me that is a ridiculous idiot and I just have to remind myself that Mr Jobling is a loveable singleton who stumbles upon things more by luck than judgement. He has a certain charm that I think people find endearing – it’s a great smoke screen to play with in comedy. And luckily, when his character flaws are exposed, Doris is usually there to save him from fatal idiocy!

I do love playing Jobling; he’s such good fun. And Helen, as Doris (amongst many other characters), really sounds like she’s walked off the set of an Ealing Comedy.

There seems to be something building between them. Will we see more of a relationship in the future?

I love hearing what people think about the characters and it’s a question that’s getting asked more and more. For him, it’s probably a little bit of a class thing. Very Downton Abbey! But he’s so oblivious that I don’t think he’s considered the possibility of a relationship with a housemaid. But in the future…? You’ll have to wait to find out!

Oh, the suspense! So tell us, how did you get into showbiz/performing? What inspires you?

After graduating university, I taught English in Japan, did a master’s degree in drama, and then went travelling. I was in Australia when I broke my neck –

You what?! How?

– Yes. Well, diving into a pool in Griffith. I was airlifted to St Vincent’s in Sydney and spent most of my recovery having the piss taken out of me by the Aussie staff. But, I really think that was what helped me through such a serious and scary time; the laughter.

And, it’s one of the reasons I do what I do now. I like to make people happy. I like to put a good spin on it all. I’ve had great support in life and have grown up in a stable background; my folks are great people. So there’s a lot of relief, joy and gratitude that I can do what I love to do.

There’s a lot in life you can get stressed out about, but our philosophy is that you will leave with the feeling that you had a good time. If we can help people get over a bad day or just laugh – then we’ve done our job.

So, that’s the aim in Edinburgh – to make sure everyone has a laugh?

It will be the tonic to their day!

We work so hard to bring joy… and gin. If you come to see us you’ll be part of a great big vintage- and gin-based hug.

_

So, you heard it here first, Londoners! Cancel your weekend trip to Ibiza or your tour around the Greek Islands because summer could be your last chance to experience some free amateur comedy or a hilarious new play before they head north to Edinburgh Fringe. Get on it!

For tickets, go here

The post Summer: the best time to enjoy comedy and gin in London appeared first on Australian Times News.

Most people seem to love having a drink and a chat with the token Aussie, even if it is only to practice their own English and ask if we really ride kangaroos to school. It quickly becomes evident, though, that Australians are known to be some of the biggest drinkers in the world (cheers!). Second only to the Irish, apparently.

But being Australian also means that most people consider you to be approachable and friendly.

A big disadvantage of being an Aussie, though, is the lack of having a second language. Don’t get me wrong, there are many Australians that can speak a second language, whether it is because they learnt it at school or their family speaks it at home. However, I would also hazard a guess that there are many more Australians who would not be able to muster more than “hello”, “thank you” and “sorry” in another language.

There is, though, the bloke my uncle claims to know who can say: “I’ll have a beer, my friend will pay” in more than 20 different languages.

I sadly fall into the category of speaking no other languages, so my first tour of Europe was certainly an eye opener.

In many European countries the locals are happy to listen for a minute while you struggle through a translation, trying to order food or find out where the nearest train station is. If you are lucky, many locals will also know a bit of English or may even speak English better than the average Shazza or Bazza. The big cities are usually fine, but sometimes you will find someone who does not want to give you the time of day, or simply cannot understand a single word you are trying to mime.

It was when we were trying to order three days’ worth of skis and snowboards in Andorra that hubby and I really hit a bump in the road. Mr Shopkeeper was adamant that he did not want to overcharge us but when we realised that there was no common language between us, being overcharged was unavoidable. Mr Shopkeeper kept asking us for our “second language” and we could only embarrassedly mumble “none” under our breath.

This guy spoke five different languages, none of which was English. Eventually, exhausted over the entire encounter after a long day of travelling, we went to pay for our gear and were astounded when Mr Shopkeeper called out my last name excitedly.

He had established the last name in my passport was the same as his favourite James Bond actor, and quickly baptised me as “Bond”. Some things are obviously big enough to cross over the language barrier.

Back at work in London, when I was the token Aussie in an office full of many different languages, there was only one thing I could do – teach them the common tongue of ‘Straya, of course! Educating them in the finer art of slurring “G’Day, mate!” and drawling out a “howzitgoin’?” was my gift to international linguistics and diplomacy.

Check out Jacqui’s travel blog, Never Ending Honeymoon

The post It’s difficult, even embarrassing, only knowing two languages: English and Australian appeared first on Australian Times News.

Explore ancient Roman ruins and French culture in Lyon, France

Founded in 43 BC by the Romans, Lyon is located in 470km south of Paris and is a great weekend destination for relaxed French culture, delicious cuisine and incredible local wines. A hidden gem itself, the beautiful city of Lyon is also known as the gastronomic capital of France and boasts an ancient amphitheatre and a number of historic sites to explore.

Atop Fourvière Hill, the UNESCO World Heritage listed Grand Roman Theatre is an impressive reminder of Lugdunum, the Gallo-Roman city which would later become Lyon. Part of the theatre was built in the centre of the ancient settlement in 15 BC, and the final construction of the larger 108m diameter amphitheatre was completed at the beginning of the 2nd century. The Grand Roman Theatre is open daily (except Mondays) and is free to visit.

Seating 10,000 people, the well-preserved ruin is one of the most impressive Roman sites in France and is still used as a cultural venue today. If you are fortunate enough to visit Lyon during the Nuits de Fourvière festival, you can purchase tickets to a theatre, music, dance, or opera performance that takes place in the theatre each year.

(Foodie tip: try a traditional Bouchon (a communal restaurant serving local French cuisine), or Cousin Cousine & Co. for their Tartar de Beouf served with a Beaujolais or Cotes du Rhone wine.)

The awesome peace and beauty of Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia

One of the most beautiful and colourful natural sites in the world is Plitvice Lakes National Park in central Croatia. Located just a few hours’ drive south of capital city Zagreb, the UNESCO registered park features beautiful blue lakes, natural travertine dams, a range of fauna and flora, and stunning waterfalls. It’s no surprise that the largest national park in the country is an increasingly popular tourist destination and a must-see when you visit Croatia.

Plitvice Lakes National Park is world famous for its sixteen cascading lakes that are interconnected by a series of waterfalls and rivers stretching over eight kilometres. The impressive lakes are renowned for their distinctive and ever-changing colours that range from azure to green, grey or blue, depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight.

A number of walking paths, buses and ferries enables visitors to easily explore the beauty of the lakes and some of the park that spreads out across 300 square kilometres of mountains and woodland. The entire walk, including a bus ride to the upper lakes and a ferry ride across to the lower lakes, can take about five hours and is well worth it.

(Accommodation tip: there are numerous camping grounds and holiday parks with caravans and cabins in the area. They provide inexpensive accommodation and usually have a small restaurant, kitchen and recreational area.)

Surf’s up in Zarautz, Spain

If you are in Europe and searching for a laid-back and affordable beachside paradise, look no further than the beautiful city of Zarautz in Spain. Located on the Cantabrian Sea in Basque Country (north Spain), Zarautz is well connected by train and bus to San Sebastián and Bilbao, and has become a popular summer spot for Spanish locals. And, it’s not hard to see why!

Zarautz features a historic town centre and a quiet promenade that stretches the length of the 2.5 km long surf beach. The beach itself is just like a postcard; on the smooth golden sand, blue and white striped tents provide shelter for families building sandcastles and enjoying the sun. In the water, surfers stretch out on their boards atop the crystal blue sea and weave between the swimmers as they catch large rolling waves into shore. Zarautz’s waves make it a nirvana for all surf-lovers, whether they’re competing in world-class surfing competitions or beginners learning how to surf.

If surfing isn’t your thing, the promenade and pretty town center are filled with small bars and restaurants boasting traditional cuisine, such as delicious “pintxos” (Spanish tapas) and fresh fish casseroles, which can be paired excellently with the local wine. The local cuisine is one of the most exquisite and famous in the whole Basque Country.

(Accommodation tip: the camping ground is cheap and right on the beach!)

(Holiday idea: every year, BBK Live is held in nearby Bilbao. It’s a budget-friendly music festival that features some of the best and biggest international acts. Why not party at BBK Live and recover in Zarautz?)

Discover the Kotor’s fairy tale Stari Grad (Old Town)

Secluded on the picturesque Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska) in Montenegro, the old Mediterranean port of Kotor is one of the most beautiful coastal towns in the Balkans. The medieval-looking city has a population of 13,500 people and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site dubbed the “Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor”.

(Cue: Game of Thrones introduction music) Kotor’s Stari Grad (Old Town) is nestled inside fortifications built during the Venetian period and features well preserved churches, charming squares, and informative museums that will take about two hours to explore on foot. The old town is so beautiful and surreal that you wouldn’t be the only one to think you had just stepped into a fairy tale, or on to the set of Game of Thrones.

The fortifications snake up the steep mountainside above the Old Town to the Castle of San Giovanni (Fortress of St John), also known to the locals as Tvrđave Kotora. Here, at 280 meters above sea level, is the most breathtaking panorama of the electrifying blue fjord and a spectacular bird’s-eye-view of the Old Town’s orange topped buildings below. A walk to the top of the fortress is certainly a must-do on any visit to Montenegro!

(Accommodation tip: the Kotor Old Town East Wing Hostel is great value for money and right in the centre of town!)

(Foodie tip: calamari stuffed with ham and cheese is a local delicacy)

See more photos from our stay in Kotor, Montenegro.

Beach bumming and island hopping from Orašac, Croatia

Orašac is a small hillside town located on the coast just 11km north of Dubrovnik. At the bottom of the hill, just 250m from the main highway and nearby campground, is a secluded pebble beach with warm salty waters.  The turquoise water is deep but calm in the little beach cove. And, there is a stone sea wall from which the kids (and big kids) launch themselves into the sea. A small beachside café offers visitors breezy panoramic views over the ‪‎Adriatic Sea and a seafood cuisine that is fresh and delicious.

From the campground or café, you can arrange for a day trip out to the islands. The boat will pick you up from Orašac beach and take you to the Elaphite Islands of Koločep, Lopud and Šipan. You will have some time on each of the island to explore the little towns, hike up the hills and buy local delicacies such as marmalade and sugary lemon rinds. For lunch, the Croatian skipper cooks up a delicious BBQ fish and continuously fills your glass with local wine while you float in the Adriatic Sea. It’s the perfect day out.

And, since Orašac is so close, you can catch a bus into Dubrovnik and spend the day exploring the medieval old town that was featured in the first few seasons of Game of Thrones. The romantic old city lies within an uninterrupted ramparts that run for approximately 1,940 metres and joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979.

(Accommodation tip: Kamp Pod Maslinom is an inexpensive campground littered with 100 year old olive trees and only a two minute walk from a secluded local beach.)

Discover what else you can see and do in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Check out some more travel blogs by Jacqui at www.neverendinghoneymoon.net

The post 5 off the beaten track (but easy to get to) European summer escapes appeared first on Australian Times News.

Hubby and I had decided that we would move south (sarf) of the Thames River to experience a different scene in London. We’d been in East London since we arrived, and although we’d enjoyed the location and funny quirks of our local area, the time had come to find something a little larger.

The only thing in the way: finding the right room to rent.

Having lived in many sharehouses over the years, I think it is safe to say we were well experienced with all types of people; couples, professionals, uni students and idiots who refused to pay rent for months at a time. But, if I asked, would they tell me I was the perfect housemate?

It begs the question: how much information should you give in a room wanted’ ad?

“We are both friendly 26 year old professionals and recently married” had a mixed reaction. 26 = a bit young. Professionals = No parties. Married = possibly boring homebodies, never leaving the house.

I felt the need to add a little more information and mention that we were tidy, sociable, professionals. However, I strategically forgot the bit about hubby leaving his shoes in the middle of the doorway, and that he is an Aussie Arsenal supporter who can scull a beer in less than 30 seconds. I also didnt want to spoil the vibe by mentioning that neither of us like reality TV or that I have very limited cooking abilities (vegemite toasties are my specialty). Let’s just get to the meet and greet stage first.

On the other hand, ‘room for rent’ ads are often equally difficult to decipher.

When someone states: “we don’t want someone who will stay in their room all the time”, does this mean I have to watch awful TV with them in the lounge room, struggling not to gouge out my own eyes?

How clean and tidy do they want me to be?

If you advertise you are down the road from the pub, does that mean you like to spend all of your time there, or does it mean that it is a really noisy area and you will never get to sleep?

And please let me know how 7 people can fit comfortably in a 3 bed, 1 bath flat!

In between houses we couch surfed with a very generous friend we met in London. I tried to show our thanks by cooking my delicious Spag Bol — the only thing I can cook after ten years of perfecting it.

In what turned out to be another #typicaljacquiday, it turns out that you can’t use any old fry pan on the so-new-it-has-never-been-used Bosch glass ceramic cook top.

Perhaps I am not the perfect flatmate after all…

Check out Jacqui’s own website NeverEndingHoneymoon.net

TOP IMAGE: Via Shutterstock.com

The post How much should you reveal about yourself in a London ‘room to rent’ ad? appeared first on Australian Times News.

Though you might be having the time of your life in London, it is important to remember expectations don’t always match reality.

Here are 10 expectations I had about living in the UK that were put to the test very quickly after landing in London:

Expectation: You’re on a working holiday visa, which means you will be travelling all the time.

Reality: You are always strapped for cash and you end up working six days a week to pay for rent and a short holiday every few months.

Expectation: You’ll work little and play hard.

Reality: You are tired from working so hard saving for the Mediterranean sailing trip you always wanted to go on.  Maybe next week you’ll finally hit up Boujis and hang out with Prince Harry.

