That's exactly what the Blues did on Monday afternoon, but first there was work to be done as the squad were put through another tough pre-season session at Sydney's Sky Park.

Chelsea will take on an A-League All-Stars side at the Allianz Stadium at 7.45pm (10.45am UK time) on Wednesday. If you're not in Sydney for the game, you don't need to miss a minute as the match will be streamed live on the Chelsea Official App and website.

After returning to the hotel for lunch, the squad then caught a ferry to Taronga Zoo, taking in the sights of Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House along the way.

We were then welcomed to Australia with an indigenous smoke ceremony inside the grounds of the zoo. The team's stay Down Under was given an official blessing, and best wishes were included for Wednesday night's match.

Next, it was time to head off into the zoo to see some of Australia's unique wildlife. The team were given the opportunity to see two dingo pups up close and were allowed to give them a stroke if they wanted to.

The players were also delighted to meet a koala and her joey in small groups, an unforgettable experience next to an animal with a conservation status listed as vulnerable due to habitat loss. Taronga zoo are heavily involved in conservation efforts. In 2025, they acquired a huge piece of land in New South Wales with the aim of planting one million trees to rewild the area and protect native species such as the koala.

Even after the zoo experience had concluded, there was still more excitement to come in the evening. Head coach Sonia Bompastor and Blues midfielder Erin Cuthbert headed to King St Wharf in Sydney to record a special live episode of the Female Athlete Project podcast.

The event was a great success and completely sold out, with plenty of Australian CFCW fans in the audience making themselves known by wearing shirts and other merchandise. You can find the Female Athlete project podcast here.

On Tuesday, attention will start switching to our game against the A-League All-Stars, while we will also discover our UEFA Women's Champions League third qualifying round opponents.