December 2017 into January 2018 was unforgettableโa true adventure across Victoria and back into New South Wales with Louise Connolly. This was a special trip too, as it marked Louiseโs very first big road trip, having only recently earned her driverโs license. She jumped straight into the deep end, tackling a stack of driving with confidence, even through winding coastal roads and busy highways. She was awesome.
Our journey kicked off after Christmas, with a big moment for me personallyโfinally attending the Boxing Day Test at the MCG. After 38 years of cricket obsession, I had somehow never made it to Melbourneโs biggest day. It was a hot one, packed to the rafters with 83,000 fans. I caught up with an old high school friend, Adam Richardson, and ran into my colleague Barry Gilligan. The Aussies and the English put on a good contest, and I even tested my Nikonโs zoom with a perfect shot of David Warner defending a ball. The day was a cricket fans dream.
After the Test, Louise and I shifted gears and headed down to Frankston for a couple of days by the beach. Mornings were peaceful and cool before the summer heat rolled in, and we even caught some flyboarding action on the water with the Melbourne skyline shimmering in the background. From there, it was wine time at The Epicurean Red Hill, where we sipped away the afternoon surrounded by vines and good company.
Our travels took us next to Shorehamโhome to about a billion flies, as we quickly discovered! The beach looked stunning from a distance, but once we got there, we were under attack. Safe to say, we didnโt linger too long.
We couldn't resist a visit to Arthurโs Seat either, hopping on the Arthurs Seat Eagle for some lovely (if overcast) views. I joked it was about 14% as impressive as the Edinburgh version, but on a sunny day, I imagine it would hold its own nicely. At Ashcombe Maze and Lavender Gardens, we had a good laugh about drop bearsโthe great Aussie myth that never gets old.
After a few relaxing days, we steered west toward one of Australia's greatest drives: the Great Ocean Road. Every twist and turn opened up to stunning coastal vistas, dramatic cliffs, and windswept beaches. We made sure to visit the Twelve Apostles, but instead of battling the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds at the main lookouts, we wandered down to the beach. Down there, it was practically desertedโa perfect vantage point and a chance to be a little cheeky without an audience!
We also explored Loch Ard Gorge, a place full of natural drama and history. Once connected by a great stone arch, the two rugged pillars now stand apart, the arch long claimed by the ocean. The power of nature is humbling here. After a day of exploring, we unwound with a glass of Pinot at Proudfoots by the Riverโpure bliss.
Before we knew it, it was time to head north. We wound our way back through Victoria and crossed into New South Wales, making a beeline for the Snowy Mountains just in time for New Yearโs Eve. We joined Ben and Michelle Hearn and a great bunch of friends on a farm somewhere out in the rolling Snowies, and celebrated the end of a brilliant year under a sky full of stars. Drinks were flowing, laughter was endless, and we partied well into the early hours, welcoming 2018 in a way weโll never forget.
It was a trip full of milestonesโLouiseโs first big driving adventure, my first Boxing Day Test, and memories weโll always treasure. The perfect way to end one year and start the next.
