‘The Road Less Travelled’ does not entirely apply to Perth. The aforementioned ‘road’ shares a startling resemblance to the wicket at the city’s traditional cricket ground the WACA: hard, flat, and full of cracks. A fast bowler’s paradise. For those on the pitch, Perth can be a dreadful place to be but the final venue for the game is at the time of writing still undecided (it might be at the new Perth Stadium).

And in any case, the same cannot be said for supporters. While batsmen are getting scorched in the middle, in the stands you are getting…well…scorched also. Everyone back in the office will be so jealous of your tan.

Let’s not restrict cricket to the major stadiums though. Many battles just as intense as those between England and Australia take place on a rather sandier wicket. With 19 metropolitan beaches in Perth there are plenty of arenas to choose from, but not to worry, all have sufficient ice cream facilities. And rather than two legs have a look at Perth on two wheels. The west coast has a vast number of bike routes to blow away the cobwebs from a day sitting at the cricket.

And a speedy ferry ride away is the delightfully tranquil Rottnest Island. Family friendly and full of activities, the island is also home to the Quokkas – described my many as ‘the happiest animals on earth’ due to their ever-present smile.