Barefoot Bowls; Lawn Bowls Without Shoes? thumbnail

Barefoot and bowls are two words I really never imagined I’d be saying in succession any time during my life. But now I have, many times, and I have also written about it for Australia and New Zealand magazine. What is it? Try and stay with this; it’s bowls, on the lawn, just like usual, [...]

Real Australians Reveal Their Incomes And Monthly Expenses thumbnail

I am often asked, mostly on my page called Calculating Your Comfortable Family Income in Australia, whether people would be able to live comfortably on the wage they have been offered. The questions usually take the form of… “Hi, I have an opportunity to work in insert name of place here, I’ve been offered a [...]

Latest Visa News Update: October 2018 thumbnail

Potential new entrepreneur visa for South Australia, New partner and citizenship regulations, New short term 5 and 10 year parent visas, Migration in the news and Proposal to move migrant to regional areas.

EFTPOS – The Australian Cashless Culture thumbnail

“Can you lend me a fiver?” “Do you take EFTPOS?” Whenever I asked to borrow a fiver in England, I never once received that response. I won’t here in Australia either, because nobody refers to anything as a fiver. Anyway, here’s an article I wrote for Australia and New Zealand magazine which appeared in their [...]

Your Complete Guide to Winter Weather in All Capital Australian Cities thumbnail

This year, for the first year ever, I didn’t do my annual Brisbane winters versus London’s summers post. This led to a deluge of comments asking me why, assuming one single comment can be referred to as a deluge for artistic license. Anyway, one reader wondered whether it was because the UK were having a [...]

Watching the UEFA Champions League (UCL) in Australia thumbnail

Last night, which would have been early hours in the morning here, the UEFA Champions League (UCL) kicked off, as the 2018/19 competition got underway. The UCL is almost certainly the world’s most prestigious club competition; it’s undoubtedly the top prize for the big clubs like Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona. But how do [...]

Snake Bite First Aid in Australia: What You Need to Know in an Emergency thumbnail

Fancy the chance of helping to save somebody’s life? Then read on… I was driving home from Bunnings a month ago, the car filled to capacity with flatpack garden furniture as I prepared for spring. Five minutes from home, I just about managed a minor swerve to avoid squashing the head of a snake who [...]

Extras Medical Insurance and Going to the Dentist in Australia thumbnail

Time for another reprinting of an article I wrote for Australia and New Zealand magazine, this appeared in their October 2017 issue. This is a reprint with a difference though, because it comes with ‘Extras’, if you’ll excuse the pun. My magazine articles are restricted to 550 words or thereabouts, here there are no restrictions. [...]

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