'People keep ribbing me' about the Ashes concluding prior to my arrival.
Golden sun, savory pies and iconic stadiums - what else would an supporter of the English team desire?
Ideally, they'd want an Ashes series in Australia where they retain a possibility to secure the famous trophy after the first three Tests.
This is not the case during this tour, after the hosts' dominant triumph in Adelaide put the hosts with a 3-0 lead for the fourth successive Ashes series on their own soil.
England's famous supporters' group, the organized fan base, have 3,000 fans making the journey for the last two matches in New South Wales and Victoria.
In addition, there are travel parties who will celebrate the holidays in Australia, as well as families and friends embarking on a special expedition.
The Ryding Siblings
A group of four supporters are a prime example.
The four siblings had their flights and tickets arranged for the Melbourne and Sydney matches "12 months ago", hoping to witness a long-awaited triumph.
From afar, they've seen Australia defeat England convincingly in just 11 days from their house in Penwortham, Lancashire.
"Everyone at work has been giving me grief about it being over for the last two weeks," stated Sam Ryding.
"Our expectation had been that we would have the series on the line still when we got there."
Diminishing Hope
Optimism was high regarding the team's prospects of breaking a 15-year drought for a victory down under before it began.
However, the situation is now facing the prospect of continuing a barren spell in the country to 19 consecutive Tests when the next match starts in Melbourne this week.
Ben Stokes' side - and their followers - will be desperate to avoid a whitewash.
It was mentioned that the "thrill and enjoyment" of head coach Brendon McCullum's 'Bazball' in the past couple of seasons had "renewed interest in" the five-day game for followers of the team.
But the Ryding siblings said they had low expectations for the fourth and fifth Tests - and all they are requesting from the players is "a show of spirit".
"Commentators consistently points it out, but it all comes down to fortitude. 'This style has been turned into a buzzword now that is just, like, impractical batting," added Rory.
"Over the course of five days, you should dig in. Wafting outside 'outside the line has never been in the fundamentals, and that is primarily due to the batting lineup."
Future Prospects
Asked whether he believed England will triumph in a Test in this contest, Sam said: "The evidence suggests the hosts are a stronger side currently."
"Necessarily, there must be more than one player that makes a significant contribution and turns the game."
Regardless of the result, the fans are looking forward to the trip.
"It will be a great time anyway," commented Katie Ryding. "We must adopt that outlook."
"Of course, it's disappointing we can't contest the series, but we have made a substantial financial commitment as it is."
"We will make the most of celebrating the holidays overseas. It is also a new experience for us traveling over Christmas."
An educator, Katie is intent on maximizing the 21,000-mile round-trip as part of her Christmas holidays.
"If all else fails, there's always golf to fall back on," she added.