Expectation: You will party all the time in London with the new friends you made on your last trip.

Reality: Your friends list on Facebook increases exponentially but you will probably never see them in the person again.

Expectation: You’ll spend your weekends at farmers markets, cafés and funky restaurants.

Reality: You spend your Saturdays trying to get over Friday night drinks and Sundays catching up on TV you missed while out during the week.

Expectation: You’ll spend weekends exploring the English countryside, and will head to the beach in summer for fish and chips.

Reality: Your travel card is valid for zones 1 — 3, and come Saturday you don’t even think about leaving your neighbourhood, let alone London.

Expectation: Groceries, food and transport seem less expensive than at home so it is easy to save money for your next holiday.

Reality: You are also earning much less and you opt for the camping holiday instead of the hotel option.

Expectation: Being in the nightlife capital of Europe, you’ll spend your nights in the coolest bars and clubs London has to offer.

Reality:  The bouncer at Infernos knows you by name.

Expectation: You’ll catch up with friends and family back home on Skype, Viber, What’s App or on the phone all the time.

Reality: The only time for a decent catch up seems to be when you’re recovering from Friday night drinks or Saturday night. Surely they can just Facebook stalk me?

Expectation: You’ll visit all the tourist attractions, learn about history and take in the city’s unique culture.

Reality: Are you kidding?! Those places are full of tourists!

Expectation: You’ll be the exception to the Heathrow Injection curse and go to the gym every night after work.

Reality: You go to the pub every night after work and you start buying looser fitting clothes at Primark. That onesie is now your most comfortable piece of clothing.

Also by Jacqui Moroney:

Australia: Have a good one! (A good what?)

Growing up from the grown-up gap year

10 ways your life will change when you move to London

Read more of Jacquie’s writing on her website NeverEndingHoneymoon.net  

IMAGE: Just a stock photo of a woman in London, musing life. It’s not Jacquie. (Via Shutterstock.com)

The post Life in London: Your expectations vs the brutal reality appeared first on Australian Times News.

I live in alternate realities: I have a “Monday-to-Friday office job” but I am also a part-time traveller, blogger and freelance writer.

I love working full-time and travelling part-time. It’s a lifestyle that works for me and it means that I am not sacrificing one aspect of my life for another. Rather, I am getting everything I want right now.

People often ask me “how can you afford to travel so much?” or “how do you get the time to travel so much?”. Well, let me tell you…

The truth about travel: it’s hard work

We drastically changed our lives so that we could travel the way we do.

Daniel and I left Australia in May 2012 to move to the UK. We left our secure jobs and good incomes, spent much of our savings on a wedding and a honeymoon, and had a great adventure travelling through the US and France. As in every great travel story, we had more than a few unexpected delays (and expenses) and arrived in the UK, broke and desperate for work.

Our first few months in London weren’t great. Daniel worked awful hours in hospitality and I had an admin contact in an office. We were like two ships passing in the night, trying to make ends meet and establish ourselves in a new city.

There were many times during that first 12 months in London that we questioned our reasons for being there.

We couldn’t afford to take the time off to travel through Europe every weekend like we planned. In our first 12 months in London we went to France (to visit my parents), Egypt (because we got 2 for 1 tickets), and camped at Glastonbury Music Festival and in Spain.  We learned a lot about budget travel that year.

Even though we couldn’t afford to travel as much as we wanted and it seemed like we were wasting our time, and our university degrees, moving to London was the best thing we ever did. The work experience and life skills that we gained during our first few months of marriage and the first two years we lived in London were priceless.

I think we are better people and harder, smarter workers for it. And the lives that we live now reflect this.

How do we travel as much as we do? 

After months of hard work and several temporary contracts, Daniel was offered a sponsored role at his company and we made the decision to stay and work in the UK. Without a mortgage, cars and children (choices we have made), we were “free agents” and we loved the lives we had made for ourselves in London.

Luckily, Daniel’s sponsorship and my work as a freelancer/consultant has afforded us to spread our wings and travel more widely and more often than we were able to before.

Each year, we spend close to 25% of our joint income on all things travel. That includes everything: flights, transport, accommodation, tours, transfers, activities, spending money, and festival tickets. Compare this to the 28% of our joint income we spend on rent and bills in London and it is clear that we love to travel.

We have fun challenging ourselves to think outside the box, but we continue to be smart about where we travel to and how we travel.

By planning ahead and asking yourself these simple questions, you can become a frequent traveller:

1. What do you want?

Ultimately, what you do with your money, your time and your life is your choice. No-one else can make that decision for you. And, travelling isn’t the first choice for a lot of people.

It still surprises me how often people tell me that we lead such an amazing life and they want to do the same… and then they don’t.

Some people have genuine reasons why they can’t travel on a frequent basis. But others seem to constantly use the same old excuses: “I have job”, “I have a house”, “I have debt”, “I don’t have time”, and “I’m waiting for a promotion”.

It might take time to pay off your debt or rent out your house, but if you want to travel, you can change your circumstances.

And, want to know a secret? I’ve been promoted faster than colleagues and friends by being open about my goals with my manager or leaving a job that I loved for the unknown. If you are a hard worker and a company truly values you, they will work out a way to keep you.

2. How much time can you take off work and how do you want to spend that time?

Different countries and companies around the world have different annual leave allowances. But sometimes you can also ask for leave without pay.

We plan about 12 months ahead to figure out how we can make the most of our annual leave and public holidays (bank holidays) throughout the year. We prioritise what is at the top of our list of things to do and see in that year, and how much time and money we will need. We also schedule when we have to purchase festival tickets, flights and accommodation, which helps with budgeting.

It’s hard to juggle your time off between family, friends and travel. Make a conscious decision and stick to it.

Alternatively, invite your family or friends away with you! We travel with family and friends all the time (too much?) and we love it!

3. How much money can you save, and what portion of that will be for travel? 

Keep track of your money and be honest about your expenses. Is there a small portion of your income that you can set aside each month for holidays? Can you sacrifice something (your morning cup of coffee, cigarettes, magazine subscriptions, weekly spray tan) to redirect that money to travel expenses?

We have a “family budget” spreadsheet. It tracks all of our income and all of our expenses including rent, bills, public transport, groceries and small things like gym membership and nights out. It also means that we can track what we are saving for travel and what we are saving for other things. Though, if I’m honest, we don’t have much savings for other things.

We are slowly saving for our first home and it will take us years, but we know this will take longer because of our current lifestyle. It is a conscious decision and one we are currently very happy with.

If you have substantial expenses, such as small humans and big mortgages, you might think you can’t travel – but you can!

If international travel is our of the question, travel in your own “backyard”. Have a “satycation” in your own city, find a camping place that is a short drive away to spend some time outside of the city with the family, or find someone (mum? dad?) who can look after your dog or rug-rats for a few days while you escape. There are options if you look and ask!

In June we literally holidayed in our back garden.

4. How can you stretch your budget? What are you willing to sacrifice?

We are budget travellers, but this isn’t because we can’t afford nice things. Sometimes we will stay in a 4 or 5 star hotel, have a fancy night out, or a catch a taxi to the airport. But more often than not, we forgo the nicer things for two reasons:

1. to have a more authentic local experience
2. so we can travel for longer

Recently we met up with friends in the Balkans (a relatively cheap place to travel). Because most people in our group were on very strict budgets, we decided to share the car expenses and camp in tents or stay in hostels rather than hotels. Daniel and I paid £150.80 for our first nine nights of accommodation. Because we had saved so much money on accommodation, we splurged on our last night and paid £146.59 for one night of beautiful accommodation in the Old Town of Dubrovnik.

There are other options:

• House and pet sitting, couch surfing and Wwoofing are ways you can reduce accommodation costs. You can also offset your accommodation costs by renting out your room or house on Airbnb while you are away.
• Overnight buses can be cheaper than flights.
• Buying groceries from the local supermarket is less expensive than eating out at restaurants.

5. Start small with these helpful ideas: 

Start by saving £1,000/$2,000 per year to put towards two weeks of international travel. Then, each year, find a destination or holiday that you want to take that is within your budget.

Rent out your room or house on Airbnb while you are away. This will provide you with a little income to cover rent or a mortgage.

Ask your boss if you can take a sabbatical. It will surprise you how common this is and how open to the idea a company can be. People take time off work for all kinds of reasons – and travel is one of them!

Work remotely. If you are in a job that allows you to work remotely, why can’t you work from a cafe in Berlin, or a beach in Guatemala? Or, work from home on a Friday to get to the airport earlier for a quick weekend break? Or offer to work from another office location for a few weeks?

Create a job where you can work remotely (or become a freelancer) – can you design a web page, get paid for writing, or sell goods online?

Or move overseas, like we did! Depending on your nationality (and passport status), you can apply for a working visa and find a job in plenty of countries around the world. Find out more from your local government agency.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

Also by Jacqui Moroney:

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Do I belong in the UK more than I belong in Australia?

Growing up from the grown-up gap year

10 ways your life will change when you move to London

Read more of Jacquie’s Honeymooning Nomad series about life as an Aussie expat and visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net

TOP IMAGE: By Skrynnik Mariia via Shutterstock.com

The post How can we afford to travel the way we do? appeared first on Australian Times News.

WildHearts is a charity that raises funds to provide micro-loans to people in developing countries so they can start their own businesses and improve their communities. Over 90% of the people they help are women breaking the cycle of poverty.

WildHearts started funding microfinance as a sustainable means on empowering the poor in 2008. They now help people trapped in poverty in 37 countries, with regional focuses on Ghana, East Africa, Central America, Jordan and Haiti.

The micro-loans are as small as £100, but can make a HUGE difference to poor entrepreneurs trying to provide for their families.  Incredibly, over a five year period one £217 loan will sustainably transform more than 67 lives.

Please visit our JustGiving page to find out more and make a cash donation in a totally secure way. 

All funds raised will be donated directly to WildHearts.

Your donation will change lives!

Thanks in advance,

Jacqui Moroney

Jacqui is an Aussie living in London and writes as ‘The Honeymooning Nomad’ for Australian Times.

The post Please donate: Entrepreneurs funding entrepreneurs in the developing world appeared first on Australian Times News.

It’s a Saturday night and I’ve just walked into a living room that could be the set of 1987 Aussie sitcom Hey Dad, or any 1980s Aussie living room, right down to the orange couch, VB stubbies, and the Cherry Ripe sitting in a bowl on the wooden coffee table.

I take a moment to remind myself that I am in Vauxhall, London, and the Aussie living room sitting before us is the set of Australian writer and director David Stevens’ play, The Sum of Us.

To be honest, I’ve not yet seen the 1994 Aussie film adaptation starring Russell Crowe and Jack Thompson, so I was a little hazy on the plot line before arriving. I suppose I didn’t really know what to expect from the off-Broadway (now off-West End) show playing at London’s premier award-winning LGBT theatre, Above the Stag.

The plot revolves around the overly-comfortable (and somewhat unusual) relationship between widower Harry and his footy-playing son Jeff as they each (chaotically) search for “the one”. In the first few minutes of the show, Jeff (played by Tim McFarland) runs off screen to get ready for a big date while Harry (played by Stephen Connery-Brown) breaks the fourth wall to address the audience and announce that Jeff is … “what you might call cheerful”.

The play continues in this House-of-Cards’ fashion with direct-to-audience monologues and we learn that Harry’s mother was a lesbian and Jeff sometimes finds it difficult that Harry is so overly accepting of his sexuality.

With the exception of a scene in a garden, most of the play takes place in the Aussie living room before us and all of the props on set perfectly compliment the era. And I have to admit, I did delight in the rush of nostalgia brought about by the constant stream of Aussie colloquialisms, such as “galah”, “a few bob” and “we were bangin’ like a dunny door”.

The play is hilarious. Jeff’s witty banter, mainly in Aussie slang, is delivered perfectly as he struts around the stage in a towel, a new pink shirt purchased from Australian department store, Myer, and then in his AFL short-shorts as he pulls Christmas tree decorations from a Lowes bag. Harry’s almost over-eager support for his son’s search for a boyfriend is equally comical and he is soon showing Jeff’s potential boyfriend, Greg (or was it Gary?), a variety of gay pornographic magazines that discuss safe sex (because AIDS). There are even some amusing references to the shabby-in-some-places lounge room “feature wall” that has the audience laughing with glee.

After intermission, the play keeps its humorous edge but introduces a slightly dark twist that will literally bring tears to your eyes. But, no spoilers here.

Overall, I loved the play. Under the direction of Gene David Kirk, the breaking down of the fourth wall is done very well, and McFarland and Connery-Brown, supported by Annabel Pemberton (Joyce) and Rory Hawkins (Greg), are a stand-out team as they deliver the story in an entertaining and lovable way.

All I want to do now is watch the 1994 film adaptation, just to see if Russell Crowe lives up to McFarland’s flawless version of Jeff – it will be difficult to beat.

The Sum of Us plays until 4 October 2015

Where: Above the Stag Theatre: Arch 17, Miles Street, London SW8 1RZ

Dates: Now till 4 October 2015

Time: Tue to Sat at 7.30pm; Sun at 6pm, no show Monday

Ticket Prices: Previews £12, £18 thereafter

Box Office: www.abovethestag.com, for group bookings email atstheatre@aol.com

Closest Tube & National Rail: Vauxhall (four minutes walk from the Tube and mainline stations)

Twitter: @thesumofusplay / @abovethestag

Facebook: www.facebook.com/abovethestagtheatre

The post Humorous edge with a dark twist is The Sum of Us appeared first on Australian Times News.

