We often like to kick these blogs off with a little comparison about why the cold, dark wintery gloom of Britain is in such stark juxtaposition with the summer sun and lovely girls in lovely thongs strutting the beaches of Sydney.

Yet as we approached May and, despite years of conditioning to the contrary, we got our hopes up that a beautiful British summer was hiding behind those clouds, just waiting with scorching 15 degree temperatures, irritable wasps looking for a cider to sit in and tattooed football fans looking to fight over whose pint the wasp's drowning in, you can understand our worry over this month's working holiday blog.

But then the rain came.

So, we've had nearly a month of rain here but, in true British fashion, we are also in a drought. Nearly constant, torrential downpour for almost a month and we still can't use our hosepipes, only in Britain. I don't know who wants to use their hosepipes when even the pavement is getting soggy but still, if they wanted to, they couldn't, under penalty of death (or moderate fines).

In conclusion, has our description of why being in Britain in May isn't a good idea ever really been this easy?

New Offer - Get a Greyhound 500km pass for AU$20!

Didn't think so, so if you're in Australia in May, not only are you the place to be right now but we also have a brand new offer for our platinum card members to add to all this cool stuff going on Down Under in May!

As usual we've got plenty of stuff to do across Australia but this month, for Platinum Card members only we've got Greyhound bus passes for just AU$20!

So what, I hear you say, we don't know how much they normally cost so how is that a saving?

Well, they usually cost AU$107 so I'm sure the quick witted amongst you..........and now the rest of you, have figured out that's a saving of AU$87 and the pass will get you 500km across Australia, that's 4 cents a kilometre!

To capitalise on this most awesome of awesome offers, just go to Greyhound and enter the code VISAKM in the 'promo' code box at checkout!

Sea food and eat it.

First up, we've got a lovely bit of grub to kick off May with a bang. If you're sick of discussing whether or not Marmite is nice (it's not), if Kangaroo tastes good (it does) or if Fosters is a decent beer (it's not) then you might be ready for something a little different.

Well if you happen to be in Queensland this week, head on down to Brisbane for the 18th annual Caxton Street Seafood and Wine Festival on the 6th of May for some great seafood and wine on the street, beat that for a description.

15,000 people turned up last year to sample some of the amazing delights on the menu as well as see the great line-up of performers.

It'll definitely be better than drinking Fosters and discussing Marmite.

Killin' it with St Kilda

Film festivals are top places to be, you can watch trashy films that would never make it on TV let alone the cinema and see some incredibly J list celebrities before bragging shamelessly to your friends later that you just watched the new Citizen Kane while being best man at Kevin Spacey's wedding at 'a really underground indy film festival you won't have heard of'.

If you're in Melbourne between the 22nd and the 27th you could have that very opportunity, while you might not meet the K-Space or see the next Citizen Kane, the St Kilda Film Festival 2012 still has plenty of great films from all genres and cultures on show for you to not fully appreciate, and then brag about later.

I would go out tonight, but I haven't got a stitch to wear

Backpacking is scruffy business: living out of an ageing backpack, washing your clothes as a Christmas present and spending months at a time in Saharan levels of heat probably isn't doing the best for your limited collection of threads.

Don't worry though as anyone in Adelaide between the 24th and 26th you can restock your depleting threads on the cheap, the very cheap. The Salvos Stores MASSIVE Clothing Sale takes place across almost all of the South Australian stores and, best bit, everything is AU$2,99!

Nearly nudity, tassles and boa feathers

We didn't need a more poetic title than that, we've got you now.

Burlesque is a traditionally sensual and evocative art form dedicated to the beauty that is woman which has, unfortunately, been high jacked by stripping and the whole art form has been lumped in with the clear heels, unwashed thongs and slight desperation that all men really see at strip clubs.

At least that's the flawless argument you can use when going to the Perth International Burlesque Festival between the 24th and 27th of this month.

The first annual Burlesque Festival celebrates everything about Burlesque with lessons, live shows, workshops and some of the best names in Burlesque.

Admit it though, we had you at the headline.

Delight in light in the Sydney sky at night

Sydney's iconic harbour sits comfortably in a list of the world's best sites to see: Times Square, the Eiffel Tower, Big Ben, the Visa Bureau offices, the Great Pyramid at Giza, Lassie's gravesite, any self respecting listmaker will always include the Opera House.

So, no doubt if you're over that way you'll already have seen it, perhaps even taken some hilarious picture where you're leaning against it or have your fingers on the top, you're so clever and original.

