Expat Life

THE EXPAT FACTOR | Rugby legend Michael Lynagh won the World Cup with the Wallabies and captained the team from 1993-1995. He survived 72 internationals but perhaps his toughest test has been making what he calls a ‘miraculous’ recovery from a life threatening stroke. Now just one year since the...

TUBE TALK | With all this cold weather I have been thinking of advertising for a winter boyfriend. Yes, that’s right a boyfriend for the winter months. Or at least the spring months that feel like winter.

THE EXPAT FACTOR | Kathy Lette is an Australian author who has lived in London for over 20 years. Kathy has written a number of bestselling books including Puberty Blues, How to Kill Your Husband (and Other Handy Household Hints), To Love, Honour & Betray, Mad Cows and Foetal Attraction....

EDINBURGH EXPAT | The Edinburgh International Science Festival looks to the future as it celebrates its 25th birthday.

ASTUTE AUSSIE IN LONDON | Young people need to be informed, inspired and motivated about future decisions. Claire Young is helping students raise their aspirations and think big through a new start up scheme for under 18s.

THE EXPAT FACTOR | Matt Parker used skills learnt as a maths teacher to springboard into a new career in London - stand-up mathematician. Matt now does regular stand-up on his favourite topic, as well as spots on TV and radio talking all things maths and education. Add in regular...

HONEYMOONING NOMAD | Facing a first wedding anniversary, our Honeymooning Nomad comes up with her own take on the traditional gift of paper.

THE EXPAT FACTOR | Scott Hallsworth is executive chef and co-founder of Wabi, specialising in innovative and seasonal Japanese cuisine with a contemporary European twist. Previously head chef of Nobu London, Scott has earned a reputation for pushing the boundaries of gastronomy and creating unique and interesting menus.

Delicious breakfasts, satisfying portions, expertly presented and efficiently delivered. With quality coffee to precede, and follow (it is a Monday after all), Lantana is an excellent way to start the week.

EDINBURGH EXPAT | Consider this statement in the context of Australia and suddenly our reputation as a sporting nation becomes more a matter of logic rather than a testament to our power of will. We spend a lot of time outdoors, because we can.

THE EXPAT FACTOR | Liz Koops is a theatrical entrepreneur who brought sell-out shows Tap Dogs and Priscilla Queen of The Desert to the UK stage. She is managing director of Back Row Productions, winner of 2012 Australian Woman of the Year in the UK and has recently launched a...

HONEYMOONING NOMAD | Faced with reminders of life back home, our adventuring newlywed experiences that feeling we’ve all had at one point in our UK journey: homesickness.

TUBE TALK | It’s not too often we see the same faces on the Tube on a daily basis, but imagine if one day as you hopped onto your carriage you saw a face that you knew.

The weather in Edinburgh can be harsh, even in the springtime. Especially in the springtime. So if you’re looking to take a trip up North you will need two things - energy and warmth. Both of which can be found at the bottom of a steaming cup of coffee.

When it comes to finding the best people for the job, many organisations struggle to find the right people and many people are finding it difficult to find the right job.

SUBCULTURE SLEUTH | This week our sleuth practices the London art of patience when faced with a swarming mass of tourists.

FIT AUSSIE | With the cold weather set to continue, our fit Aussie in London gives you his handy hints to staying healthy, and sane, into spring.

Focusing on strengths and synergies, not stereotypes, leads to greater gender diversity and better outcomes in the workplace.

HONEYMOONING NOMAD | Is weight gain an inevitable part of living in London for an extended period? This Backpacking wife gets physical in an attempt to prove the “Heathrow Injection” is nothing more than a myth.

THE EXPAT FACTOR | Chloe Angel dreamed of an international career in singing and performing, and has moved to London to pursue these goals. You may have seen her warming up the crowds in Covent Garden.

THE EXPAT FACTOR | Welcome to our new weekly profile to recognise and promote the interesting, exciting and innovative achievements of Australians living and working in the UK.

EDINBURGH EXPAT | Australia was established as a penal colony because there was no space left in the correctional facilities in Britain. Centuries later the lack of space in the UK continues to present challenges, as our Edinburgh Expert is all too aware.

ALP Abroad’s pilgrimage to Oxford has uncovered the true location, and story behind Bob Hawke’s record breaking feat; drinking a yard glass of ale in under 12 seconds.

Tucked away in a small alley off Kingsway, Holborn, Fleet River Bakery is a haven of freshly baked smells, creamy lattes and understated rustic charm, that has, by chance, played witness to a number of significant steps in my own personal London story.

BRON IN THE DON | With Arts in her eyes, our resident adventurer visited one of the most popular cultural destinations in London. #66 on the Timeout London Top 100 — the Southbank Centre.