Through all the teasing and flirting, it’s sudden and shocking when summer has finally come. So it’s best to be prepared for the months to come:

1. The tube is a sweaty hot box. During the morning commute your makeup will probably smear across someone’s back and your clothing will be damp with perspiration – not all of it yours. It gets worse when someone has delayed the train suffering from heatstroke and you get caught in between stations.
Prepare: don’t wear a suit jacket, stockings, scarf or anything remotely thick and clingy during your time underground. Stand near the door or window to access cooler air. Take a bottle of water with you and stay hydrated. Avoid the hottest tube lines, it is likely they will have delays anyway.

2. Take advantage of the sun. After months of darkness and gloom, you will need to soak in the sun just a little bit to save yourself from vitamin D deficiency. Join thousands of others stripping down in every local park (or small patch of grass) across the city with a cider and some friends.
Prepare: Get some friends. Buy some cider. Find a park. Sunbathe (responsibly!).

3. Have fun outdoors. There are hundreds of awesome outdoor activities happening throughout summer all over London. Every day of the week you will be able to find an outdoor cinema screening, a rooftop bar, a sun-soaked beer garden, a city farm, a local park, a sporting event or cultural event happening near you.
Prepare: tickets run out fast. Get on every mailing list, pick up your latest copy of Time Out and stay up to date with ticket sales and queue times.

4. Where did all these people come from? After the long winter months of hibernation, people seem to be multiplying. Whether it’s an Anchorman 2 screening at Somerset House, the tennis at Wimbledon or Notting Hill Carnival, there will be crowds all over the city – partying with their guns out, in the flip flops and probably with a cider in hand.
Prepare: follow the crowd. You might end up having an awesome time!

5. Go for a swim. You might be surprised to learn that London has a surprisingly large number of lidos and swimming holes that you can cool down in.
Prepare: get a new bathing suit (that fits). Find a lido and lather those pasty white limbs in sunscreen. Try Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park, Hampstead Heath Ponds, King’s Cross Pond Club, Brockwell Lido, London Fields Lido, Charlton Lido, or Tooting Bec Lido.
Summer has only just begun… and sweat rolling down your face on the Underground is just one of the signs that it’s finally here. Enjoy it while you can!

The post Surviving summer in London appeared first on Australian Times News.

I am in a new job that I enjoy because I am doing and learning new things, or new ways of doing things, all the time. As a consultant, it is one of a few new jobs that I have started in the last eight months.

Outside of work, we travel to new places all the time. When we do go back to somewhere we have been before, we (literally) go out of our way see and do things we have never done there before.

On our fourth trip to Amsterdam in April, we hired bikes to ride out to the tulip fields, ate every Dutch delicacy we could find and dressed up as pirates on a hired canal boat. These were all things we had not done before and it made the short holiday with our friends most enjoyable.

Flirting with your first time

On reflection I have realised that you don’t have to travel far and wide to experience something new.

Hubby and I have started doing something for the first time…

Gardening is something we have done for the first time. We’ve spent hours in our garden, weeding, digging, sweating, and laying seed. Finally, after weeks of toil and hard work, we have finally started to grow some grass! Albeit slightly patchy, it is green and lush and I am so proud of our efforts.

We have also purchased garden tools and power tools for the first time. Learning how to use an electric drill to put together some new shelves was a whole new experience I didn’t think I would enjoy as much as I did.

Another first: I recently paid for a haircut without a Groupon and pre-booked another appointment for six weeks later!

Ok, perhaps I am late to the starting block on this one. Everyone around me seems to pay for a cut by their regular hairdresser, but this was a whole new experience for me and another step on the path to growing up and looking after myself. It’s a good feeling.

Finding ‘first time’ inspiration

In the same vein, I have also started using the NHS Couch to 5km app to learn how to run. Having always been a team sport player and spending the last two years recovering from foot surgery (excuses, excuses!), I am a complete novice in the running department.

I was inspired to get fit by an old flatmate. One day he said he was going for a 5km run for the first time because he wanted to do a triathlon for the first time. We shrugged off his determination and thought it was going to be a short lived venture. Five years later, he has just been selected to represent Australia in a world event in Chicago.

This is the kind of success you can achieve when you do something for the first time.

Be mindful: that ‘first time’ feeling

According to research, new experiences and challenges stimulate the brain to produce dopamine, affecting movement, motivation and the feeling of pleasure. As humans, we need to introduce new activities and experiences into our lives to continuously improve our mental and physical health.

With Mental Health Awareness Week just passed (11-17 May), perhaps we should be mindful of how we think and feel impacts on our behaviour and happiness. In the UK, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in their lifetime and, in 2014, 11 million working days were lost due to stress, anxiety or depression.

Be mindful, give your mental health a boost and try something for the first time.

Try a new restaurant, visit a new networking group to meet new people, start a new hobby like gardening or photography, travel to a new destination, explore an area of your home town you have never been before, take a class, or resurrect an old dream.

There are many fun and inspiring things that are available to us in this amazing world that we live in. So, when was the last time you did something for the first time?

Also by Jacqui Moroney:

Do I belong in the UK more than I belong in Australia?

Australia: Have a good one! (A good what?)

Growing up from the grown-up gap year

10 ways your life will change when you move to London

Read more of Jacquie’s Honeymooning Nomad series about life as an Aussie expat and visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net

IMAGE: Flickr.com/kris krüg

The post When was the last time you did something for the first time? appeared first on Australian Times News.

Having enjoyed time in Munich, Austria and Madrid recently my good expat-Aussie self and hubby opted not to join fellow Londoners in the quest for sunshine and stayed home to prepare for the upcoming summer.

Putting down some roots

We are some of the lucky few in inner-city (Zone 2, for all you Tube travellers) London with a garden.

It is very large, secluded and private. Sadly, in a past life, it seems that it was also used as a garbage dump and previous tenants obviously didn’t care for it. To date, the only beings using the garden are the wood pigeons, next door’s cat and the skulk of foxes that have been wandering through on a regular basis despite the 2 metre high brick walls.

One recent evening (probably after a couple of drinks), the flatmates started to discuss how we could develop the garden into something useable once summer rolled around. We talked about painting the outside walls, laying grass and pruning trees. All activities I don’t think any of us have ever done before.

Getting on the grass

Like any normal London household, we have all lived a somewhat nomadic existence in the past and probably never invested time into a garden. I have never owned a property and I have never rented a property for more than 12 months. But since we like our place and we are planning on enjoying the next two summers here, we figured that it was time that we learned some (grown-up) skills and lay down some grass. From what I see of my friends renovating and landscaping their dream homes back in Australia, how hard can it be?

The first thing that we did was consult YouTube and gardening blogsites. Then we searched online for turf delivery, pavers and paint. Then we decided it all seemed too hard for short term gain – it’s not like we are not laying down roots, so to speak. We just want to make the most of the garden come summer.

Digging history

Instead, we purchased a pitch fork, some hand spades, a couple of buckets, some lawn seed and several pairs of gardening gloves just to see what would happen. Over three days on two weekends, we worked in the garden, digging up weeds with roots over 40cm long and history you have never seen before. From the amount of rubbish we binned and the antique items we unearthed, I would think that it has been at least six decades since someone cared for this garden.

We pruned back the apple tree, but left enough so that we can hopefully make some cider with the apples that will drop in the months to come. We dug up enough bricks and pavers in the earth to edge two garden beds. And we transplanted (what look like) flowers to the garden beds that we created. We sprinkled grass seed and have been watering diligently.

I hope it will be worth it. Despite the back breaking effort, every muscle in my body aching and the sunburn (in seven degrees! How!?), I look out over our (half) finished garden, yell at the birds like I’m a grumpy old man, and beam with pride at the work we have done so far.

How does your garden grow-up?

It turns out that sometimes living in London is not all about parties, musicals and pop-up restaurants. Perhaps we are beyond the grown-up-gap-year. Could it be that we are growing up and putting down roots, just a little?

Now we just have to wait for the grass to grow (not entertaining at all), buy a cider press, and work out how much we can get on eBay for our recently acquired Victorian rope edge garden tiles made by Doulton in the early part of last century…

Also by Jacqui Moroney:

Do I belong in the UK more than I belong in Australia?

Australia: Have a good one! (A good what?)

Growing up from the grown-up gap year

10 ways your life will change when you move to London

Read more of Jacquie’s Honeymooning Nomad series about life as an Aussie expat and visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net 

The post Digging in and putting down roots at my London home appeared first on Australian Times News.

The phone startles me when it rings but I am put at ease when I am greeted by Bernard Fanning’s “Howyagoin’?” His Australian accent has not been lost despite being away from his homeland during the past few years.

Being a Powderfinger fan from way back (my favourite album is Double Allergic, but I partied hard to Vulture Street) I want to know what we can expect from Fanning’s upcoming European tour, what does he enjoy about Madrid and what is his favourite Brisbane bus route.

Fanning, along with his Spanish wife and two kids (5 and 3 years old), has lived in Madrid for the last 18 months. When asked if he is enjoying his “grown up gap year” he laughs: “I love my grown up gap year! This is my second time living in Madrid and I love it!”

So will we see any Spanish influences in his next album, due out in early 2016?

“No. Flamenco is a complicated and cultural art form. I love it for being so complex, but it is something out of my reach.”

So, what can we expect to hear?

“Powderfinger was typically rock, but I think my next record can be described more as acoustic folk. And that is what I am doing over the next few weeks in Europe.”

Fanning is going on tour, but not like he used to…

“I’ve played in London before, but this will be the first time I play in Europe without my band. It will just be me and Matt [Engelbrecht], our guitars, mandolin and bass. I will be playing songs from all my records as well as plenty of new stuff in smaller venues.”

This is new territory for Fanning and something he is eagerly looking forward to.

“All of the gigs are in a stripped back acoustic format. We are testing it out in Europe and I am really excited! I have always wanted to do this and now, while I am living in Europe, it is the perfect opportunity. I hope they like it.

“It is just us and our guitars travelling by train.”

Train? Did I hear that correctly?

“With Powderfinger we travelled on a coach or plane between gigs. The traditional way for folk musicians would be to hitch, but the train is probably more reliable in Europe. It’s not something that could be done in Australia as there are no great train systems, unless you are in suburbia.”

As a Brissy girl with a soft spot for the 385 I have to ask, what is your favourite Brisbane bus route?

Fanning chuckles, “It’s been a while, but I used the Bulimba ferry 37 when I was a kid. And there was always the Duke Street 16, West Toowong bus. It has probably all changed now.”

What about a favourite “old tune” that you like to play?

“It changes every day! I think every musician goes through phases with their own music, just like you would with anything else. One day you could be a Led Zeppelin maniac and the next day you could be a Madonna maniac. My favourite song is generally the one that I am writing at the moment.”

Is there somewhere or something you draw inspiration from when you write songs?

“Sometimes songs are freaks that just appear and form very quickly, or they can be a bigger project that takes a while to come about. Anything [can inspire me], mainly my own personal experience in the world. I don’t write fictional songs and they are mainly influenced by what I have recently read or watched.”

Do you have any advice or words of wisdom for a singer, band or songwriter just starting out?

“Get a manager or agent if you want to be big.”

Where is your favourite place in the world to perform?

“Every place has such a different experience. Powderfinger played in London at the Hammersmith Apollo. That was probably our best gig in 20 years, there was such good ambience.”

Have you ever lived in London?

“I have travelled there a few times, but it is not a place I have ever wanted to live.”

What do you like about Madrid?

“I am embedded in the culture. With the population of Sydney more densely populated, it is extraordinarily busy.”

Living in Madrid, you must have a football (soccer) team you support?

“Atlético Madrid. Partly because my wife’s whole family support Real Madrid and that’s just too easy. They are like Man U or Chelsea, buying all the big players. Atlético Madrid are champions at the moment.”

Having immersed yourself in the city’s culture, what are Bernard Fanning’s must do’s in Madrid?

“[1] El Retiro [The Buen Retiro Park] is the main park in town and is one of the largest parks in Madrid. It was owned by Royal family and used for hunting. It is a beautiful place to see.

[2] The centre of town; walking, eating tapas and drinking beer around a city that has 100’s of years of history. Unlike Australia, you don’t sit down for a big drinking session in one place. Instead, you might eat prawns and one drink at the first place, followed by more anchovies and another drink at the next venue. You keep going to the next place with tapas. This is the Spanish way.

[3] The Prado Art Museum [Museo del Prado] is pretty incredible. It is like the Lourve in Paris, you can’t see it all in one go. It’s huge!”

I agree. I was at the Prado in February and it was great!

I know you hate lists, but indulge me for a moment, if you could collaborate with three artists, living or otherwise, who would they be?

“Prince. Pablo Picasso. And… Tim Winton.”

Fanning enlightens me of Winton’s recent speech about refugees and his plea to stop turning back the boats.

“He’s 100 percent right!”

So, what do you think about the changing world? Has it influenced what you do with your music or how it is shared?

“The medium has changed how music is sent out to the wider world [and] buying music has been devalued. Technology is always going to keep changing, so there is no point in fighting it.”

Nevertheless it won’t influence how his new record is released.

“The album will be released as normal, nothing unusual. Probably a CD and vinyl; there has been a resurgence of vinyl recently.”

Fanning believes that you must “be flexible and adapt quickly” in such a changing world, which is probably why ten years from now he sees himself “being the dad of teenagers, pulling my hair out; a different life to what I’ve been doing.”

Will there still be music?

“There will be music, always, whether it is released or not. It is something I have to do every day. It is a big part of my life.”

Bernard Fanning’s 2015 European tour includes the following UK dates

Cottiers Theatre, Glasgow: Wednesday 29 April

The Ruby Lounge, Manchester:  Thursday, 30 April

Bush Hall, London: Friday, 01 May (Sold Out)

Bush Hall, London: Saturday, 02 May

Get tickets on GigsAndTours.com

Bernard Fanning studio images: Courtesy BernardFanning.com

Follow Bernard Fanning on Twitter and Bernard Fanning on Facebook

The post Bernard Fanning a Spanish flame [INTERVIEW] appeared first on Australian Times News.

