After retiring from first-class cricket in 2007, former West Indies captain BRIAN LARA has swapped his bat for a driver after being bitten by the golf bug
My first vacation was to…Maracas Bay in Trinidad. I spent a number of time as a child mountaineering over the hills into Maracas Bay, which is on the north coast of the island. Me and my six brothers and 4 sisters used to climb these mountains from our dwelling in Santa Cruz after which spend the whole day on the seashore. I nonetheless do this now, possibly extra for health and taking buddies and displaying them, however nowadays I’d fairly drive my Mercedes spherical than stroll, however it’s nonetheless a number of enjoyable, and I can take my daughter too.
I first picked up a golf membership in…. 1994. I had three days to kill after a match I used to be enjoying in in opposition to the Leeward Islands ended a number of days early. We performed this stunning course in Montserrat and I caught the golf bug right away. As cricketeers we frequently had a number of break day between matches and I discovered golf a good way to get away from it and swap off for a number of hours.
I play off a 5 handicap, however I’ve solely shot beneath par as soon as for 18 holes. I’ve had 4 hole-in-ones although, so I’m most likely extra fortunate than good. Though I used to be a left-handed batsman, I play golf right-handed. Possibly I might have been higher golfer if I’d caught to my pure handedness.
Each time I’m on vacation I all the time take….my golf golf equipment. I like golf, so if I’m on vacation usually play quite a bit in the course of the day, away from the outlets. I are inclined to lose much less cash enjoying golf than I do once I buy groceries!
My favorite golf course…is a toss up between the Previous Course in St Andrews, Scotland and the course at St Andrews Golf Membership in Port of Spain, which is my dwelling membership! I’m additionally an enormous fan of Sentosa in Singapore, Sunningdale and Sandy Lane. All of the S’s.
My favorite vacation meal….is sushi. I’ve change into an enormous sushi fan during the last 5 years or so, so I have a tendency to go to a number of sushi bars wherever I journey. I’ve not been to Japan but, however I’ve been to Hong Kong, which was nice.
My worst expertise on vacation was…when somebody purchased a automotive utilizing my bank card whereas I used to be in South Africa. My financial institution referred to as and requested me if I had purchased it, and I mentioned, ‘No’. So that they needed to write off the debt. It was about £10,000, which I do know is some huge cash in South Africa.
Each time I’m on vacation…I all the time attempt to meet and work together with native individuals and native cultures and try to admire what occurs in every single nation.
On my vacation bucket record is…Iraq. It’d sound shocking, however I wish to contact down there, if solely only for a day or two. It’s a rustic that no person needs to go to, and I’ve been nearly in every single place, so I’d wish to expertise one thing new and see what it could be like.
My favorite favorite metropolis is…London. I actually love Sydney and Cape City, however London simply edges it – the nightlife there’s implausible. Again within the day, we’d go to Tramp nightclub and China Whites and all these stylish locations. And there are some nice eating places too – Zuma and Nobu are private favorite.
My most up-to-date vacation was to… the Hideaway Seaside Resort and Spa within the Maldives with my household. We stayed in a 4-bed villa immediately overlooking the ocean and the reef. It was very enjoyable journey, and though there wasn’t a golf course, they did have an indoor golf simulator and a follow placing inexperienced, so I did managing to swing a membership!
My most memorable vacation was to…Las Vegas. I used to be there for my pal Dwight Yorke’s fortieth birthday in 2011. What occurs in Vegas stays in Vegas however let me inform you although we have been hurting on a number of events. We stayed on the Wynn Lodge, which is gorgeous.
My favorite lodge…is any five-star lodge in India. There are beautiful lodges all all over the world, however the ones that left a mark on me are the attractive lodges in India. You’d stroll off a road filled with poverty and also you’d go into an oasis of marble and mahogany. These constructions and their places are superb; you look out of your window on the fortieth flooring and you might be surrounded by poverty. The juxtaposition is difficult to get your head round.
