The “Don't worry” attitude? It's not a myth
August 15, 2024 4:10 PM (Updated 6:20 PM)
The sun is shining, the food is great, and everyone is enjoying the outdoor lifestyle. (Photo: VeeStudio89/Getty/Source: E+)
My two siblings and I were all born in the UK but I'm the only one who still lives here. Thanks to our Australian mother, we were born with dual nationalities and with our second passports, my brothers jumped at the chance to move to Sydney for the beaches, barbecues and beautiful women.
And it looks like they've made a wise decision: A new study published in the British Medical Journal suggests that Australians live longer than all of the wealthy English-speaking countries in the world, including the UK, the US, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand. Australian life expectancy (81 years for men and 85 years for women) is two years longer than Brits and five years longer than Americans.
It's easy to see why Australians live so long. The sun is shining, the food is amazing and everyone enjoys the outdoor lifestyle. One of my friends, who until recently worked as a lawyer in an East London office, now works remotely and spends all his free time surfing Margaret River, south of Perth. If that doesn't pay the bills for a few years, I don't know what will. Most Brits know a half-dozen people who left the grey skies of Bromley for Bondi and never looked back. Every now and then, we have to log off Instagram as our feeds are filled with posts from our expat friends enjoying their beach days.
When I lived in Canberra for a few months (long story), I would often go kayaking at the weekends. The most active thing I do in London is negotiating with tourists on Oxford Street. It's no wonder Australia, with a population of just 27 million, came in fourth in medals at the Paris Olympics. They're active, they're hardy and they live on green juice and avocados.
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If you've got your eye on the hotties of Australia's Olympic team, know that there's plenty more to come. Australians are so beautiful that Margot Robbie is considered pretty standard in Australia. It's no wonder that British women state in their Hinge profiles that they're looking for a “quintessential Aussie man” and then head to Clapham to get one.
And that “don't worry” attitude? It's not a myth. Australians are the most laid back people I know. Heck, half of them barely wear shoes! Must be good for stress levels. Throughout my time in Australia, I've found them to be a nation less interested in being a major player in the world, be it in the arts, politics or business (though the Kidmans and Murdochs definitely buck this trend). They are generally more content and less cynical.
The study also highlights the contribution that low smoking rates make to Australian health. This will come as no surprise to anyone who has ever paid $60 (£31) for a pack of Marlboro in Australia. Even if you were willing to pay that much for a pack of cigarettes, you would struggle to find a shop that would let you smoke; smokers are treated like social pariahs in Australia.
I’m not saying Australia is some kind of utopia. When I lived in Melbourne for a year (again, it’s a long story) I was shocked by the lack of culture compared to the UK. Australia is experiencing worrying climate change, with summer bushfires becoming more frequent. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a significantly lower life expectancy than non-Indigenous Australians, and there is a campaign called “Close the Gap” that seeks to achieve health equality for Indigenous people. And let’s not forget the 2023 referendum. Australia did not vote in favor of including Indigenous voice in parliament in the constitution. It was a shameful day for a country I love and consider my second home.
But if you're looking for sun and good vibes, Australia is the place for you. It's a long way to travel, but it gives you extra years of surfing, seafood and amazing scenery. In fact, where is my second passport?
