An Expat Australia Day

Now I'm not usually one for patriotism but there's something about spending an Australia Day abroad that makes me wanna sing the National Anthem, while wearing the flag, holding a VB in one hand and a charcoaled snag in the other.  And that's pretty much just what I did when it came to Australia Day this year.

Making the place look a little more festive...

Enjoying a super-expensive VB with Austin.

On Friday 27th of July, Phil and I invited 40 of our closest friends over to our fourth-floor one-bedroom apartment to celebrate Australia Day.  Unable to turn out a successful batch of lamingtons or find a bottle of Bundaberg Rum, we instead served freshly baked ANZAC biscuits, barbecued steaks and sausages, kangaroo skewers and patties, meat pies, vegemite cheesies, trifle and Victorian Bitter beer.  The crowd danced to Triple J's Hottest 100 countdown and sweltered in the 30+ degree heat inside the apartment.

Celebrating Australia Day with Bella (UK) and Sam (NZ)

And with Ashleigh (NZ) and Lisa (Jamaica)

We partied on into the night, oblivious to my poor neighbours probably trying to sleep, only winding down at about 3am.  A late game of 'which would your prefer' over a giant bottle of sake made things interesting and several people stayed the night, cramming themselves into every available bit of floor space they could find.  Many people had to get up early the next morning for musical rehearsals, but I slept all day in preparation for another big social gathering happening later that night called Burns Supper.  The apartment was a MESS, but worth it and I'm definitely planning on hosting an Australia Day party again next year!