But if you haven't done that, or even if you have then get yourself back down to the harbour any time after the 25th to see Vivid Sydney, when for 18 days, the city becomes a blank canvas to be covered with light and music in a kaleidoscopic of architecturally epic proportions.

It'll be like an acid trip you can't escape, doesn't that sound nice?

- Dominic Ladden-Powell is the Online Editor with the Australian Visa Bureau, an independent migration consultancy specialising in helping people lodge applications for a Working Holiday Visa to Australia.

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

February in the UK is dark, damp and, if you're single, depressing. Still broke from Christmas and still stuck in the depths of winter, it's no wonder girlfriends, wives and boyfriends get upset when the one good thing about the month, Valentines Day, is forgotten.

But if you're in Australia however, then February is still the height of summer, temperatures rarely drop below a FREEZING 25 degrees across the country and the only cold people moan about is the temperature of their iced vegemite lollies (these definitely might exist).

So if you're Down Under this month and are keen to rub it in your British friends' faces, then here's a look at some of the best stuff going on this month.

What would an Australian summer, or an Australian Wednesday for that matter, be without surfing? The Australian Open of Surfing takes place between the 11th and 19th of February and doesn't JUST include some of the world's top names in surfing cleaving through some of the world's top surfing waves but also features plenty of live music, fashion shows and skateboarding events for those moments when you're glancing away from the water.

The Australian summer is the time for late nights on warm porches, cold beer on hot beaches and spicy barbecues on neighbours' porches (when they're not in), it is NOT the time for swimming 2 km, cycling EIGHTY THREE km and then rounding the day off with a nice gentle MARATHON.

The Jervis Bay Triathlon Festival offers plenty of different race options between the 17th and 19th, but if you're sensible, or just obese, you can do the proper thing and just sit back on the beach with a nice cold beer (or vegemite lolly) and indulge in that most popular of pastimes: watching other people work.

Canberra is the place to be in February as the world's largest short film festival comes to town on the 19th. Tropfest, which regularly attracts a whopping 150,000 a day started life as a simple screening in a Sydney cafe but has since grown to one of the most popular events in world cinema with events not just in Australia but London, Berlin, New York and Bangkok.

If you're in or around Melbourne between the 24th and 26th, why not head down to Phillip Island to witness the best fusing of man and machine since Darth Vader took his helmet off and scared you behind the couch (your mum told us): Superbikes. Taking place over two days on Phillip Island the Superbike World Championship is fast, furious and about as dangerous as playing with fireworks on a level crossing; superbikes make Formula 1 look like the kid with glasses and asthma on cross country day.

The Adelaide Fringe Festival runs from the 24th February until the 18th March is now the largest arts festival in Australia with 52 years' worth of history to back it up. While it may be not as famous as its Scottish cousin the Edingburgh Fringe Festival, it packs just as much of a punch with hundreds upon hundreds of comedy shows, circus events, dancing events, film screenings and so much culture you'll need a cold compress and a Jeremy Kyle marathon to get over it.

- Dominic Ladden-Powell is Online Editor with the Australian Visa Bureau, an independent migration consultancy specialising in helping people lodge applications for a Working Holiday Visa to Australia.

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

Australia celebrated its 224th birthday today and across the country people took to the streets, to the beaches and to the parks for parties, barbecues and fireworks displays in one of the most eagerly anticipated days of the year.

Here are some of the best things that went on all over Australia today.

Brisbane

Although citizenship ceremonies to welcome new Australians took place across the country, the biggest citizenship ceremony in the country took place in Brisbaine when 3,850 people from 114 countries pledged themselves to Australia at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Across town, a slightly less civilised but infinitely more fun affair got underway with the first annual Bellyflop Competition at the Moorooka Bowls Club took place.

Perth

An unexpected rain storm attempted to dampen the spirits in Perth but didn't succeed as locals took to the streets to watch a magical fireworks display which combined with sheet lightning to create a dramatic display unlike anywhere else.

Melbourne

Fireworks displays are part and parcel of the proceedings on Australia Day at the Australian Open but this year the flashing lights and loud bangs in the sky could do nothing to deter spectators' attentions from the firework display going down on the court as Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer went to head to head once again in one of sport's greatest ever rivalries.

Nadal had to produce his best tennis to beat the Swiss Maestro and come from a set down as he battled to win 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 7-6 (7-5) 6-4. He goes through to await either current world number one and reigning champion Novak Djokovic or Britain's Andy Murray.

