I've travelled the UK, Europe, America, Africa and Asia - but I live in Australia, because for my money, it's the best place to live.

I wasn't born here. I'm British, and spent the first half of my life living and working in various places around the UK. I was one of those people who never really fitted in: I had a tendency to wear peacock colours when everyone else was in beige, and I could never understand why "what other people think" should be the guiding light of my existence.

I didn't reach Australia until I was in my 30's, and felt at home immediately. Bright colours don't seem gaudy against cloudless azure sky, burnt ochre earth or sparkling blue sea. If people are sometimes a little too laid back, it also means they're remarkably tolerant. There are far fewer "shoulds" in Australian society. Yes, like anywhere, there are pedants and bigots and small-minded people, but in my experience they are less prevalent than in some other countries. Since I arrived, my life has changed and moved forward in so many ways, because the Australian way is to "have a go". When I go back and visit friends in the UK, nothing much seems to have changed for them in 20 years.

In my part of Australia, the winter reminds me of the summers of my Northern hemisphere childhood. The summers can sometimes be a little too hot for my taste, but if it wasn't for the heat, I'd never get to appreciate the champagne sensation of plunging into cool surf! The weather makes pleasures easier and cheaper - going for a walk or a swim, or lazing under a shady palm with a book, cost nothing. Living here is like being on a perpetual holiday!

Learn more about this author, Marisa Wright.
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