I am lucky and grateful to be a citizen of two wonderful countries – the UK and Australia.

Aussie by birth, I went to college in South Australia, lived in New South Wales off and on for much of my younger life, and was even married to an Aussie for a few years.

Just over 25 years ago I came to London clutching my British passport, initially for university, not planning to stay too long.

I never left.

There were many reasons why, two being meeting an English boy and finding my dream job at a luxury travel company.

But in reality, I wasn’t ready to go back to Australia - one of my (own personal) bug bears at the time was how I felt about its attitude towards history, culture and tradition, and the lack of interest, understanding or empathy for one or all three, depending on the Australian you spoke to at that time. 

London on the other hand offered a mind-bending kaleidoscope of history and culture, its traditions overflowing with pomp and ceremony. There’s nothing quite like taking a bus past the 11th century Tower of London on a sunny day, or watching the horses parade by Buckingham Palace in Hyde Park; the noise and vibrancy of Soho in the early hours after a night out, or the quiet reverence of pausing in one of London’s world-renowned museums - I will never grow tired of London – as they say, if you tire of London, you’re tired of life. 

I love the British humour, their compassion, open-mindedness and inclusive nature, not to mention their love for animals in all shapes and forms. OK, there are always downsides to every country and that includes a few bad apples wherever you go, but this is a country that I have spent nearly half my life in, and I’ve loved every minute.

For over 25 years I’ve put my Aussie to one side and embraced my British.

Until now.

After my mother’s passing, I set up a base in Orange, a wine region near Sydney to honour her wish that I return home one day and reconnect with my family, and now in my third year of returning for a few months each year for harvest, something has shifted.

Yes, there are things in Australia that still drive me bonkers – how reliant everyone is on a car, and the huge gas guzzling types for the most part. The weather is on another level - baking for months, hail one day, flooding the next.  My hometown of Sydney's house prices, and basic living is pretty expensive these days, (yes, even London looks relatively cheap by comparison).

There’s a weird obsession with gambling; most pubs are littered with pokie machines and loud TVs.  Quaint gastro pubs are far and few between, restaurants close early in most cities – I am sure there are nightclubs you could grab a drink at, but if you want to eat out Australia is more American than European when it comes to dinner times.

There are ‘hoons’ in most towns channelling their inner Monaco GP well into the night. People walk around without shoes – why?  The cities can be a bit of an architectural wasteland, no more so than in the cookie-cutter suburbs – quoting a friend in Melbourne: “No one does suburbia like Australia”.

With all that said, as I grow older, I grow more in love with Australia - the positives outweigh the downsides…. Australia is a unique country with its own unique idiosyncrasies; here are a just a few of my favourites:

• How Australia hits all the senses - the scent of eucalyptus, pine or the ocean; the brightness of the sunshine; the blueness of the sky
• The sound of the birds in the mornings fighting for space on the airwaves – for a newbie the pandemonium of noise can sound like you’ve arrived on another planet
• How everyone (and I mean everyone) says ‘G’day’ as you pass them
• The outdoor lifestyle is a serious pastime, even in winter, and water is usually part of it - an ocean, river or lake is never far away
• The wide open spaces – I miss seeing a horizon in London, it’s magical to watch the sun set every day 
• The mad fixation for football – either AFL or League – neither of which I understand, but I love a bit of passion in whichever form it takes
• The fact that (nearly) everyone over the age of 18 understands wine, drinks it and loves it – wine has been made in Australia for over 200 years, and working in a tasting room here means raising your game and know-how 
• The obsession with coffee and how Aussies think their coffee is the best, even though it’s actually a derivative of Italian coffee, (but I am not going to tell them that)
• How neighbours pop round to check in on you – building a community is relatively easy - the weekly wine nights with my neighbours have become legendary
• Everything is low drama – it’s all ‘no worries’, and ‘she’ll be right’ – everything is a bit slower, more relaxed, and all the better for it
• Seeing a ‘mob’ of kangaroos, usually sunbathing by a vineyard is a sight to behold
• You can escape the crowds if you wish – there’s only around four people per square kilometre in Australia, and those mainly live on the coast  
• The food – from Michelin level through to fish and chips - is usually fresh and seasonal – and Australia’s east-meets-west philosophy for cuisine is my go-to comfort food
• When it comes to culture, you just need to look deeper -  my home in a little wine town has an inspiring art scene that belies its isolation and size
• Close to Asia – Bali in 6 hours?  Singapore in 7 hours?  Yes, please
• The water from the tap – especially in the mountains where I live – is delicious, it’s also soft, no need for straighteners here
• Gun control – enough said
• Good wages and getting paid fortnightly – great if you work in a cellar door like I do 
• True work-life balance – people actually switch off and expect you to do the same

I am still a Brit at heart, but my soul is on a very slow cruise back to Australia.  Experiencing the best of both worlds from the northern to southern hemisphere each year, (following the grape harvest of course) makes me a very grateful Aussie-Brit.