Over in the women's draw, the show was no less spectacular as tennis's number one star Maria Sharapova fought past a resilient Petra Kvitova in three sets to reach the final while Belarussian Victoria Azarenka reached her first Grand Slam final after winning a nail biting contest against reigning champion Kim Clijsters.

Sydney

In Sydney Australians gathered at Sydney Harbour, the country's most iconic tourist location, citizens gathered to watch the Australia Day Ferry Race while the Australian Army's 7th Field Regiment provided the soundtrack with a 21 gun-salute at Farm Cove

While the weather may not have been the blazing sunshine many would normally expect in the height of summer, thousands of people still gathered on Bondi Beach to barbecue, drink beers and maybe even take part in the Australian Day thong challenge which isn't nearly as rude as it suggests, especially for a beach famed the world over for its beautiful people and skimpy swimwear.

Instead, hundreds upon of hundreds of people took to the water on giant inflatable thongs (the sandal) in an attempt to break the previous year's record of over 2,000 people.

Adelaide

Over in Adelaide, they also took part in the thong challenge, although with only 500 people they remained sadly some way behind their Sydney rivals.

The reason for their failure however, might simply have been that most people were watching the cricket, too busy engrossed in the nation's favourite sport to venture down the beach with a blow up shoe.

It was worth it too as Australia continued to flatten India in the fourth and final Test match of the series with the tourists not managing to get anywhere near Australia's massive 604-7.

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

While you may be too late to enjoy the incredible fireworks on show in Sydney Harbour, if you're in Australia in January don't worry because as the temperature begins to climb in the Australian summer, so too does the amount of things to do.

The average January temperature in Sydney is a balmy 26 degrees C but with the climate able to scale heights as high as a whopping 45 degrees C, make sure to keep cool if you plan to enjoy the delights of the Sydney Festival 2012.

The Sydney Festival is an almost month long celebration of the arts and culture which involves theatres, music, dancing and art exhibitions.

Particular highlights of the festival include famed DJ Norman Jay who will be parking his double decker bus in Hyde Park on 7th January to kick off a marathon eight hour dance session while on the 13th of January, Clairy Brown and the Bangin' Rackettes will be tearing up the stage to bring a raucous end to the first Friday of the festival.

Aside from music there are more than 20 individual theatrical performances spread over the duration of the festival and if your Sydney Festival experience is aimed toward the end of the month, stick around for the 26th when the whole city comes together to throw a giant party to celebrate the national holiday Australia Day.

Aside from the festival, one of sport's most popular events gets underway in Melbourne in the third week of January with the Australian Open. While the men's game continues to get ever more competitive with Novak Djokovic attempting to solidify his position at the pinnacle of the game and Andy Murray tries to keep up, the women's game remains as unpredictable as ever, although with Sam Stosur becoming Australia's first female Grand Slam champion in decades with her win at last year's US Open, Australian tennis fans have something to look forward since the decline of Lleyton Hewitt.

What would spending the summer in one of the world's hottest and most beautiful locations be if you didn't spend at least most of your waking hours on the beach? While you may not be quite energetic enough to take part, the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Ironman & Ironwoman Series which takes place in Queensland and New South Wales, just the chance to see 36 of Australia's toughest and strongest lifeguards take to the waves might be just the thing to make you relax, even if the athletes don't as they battle the tide and the heat with swims, runs and paddles.

 - Dominic Ladden-Powell is Online Editor with the Australian Visa Bureau, an independent migration consultancy specialising in helping people lodge applications for a Working Holiday Visa to Australia.

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

Once the Melbourne Cup hangover wears off there's plenty going on in Australia this November, kicking off with Steve Irwin Day on Tuesday November 15, where Australia and the world pays tribute to the Crocodile Hunter and his conservation work.

The main festivities will take place at Irwin's old stomping ground at the Australia Zoo at Beermah near Brisbane, Queensland. The day starts with an authentic Aussie sausage sizzle which is included in the admission price.

The freebies continue if you wear khakis Irwin-style. You'll get 10% off the gate entry price and an unspecified gift, so embrace your inner Indiana Jones for a good cause - all proceeds go to the Australian Wildlife Hospital and other conservation projects the Croc Hunter was involved with.

Guests will also be treated to a live performance by iconic Aussie bluesman Xavier Rudd in the Crocoseum. If you've never seen Xavier you're in for a treat, mixing blues, roots, folk and traditional Aboriginal music to create a big sound that is uniquely Australian.

