What to do "after Australia?" That is a question many European travellers ask themselves after returning from long term stays down under.
Some pick up and continue their 'previous' lives, others feed off the inspiration from their travels - some quite literally.
One of them is Rudolf Svacha from the Czech Republic. After developing a taste for the classic Aussie pie while living there, he decided to bring the staple Australian dish to the Czech Republic, and opened open a pie bistro with a friend in the city of Plzen - west of Prague.
Traditional Australian meat pies were previously unheard of in the Czech Republic.
Australiana in abundance in the Czech Republic at SkipPie restaurant in Plzen Source: Sarka Pechova
Pies are popular, but they always come as a sweet dessert.
When the two friends first opened a bistro selling salty meat pies, the locals weren't impressed.
Pies being warmed at SkipPie in the Czech town of Plzen Source: Sarka Pechova (SBS Czech)
"Czech people, especially here from the west, are pretty traditional," Svacha tells SBS Czech. "It took them some time to learn to appreciate our pies."
"But I can say now they love them," smiles Rudolf in his bistro.
Dressed in an apron he serves warm "Paj," as the dish is called in the Czech language, to the customers.
Rudolf Svacha shows off his handiwork as he brings the classic Aussie meat pie to the Czech republic Source: Sarka Pechova
Priced at only 70 Kc (just over $3 AUD), the meaty savoury pie is becoming a popular lunch alternative.
Where did it all start?
Rudolf, originally from Plzen, Czech Republic, fell in love with the traditional savoury dish in Perth. He spent over six years there, working as a chef at a pizzeria and studying English.
"Funnily enough, I didn't learn the recipe in Australia. But of course, we were eating them there a lot,” he admits.
Working in the busy hospitality industry was probably a good stepping stone.
Australian pies served up at the Czech SkipPie restaurant Source: Sarka Pechova (SBS Czech)
“After returning from our travels, we decided with my friend to start making pies at home," he explains.
"It was a trial and error at the beginning," he says. "But now I can say that we found the perfect recipe.”
Rudolf says and their customers can confirm this.
A Czech family sample the Aussie-inspired fare at Rudolf Svacha's Plzen pie restaurant Source: Sarka Pechova (SBS Czech)
“[Combined] altogether we spent 13 years in Australia - with my friend," he says.
"We gathered many experiences both from our studies but also from experiencing the local gastronomy.
"In our bistro, we want to offer not only great pies from fresh ingredients, but also a good quality service, which is a standard to the west of our borders," says the pie maker.
Owner Rudolf Svacha shows off his Aussie-inspired sausage rolls at SkipPie in Plzen, Czech Republic Source: Sarka Pechova (SBS Czech)
And what is the most popular pie in Western Czech Republic?
“We call it 'the Australian,'” he says. "It is a traditional beef pie."
"Also very popular is our specialty of the week, this time it is a chicken, mushrooms and beans pie,” Rudolf explains.
And would the traveller ever come back to Australia? "For a visit sure, to see my friends and go back to some places."
Source: Sarka Pechova (SBS Czech)
"I have great memories of my time there," the popular Czech pie specialist concludes.