Instead, we were faced with the decision of how bogan to let our Aussie Day be. Would we be downing Bundy Rums and Jumbuck’s Pies at The Church? Should we scoff some Pizza Shapes and scull Tooheys Extra Drys to ‘Home Among The Gum Trees’ at Infernos? What about the party at Bloomsbury Bowling or the Walkabout? Perhaps we should spend a messy day at one of the other numerous pubs and venues across London that enable and encourage us to celebrate our heritage in the most ‘Aussie’ (bogan) way possible: sculling drinks while scoffing pies, listening to last year’s Triple J Hottest 100, chanting Aussie classics and using our Australian flags as superhero capes?

I had my hopes up that we would be invited to the BBQ at Richie Benaud’s house, but it wasn’t to be. We settled for huddling around the warmth of a BBQ in the back garden with a mix of fellow Aussies, Kiwis, a token Frenchie and a few Brits. We taught them how to eat a sausage in bread (no need for plates here!) and feasted on homemade ANZAC Biscuits, lamingtons and fairy bread.

Isn’t it amazing that we have the freedom to do that? Isn’t it incredible that we were free to celebrate our national day, in a country on the other side of the world, in the way that we want?

Last year, I wrote: “For me, Australia Day is a time for reflection on our history as well as creating a history that we can be proud of. We are not a ‘young country’ and I respectfully recognise the hardships and wrongdoings that were pushed on our Indigenous by generations past. But I do celebrate our current achievements and values that we can pass down to future generations in the hope that they will do better.”

I stand by that statement, but in light of recent heinous events that have occurred throughout the world, this year I am putting my words into action to help create a history, and a country, I can be proud of.

In April 2013 we visited Egypt, two years after the revolution that ended Mubarak’s 30-year rule and only months before Egypt’s first freely elected president was overthrown. The most memorable part of our tour wasn’t the amazing historical sites, it was speaking with our local guide, Sam. He was a proud Egyptian man and grateful that he was living in a time in Egypt’s history when he could say out-loud that he disliked his president and didn’t fear for his life.

While Egypt is still in political and economic turmoil, and it could be for many decades to come, the uprising was a (small) step in shrinking repressive regimes and the first small step towards freedom of speech.

Freedom of speech, and freedom in general, is something I think we can sometimes take for granted in Australia. We celebrate our national day in the name of freedom, often forgetting that there are people in our past that had their freedom stolen away from them and there are people in our present that are still not free.

The freedom of our people and our freedom of speech are values for which we have come to expect but often forget to be thankful for. We seem to have become more demanding, expecting that we deserve good things and benefits without the need to work for them. We have become less tolerant; shouting down other cultures, religions and minorities by resisting them and openly opposing them for being different. We shame, demoralise and criticize what we don’t like and declare that we have the right to do so because we have freedom of speech. But by letting hatred, anger and distrust spread through our ranks we are becoming less free. What is the point in using your freedom to take away or denounce someone else’s?

In light of recent tragic events around the world, it is more important than ever that we celebrate our freedom by enabling others, when we can, to live freely too. But a good place to start is in our own country.

We can make a difference in a small way by keeping the peace better between each other. We live in a democracy where we can vote and campaign for or against our politicians for change. We live in a time where social media can be use positively and hashtag campaigns such as #iwillridewithyou and #BringBackOurGirls have become beacons of hope and examples of standing by one another. We live in a world where a thank you note, a thoughtful gesture or a kindly spoken word from a stranger, are rarely given but always gratefully received.

So, this year I am celebrating my freedom by making a promise to think about how my own actions and the things I say can affect the freedom of others. I started by truly thinking about how I can help when I cast my vote in my state’s election. I will actively encourage others to live freely and let them know that they can be themselves around me.

By being a little nicer to one another and by allowing others to freely express their views, opinions, religions and their own culture freely, we can continue to build a better, truly free country.

Also read by Jacqui Moroney:

Growing up from the grown-up gap year

10 ways your life will change when you move to London

Read more of Jacquie’s Honeymooning Nomad series about life as an Aussie expat and visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net  

IMAGE: Shutterstock.com

The post Australia: Have a good one! (A good what?) appeared first on Australian Times News.

It was just a holiday

The Working Holiday Visa is just that – a visa that allows you to work whilst on holiday. And, like many Aussies, Kiwis, Canadians and South Africans before us, we took this literally.

In the beginning we clung onto any job that was thrown our way, from catering to data entry to receptionist work, pulling together enough of our low income to pay the rent and fund our next holiday. We didn’t know many people in London, so we had a chance to recreate ourselves and start a-fresh. It was like a new beginning. I felt free to be myself and I like that feeling.

We told ourselves that it didn’t matter that we weren’t using our university degrees, we weren’t saving money, we didn’t have a house and we weren’t settling down. It seemed like our real lives were on hold and, all of a sudden, anything was possible. We were on a two year holiday, a grown-up gap year, and a never ending honeymoon.

Now it’s time to get serious

I realised that returning to Australia would mean returning to reality. We could no longer hope that catching 3 night busses across the city to get home at 4am every Sunday morning was normal at 28 years old. Or think that we could get away with eating unhealthy food and not going to the gym. We would have to be responsible adults and do things we had been putting off for years, such as organise life insurance, get a mortgage and purchase anti-virus software on our laptops.

The decision we made to continue to live and work in London was not made lightly. We knew that if we wanted this to work that we would have to be serious about our careers, think about where we wanted to be in the future and start saving some money. But I am determined that we will not sacrifice the fun.

Perhaps it was more about rediscovering ourselves?

Looking back, I don’t think our grown-up-gap-years in London were just about putting real life on hold while we partied across Europe. Perhaps it was more about rediscovering ourselves, growing up a little bit and building a life without the boundaries that we imagined existed back home?

I learned some of my biggest life lessons in the past three years. It happened while we travelling the world and opening up to new cultures, whilst living in a city so far away from what we grew up with where anything can happen anytime, and meeting new life-long friends. I also learned how important it is to stay in contact and cherish the family and friends we left back home.

Still, our future is in London

We are back in London with more of a purpose than just to “travel and grow up”. We are building up our careers and building a life together. And, while I miss all of our friends and family dearly, I don’t think I could be anywhere else right now.

Also see: 10 ways your life will change when you move to London

Read more of Jacquie’s Honeymooning Nomad series about life as an Aussie expat and visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net  

IMAGE: Shutterstock.com

The post Growing up from the grown-up gap year appeared first on Australian Times News.

Are we more aware of men’s health? Do more men actually go to the doctor for a check-up? Are you aware that November is also Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month? And, if you did grow a mo in support of such a worthy cause, did you officially sign up and ask all your friends to donate?

With the rise of social media and pressure for increased social responsibility, there are more public awareness campaigns than ever. This week my newsfeed has been dominated by the commendable UN campaign International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in conjunction with Australia’s White Ribbon Day. I am truly glad to see this as I believe that it is an indication that awareness has been raised for this very important issue.

I believe this to be a worthwhile campaign, but that is not to say that I do not support and commend all of the other campaigns that we are bombarded with every day, week, and month. But I do question whether we are answering the call to action? Is raising awareness enough?

UNISEF dared to be daring in their Facebook campaign last year by boldly declaring “Like us on Facebook and we will vaccinate zero children against polio”. This was followed by a call to action that asked the public to donate 4 Euros on their website to vaccinate 12 children against the disease.

Crisis Relief Singapore had a similar idea when they released a moving campaign with a clear call to action through its “Liking Isn’t Helping. Be a Volunteer. Change a Life“ ads on Facebook.

The #nomakeupselfie campaign showed its face in 2014. It became one of the Cancer Research UK’s most successful fundraising drives with £8million raised and an estimated two million women across the world sharing pictures of themselves without makeup on social media. The campaign, which encouraged participants to donate £3 and nominate a friend, became viral – which is astonishing since it was the brainchild of the 18-year-old woman from the UK who initiated it, not the Cancer Research UK.

One of the most interesting public awareness campaigns this year saw celebrities, politicians and the average Joe and Jane participating in the ALS Association’s Ice Bucket Challenge. Our newsfeeds and news programs were flooded with short videos and requests for donations. And during the period 29 July to 28 August ALS reportedly received $98.2m in donations, saturation compared with the $2.7m in donations they received during the same period last year.

But several weeks into the campaign, things started to turn a little icy. There seemed to be a backlash of people wanting to use the success of the stunt to raise awareness (and donations) for charities and organisations that were more personal and closer to their own heart. As a result, UK charities like the MacMillian Cancer Support and Water Aid received also a steep spike in donations.

Like with the #nomakeupselfie campaign, no one planned the Ice Bucket Challenge. It is something that may have grown out of a “Cold Water Challenge” in North America which evolved into a request for donations for ALS. Starting with Justin Timberlake, it surged with support from celebrities around the globe and proved the extraordinary, and somewhat uncontrollable, power of social media.

Not everyone donated to the ALS cause. Some people will share a post but never donate money, no matter the cause. There are many reasons for this conscious decision, all of which are really none of anyone else’s business. The only thing that should matter is that the cause benefits in one way or another.

People forget that there are alternative ways to help others in need without donating to larger charities. Pocket change can be donated to homeless buskers. Buy the latest copy of The Big Issue and give the local down-and-out Londoner a sandwich every now and then. In the lead up to Christmas, you can donate your time at a soup kitchen or shelter. I am also a big believer in donating blood as an alternative to donating money.

On the 10th of October I posted on my Facebook account about World Mental Health Day. I did this to raise awareness about depression and other mental health issues that affect so many people every day. I posted about this issue because I know of many people suffering from mental health illnesses in secret. I want them, and others, to not be afraid to talk about depression and other mental health issues that affect so many everyday people.

It was not about asking people to donate or volunteer, though these would have been brilliant outcomes too. It was about trying to combat the stigma that surrounds the issue and to let others know that I am comfortable and happy to talk about it with them if they want to.

If more men got health checks during Movember, if more people were prompted to volunteer to Crisis Relief, and if fewer women are targets of violence, isn’t raising awareness achieving its goal?

So continue to share, post, and like… because sometimes raising awareness might indeed be enough.

Read more of Jacquie’s Honeymooning Nomad series about life as an Aussie expat and visit her website www.neverendinghoneymoon.net  

IMAGE: File image via Shutterstock.com

The post Viral charity campaigns: Is it enough just to raise awareness? appeared first on Australian Times News.

He`s relatively new to the international stand up comedy scene, but Steen Raskopoulos has been entertaining Australian audiences for years. He’s at the Edinburgh Fringe right now and about to hit London.

Circa Sydney 2010, he was known for his entertaining sketches in the weekly group improv routine Full Body Contact No Love Tennis. By 2013 Raskopoulos became a comedic sensation almost overnight with his own first solo sketch show, bruce springSTEEN LIVE IN CONCERT!. He was also a Nominee of the Best Newcomer 2013 Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Winner of the Best Newcomer 2013 Sydney Comedy Festival.

If you have been keeping up to date with your Aussie television, you might also be familiar Raskopoulos’s work in Channel 7`s SlideShow or as an actor and writer of ABC2’s four-part sketch show, This is Littleton (2014).

During the Sydney Comedy Festival earlier this year, Steen performed a rare double-act show with his older brother, Jordan Raskopoulos from The Axis of Awesome, as well as his own ambitious individual sketch show, I’m Wearing Two Suits Because I Mean Business.

Steen found some time in his busy Edinburgh Fringe ‘Business’ schedule to answer a few pointed Australian Times questions ahead of his performances next week of I’m Wearing Two Suits Because I Mean Business at the Soho Theatre in London. Post a memo in your calendar.

Righto, so where did it all begin?

I started doing improv and sketch comedy at Sydney University which has a strong tradition of producing comedic performers such as Rob Carlton, The Axis of Awesome and The Chaser. Last year I thought I should try something different and that’s when I moved into solo sketch comedy.

When did you first realise that you were funny?

When I pissed myself at school and everyone was laughing. I felt pretty cool that day.

What advice would you give new comedians just starting out?

Enjoy the failing. Really enjoy dying on stage multiple times. Then quit and stop taking my jobs.

Your brother is another well-known Aussie comedian. Is he more your nemesis or your inspiration?

Definitely an inspiration. I always thought I was going to play cricket until I broke and torn tendons in my fingers. I essentially followed the same path as him, starting at university by performing in Theatresports and faculty revues before appearing in the Australian festival circuits.

Where is your favourite place in the world to perform? Where are your favourite locals?

I loved performing in New York and Chicago but I do enjoy performing at home in Sydney at the Giant Dwarf Theatre. It used to be the old Cleveland St Theatre in Surry Hills but The Chaser has now taken it over. I’ve never seen a bad night of comedy, so much variety as well.

Do you get many hecklers? Do you find them annoying or a challenge?

Not really. I do mostly character based stuff with some audience participation so I think they’re more scared of me pulling them onstage then yelling stuff out.I emceed a big Theatresports show at The University of Sydney a while ago and a jazz band was double booked for the night. There were over four hundred students there for Theatresports so they clearly got bumped from the night. The band then decided it’d be professional to get drunk and heckle.

I took matters into my own hands and used one of the guy’s heckles as a piece of stimulus that just publicly humiliated him. You’d think that was enough, but a friend of mine came up to me after the show and told me how the heckler’s girlfriend yelled at him in front of everyone and screamed “You’re not getting sex for a week!” and then walked out. I shit you not!

If you could have a BBQ with any 3 comedians, living or not, who would they be?

Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Noel Fielding.

Any embarrassing or awkward moments you would like to share with our Australian Times readers?