Keeping with the khaki theme, any budding adventure junkies should pencil in the Adventurists Afternoon Tea on Saturday 12 November at the Justice & Police Museum in Sydney's Circular Quay. Afternoon tea is a tradition for adventurists, offering a peaceful break from epic journeying and world record breaking where they can relax with a cuppa and swap stories.

The Sydney Afternoon Tea will feature a talk from Jon Muir, Australia's most famous adventurer and the first man to walk solo and unaided across the Australian continent, as well as make the first sherpa-less ascent of Everest from the South.

If you're partial to drinks a little stronger than tea, never fear! The Adventurists Afternoon Tea is sponsored by Hendrick's Gin and lashings of the spirit will be on offer.

But if an excuse to drink and plan more adventures is the last thing you need on your Aussie holiday, perhaps take a minute for some spiritual healing. The Buddhist Spring Festival kicks off on the 5th of November at the Tibetan Buddhist Temple just outside Melbourne. A number of talks and seminars on Buddhist teachings as well as guided tours of the gardens are available. On the Saturday join in the Ceremony for World Peace and rack up some karma credit points!

 - Aleks Vickovich is Online Editor with the Australian Visa Bureau, an independent migration consultancy specialising in helping people lodge applications for a Working Holiday Visa to Australia.

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

Christmas in July?! That's Australia for you! Whether you love it or hate it, you'd better learn to deal with it because it's the best thing going! Check it out, as well as some other top events in Australia in July.

Yulefest at Jenolan Caves - NSW
02 July - 30 July
w: www.jenolancaves.org.au/index.php?pr=july_2011
Along with frost and flurries of snow, an annual Blue Mountains tradition is here again - Yulefest (Christmas in July). During Yulefest, Christmas-style festivities are offered by all the best Blue Mountains establishments, including Caves House, where guests can enjoy log fires, huge Christmas tree and Christmas-style menu.

Lasseters Camel Cup – ALICE SPRINGS
09 July
Admission: $17
w: www.camelcup.com.au
The quirky, annual Lasseters Camel Cup attracts visitors to Alice Springs from all over the world. While camels may have a reputation as dedicated 'ships of the desert', these magnificent beasts are certainly not short on personality. Racing them can prove a nightmare for riders and handlers but fantastic viewing for spectators. Entertainment is assured, with nine unique races scheduled around the dusty outback track throughout the day.

Revelation Perth International Film Festival - PERTH
14 July – 24 July
Admission: From $13
w: www.revelationfilmfest.org
A unique annual film event, based around a prestigious and boutique screening program of new and premiere films drawn directly from the international festival scene, often unseen in Australia.

Darwin Lions Beer Can Regatta - DARWIN
10 July
Admission: Entrance is by a gold coin donation
w: www.camelcup.com.au
A regatta like no other, with boats primarily built entirely from aluminium beer cans. This annual event is a spectacle for all who line Mindil Beach and cheer on the home-made boats of cans, plastic soft drink bottles and cartons, as they flounder and sink in the shallows.

Queensland Music Festival - BRISBANE
15 July - 31 July
Admission: Dependent on event, some free
w: www.qmf.org.au
Queensland Music Festival is a state-wide celebration of music. Over 17 days, the best of local, national and international talent perform every conceivable style of music to Queenslanders from all walks of life, in Brisbane, and in regional and remote centres from Thursday Island to the Gold Coast.

Melbourne International Film Festival – MELBOURNE
21 July - 07 August
Admission: FREE
W: http://miff.com.au/
The Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is an iconic Melbourne event. MIFF hosts a feast of cinematic delicacies from over 50 countries for some 17 days each winter, heavily garnished with a range of parties and special events that envelop the CBD.

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

Summer is in full swing for Christmas and New Years Eve in Australia – and along with the warm weather there are outdoor events all around the country.  Candle-lit carol singing in city parks, sporting competitions, vibrant New Year’s Eve celebrations and cultural events continue right up until February. Here are a few of the events you can look forward to.

