Australia day in London is a strange thing.

When catching the last tube home last night after being at an Aussie BBQ (even in the cold) it was impossible not to know that it was Australia day. It seemed like every one of the 200 000 odd Aussies living in London were on the last trains home. They were clearly marked by cheeks covered in Oz flag stickers, heads covered in Fosters branded Akubra hats and flags being waved or worn as capes. Even those who didn’t make the effort to dress up were still somehow clearly recognisable.

My whole trip home was full of drunken conversations with random Aussies. You’d take one look at each other, recognise a fellow Aussie and spark up a drunken conversation – usually starting with “Happy Australia day”. When have you ever wished somebody a “Happy Australia day”? I don’t remember ever having done it at home. Yesterday it was happy Australia day’s all round.

Australia day in London takes on an increased significance, particularly for those fresh off the boat. To most people back home Australia day generally just means a day off and as good a reason as any to have a BBQ and a few beers in the sun. But to those people who are still experiencing the new found pride in their national identity that comes from living outside your own culture for the first time, Australia day is a perfect chance to say to all those foreigners around you that I am Australian and I’m proud of it. Most people are happy to say it loudly too - who has ever painted their face just to go to the pub in Australia ?

I’ve been to the “Australian cultural Mecca ” that is the Shepherds Bush Walkabout on Australia day. I’ve been drunk on snake bites and sung along (loudly) to Cold Chisel and Men at Work. I may well have had to be somewhat drunk to do it, but I did have a damn good time and revelled in the chance to be patriotic with like minded countrymen all enjoying our new found bond that comes from living on foreign soil.

Debates around when it is and isn’t appropriate wave a flag seem to have become a permanent feature in all the papers back home. Here is London wearing the flag draped around your shoulders isn’t about being racist or protagonist, it’s just about being proud of who you are.