In my last show I set up two sketches where I broke up an audience member (supposedly my girlfriend) and ask her to stop following me. Later in the show I got together with another audience member (my new girlfriend) and then reacted when I saw the stalker girlfriend again. I then put bikinis on them and get them to have a pillow fight. In this show however, they just went for it. They started pulling each other’s hair and calling each other ‘bitch’. I was scared, purely from an insurance stance I wasn’t sure I was covered.

What city, town or destination best represents you or your personality? Why?

I’d like to think I’m a cross between Sydney and Melbourne. I’m pretty relaxed and easy going but I do like some tasty, tasty food.

______________________

Steen Raskopoulos: I’m Wearing Two Suits Because I Mean Business

Wed 27 – Sat 30 Aug, 9pm

Soho Theatre

Wed £10

Thu – Sat £15 (£12.50)

For details and tickets, visit the Soho Theatre website

‘Destined for big things.’

★★★★ Time Out

‘Ambitious and hilarious.’

★★★★ The Age

WINNER: BEST NEWCOMER SYDNEY COMEDY FESTIVAL 2013

NOMINEE BEST NEWCOMER: MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL 2013

___________________________

The post Steen Raskopoulos means business appeared first on Australian Times News.

Fresh off the Edinburgh Fringe bus, Aussie rising star comedian Luke McGregor brings his brand new show and a bunch of anxieties to London’s Soho Theatre at the end of the month.

Luke McGregor has a unique and natural geeky charm that lends itself to quick wit and self deprecating humour that has rarely been captured so well.

In 2008 McGregor won over his audience to become a national finalist in Raw Comedy before he went on to win the Best Newcomer at the Melbourne Comedy Festival in 2013 for his solo show My Soulmate is Out of My League and again at the Sydney Comedy Festival in 2014.

Like all great Aussie stand up comedians before him, McGregor has featured in numerous Australian television programs including Studio A, Dirty Laundry Live, It’s a Date, and, most recently, Utopia.

His quick genius, awkward observations and apologetic demeanour are described by fellow Aussie comedians quite simply as hilarious. What he lacks in swagger he makes up for in an array of anxieties and obsessive compulsions that truly make his show, I Worry That I Worry Too Much, brilliant.

While he has already made a name for himself on the Australian circuit, McGregor is now working his way through the international stages. He has performed at Montreal’s invite only Just For Laughs Festival, he’s in the UK for his first Edinburgh Fringe this month, and you can catch him at the Soho Theatre in London next week.

I managed to fire a few questions at the worry-wart between his gigs up at the Fringe.

Did you always want to be a stand up comedian? When did you first realise that you were funny?

I was pretty weird looking growing up and used to get teased a lot at school because of it. Humour became my defence mechanism. I thought if I could make people laugh they’d be less likely to beat me up, or go a lot softer on me if they were determined to follow through with it.

I got into stand up comedy kind of by accident. My housemate entered a stand up competition back home in Tasmania. One of the contestants pulled out so I asked if I could get up. I ended up being on of the runners up and have never stopped doing it since.

What is your most awkward moment? 

Probably at a gig once where I invited a date to come watch me. I did so badly that I saw her walk out halfway through – she mouthed ‘sorry’ on the way past the stage. On the plus side after I told everyone what just happened it saved the gig, so I kind of owe her one.

You have done plenty of acting throughout your career. Do you prefer acting on TV or stand up comedy?

I love stand up, but with acting you can have another crack at it if you don’t land a joke properly. That said, a good gig is always more satisfying than a good take, and you rarely get free beers on set.

Where is your favourite place in the world to perform? Where are your favourite locals? 

I got to perform in Hong Kong recently on Melbourne Comedy Festival Roadshow, it was heaps of fun. It was probably the most nervous I’ve been but the crowd were really responsive and everyone on the tour had good gigs. I also got a photo with a gigantic statue of Bruce Lee. If I could have stolen it I would have, I would have gotten rid of my couch at TV to make room for it.

Probably a local favourite is the Spleen bar. It’s a free night where you can test out new stuff. It doesn’t always go well, but it’s still a rush saying something you find funny but have never said out loud to a crowd before, then seeing how they react. Plus it’s got a handy exit out the back if you need to leave discretely after your new stuff tanked.

Do you get many Hecklers? Do you find them annoying or a challenge?

It depends on what they throw at you. If they talk over punch lines it can spoil a joke. I had an old joke about how nowadays we put warning labels everything – I questioned if there was ever a time when everyone was drinking toilet duck (a brand of toilet cleaner) until the company thought they should put a stop to it. One lady stood up and said ‘I use toilet duck on my toilet’, then sat back down. I was stumped, I just said ‘thank you’.

What is the one daily ritual that you can’t go without? 

Getting dressed. Too much hassle if you try to go out without doing it.

If you could have a BBQ with any 3 comedians, living or not, who would they be? 

I guess I’d choose one that can cook/BBQ really well, regardless of their comedic skills. And the other two would be Dave Chappelle and Bill Murray.

What city, town or destination best represents you or your personality? Why?

Umm…Hobart, Tasmania? I was born there and it has a healthy oyster trade, which is one of my favourite seafoods. Dad told me growing up they taste like snot but he just didn’t want to share. He said lobsters were disgusting too which didn’t make sense because he bought one every Christmas.

______________________

Luke McGregor: I Worry That I Worry Too Much

Tue 26 – Sat 30 Aug, 7.30pm

Soho Theatre, London

Tue–Wed £10

Thu–Sat £15 (£12.50)

For details and tickets, visit the Soho Theatre website

‘Well worked and sharply observed… as a comedian, he’s up there with the big guns.’

★★★★ Metro

‘There are plenty of comedians with swagger out there, but at the moment McGregor has something better – honesty.’

★★★★ The Age

‘Impressive delivery, relaxed but with perfect phrasing and timing… one to watch.’

Chortle

___________________________

The post Luke McGregor is a bit of a worry appeared first on Australian Times News.

One of the best known faces of Australian entertainment is Victorian born larrikin Dave Hughes, aka “Hughesy”.

Unless you have been living under a rock (or in London) for the last 30 years, you’ve probably heard his drawling Aussie accent on the radio and seen his classic deadpan delivery on Australian television programs such as The Glass House, Rove and The Project.

Hughesy began his career into comedy at the age of 22 and eventually became a household name and regular performer at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Most recently he has become a regular contestant on Channel 10’s popular Have You Been Paying Attention?, a spoof quiz show about current events.

“Walking into my gig at the wonderful Soho Theatre the other night and a young woman asked me if I wanted to buy a ticket to Dave Hughes. I asked if he was any good and she said he was great. I didn’t buy the ticket.”

His new solo show, Pointless, is warm, entertaining, and dripping with the self-deprecating sarcasm that we have come to love and expect from this great Aussie comedian. It kicks off in the UK this summer with shows in London and the Edinburgh Fringe before heading back to Australia for the home stretch.

We wanted to find out a little more about Hughesy than you would find on his Wikipedia page, so settle in…

Your journey into funnyland has been really idiosyncratic. When did you first realise that you were funny?

On school camp in grade six I was involved in a hastily put together play and got big laughs. That was the moment!

What advice would you give new comedians just starting out?

Try to get on stage as much as possible. You will learn every time. Make your routine personal and honest. Stick to your allotted five minutes! Keep trying new jokes. If you’re not passionate, do something else!

In late 2013 you left many of your radio and TV jobs to return to your roots as a stand up comedian. What inspired this decision?

Stand up was my first love and still gives me the most satisfaction. So, after years of saying I wanted to tour for a year, I finally made it happen.

Where is your favourite place in the world to perform? Where are your favourite locals?

Can’t really answer that as every night is different, I’m loving London right now. Depends more on the venue. Low ceilings help!

Do you have a favourite Aussie stand up comedian OR comedic arch nemesis?

So many great Aussie stand ups I don’t want to single any out as that will annoy the others! No arch nemesis either, I want them all to do well, just not as well as me!

Hecklers: annoying or a challenge?

Fun, unless they won’t accept defeat and then I pray security gets them in a headlock.

If you had to ask the Dalai Lama to bless an NRL team, would it be the NSW Blues or QLD Maroons?

Queensland for sure. Their best players are Melbourne based and we all love seeing NSW humbled! But I wouldn’t bother  the Dalai Lama to do it as I got him to bless Carlton (AFL team) once and he said he would but it wouldn’t help … and he was right.

Any embarrassing or awkward moments you would like to share with our Australian Times readers?

Walking into my gig at the wonderful Soho Theatre the other night and a young woman asked me if I wanted to buy a ticket to Dave Hughes. I asked if he was any good and she said he was great. I didn’t buy the ticket.

Describe the most outrageous meal you’ve ever had….

Every time I have fish and chips my wife is outraged by the size of my order. I always tell her, better too many chips than not enough. I love chips.

What city, town or destination best represents you or your personality? Why?

Los Angeles. Because I’m so Hollywood.

Catch Dave Hughes: Pointless at London’s Soho Theatre now until 16 August. Tickets £12.50 – £20

________________________________

The post Dave Hughes is completely Pointless appeared first on Australian Times News.

A warm spring day in April was the day. It was as exciting as it was scary. Our world was about to be thrown upside down all over again.

As I handed over my card details I thought that I would shed a tear. A tear of happiness and a tear of sadness.

But really, it was a complete non-event.

Except for the fact that I had just spent our monthly pay check on flights home and now had to budget our way through May and June, there was nothing else to it. The world didn’t crumble. There were no tears of sorrow or cheers of joy.

I thought that it would be a momentous occasion. The end of an era. Our working holiday in the UK was coming to an end and I thought I would be devastated.

Instead, I dreamed of glorious sunny days, sandy beaches and BBQ’s on the deck with friends…

On the 8^th of May we celebrated the two years since we left the Aussie homeland for an adventure of a lifetime. I say “celebrated” figuratively since we had just returned from an 18 day jaunt through Europe, we were broke and I am still somewhat recovering from a long-term illness.

Over the last few months I have sacrificed Christmas, my social life, travel, food and drink. It has been a scary few months of tests, treatment and hospital visits, but I am on the mend and ready for the next adventure.  But I am not ready for the next drink.

The 30^th of May marked my 6^th month of sobriety. That is 181 days without a pint of ale, a glass of wine or a sip of a cocktail. This is highly unusual for a girl who is used to downing 6 pints on a Thursday night, or half a bottle of wine over dinner with the girls (… if I want to be really honest… it was nearly always a whole bottle).

Surprisingly, I don’t miss alcohol as much as I thought I would. Now that I have made it this long I feel like I should keep going.

My head is clearer, my bank account is healthier and I don’t spend my weekends recovering from a big night out or “just one drink” (all the drinks) after work. The only time I re-think being sober is that point in the night when I realise that it is either time for me to go home to bed, or that the people I am with are starting to not make sense.

But these are a few things that I do miss, especially now that our return home is so near.

We are now counting down the days to our arrival in Australia. While I will miss London and Europe, there are many things in Australia that I have missed more.

Of course my friends and family top the list, but there are other things that an Aussie learns to miss dearly when they are unobtainable for extended periods of time.

I’m not talking about Vegemite, which you can buy by the jar in Tesco, or Tim Tams and Allen’s Red Frogs, which you can buy at a few select stores in London. I am talking about something much more rare and delicious…

A 400g Australian Angus Beef steak is what I seek. Cooked just enough to be considered rare, with a side of mushroom or peppercorn gravy and creamy mash that would put your mother’s to shame. I can’t understand why I can’t find a decent piece of beef steak in the UK… it seems that they just can’t get enough of pork here.

The first thing that I plan on doing when I land in my home town, after hugging my family hello, is drive down to the nearest place that serves the best steaks.  It is going to be amazing and I can’t wait! Perhaps I will even follow it up with a nice cold, crisp schooner of larger.

So, does anyone know where the best steaks in Brisbane are?

Also read about Jacqui’s fear of London culture shock in reverse when she gets home

The post Heading home to Aussie bovine freedom appeared first on Australian Times News.

AUSTRALIA Day marks my 60th day of sobriety. That is 60 days since I had my last drop of alcohol. There was no Christmas party wine, no catch-up beers, or bucks fizz on Christmas morning for me. I also didn’t celebrate the New Year with champagne or a boozy night. My December and January (so far) have been completely alcohol free.

Ironically, I did not voluntarily commit to “Dry January” this year. It wasn’t part of my news year’s resolution to “Feel better. Save money. Make a difference.” If it was, I probably would have signed up to raise money for a charity.

Which makes me wonder, how many people who have committed to a dry January are raising money for a good cause?

I am sure there are many who have been forced into a dry January simply because their overworked wallets and hungover bodies took a beating over the festive season.  They feel the guilt of over indulging, perhaps they made a fool of themselves at the Christmas party, and now realise that their December pay cheque has to extend almost six weeks through to the end of January. Suddenly the New Year doesn’t seem so good and all of those promised catch ups over drinks are going to result in you surviving on noodles and toast for the next few weeks.

Others use dry January as a New Year detox. They want to lose a few kilos, they want glowing skin and they want a healthy eating plan. Subtracting alcohol from their diet is a great start. Sadly, if you are only abstaining for 31 days, the gains are only going to be short term.

Those that do not complete the 31 days of abstinence will proudly wear their failure like a badge of honour, bragging about their lack of self-control via Facebook or Twitter updates. Where is the honour in that?

Dry January is a great excuse for saving your pennies and short term healthiness. But all of this good work could be undone by “rewarding” yourself at the end of the month with a boozy weekend that makes up for all of those drinks you gave up.

Does anyone else think, unless you are legitimately raising money for a good cause, abstaining for one month is giving the wrong message?

