Our road trip to Adelaide also let me check stuff off another to do list. We squeezed in a visit to a couple of Australia's Big Things! Andrew and I love to see the wacky big things that Australia has to offer.

On our journey from Ballarat to the Coonawarra, on Tash's recommendation, we stopped at the Giant Koala in Dadswell. We took a few photos (cause there isn't much else to do there.) Cheeeeeeeeeeese!

We detoured especially to the tiny town of Gumeracha in South Australia to see the Big Rocking Horse. There is a funny sign at the Big Rocking Horse warning you not to look up when standing under the horse's rear end. It hasn't happened yet, but you never know.

This is just a slightly bigger than normal rocking horse.

Now, this is a BIG rocking horse.


More photos (slideshow) on Flickr.

We visited the Giant Koala and the Big Rocking Horse on our way to watch the 2nd Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval. On our trip we also visited Ballarat, Naracoorte Caves, the Coonawarra, Hahndorf and the Barossa Valley. Other entries from this trip include: Adelaide Oval.

One of my goals in life is to watch a first-class cricket game at each of the main ovals in Australia (dream big, jess! dream big!). So far, I've managed to watch a game at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Bellerive Oval and Adelaide Oval.

It was about this time last year that I checked Adelaide Oval off the list. Andrew and I road-tripped down to Adelaide especially to watch the 2nd Ashes Test. We spent days 3 and 4 of the match on the hill in front of the Clem Hill stand. That's where all the hardcore cricket fans hang out.

You actually do have to pretty tough to sit there. There isn't much in the way of shade and with temperatures in the mid 30s both days we were in serious danger of overheating. I was pregnant with Evie at the time so I often retreated to the shady area out the back to watch the game on the big screen and to reduce my core body temperature. Luckily, it rained a bit on both days. Play was stopped but it did cool us all down.

In the end it was actually a pretty depressing match to watch. Australia ended up losing by an innings and 71 runs. We had the option to go to the 5th and final day but decided instead to do the tour at Coopers Brewery. We figured it was a much better option than witnessing such a humiliating defeat.

Making our loss even more distressing were the taunts of the English fans at the game. Day 4 was a Monday and so was attended mostly by English supporters. It was so bad that it felt like we were at a game in England. They cheered when they did well and jeered when we didn't (which was pretty much all day). The Barmy Army were also in full voice over on the hill.

Tash was the one who convinced us to join her for an Ashes test. She was also there for days 3 and 4 (and like a true supporter she also turned up for day 5). Tash had a seat in the members stand but she did join us on the hill for a bit. On Day 4 her time with us included a little bit of a nap. She'd hosted a blender party at her accommodation the night before and was a little bit under the weather.

Tash and I were reminiscing about our Adelaide fun just recently and now have hatched plans for the Ashes Series in 2013 / 2014. Tash and I are thinking the WACA should be the next oval on the Wilson agenda. If I write about it on here, will that make it more likely to happen? We shall see.

More photos (slideshow) on Flickr.

Andrew and I travelled to Adelaide especially to watch the 2nd Ashes Test at Adelaide Oval. On our trip we also visited Ballarat, Naracoorte Caves, the Coonawarra, Hahndorf and the Barossa Valley. This is the first entry from this trip.

On Sunday evening, we introduced the tourists, Sarah and Duncan, to the wonderful game of cricket. Unfortunately, it wasn't really a fantastic introduction for Sarah and Duncan. The game between Australia and Pakistan wasn't really a competition (Australia won by 9 wickets without raising a sweat). It was also rain delayed; we left at 8.30pm when it started raining. The result was clearly going to be in Australia's favour. (photos)

To fully appreciate and understand cricket, you really have to go to a game. Only at a game can you experience cheering the Aussies on while sitting in a sea of yellow and green sombreros, munching on a $8 hotdog and drinking a $5 light beer. (Well, cheering them on except when Matthew Hayden was batting. At 25 runs off 65 balls, we actually cheered when he got out!)

I think cricketers need a bit of the "queer eye for the straight guy" treatment. Shoaib Akhtar is in dire need of a haircut, Dizzy Gillespie has a mullet and Andrew Symonds looks like a clown. Andrew Symonds can rest easy knowing he can get a job doing children's parties if he ever gets kicked off the Australian team.

Shoaib Akhtar	Jason Gillespie	Andrew Symonds