When it comes to Australian luxury vacations, sporting events might not immediately spring to mind. However, sports have a different flavor in many parts of the world, and in Australia there is a culture of luxury that has come up around several of the country’s most-beloved sports — especially the unusual sport of cricket. Indeed, as Christopher Hitchens and others have noted, in many ways it isn’t necessarily a sport at all so much as it is a ritual of sportsmanship itself, played with a spirit of ceremony as much as competition.
During the Summer of Cricket, many games and test matches will be played for the enjoyment of Australia’s citizens and visitors, creating an atmosphere of joviality and high-spirited entertainment. Matches unfold gradually, allowing for people to socialize, spend time in good company and enjoy highly-comfortable arrangements.
Take in the game at a high-class restaurant over a high-definition television while enjoying a perfectly-cooked Australian steak paired with just the right wine from the Yarra Valley, and you will see what people mean about the game being luxurious. Alternatively, strawberries and champagne are available to guests at select events, a delightful contrast to the popcorn and soda approach to many sporting events.
Then there are epic events where rivalries are played out in this civilized, comfortable contest. See the Ashes, a decades-long competition between Australia and England for a trophy that once symbolized “the ashes of English cricket.” Or see the battle between the India and West Pakistan teams versus their Aussie counterparts. These international gatherings allow for guests to mingle with other visitors, often from around the entire world as people travel thousands of miles to see their favorites play live. With the comfort of accommodations and the joy of the world’s most unique sport, the Summer of Cricket is sure to make a unique vacation experience.
