15 Feb 2020
As a working mother of 3, I had been trying hard to find time to take a short break. So when I found out that I won the Kia Lucky Drive to Australia contest, I was over the moon! My husband joined me on this all-expenses paid trip to Melbourne, where we spent 4 days going through an action-packed itinerary that gave us plenty of time to explore the city and beyond. Here's what went down!
Day 1
31 Jan – Getting acquainted with Melbourne
We touched down in Melbourne Airport on a late Friday morning, and were greeted by many Australian Open (AO) 2020 advertisements which added to our excitement and anticipation of the days to come.
After clearing customs, we met up with a Kia representative before making our way towards the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
We checked into our hotel room on the 28th floor, where we were treated to a panoramic view of the stunning Melbourne Park, which also doubles as the 2020 Australian Open grounds. We received a welcome gift which was generously prepared for us by Kia to make our stay more enjoyable.
After settling in, we decided to explore the city on foot. The historical buildings and bustling laneways were definitely a sight to behold! We attempted to cover as many landmarks as we could, including the State Library and the Melbourne City Baths. We managed to find some time to visit the famed Collins Street as well, where many luxury brand shops lined its streets. It's no wonder why it's known as the Mecca of all things trendy and artsy!
Day 2
1 Feb – Ballarat Wildlife Park & Sovereign Hill
We started the day bright and early with an amazing breakfast in the hotel, before heading to the Ballarat Wildlife Park for a tour. As a family-run business, they provided an awesome and interactive experience, where we had the chance to get up close with the different Australian wildlife such as Kangaroos, Koalas, Snakes and evens Giant Tortoises!
After leaving the adorable animals at the Ballarat Wildlife Park, we made our way to Sovereign Hill, an open-air museum located in Golden Point. The museum takes you back in time to the 1850s after the discovery of gold, and recreates Ballarat's first 10 years after the Goldrush. Today, it is a nationally acclaimed tourist attraction which showcases popular 19th century trades, including printers that still use vintage presses!
Day 3
2 Feb – Up close with Tennis Legends
The day we've been waiting for! As first-timers, we decided to opt for the tennis clinic to experience the sport. I initially felt nervous - "What if the rest of the participants were better than me?", "Would I embarrass myself with awkward serves or worse – by sending the racket flying through the air?" - so many thoughts were racing through my mind, but the worries soon disappeared as the coach was extremely friendly and made class fun!
Halfway through the class, we received a surprise visit from Todd Woodbridge, a retired tennis legend turned sports broadcaster. Everyone was starstruck when he walked onto the court to say hi!
Soon after, another retired tennis legend turned coach – Goran Ivanišević, joined us on the court for a hitting session. Everyone went into a frenzy, rushing to take pictures with them both!
The icing on the cake was meeting the world-renowned Rod Laver, who held the Tennis World No. 1 title from 1964 to 1970. With his amazing achievements and contributions to the sport, he was named an Australian Living Treasure.
We also learnt that the Centre Court Stadium in Melbourne Park, home of the Australian Open since 1988, was renamed Rod Laver Arena in 2000!
After exploring the stadium, we finally made our way to our seats to watch the face-off between Novak Djokovic and Dominic Thiem.
What a match! Everyone in the stadium was kept at the edge of their seats the whole time, as Novak Djokovic was trying to defend his Championship against Dominic Thiem, who was a worthy opponent. Djokovic eventually defeated Thiem in 5 sets, defending his title as the Australian Grand Slam champion.
Day 4
3 Feb – Goodbye, Melbourne
Time sure flies when you're having fun! 4 days flew past just like that, and it was time to bid farewell to the beautiful Melbourne and head home.
As we enjoyed the scenic drive to the airport in the official Kia car, my husband and I told ourselves that we will definitely be back to visit Melbourne, and this time with our 3 boys in tow! Winning the contest and going on this trip was an absolutely treat, and the positive experience we had with the team eventually led us to purchasing a Kia car too!
Kudos to the planning committee for the well-thought itinerary and amazing hospitality throughout this trip, and a huge thank you to Kia for this once-in-a-lifetime travel experience.
