This post is best read whilst listening to Rofl ‘Arris’ Tie Me Kangaroo Down

Australia Day is the perect opportunity for our friends down under to blow huge raspberries to us miserable pommes and gloat about the quality of life they enjoy.

Celebrated annually on 26 January, the day commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove in 1788, the hoisting of the British flag there, and the proclamation of British sovereignty over the eastern seaboard of Australia.

The Australia Day celebrations in Sydney are befitting of Australia’s oldest and biggest city with events and activities spread far and wide.

Taunting the British with remarks about the high price of flights to Australia our Antipodean cobbers certainly have the upper hand in online arguments which are often started with simple jibes – what are the aussies celebrating? they lost the ashes again – which quickly escalates into our country is better than yours and chanting

What are the Australians Celebrating

This question was posed by a reader on an article about the claim that Sydney had let off the New Year fireworks early merely top pip the Kiwis to be first to get the 2010 celebrations off.  The visitor had been searching for flights to Sydney and came across the scandal that never was – Sydney it was clarified hold two displays on 31st December – an earlier one for families with children and those who like to get their head down before midnight.

Look at the pictures mate and eat your heart out. I was at the bridge and it was a stonking show.  Maybe we were celebrating the fact that 1.5million people were there in shorts and tshirts, picnics on the parks in the lovely warm weather,on one of the most picturesque and recognisable pieces of real estate in the world, looking forward to a year of endless sun and beaches, beaut women, rapid economic growth and a likestyle envied by many who are unfortunate enough not to live in God’s Own Country.

I could carry on, but you know the rest. Aussie Aussie Aussie! Oi Oi Oi!

Aussies seem hopelessly unaware of the fact that their epithet  ‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie’ which they tend to cry out at any given moment (just in case you don’t know which country they’re from) was coined by Max Boyce with his ‘Oggie, Oggie, Oggie’ call. I could go on and on… but I’ll leave that tendency to the Australians.

And Aussies bowl underarm too

Every year Sports Illustrated, an American lads mag that queches the thirst for couch potato sports enthusiasts and college boys in search of a cheap thrill, publishes an issue to celebrate swimwear. The swimsuit issue has become one of the most eagerly anticipated publications to hit the shelves and we felt it only fair to bring you some of the hottest  swimwear fashions from across the pond that will hopefully be seen on beaches in the South West soon.

Swimwear or Lingerie?

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue always delivers a high level of swimwear  fashion modeled by super tanned professionals who are able to show off their bodies in swimming costumes with the sensuality of wearing sexy lingerie.

Swimsuit issues

The popularity of types of swimwear that is based on designs of knickers and other lingerie – bikinis, tanga briefs, brazilian knickers, thongs and strings – see the know knickers post raises the issue of sun protection.  Of those questioned the overwhelming sun protection lotion was the Riemann P20 sunfilter – a once a day application which remains and effective sunblock even after a good soaking.

How do the Sports Illustrated girls get such an even tan?

Tanning Beds or Gravy Granules

Notice that no matter what swimwear they are asked to model you never see strap lines of pale patches – just a perfect year round even tan from either weekly sessions in the chud on sun beds or less likely rubbing in fake tan lotion – the cheapest of which has to be a solution made up with gravy granules – mmmm bisto!

Summer 2009 is set to be a scorcher so say the boys at the Met Office and BBC weather men who we all know are rarely wrong.  Weather forescasts for sun are often accompained by advice urging sun protection – here we take a closer look at what you can do to stay safe in the sun.

I was a  little purturbed to read this article about the myths associated with sunbathing however being a strong supporter and occasional user of the NHS I favour the opinions about binge sunbathing from medical experts.

Sun safety

Cases of skin cancer have doubled in the UK over the past two decades, and each year thousands of new cases are reported. We’ve all been told a thousand times to avoid too much sun exposure, wear a hat, use sunscreen, and wear UV-blocking sunglasses – but the fact is many of us still feel better with a tan, and nothing will stop us from spending time soaking up the sun.

One positive health benefit we get from sunlight is that it enables us to produce vitamin D. But unfortunately the same UVB ultraviolet rays that stimulate vitamin D production also cause skin cancer and premature ageing. And while a healthy-looking tan may be attractive, the ‘wrinkled prune effect’ you could have in a decade’s time will be less than alluring…

All sun worshippers can enjoy catching a few rays – but there are a few simple precautions you must take in order to do it safely.

Sun Protection

Cover up

The more you cover up, the longer you can stay out in the sun and the less likely you are to get burnt. But if you’re going somewhere very hot, or if you burn easily, there are also special sun protective clothing ranges . A cheap sarong bought from a beach hawker may offer you a bit of sun protection, but you could still get burnt wearing one. An SPF 50 sarong from a specialist supplier such as Sunsibility, however, will offer much more reliable protection — as will their range of other beachwear and clothing such as t-shirts and hats.

Don’t fry

At the beginning of your holiday, don’t sit out in the sun all day long – let your skin get used to it gradually, with a little more exposure each day. Even once your skin is more used to the sun, avoid exposure between 11:00 and 15:00 when the rays are at their strongest.

Slap on the suncream

The rules for sun cream are straightforward: always apply it, and do so half an hour before you go in the sun; opt for a high protection of SPF15 sun cream or above (particularly at the start of your holiday – but preferably throughout); re-apply it regularly; and never apply it too thinly. An eggcup-full is recommended for all over the body, every 2-3 hours. If you need insect repellent, apply it on top or the sun cream may not absorb into your skin properly.

Riemann P20 Sunfilter

A convenient alternative to sun cream, particularly for the sporty or forgetful, is Riemann’s P20 Sunfilter. It only has to be applied once a day, and is still 90 percent effective after swimming.  Check out  Riemann P20 sunfilter for once a day sun protection

Stay hydrated

Drink plenty of (non-alcoholic!) drinks while sitting in the sun to prevent dehydration. Dehydration combined with sun exposure can lead to heat exhaustion or even sunstroke, which is potentially fatal.

Check on the children in the sun

Most kids rack up some 50-80 percent of their lifetime’s sun exposure before they reach the age of 18, so it’s important to look after their skin early on. Children are more susceptible to the harmful effects of the sun because their skin is thinner the younger they are. Many parents choose a cream with a higher sun factor, swimsuits that offer more coverage, or take a parasol to the beach to provide shade.

Global Warming

As climate change continues to have an effect on global weather it is predicted that in Europe we will see higher temperatures and more intense sunshine. Ironically many still consider this to be a benefit of climate change however aid agencies and disaster relief organisations are highlighting the devastating effects that global warming is having on the weather elsewhere around the world and causing catastrophic misery and poverty for communities who are least responsible for the carbon emissions that are a primary cause of the warming effects of global climate change.

Enjoy your holiday in the sun without worrying about the consequences of the sun but do think about those less fortunate and for whom climate change means drough, famine and desperation.

Remember “life’s a beach, and then you fry” is best applied to a t-shirt.