Drinking, like smoking, is addictive. If you were able to complete your “Dry January”, congratulations! You deserve a pat on the back. Brag about it on Facebook, or annoyingly lecture your friends about how awesome a month without alcohol is. Just remember that abstaining from alcohol for one month does not mean that it is ok to indulge for the next 11 months of the year. Alcohol related diseases, such as liver disease, can develop over the course of many years and one month is just a drop in the ocean.

The idea of giving up alcohol for good can be daunting. Perhaps it would be better to use one month abstinence as a “trail run” to simply cut back your drinking and develop a healthier long term relationship with alcohol?

I had it easy. My abstinence from alcohol was due to a stomach bug which made me sick for much of the holiday season. Towards the end of January I decided that I would abstain for the rest of the month in a bid to change my long term relationship with alcohol.

I wanted to do this for many reasons. Reducing alcohol can potentially help you lose weight, reduce your weekly expenses, and it can give you more time for positive lifestyle changes such as going to the gym, walking the dog, or doing more around the home.

It helped me to think about the reasons why I drink and how I can change my behaviour. I proved to myself over the holidays and New Years that I could easily have fun without having a single alcoholic drink — so why not continue. Instead of “rewarding” myself at the end of a stressful day with a glass of wine, I will book a massage or go out to the cinema.  If I do feel like a drink I know that I do not have to fill the bottle-sized glass to the rim. I intend to catch up with friends over a coffee or lunch, instead of the pub, and I will avoid buying in rounds where I have to catch up with the fastest drinker.

My goal is to reach 100 days of sobriety. If I achieve my goal I will use the money I have saved to buy a new camera.

If I don’t achieve my goal there is always “Dry July” or “Go Sober for October”.

The post Is Dry January sending the wrong message? appeared first on Australian Times News.

AS we approach the end of January the discussions between Aussie expats in London seem to revolve around two things: where are we travelling this year? And, what are we doing for Australia Day?

The travel question is more important to those Aussies, like Hubby and I, who will be saying goodbye to the UK when our working visas expire. On this side of Christmas it suddenly dawns on you that you can’t continue to live it up in London because you will never have enough time to tick off all the destinations of your European bucket list. You might even consider joining a 60 day European tour with the other drunk or hung over 18 to 30 year olds just so that you can see everything.

Rather than being miserable in rainy London, complaining about your lack of time or money to travel the world (first world problems much?), you sit down with Aussie Times to work out where all the best Australia Day parties are going to be. After all, you have to find somewhere to listen to the Triple J countdown, even if you don’t know which songs to expect or what to vote for.

Last year, our first Aussie Day in London, we pre-purchased our tickets to line up in ridiculous Aussie paraphernalia to get into the infamous Infernos. On the Monday after, a work colleague laughed as he told me that he had witnessed a line to Infernos extending down the block as early as 8pm that evening. I didn’t tell him that I had been there for Tim Tams and Jumbuck Pies at 11am or that I was one of the last to be served a Bundy Rum before it ran dry at 1pm.The Infernos party was great, but there are only so many times you can channel your inner bogan to listen to Fitzy and Wippa’s “Gangam Style” parody followed by “Home among the gum trees” and Men At Work’s “Down Under” on repeat.

There are many venues across London that will be putting on Australia Day celebrations for thousands of homesick Aussies (and sometimes the odd Kiwi). You can check out Gigalum, Belushi’s, Waxy O’Connors, Clapham Grand, Jetlag, Walkabout Temple and The Church. But for those that want to listen to the Hottest 100 countdown live, expect a long night. The coverage starts at 1am on Sunday morning and will not finish until the sun rises.

We have seen many negative comments about Australia/Invasion/Survival/Citizenship Day (or whatever you want to call it) in the media. Some will boycott our national holiday out of respect for the Indigenous Australians, while others use it as an opportunity to loudly campaign for an immigrant free country. Many will simply get drunk, plaster their face with green and gold and wear the Australian flag like a Batman cape.

For me, Australia Day is a time for reflection on our history as well as creating a history that we can be proud of. We are not a “young country” and I respectfully recognise the hardships and wrongdoings that were pushed on our Indigenous by generations past. But I do celebrate our current achievements and values that we can pass down to future generations in the hope that they will do better.

Even though I currently live in and love London, Australia is a country I am proud to call my home and a country that I will be proud to raise my children. We are the country that gave the world the cervical cancer vaccine, Ugg boots, Cathy Freeman, the best beaches, ACDC, a 5-0 Ashes win in 2013/14, great wine, kangaroos and koalas, the dual flush toilet, Steve Irwin, polymer bank notes, delicious coffee, wifi, and the entrepreneurial Aussie spirit. We have so much to be grateful for, so much to be proud of and so much to look forward to.

This year we will be taking advantage of the very mild English winter by listening to the Hottest 100 replay at a BBQ with fellow Aussies. Luckily, we have recently stumbled upon an off licence in Dollis Hill that stocks Shapes, Burger Rings, Tim Tams, Violet Crumbles, James Boags, Little Creatures and Extra Dry’s. I imagine that we will hoard as many Aussie goodies as we can, fire up the barbie, crack open a TED, turn up the stereo and let the ruckus ensue.

However you end up celebrating Australia Day, I wish you a good one!

The post Australia Day in London; get on it appeared first on Australian Times News.

THE 17th of August marked the one year anniversary of our arrival in London. Half of our “tour of duty” is over and I can’t help but feel very sad.

My recent article about ‘Aussie life in London: expectations v reality’ was a light-hearted look at my experiences in the UK so far. Despite exploring a few negative aspects of London life that some Aussie expats experience, I have treasured my time here and I am certainty not ready to go home. Our (mis)adventures around the world on our never ending honeymoon, specifically in the UK, are some of the best of my life.

The English weather means that I don’t burn as easily, the tubes are fast and the people we have met are lovely, even if they do have a strange fondness for tea and queues. As a not-so-newly-wed couple with nothing tying us down I could not imagine being anywhere else. Where else in the world would I be looking forward to West End musicals, street carnivals, visits from friends and family, free museums, gigs by local and international bands, and the rugby league world cup (carn’ Australia!).

The friends that we have made here are life-long. The things we have seen and done are incredible. In a typical week I work my “9 — 5”, write freelance, blog, travel and explore London’s great treasures. Life is busy, but that is how I like it.

My London life lives up to expectations. I travel as much as my annual leave allows me, I work hard but play harder, I spend my weekends exploring London’s markets and cultural sites and I have even explored some of the English countryside, with a trip to the Lake District and Midlands yet to come. When I am in London on weekends I catch up with new friends, I picnic in the city’s amazing green spaces, party at amazing venues, see great gigs, and, even though I most likely did catch the last tube home the night before, I am never too scared (or hung-over) to venture out to see the latest exhibit at one of London’s amazing museums or tourist attractions. I consider myself a ‘live-in tourist’.

As I have mentioned before, I am a true believer that travel is one of the only things in the world that you can buy that makes you richer, and I value every minute of our grown-up gap year here in London and Europe.

To me, London is like a great book you can’t put down. I just hope everyone has their chance to turn a page.

The post The real Aussie life in London appeared first on Australian Times News.

My heart goes out to the elderly couple (one divorcee and one widower) who have just been set up on their first date, and I cringe at the crass lad who has been paired with the equally obtuse and somewhat orange blonde. After being drawn into the hype of the will-they-make-it-to-the-second-date drama, I have come to realise two things. The first was that hubby and I are lucky to have each other. The second was that the drama unfolding on TV was only half as good as the real thing going on right in our own living room.

With summer finally turning up late to the party, the warm (and drier) weather seems to have coaxed Londoner’s singletons out of hibernation. Over the last two months we have seen our housemates emerge, like beautiful butterflies — plucked, dyed, groomed and dressed to perfection in preparation for upcoming speed dating and first dates. The transformation has been amazing, but as a household we are slowly learning that the dating scene in London is grim.

There is a much higher proportion of single people living in London than anywhere else in the UK. According to the Office for National Statistics, only 47% of the 45.5 million England and Wales residents are married, a decrease from 51% in 2001, while around half the London population between 20 and 59 years are single.

There are many types of single women in and around London. They range from bra-burning feminism to the career-minded businesswoman to the heartbroken spinster who wants nothing more than to settle down into a life of snotty kids, unshaven legs and a paying off a massive mortgage. But with the chances of meeting a future spouse in the workplace or thumping nightclub quickly declining, how is a girl to meet their perfect match?

It seems to me that singletons of London are turning to ‘scientific’ internet matchmaking or time efficient speed dating for help. And why not?

The concept isn’t new. Personal ads have a history going back to the first matrimonial agencies of the 1700’s. According to match.com, 1 in 5 relationships now start online. There is even a television show about How to Find Love Online.

At first, internet dating was almost considered shameful or taboo, but internet dating has been a growing trend for a number of years. It is no surprise that internet dating is becoming the norm when we reply on the internet for everything else. Internet dating is just another form of social media that makes our increasingly virtual lives that little bit easier. Who doesn’t know a couple who started by winking at each other online?

The post Mating season appeared first on Australian Times News.

THE “honeymoon period” is that wonderful time at the beginning of a relationship when everything is perfect. You get those little butterflies in your stomach and you can’t bear to be separated for long periods of time. Each relationship is different, but sometime after the first six months you start to become comfortable with each other and the truth is exposed, warts and all.

It is no secret I am in love with London, and, like any new love, I am beginning to become more comfortable in my relationship. I no longer fear missing a flight, not having a place to stay or not knowing how to get from A to B in a foreign country. I am also more tolerant of crammed public transport and others trying to communicate with me in a language I do not know. While I am more cautious about my belongings, I no longer fear losing my passport or having my bag stolen. Drawing from my own experience in Paris last May, I know I can handle such a situation.

However, along with feeling comfortable comes the revelation of the quirks, the things which make a relationship stay interesting. It’s for you to decide what is a quirk, and what will turn out to be a deal-breaker.

And, my dear old London, there is one thing I just can’t understand about you. Despite you being a city of famous attractions, amazing bars and restaurants, fast public transport and interesting people, there is something about you that drives me crazy.

You have terrible footpaths. That is all. I have said it.

How can you expect a lady to look good when she is weaving a warpath through the narrow laneways on uneven pavement and slippery cobblestones? I have this increasing fear of tripping over and falling flat on my face every day. My toes curl as I approach the deep gutters when crossing the road and my stomach churns at the thought of walking in high heels through the streets.

Perhaps it is me?

After all, it was only one year ago that I was recovering from foot surgery in France after a wild night featuring a stolen bag, my terrible balance and a Parisian footpath. Has my brief fling with Paris destroyed all hope of having a decent relationship with another faulty footpathed city?

Will I carry this baggage around with me forever or can we work out our differences? Can we learn to compromise? I promise not to wear heels that abate my balance if you provide dry conditions in which to combat your terrible walkways.

London, I am not ready for our love affair to end just yet. I am sticking around, and hopefully we can work out this quirk.

The post The end of the honeymoon? appeared first on Australian Times News.

SIXTY seconds sometimes seems like it stretches forever. Like when you are waiting for a train, in a boring meeting or holding out for something exciting to happen.

In reality, you can’t fit that much into a minute. You can’t listen to a song in a minute. You can’t boil an egg in a minute. You can’t catch up with a friend in a minute. You can’t read this article in a minute.

However, I have also learned so much can change in one minute. An event which takes less than sixty seconds to occur can have a significant influence on the course of everything.

It takes less than a minute to scull a drink. It takes less than a minute to be asked to be married. It takes less than a minute to post something you regret on Facebook. It takes less than a minute to accidentally send an email or delete your very important and time consuming report. It takes less than a minute for your bag to be stolen in a bar. And it often takes less than a minute for something to go horribly wrong.

About 12 months ago I was recovering from a very stupid minute. This stupid minute significantly changed the course of our honeymoon and our gap year. In years to come we will probably refer to this stupid minute as the minute which could have ruined it all.

While in Paris on our honeymoon we went out for a number of drinks in Montmartre. We took our passports out with us, thinking that we would require them as proof of age as we had during our three weeks in the US. That was my first mistake. My second mistake was to not take better care of my belongings.  Actually, it was probably the amount of alcohol consumed. The third mistake was that, just for a minute, I forgot I was responsible for a bag that contained both of our passports.

It only took a minute and everything was gone. My identity, along with all of my cash, my cards, my spare amber earrings, both passports, and the rest of our honeymoon plans, were gone — in less than sixty seconds.

Another example is the story of our Kiwi friends, who were two of the 11 crowd members injured in the Isle of Man TT a few weeks ago. It only took a minute for the motorcyclist to lose control and plunge into the crowd. They are now both in hospital and will have months of recovery ahead. A minute changed everything for them.

It took several days for us to sort out emergency passports, and several months to sort out full validity passports to take us on to London. It was another 18 weeks before the UKBA finally replaced our working visas and we were allowed to work again. Finally, six months after the one minute that changed everything, we were able to return to work, register for a local doctor and apply for our NI numbers.

Hardly a minute goes by where I don’t think back to that time and remember how much changed because of that one minute. We were lucky that our minute that changed everything was not worse.

I just hope that our friends, Luke and Tracy, are just as lucky and have a smooth and speedy recovery.

The post Gone in sixty seconds appeared first on Australian Times News.

Read Part One – Top 10 London activities on a budget

This city has some of the best monuments, museums and art galleries in the world — almost all of them free. Not only that, there are parks and walking tours, or just wandering the streets, soaking up the atmosphere. Just make sure to take an umbrella.

To help you refine your options, here are our next top ten activities to do in London. All for free.

Top 10 London activities — for free | Part Two

Natural History Museum

Located in South Kensington, this beautiful Victorian building houses some of the most weird and wonderful items from the natural world. You can see the dinosaur bone collection, visit the creepy crawly room, learn about the mammals from around the world and come face to face life-sized blue whales, elephants and elk. If you want to avoid the queues (and screaming children) the museum is open on the last Friday of every month until 10pm, complete with live music and a bar.