SUBCULTURE SLEUTH | In an attempt to understand the almost religious fevour with which football is followed in our adopted homeland, our sleuth dons the red and white and tries to go incognito at the ‘North London derby’.

HONEYMOONING NOMAD | 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.

The current combination of world property market, foreign currency rates and economic factors are presenting a unique opportunity for those considering purchasing property overseas.

SUBCULTURE SLEUTH | A rivalry as old as time, the London cross-city divide, takes on a whole new dimension when you add Australians to the mix.

Abundance: a very large quantity of something. London is all about abundance. Buses, cabs, pubs, people, and Pret A Manger’s.

Pimlico Fresh in Pimlico (believe it or not), has established itself as 'the cafe' in this rather inconspicuous part of London. They may not be breaking any new ground in terms of menu, but Coffee Cult discovered they are breaking records in terms of service.

ASTUTE AUSSIE IN LONDON | 8 March is International Women's Day - a global day of recognition and celebration of women. However, there is still more to be done to encourage gender diversity in management and senior business positions in order to gain from the benefits of a diversified workplace.

BRON IN THE DON | Feeling sick? Usually you’d make a doctor’s appointment. However, as our resident adventurer discovers, there may just be an alternative if you’re the self-diagnosis type - #96 on the Timeout London Top 100, the Wellcome Collection.

Nominations are open for the sixth consecutive Qantas Australian Woman of the Year in the UK Award, which is supported by Australian Business and Qantas. The Award promotes, recognises and celebrates the achievments of Australian women in the UK and coincides with International Women’s Day.

It’s early Saturday morning in London and a look outside the window indicates the prospect of a long, cold, grey and bleak weekend. What’s more, I have £40 left in my bank account and a payday I know is far enough away to mean £30 of that amount needs to...

BRON IN THE DON | Ever wondered where those books not sold at Waterstones are kept? It’s called a library, and London boasts one of the world’s best. This week our resident adventurer embraces her inner bookworm and discovers #70 on the Timeout London Top 100 - the British Library.

SUBCULTURE SLEUTH | Whether you are chav or posh boy, hipster or hooligan, Australian or Brit, there is one thing that men across the world have in common — image is everything, especially in a cultural melting pot like London.

With the start of the Edinburgh Festival season fast approaching, it's time for our Edinburgh Expat to get to work. On the list is everything from the Science Festival to the Film Festival, the Book Festival through to the Military Tattoo. Topping it all off - the Edinburgh Fringe Festival...

ALP Abroad are planning a day long pilgrimage to Oxford to visit the birth place of the 'yard of ale' legend that surrounds the former Australian Prime Minister, Bob Hawke.

Single Aussie guys, this one’s for you. Too lazy for online dating? Haven’t yet seen any London sights since arriving? Well, we’ve found you the solution to both. DoingSomething is hosting its inaugural Wheel of Date on the London Eye 28 February 2013. The chance to have a fun night...

ASTUTE AUSSIE IN LONDON | Recent revelations of drug use in Australian sport have prompted a reflection on the prevalence of drugs in society. In the UK, Australians have been questioned about their reputation as the “great sporting nation”. If our revered sporting profession is not immune to the effects...

Bill Granger's Granger & Co in London's Notting Hill has the easygoing glam of Eastern Sydney, set in the stylish grace of West London. Not just a breakfast, but an immersive experience in another world.

SUBCULTURE SLEUTH | This week our Sleuth jumps to the defence of a newly discovered UK crush — Tulisa.

TUBE TALK | This week I am preparing myself to travel to Armenia, where my family originated. It’s a very exiting journey for me as I get to discover the country of my heritage.

BRON IN THE DON| Fancy getting up close and personal with men in tights, women in tutus, or is operatic performance more your thing? Our resident adventurer discovers the spiritual home of both, and takes in a performance of The Nutcracker, when she ticks off #98 on the Timeout London...

LOST IN LONDON | There's only one thing worse than the cross-continental set-up from well meaning Aussie friends and family this Valentine's Day. Being the third wheel on someone else's blind date.

EDINBURGH EXPAT | The ‘City of Literature’ tag is perhaps no more appropriate than when referring to the relationship between a city with infamously temperamental weather and those who have the ability to aptly describe it.

ASTUTE AUSSIE IN LONDON | For Australians in London, an English winter can mean illness, energy slumps and low moods. The key to a happier and healthier life could be as simple as a change to diet, with these tips from holistic coach Polly Noble.

BRON IN THE DON | Sick of the wet weather? At a new art installation, the Rain Room, our resident adventurer discovers all the joys of the rain whilst still staying dry, when visiting #40 on the TimeOut London Top 100 — the Barbican Centre.

SUBCULTURE SLEUTH | Aussie men may think they have perfected the art of male bonding with their footy match getaways, but it has nothing on the British lad’s weekend for shared shame and debaucherous glory.