Friday 24 March 2017 12:22, UK
Getting used to new team-mates, cuddling marsupials and riding with the Australian sun on your back isn't a bad way of kick-starting the racing season.
It's less than six months to the Olympics and road cyclist Sky Academy Sports Scholar Lucy Garner is hoping her move to Wiggle-High5 can spur on one last big push to be in Rio.
After a week in southern Spain last month, first stop on the map at the beginning of the new campaign has been Down Under.
Here's Lucy's latest blog on what she got up to, what she's learning about her cycling skills and how she fared grappling some very furry, jumpy characters....
My time in Australia is already over. I had a great time starting my 2016 season and I also got a good block of training done in the three weeks I was there.
As soon as I arrived and we stepped outside the airport, the heat hit us all. We landed at 10.30pm and it was still over 30 degrees. The jetlag was hard to fight but the heat was even harder for me.
We arrived only two days before the racing started so it was important for me to rest and try to get into the Australia time zone as quick as possible. I was competing in a four-day tour which was the Santos Women Tour in Adelaide.
What a beautiful city! The first race was tough and I felt like I was sleeping for most of it…The body hadn't adjusted so I was suffering a lot but did the best I could under the circumstances.
The next three days went a lot better. It was great to be a part of a first place and to help the team as much as possible.
It's a new team for me so it was nice to get to know the girls and see how they like to race. The roads were quite slow and hilly so it made for hard racing. I was happy with how I dealt with the late arrival and pleased with my form at this time of year.
It's made me confident for the early races coming up this season. A highlight of my trip was being able to hold a baby kangaroo and seeing them jumping around in the wild. It was incredible!
After a week of training, it was race day again. We were racing at the Cadel Evans Road Race. We were alongside the men and it was great to see so many people coming out to support our race.
It was a tough day and the final was hard as it had a few climbs at the end. I did what I could for the team and finished in the top 20. My climbing felt good so it has given me a lot of confidence for the upcoming races.
My next race isn't until the end of February so it's time to get back to the training and do the last preparations before the busy season gets under way.
I'm in my fourth year as a professional and I feel I have learnt a lot. I already feel a lot stronger on and off the bike this year and the moving of teams has definitely helped with that.
I feel I can learn a lot from the girls on Wiggle High5 and I already feel a lot of trust from them which is really nice.
It's not been the easiest of times getting to where I am now but I am positive with my change in teams and I'm hoping the hard work in the winter will pay off when my time comes in the season.
WHAT'S COMING UP FOR OUR SCHOLARS...
JAN 16 - MARCH 5: Siobhan O'Connor, Australia
FEB 19-21: Jessica Judd, Grand Prix IAAF Indoor Meeting, Glasgow
FEB 20: Mark English, Holly Bradshaw, Grand Prix IAAF Indoor Meeting, Glasgow
FEB 22-28: Jack Bateson, Strandja tournament, Bulgaria