Somerset House

Somerset House is a major arts and culture centre in the heart of London overlooking the River Thames, just east of the Waterloo Bridge.  Somerset House features large-scale contemporary exhibitions, galleries, events, two elegant staircases and balcony views over the Thames. The famous courtyard and vast Georgian building provide a beautiful backdrop for 55 dancing fountains in the summer and an ice rink during the winter months. Open between 10am and 6pm every day, most galleries are free, as are guided tours every Thursday and Saturday.

Speakers’ Corner

 Free entertainment in the north-east corner of Hyde Park! Speakers’ Corner was officially recognised in 1872 and allows people from all corners of the globe gather to theatrically share their opinions from atop their soap box or listen to the varied and fascinating rants and ramblings.  Lenin, Karl Marx, George Orwell and William Morris are but a few who have used this spot to take a stand on their ideals and beliefs.  Sunday morning was traditionally the best time to visit, but speakers can now be found on the corner throughout the week.

Harrods (free to visit)

One of the world’s most famous department store is a must. Located in London’s posh Knightsbridge (where a 27sq meter apartment sells for more than £500k), the store is a rabbit warren full of the most incredible clothing, bags, furniture, gifts and toys. It also houses more than 12 premium restaurants and cafés featuring cuisine from across the globe.

Things not to miss include the Disney themed princess room on the fifth floor where you can try on a Cinderella slipper or a princess dress. Just around the corner is the Harrods pet store and grooming centre. Here you can pick up a labradoodle for £2,100, or a hamster for £15. The Egyptian themed escalator lobby is certainly something to see, as are the two Dodi and Princess Diana memorials. In the basement you will find the food sections where you can by delicious deli items, red velvet cakes or an array of tea and coffee. Don’t forget to check out the interactive toy store!

Museum of London Docklands

This museum explores London’s history from Roman settlement to Docklands’ regeneration and observes the history of London’s river, port, trade, migration and commerce. The museum is two minutes’ walk from West India Quay DLR station in East London. With the money you save on entry, take a 10-15 minute journey on a Thames Clipper riverboat from Bankside or Maritime Greenwich Pier to Canary Wharf Pier and take in the view from the river.

New London Architecture (NLA)

London’s Centre for the Built Environment, near Goodge Street Tube or Tottenham Court Road Tube, is open free of charge Monday — Saturday. The centre features wall displays of new builds in London and a plastic model that stretches dozens of metres, displaying the Docklands and Olympic Park in the east, and Battersea in the west.  This is a fantastic overview of the entire city, offering a whole new outlook on the capital.

National Maritime Museum and Greenwich World Heritage Site

Located in the beautiful Greenwich World Heritage Site, the National Maritime Museum is made up of the Maritime Galleries, the Royal Observatory Astronomy Centre, and the 17^th century Queen’s House. Some of the National Maritime Museum wings are open late until 8pm every Thursday. While these are all free, charges do apply for Cutty Sark (£12), Flamsteed House and the Meridian Courtyard (£7) where you can see the Greenwich Meridian Line, which represents the Prime Meridian of the World — Longitude 0º.

Museum of London

To learn a little more about the history of London, check out the seven permanent exhibition galleries telling the story of London from prehistoric times to the end of the 19^th century at the largest city museum in the world. The museum is located in the City of London between Barbican and St Paul’s tube stations. Entry is free, with the exception of several Museum Late activities throughout the year which are always themed and fun. Every Valentine’s Day the annual Valentine late (£7) celebrates the ‘roaring twenties’ with live music, authentic 1920’s talks and Charleston lessons.

Tate Modern

One of the most visited modern art galleries in the world, the Tate Modern houses the UK’s premier collection of modern and contemporary art from 1900 to the present day. It is housed in the former Bankside Power Station near the pedestrian Millennium Bridge and Shakespeare’s Globe. There are seven floors of gallery space, exhibitions, collection displays, performance spaces, auditoriums, cafés, small merchandise shop and a bar and restaurant on the 7^th floor. The Tate is open until 6pm most nights and 10pm Fridays and Saturdays. Admission is free, except for special exhibitions.

Free Festivals

A number of festivals showcasing London’s sporting, artistic, musical and cultural achievements take place throughout the year and various venues around the capital. Here are the highlights:

• February – Celebrate Chinese New Year with floats and entertainment from Trafalgar Square to Chinatown.
• April — The annual London Marathon starts at Greenwich Park and covers 26.2 miles through Embankment, Tower Bridge and Cutty Sark Gardens.
• May — On the first long weekend of May Little Venice hosts a properly English affair of real ale, Morris dancers and the gathering of picturesque canal boats.
• June – Trooping the Colour celebrates the Queen’s Birthday and is carried out by fully operational troops from the Household Division (Foot Guards and Household Cavalry).
• August — The Notting Hill Carnival is one of Europe’s biggest, attracting around one million revellers each year. This three day festival is a dynamic celebration of London’s multi-cultural diversity with floats, street dancing, food and music.
• November — Lord Mayor’s Show and Fireworks along the Thames River.
• December — Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park.

So you see — there is an amazing array of free and fun activities in London to enjoy without breaking the bank. Get out there and enjoy.

The post London can set you free | Top 10 activities on a budget part 2 appeared first on Australian Times News.

A RECENT TripAdvisor survey ranked London as leaving much to be desired when it came to “Value for Money” — coming 35th on the list of 40. However, as a new resident of London and a confessed Anglophile, I feel it is my duty to show the city I have come to know and love — affordable London.

No matter how long you are in London, there are a multitude of things to do that are budget-friendly and fun. To help narrow the list, I’m going to give you my favourite things to do — all for free.

Top 10 London activities — for free

1. British Museum

Located near Holborn, this museum was opened in 1753 and houses more than seven million objects, including treasures such as The Rosetta Stone, the Assyrian lion-hunt reliefs, the Parthenon Sculptures, the Black Obelisk and the Portland Vase. To fit everything in, check out the free walking tour at 2pm every Saturday afternoon by London Walks.

2. Parks and public gardens

Surprisingly, London is one of the greenest capitals in the world, featuring parks that are perfect for sunbathing and picnics in the summer, and refreshing walks or a game of football in the winter.  Some of the major parks include Hyde Park, Green Park, St James’s Park, Greenwich Park (with fantastic museums), Hampstead Heath, Regent’s Park (also home of London Zoo), Clapham Common, and Richmond Park (home to hundreds of deer).

There are also a number of stunning public gardens that house a variety of plants, bridges and outdoor galleries. If botany is your thing, check out the magnificent World Heritage Site covering 300 acres that is Kew Gardens, the recently resorted Chiswick House and Gardens, the oasis of Isabella Plantation, the rock gardens in Chelsea Physic Garden, and the landscaped parks of Syon House and Park.

3. Tower of London Ceremony of the Keys

The Ceremony of the Keys at 9.30pm is the traditional locking up of the Tower of London and has taken place every single night, without fail, for the last 700 years.  While the Monarch no longer resides here, the Crown Jewels and many other valuables still do.  Tickets are free, but you are required to write to the Ceremony of the Keys Office (Tower of London, London EC3N 4AB) with a return envelope and request two possible dates you can attend at least two months in advance.

4. National Gallery

Situated on the north side of Trafalgar Square, this gallery houses an amazing collection of Western European paintings in the world from about 1300 onwards. There are works from Botticelli, Titian, Raphael, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Cezanne, Hogarth, and Gainsborough. The National Gallery is open late on Fridays until 9pm so you can explore the paintings, see an exhibition or take a guided tour with fewer crowds. There is also live music, a bar and food at the National Café.

5. Changing of the Guard

This takes place at 11.30am daily from April to July, and on alternate days from August to April (unless planned events change the schedule). The nearest Tube stations are Victoria, Green Park and St James. The activity starts at 10.45am, but some people arrive as early as 9.30am to get a good position.

6. London markets

London has an array of various markets that are free to visit and full of life and colour. My favourite are:

• Covent Garden for some of the prettiest, and poshest, markets
• Camden Markets are full of colourful faces and sometimes odd tidbits
• Columbia Road Flower Markets are open Sundays from 8am to 3pm
• Brick Lane Market, Petticoat Lane Market and Spitalfields Market in East London. All within walking distance of each other, these markets are great for everything from vintage clothing, glassware, books to up and coming designer clothes and fashion items
• Borough Market is the best for the freshest fruit and vegetables, nicest cheese and best cut meat in the city.

7. Geffrye Museum

This museum in East London offers a vivid physical history of the English interior in a set of 18th century almshouses. You can observe the domestic history in a display of original furniture, paintings, textiles and decorative arts from the 1600s.

8. Check out a City Farm

For all things cute and adorable, check out one of London’s city farms that are scattered throughout the capital. Mudchute Park & Farm is one of the largest city farms, spanning 32 acres in the middle of the Isle of Dogs in East London.

Others areas to discover a piece of the countryside in the city include Vauxhall City Farm, Spitalfields City Farm, Deen City Farm, Surrey Docks Farm, Hackney City Farm, and Hounslow Urban Farm.

Each farm hosts a multitude of traditional farm animals (pigs, horses, goats and chickens) and some specialise in rare breeds and more unusual inhabitants such as alpacas and chipmunks.  Most of the farms offer volunteering opportunities and also sell much of their own produce including free range eggs, seasonal vegetables and herbs, and even honey at Freightliners City Farm.

9. The V&A Museum

The Victoria and Albert Museum is one of the three major museums in South Kensington. It holds the most comprehensive collection of British design and art from 1500 to 1900, as well as artefacts from many of the world’s richest cultures. On the last Friday of every month the V&A hosts Friday Late, which includes live performances, one-off displays and installations, debates, bar and food, guest DJs and late-night exhibition openings.

10. Big Ben (free for UK permanent residents only)

The famous tower of Westminster Parliament, popularly known as Big Ben, is actually called the Elizabeth Tower. Big Ben is the nickname of the bell housed within the Tower, and is officially known as the Great Bell. A free tour is open to UK permanent residents only and must be arranged through a local MP or Member of the House of Lords. The tour takes you up the 334 stone spiral steps to the top of the 153 year old Elizabeth Tower to hear Big Ben strike the hour.

Now you’ve ticked numbers 1 to 10 off the list, next week read 11 to 20 of top free London activities for more inspiration. 

What’s in your top ten free London activities? Give us your suggestions below:

The post London can set you free | Top 10 London activities on a budget appeared first on Australian Times News.

THOMAS Watson, president of IBM during the dawn of the computer industry, foolishly stated that there was a world market for maybe five computers… Seventy years later, isn’t it amazing how much we have grown to rely on computers and the internet?

Having recently moved house we were faced with the delays of having to install broadband, phone lines and TV licenses along with setting up new gas, water and electricity accounts. And not having internet at home seems to have somewhat diminished our productivity and increased our personal interaction. Last Friday we played a game of Monopoly… the real thing with a board, Monopoly cash and pieces.

After more than a week of internet withdrawal and spending time enjoying each other’s company, we are all secretly breathing a sigh of relief to hear that our service provider has finally managed to remotely flick the switch which will allow us to easily gain access to emails and social media, look up pointless facts on IMBD and Wikipedia, order our groceries, shop for a birthday gift, send a ‘get well card’, order flowers, pay our bills, organize our banking, share photo albums, catch up on TV that we have missed, look up a new recipe for dinner, sell a car, look up the number for the local electrician, call our friends down the road, call our friends across the world, organize our summer holidays, blog, tweet, pin, poke, like, comment, post…

How did we do it all without the internet?

Did we really go into the bank to organize foreign currency? Did we really post a letter with a stamp? Drop around to a friend’s house to catch-up? Use the big bulky Yellow Pages? Go grocery shopping? Arrange a holiday through a travel agent?

I recall doing all of these things no more than five years ago and it amazes me how much has changed since. What will we all be doing in another ten years? What will our grandkids think of the “good old days”!?

Sometimes I feel that our lives are becoming more cluttered and faster paced. Living on the other side of the world from my family, Skype should make it easier to connect, but I rarely have the time to do so.  Rather than sitting down to read a good book I am checking work emails, personal emails, Facebook newsfeeds, travel tweets, world news, Australian news, London news, Skype and Pinterest on a regular basis throughout the week. When catching up with friends almost everyone will check their phones and Facebook newsfeeds more than once. We just can’t help ourselves. Even the Pope Francis has a Twitter account!

I am more connected, but feel less inclined to actually connect with people.

While technology has made life somewhat more efficient, bad habits are being picked up along the way. Some might say there is nothing to do but get on board and go with it but I disagree.

In a bid to break my bad technology habits I will endeavour to return to basics when I can. Like go to the supermarket to shop for groceries, flick through a cooking book for a recipe, visit a friend, go see a live band and write a letter to my Nana.

Sometimes it should be all about stopping to smell the roses…

The post Are we all technology addicts? appeared first on Australian Times News.

There is only one bug that I know of that has completely the opposite effect… and as far as I am aware, there is no known cure.

It makes you feel a tingling in your feet. Your legs become jittery. You start to drum your fingers and tap your feet. You feel like you need to jump up and start dancing like a wild African witch doctor in a tribal ceremony. Really all you want to do is pack you bag, race to the nearest airport, train station or sea port with passport in hand, and depart on a new adventure.

What is it, you ask? It is commonly known as the travel bug.

You know you have it when you are hankering to get away from everything that is familiar and walk down that path you have never seen before, experience something you have never heard of before and meet people you would never second glance in your home town. Travel is like a book that you can’t put down.

