Things I love about Australia

THE TIP SYSTEM : In Australia, tipping isn’t compulsory. Which means that places work for them, meaning you get amazing service, and you leave a tip that you can actually choose yourself. It’s fantastic…it sounds so simple, but being able to tip because you want too = excellent service, all the time.

YEAR ROUND SUNSHINE; tan, and it never being so dark and miserable that you forget what the sun looks like. Sounds good to me!

SASS AND BIDE JEANS; One of the best jeans-labels in the world?! I certainly think so. They were a key player in the 90’s denim revolution, and they never fail at making our bums and thighs look amazing, even if we should be hitting the treadmill a little more often. I will be eternally grateful!

BARBECUES: If you don’t love a good barbecue, you are slightly loopy. Great food, cooked outside…that really is amazing. I’ve had some great ones this year…tanning in the garden while boyfriend cooks some food, and enjoying a glass of wine.  Perfect night in!

SEAFOOD: Seafood is delicious…there are so many amazing recipes, and it is so easy to make! It’s always quite impressive, too, making it the perfect party or date food. Meaning that having access to Pacific Oysters, prawns, salmon and scallops all year round is a dream come true.

THE ROADTRIPS: Roadtrips in Australia are fantastic, from my experience. Wherever you are, get in the car for two hours and you’ll find somewhere peaceful and amazing, and there is so much to see.From beaches to mountains it’s an amazing country, and one you should definitely explore by car.

THE BEACHES: This had to make the list somewhere...the beaches in Australia are divine. This photo is of Blacks Beach, in Mackay, QLD. Doesn’t it just look divine?! It’s the perfect place to sunbath, try water sports or just walk along. It’s paradise!

PAVLOVA: Pavlova might be one of the nicest foods ever. Crunchy meringue, fresh cream and sweet fruit…delicious! I cannot get enough of it. I love strawberry Pavlova, and toffee Pavlova, and summer fruits… Just don’t look at the calories.

FRESH FRUIT: Year round fresh fruit might not seem like much of a luxury, but waking up to a fresh mango and having delicious fruit salads really is fantastic. It’s a great way to stay hydrated, too, and it always tastes divine. I’d have no problem getting my five a day over there…

There are so many things to love about Australia. From the food to the views and even the celebrities, it’s one amazing country! If you haven’t visited, make sure you put it on your to-do list. You’ll be super glad you did! And if you have, don’t for

CITIES: Sydney is my favourite city in the world without question. I lived there for a year back in 1999 for around nine months and have returned twice (once quite recently). I just feel at home there. Then there’s Melbourne – each time I’ve made it to Melbourne I’ve seen more and more of it, making me appreciate it more than ever. Perth is very special to me – it’s where I met my wife-to-be! So while Australia is great for more remote places (which I will refer to later), it’s got some of my favourite cities in the world.

NATIONAL PARKS: When travelling Australia’s celebrated coastlines, on those days when you don’t want to laze by the pool (many hostels in Australia have their own pools) or on the beach there’ll be a national park nearby. If you’re not on the coast, chances are you’re exploring some of the country’s best-known national parks – Kakadu, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park or the Great Sandy National Park, home to Fraser Island. In a nutshell, as much as I love Australia’s cities and lazing on its beaches, its national parks are unbelievably fascinating.

MONEY: When I say money I mean the actual material it’s made out of. Unlike other currencies, Australian money is waterproof. That’s right – waterproof! So if you’re swimming down at Bondi and you think to yourself “Aw rats! I’ve left me money in my swimmers!” (Australian for ‘I’ve left my money in my swimming shorts’) fear not – the money will be in the same condition upon departure from the sea as upon entering.

Their money is just way cooler than ours – isn’t it so pretty? Plus they use $1 and $2 coins. Now if only the American dollar was stronger because the cost of living in Australia is way higher but our dollars are about equal so to us, everything seemed to cost so much more. For example, we’d pay $2.22 for two 20-oz. bottles of Diet Coke here in the States but in Australia we’d pay $3.50 for ONE half liter of Diet Coke and $24 for a 24-pack of cans.

CLIMATE: I first arrived in Sydney on October 14th in the middle of Australia’s ‘spring’. It was already hitting temperatures of 25°C/77°F. Next was summer when temperatures soared before autumn arrived. In April, not far from the country’s winter, I was still visiting the beach. Then when winter arrived, what did I do? I travelled north and continued to experience temperatures of 30°C/85°F. So if you’re one who likes warm weather and the sunshine, which I do, then you’ll love Australia’s climate.

ELECTRIC TEAPOTS: Use of electric teapots and having a cuppa – anytime you go to someone’s house, you can expect to have tea (or coffee) with them. Everyone has an electric teapot on their counter and in five minutes you’ll be having tea and maybe a snack. The instant coffee is delicious and convenient. I wish this was something we did more in the States, it’s just a nice aspect to any evening to sit down and have a cuppa with people (of course we do it our own way with pod coffee brewers and Diet Coke)

SHOPS: The shops close up at 5:30 (the grocery stores are open later) but the mall areas just close up and at first I found this off-putting but really, it shows a general prioritization that Australias have in putting living life AHEAD of working. In the US, we’re all about convenience and getting things when we want them but realistically, nothing is so important that I can’t wait until a later time to pick up. Instead of running errands all over town in the evenings, we should just be home with our families or out doing things together. I like that idea.

ANZAC BISCUITS: They taste like heaven…golden syrup, oats, sugar and butter…they are delicious. Never tried them? Grab 85g of oats, 85g of desiccated coconut, 100g of plain flour, 100g caster sugar, 100g butter, 1 tbsp golden syrup and 1 tsp of bicarbonate soda. Mix the oats, coconut, flour and sugar in a bowl, and melt the butter. Add the bicarbonate soda to 2tbsp boiling water, and add the golden syrup and melted butter. Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the mixture and mix together. Make biscuit shapes on a greased baking tray, leaving 1 inch between them for expansion, and bake for 8 – 10 minutes until golden. Delicious and perfect with a cup of cocoa or hot coffee!