'People keep ribbing me' about the Ashes being over ahead of my trip.
Golden sun, savory pies and iconic stadiums - what more could an England cricket fan possibly want?
Realistically, they'd hope for an contest for the urn in Australia where they remain in contention to reclaim the urn after the first three Tests.
That will not be happening during this tour, after the hosts' dominant victory by 82 runs in Adelaide gave Australia 3-0 up for the fourth successive Ashes series on their own soil.
The Barmy Army, England's supporters' group, have 3,000 fans traveling for the last two matches in the SCG and MCG.
In addition, there are tour groups who will celebrate the holidays in Australia, as well as families and friends embarking on a dream holiday.
The Disappointed Travelers
The Ryding siblings are a prime example.
The four siblings had their flights and tickets booked for the Boxing Day and New Year Tests "well ahead of time", hoping to witness a rare England series success.
Sadly, they've observed Australia dismantle the tourists in just under two weeks from their family home in their hometown.
"All my colleagues has been teasing me about it being over for the last two weeks," stated Sam Ryding.
"The hope was that we would have a meaningful contest still when we got there."
Lowered Expectations
There was plenty of positivity concerning a potential victory of breaking a 15-year drought for a victory down under prior to the first ball.
But they are now facing the prospect of extending their winless run in the country to 19 matches when the Boxing Day Test begins in Melbourne this week.
The tourists - and their fans - will be keen to prevent a whitewash.
Alex said the "entertainment" of head coach the positive style of play in the past couple of seasons had "reinvigorated" the longest format for England fans.
Yet the fans said they had minimal hopes for the final two games - and all they are hoping for from the players is "a bit of fight".
"Every pundit alludes to it, but it all hinges on mental resilience. 'Bazball' has been turned into a buzzword now that is just, like, impractical batting," commented another sibling.
"During a long match, you should dig in. Playing at deliveries 'wide of off stump has never featured in the fundamentals, and that is mainly the fault the batting lineup."
Future Prospects
Asked whether he believed England will win a match in this contest, one fan responded: "The evidence suggests the Australians are superior right now."
"It will require several individuals that makes a significant contribution and makes a big impact."
Despite the scoreline, the group remains anticipating the trip.
"We will have a great time regardless," added another sibling. "We have to go with that outlook."
"Naturally, it's unfortunate we can't contest the series, but we have invested a significant amount as it is."
"We plan to savor spending the festive season in Australia. It is also a new experience for us away from home over Christmas."
A schoolteacher, Katie is intent on maximizing the lengthy journey as part of her seasonal break.
"As a backup plan, I can play golf to rely on," she finished.