I can’t remember when I first caught the travel bug, but the symptoms have been there forever. I get antsy and don’t like to stay in the same place for too long. Last time I did an employment check for work and I had to recall eleven known addresses in the past ten years. My CV is updated with a new position every 1 — 3 years. I like to visit new places, sample new food and meet new people.

I can remember when I started planning our first big international trip to visit a bunch of fellow Aussies living in London. As graduating university students living in a share house, we had very limited funds and only four weeks available for a holiday in the middle of the northern hemisphere winter. We spent almost five months planning and saving for our whirlwind trip around Europe in what turned out to be one of the coldest and snowiest winters in 100 years.

I can still recall the excitement of the first day we landed in London, weighed down by our 15-20kg backpacks and confronted by the freezing cold. We had the most amazing lightning-paced trip throughout Europe, visiting nine cities in 27 days — including a brief ski trip in Andorra, New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam and six wonderful nights in Italy. We had an incredible time and sometimes I wish I could experience it all over again.

For a travel newbie it is sometimes hard to know where to start planning. I find lots of inspiration by asking others where they have been and making sure I cover everything on my own bucket list.

I am a true believer that travel is one of the only things in the world that you can buy that makes you richer, so I value every minute of our grown-up gap year.

In the words of Susan Sontag: “I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list”.

The post Embracing the bug – the travel bug appeared first on Australian Times News.

AS Thursday 25 April loomed near, I became more and more nervous. Office Bake Day had been in my diary for months and it was finally here. It was my turn to rustle up some goodies to share around the department of near on 25 colleagues and I had promised a buffet of traditional Australian treats — Anzac biscuits and lamingtons.

For those that don’t know me, you might be surprised to learn that not only am I the only Aussie who doesn’t tan, I am also unable to cook. It is not for the lack of trying, but I am a failure at all things in the kitchen. My specialties include nachos, Vegemite toasties and my delicious spaghetti bolognaise. I have also been known to burn hands, slice open the tip of my index finger and, most recently, scratching a friend’s hot plate.

How was I going to BAKE for almost 25 people?

Previous colleagues had treated us to brownies, sponges, biscuits, an incredible ‘drizzle cake’ and some other specialties I just could not live up to. My only saving grace was that the week before my colleague had turned up with a delicious home-made chocolate cake … and a can of whipped cream. Yes, whipped cream. I thought the expectation had been lowered somewhat, until I tried the delicious cake.

Slightly scared I would be caught out cooking into the early hours of Thursday morning, I decided to be proactive and start my baking at the beginning of the week. My first hurdle was to trying to track down where I could buy all of the ingredients.

Actually, my first hurdle was to find out what all of the ingredients were. Is bicarbonate of soda different to baking powder? Do I need desiccated coconut or will dried coconut do? And did we even have a rectangular baking tray?

I missed the first train and finally arrived home laden with what felt like 20 kilos of baking ingredients ready to start my own version of MasterChef, Jacqui style.  In what was shaping up to be a #typicaljacquiday, I was covered in flour and mopping up spilled golden syrup when I realised I had forgotten to buy milk and butter. It required a bit of convincing to get hubby to go in search of the missing essentials.

Finally back on track and several hours later (how did it take that long!?) I proudly packed away my first successful (and only slightly burnt) batch of traditional Anzac biscuits to share with my colleagues on Anzac Day.

Excited about my own baking skills, the following night I attempted homemade lamingtons, another Australian favourite. With the exception of much of the chocolate icing ending up on my face and in my hair, I think that they turned out quite well.

The true test was finding out what my colleagues thought of my new found baking skills…

The post The great Aussie bake-off appeared first on Australian Times News.

After months of traveling, couch surfing and subletting, we have finally signed a lease agreement and a work contract that will see us through the next year. This is a cause for celebration since I have recently come to realise (on my walk to work in the drizzle this morning) that London is where I am meant to be for the foreseeable future.

Secretly, it doesn’t bother me that winter has bypassed spring. Perhaps I was made for this weather and this lifestyle.

Having recently arrived back from two glorious weeks in the Egyptian sun, many colleagues have commented on the supposed tan I have allegedly gained during our Nubian and beaches adventure. However, my Australian friends laugh at the patchy reddish / light brown colour I have developed while away and asked when my sunburn will start to fade.

In the words of Mark Twain, “Denial is not just a river that runs through Egypt”.

I think that I have been living in denial for the past 20-something years and it is finally time for me to give in.

I am the Australian who does not tan.

At the moment I am sporting a few more freckles and a light and patchy excuse for a tan (that I top up with Dove tanning moisturiser once a week). At least now I can look down at my arms and not see through them like I could a month ago.

Don’t get me wrong, celebrating our first wedding anniversary (and my birthday) in Egypt was a truly amazing adventure, and I hope that everyone has the chance to experience Egypt like we did. But, after two weeks of continuous burning sun I am secretly glad to be back to the cool weather and patchy sunlight of London.

Despite translucent skin and winter trying to hijack spring, I love living in this huge city with its April daffodils, cool and refreshing air, and fast and frequent transport systems. Hailing from a city that seems to be either in a state of drought or flood, London’s slight drizzle and patchy sunny days are somewhat welcome (for the record, this light mist is not really rain).

I love being able to cuddle up with a cup of hot tea under the doona (duvet) and having an excuse to use the drier rather than hang out the washing. I love not burning throughout the day and having to apply copious layers of Aloe Vera gel at night. I love winter fashion and being able to wear boots, scarfs, jackets and hats. I also love that everyone appreciates the sun more when it makes the odd appearance.

One of my favourite London sites is watching workers spill out of their offices during their lunch break, rolls up their pants and sleeves just to sit and bathe in the limited sunlight that is bestowed upon them. Perhaps this is what is in store for me next winter.

I am a proud survivor of my first London winter and very much looking forward to a London summer of music festivals, travel opportunities and no burning sun.

Roll on London summer!

The post The London tan appeared first on Australian Times News.

THE past year has been a year of firsts for me.

There was the first Christmas that I have not spent with family. The first time we went to Vegas. The first time we went to Iceland. The first time we missed the entire Triple J countdown on Australia Day. The first time my bag was stolen. The first time I didn’t have travel insurance on a holiday.

The first time we got married.

The second time we got married. What happens in Vegas….

In the year ahead I can see that there are going to be many more firsts to come. This year will be the first time I can celebrate my birthday in spring, as opposed to autumn, and the first time I will celebrate it overseas.

This April we will also be celebrating our first wedding anniversary, something I am very much looking forward to. As a somewhat untraditional couple, we have not really celebrated past anniversaries as I know other couples do. It took me a couple of years to actually remember the anniversary date of when we first started dating.

However, I was very quick to establish that our wedding anniversary, very close to my birthday, deserved to be celebrated each year with traditional gift giving. Why not use a reason to receive (and give) an extra gift every year to its full advantage?

After reading so many painfully over the top bride-to-be magazines, I am now well versed in the list of traditional anniversary gifts that could span the next 60+ years of marriage. To give you an idea, paper is given for the first year of marriage, cotton the year after, followed by leather, fruits/flowers and wood for the fifth year. Ten is celebrated with tin/aluminum, the twentieth with china. It gets even better as you go on, with silver for 25, gold for 50 and the sixtieth wedding anniversary deserving of a diamond.

While we don’t usually stick to the norm, I think that we can use this list to make gift giving a little more fun. So, in the lead up to our first wedding anniversary I was stumped about paper. The first few items that come to mind when you think of paper are rather boring… stationary, gift certificates, photos, books.

Thinking outside the box however and you can suddenly see many uses for paper, including itineraries, flight tickets, foreign currency, and hotel bookings.

So for our first wedding anniversary we have decided to keep in theme and go on a two week trip to Egypt, home to papyrus — the forerunner of modern paper. And, another first.

Perhaps year two will follow with a cotton hammock by the beach in another far-away country.

The post Saying it with paper appeared first on Australian Times News.

I AM feeling very far away from home this week. Homesickness is not a common feeling for me, but the pressure and the distance of ten thousand miles (or 16,532km) is starting to get me down.

It is strange to think that back in Australia everything still operates like clockwork without you. Your old job has been filled, your old house has been rented, and your old car has broken down … again (sorry lil’ bro). I didn’t think the world would stop ticking necessarily, I just didn’t realise that so much could change in only ten months.

In December we received some very sad news that a beloved family friend had passed away from cancer. We were aware this might happen while we were away, but it did not help the pain we felt when we could not be there to support grieving family. Spending our first Christmas away from family and friends was also a hard step, although our Orphans Christmas and NYE celebrations on the Thames River were welcome distractions.

This week has been particularly hard. Earlier in the week I felt a pang of jealousy when I had an email from our best mates about their new puppy (Winston) and their house hunting plans. Overnight, our good friends in Perth announced their engagement (with a photo of the exquisite diamond ring on Facebook, how else?). But the final straw for me was a short note that I received from the kind people who took in our adored cat. Sooty has been extremely ill of late and they wanted to inform me that they might be putting him to sleep…

This last bit of news didn’t sink in straight away but when I tried to call my hubby to let him know, my whole world seemed to darken. There is nothing that I can do from so far away, but I wish there was.

We are ten thousand miles away from the adorable little cat that I saved from a shelter in spring 2006. He was eventually loved by (almost) all of our housemates and became a comforting fixture in our ever changing home. Giving him up last year was one of the hardest things to do before we left the country.

Then again, this news, and the significant distance between us, has helped increased my appreciation of everything someone might normally take for granted.  It has increased my love all of our friends and family at home. The distance we have travelled has also allowed us to experience life as we never would have, to see far-away places and met incredible people.

But most of all, this great distance has increased our excitement for when the time comes for us to finally make the trek back. We may not have a Sooty cat to come home to, but I will cherish the fun times that we had together nonetheless.

The post Home is where the heart is appeared first on Australian Times News.

I have a horrendous pain in my side, my chest is heaving, I’m getting dizzy and my face now matches the new trainers I bought last week. They’re pink… and I mean pink.

No I’m not in surgery. I’m at the gym.

I admit it has been a while.

“How long?” asks the class instructor. Well…

The fact I have to think about it — not a good sign. I have been travelling since May. I had my wedding in April. I was preparing for my wedding in March…
Is it really a whole year since I last entered a gym?

After 45 minutes of torture I was trying to understand why I even wanted to claw my way back onto the horse. I think I was quite happy where I fell off.
There must have been a reason. No one would do sit ups, push ups, skipping, squats, lunges, burpees and a number of other ridiculously named exercises for no reason.

Maybe it was that news story about the obesity rate rising. Or perhaps it was when I had to stop to catch my breath after walking up the escalators instead of standing on the right. Or it could have been the doctor I finally registered with informing me that I was slightly overweight. Whatever the reason, I knew it was time.

As a recent(ish) arrival in London, I had an awful feeling that the “Heathrow Injection” had caught up with me. I had put on a few kilos since I’d left Australia.

But is there any truth behind the “Heathrow Injection”? My slowly increasing muffin top would argue yes, but I still can’t work out why.

As different as they are, I don’t think my English lifestyle is much worse than my Australian one. I don’t have a car in London and I do try and walk most of the time… well, at least when weather permits. Fresh fruit and veg seem much more wallet friendly here than back home. I do however, get it delivered to my flat and carted up 3 flights of stairs by the Tesco guy. Alternatively, the dirty grocer across the road has much cheaper fruit and veg, if you don’t mind that it is not as fresh. And I can’t find a McDonalds anywhere near my home or work. There are only pubs, Pret’s and Eat’s, which have to be more healthy, surely?

If I am trying to put the blame somewhere, I am going to do what every good Englishman (or woman) does and talk about the weather. I have high hopes for the arrival of summer and the departure (hopefully) of my muffin top… But in the meantime, I’m going to channel Olivia Newton John and get physical.

The post No pain, No gain appeared first on Australian Times News.

IN my experience, you can’t fully appreciate travel unless you take part in the entire process – from wringing out your dirty socks and undies in the hotel shower to finding an incredible patisserie in Paris for a quick afternoon tea, and some people watching.

I feel the same way about living in a new city. The excitement I have when exploring London is the same that I would have as a traveller in any other city or country. Even though we moved to London six months ago, I feel like we are still tourists, albeit without the need to wash clothes in the shower.

I have decided to make the most of our next 66 weekends here (yes, I counted) and be a live-in tourist rather than just another ex-pat that simply lives in London.

Each week I try to do something new or discover a place I have never been. To share the views of Napoleon Bonaparte “Impossible is a word found only in the dictionary of fools”. So I am not going to say it is an impossible task… I am simply going to say that I have set myself a task.

So, in the effort to achieve my task, this past weekend we learned all about the body snatchers of the early 1800s, the 1666 Great Fire of London and horrendous effects of the Black Death at the Museum of London. Then, on Sunday, I enjoyed the most delicious afternoon tea on the 8th floor of the Oxo Tower with some lovely ladies. We watched the sun disappear behind the London Eye at sunset.

Other weekends I have found myself on a scavenger hunt through Southbank, rummaging through the various markets scattered across the city and testing my fear of heights on the London Eye and the newly opened Shard (a Valentine’s Day surprise for our first V Day as “honeymooners”). With so much happening in London every month, it is no wonder tens of thousands of people flock here every year, despite the dreary weather reports and tales of pompous English.

I am determined to experience as much of London as I possibly can in the limited time we have. It will take something extraordinary for us to experience all that London has to offer before our time is up. My trick is to accept the challenges in front of me and say ‘yes’ to as many things as possible (within reason).

I have a feeling that this theory will be both good and bad — by saying ‘yes’ I have been able to experience so much of London already. It also means that I have somehow committed myself to a to a dip in the Serpentine.

In the words of my favourite sitcom character, “challenge accepted”.

The post Honeymooning Nomad: London, Challenge Accepted appeared first on Australian Times News.