NEW SOUTH WALES For many, Christmas Day in Sydney means a day in the sun on Bondi Beach swapping gifts, feasting on fabulous food like large tiger prawns, and swimming. Carols in the Domain: 18 December 2010 The annual Carols in the Domain is one of Australia’s largest Christmas events held in the centre of Sydney in the Royal Botanic Gardens. There is a huge line-up of talented performers for this year’s event, so take your picnic blanket and some snacks along with a couple of mates. Take a look at http://www.carolsinthedomain.com.au/ for more info. New Year’s Eve on Sydney Harbour: 31 December 2010 Sydney Harbour’s New Year event is one of the largest free public events in the world – usually more than one million people join in the celebrations on and around the harbour. There are many vantage points along the 65 kilometres of foreshore land for people to gather with friends and family.  And in the final seconds before midnight on 31 December, a billion eyes focus on Sydney to celebrate one of the first fireworks display of the New Year. Sydney Festival: 10 - 31 January 2011 Sydney Festival brings together an incredible outdoor program including the Domain concerts, the very best international and national performing and visual artists, and events held in most of Sydney's theatres, galleries and concert halls. Visit: http://www.sydneyfestival.org.au/2011/ for more info. Medibank International Tennis Tournament 2011: 9 - 15 January 2011 Tennis fans will love the Sydney International Tennis Tournament to see some of the world's top tennis stars but there are also plenty of off-court action with bands, roving entertainment, theme days, prizes and interactive games. Check out: http://www.medibankinternational.com.au/. Chinese New Year Festival 2010: 12 February 2010 – 28 February 2010 All the noise and excitement of the Chinese New Year Festival begins with an exciting Launch Celebration at the first night of the Festival Markets in Belmore Park. With firecrackers scaring away the previous year’s misfortune, the clash of cymbals and gongs as lions and dragons come to life, visiting performers from Hubei in central China, as well as all the sights, colours and flavours of the New Year Markets, the Launch is a night for everyone. Visit: http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/cny/

TASMANIA Carols by the Bay: 19 December 2010 The City of Hobart Carols by Candlelight has in recent years been recognised as one of the State’s biggest community events. It is held at Sandown Park, Sandy Bay in Hobart. Taste of Tasmania (The Taste): 28 December 2009 – 3 January 2010  One of the state's best-known summer attractions, the Taste of Tasmania showcases a variety of celebrated wine and food. The Taste of Tasmania presents a range of international cuisine based upon Tasmania's renowned local produce and provides a forum for entertainers from around the world.  You can herald the New Year at The Taste New Years Eve Celebrations, where patrons can enjoy the finest Tasmania has to offer by way of food and wine and get a front-row seat to Hobart's New Years Eve Fireworks display.   http://www.tastefestival.com.au/ Cygnet Folk Festival: 14 –16 January 2010 The Cygnet Folk Festival is a premier folk and world music event.  This sleepy town of Cygnet, situated in the beautiful Huon Valley and nestled in the picturesque bay of Port Cygnet, comes alive with music with events the pubs, halls, cafes, parks and streets. http://www.cygnetfolkfestival.org/

- Apply for your Australian Working Holiday Visa and you could be travelling around Australia in the very near future.

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.

Big Day Out, Australia’s largest and most enduring music festival, has announced its headline acts with Tool, Rammstein and Iggy And The Stooges all to rock next year’s festivals.

Tickets will go on sale in the next few days, so if you are keen to grab a spot for you and some mates at one of the best music festivals in Australia now is your chance.

Bloody Beetroots, Death Crew 77, MIA, Primal Scream, and The Black Keys are other acts announced, along with a strong showing of Australian artists including the John Butler Trio, Wolfmother, Angus and Julia Stone, Birds Of Tokyo, Bliss N Eso and Gyroscope.

The festival will play in Auckland, the Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth across dates in January and February. Tickets go on sale via bigdayout.com and ticketmaster.com.au on October 6, with a limit of four per person.

But if you are watching the pennies, and spending some time in Melbourne, you can check out the epic summer line up of live music at Federation Square. Fed Square Live Presented by The Push is a series of free, all-ages gigs every second Thursday at Federation Square in the heart of Melbourne from 7 October 2010 to 21 April 2011.

There are varied genres with indie, blues and roots, world music, dance and rock performances by top independent acts and emerging local and national talent.

Over the coming months, there will be the funk and soulful sounds of Kylie Auldist; the theatrical rock fusion of [ME] and indie pop-radio darlings, The Naked and Famous, and The Lajamanu Teenage Band from Lajamanu near the top of the Tanami Desert in central Australia with fresh, fast and furiously fun talents.

- Have a summer of music and fun on an Australian Working Holiday!

©Visa Bureau 2003-2009

Visa Bureau takes no responsibility and cannot be held accountable for action taken as a result of any information or comment provided on this blog, and we recommend that you always seek a number of opinions before making a decision regarding your migration or visa application. Please refer to the Visa Bureau terms of use for more information.