With a lot of Australians in my office Australia Day is taken very seriously. The emails started about two weeks prior to the big day with a call out for home baked lamingtons, Anzac biscuits, pavlova, rum balls and a cry for someone to please queue at the Australia shop in Covent Garden for twisties, burger rings, barbeque shapes, tim tams and mint slices. Then there were the emails planning the afternoon and evening celebrations with talk of barbeques at a mates place or perhaps the Walkabout pub or even the Jetlag bar in Soho.

Waking up on Wednesday my first thought was 'I should be having a public holiday right now'. Not the most motivating thought to start the day with but it was actually a cracker. Finding the office decorated with Australian themed balloons and flags was a highlight only eclipsed by the spread of treats laid out for afternoon tea. I've had three years celebrating Australia Day in London and this by far the best effort by all.

Around 4pm there is was a call for 'pens down' - it was 'beer o'clock'. We decided on the Jetlag Bar spending the night celebrating with some old school friends of mine. Sally is famous for organising us all to get together each year and this year was no exception- she'd even snuck some lamingtons into the pub for dessert.

Australia Day in London is a contradiction for me. Its a day where I reflect on the wonderful friendships I have in London with my fellow Australians, a day for being able to be celebrate openly and loudly the wonderful country we come from and to show pride in all things Australian. On the flip side its the one day of the year that I am guaranteed to get homesick!