What is the best day ever in your life?
For some, it may be the day they got married, or when their kids were born, or when they accomplished something they’d thought impossible.
I have watched my 2 sons be born, I have ridden camels in the desert, proposed at the top of the Eiffel Tower, gotten married in Stanley Park, celebrated New Year’s Eve in New York City, wandered amongst the moai on Easter Island, sat face to face with a lion in the wild, shaken hands with astronauts, and interviewed the biggest pop stars of the 90s.
But none of those count as my best day ever.
For me, the best day was July 5, 2016.
The best day of my life was the day I saw a platypus, a koala, and a kangaroo.
The best day of my life was the day I had a beer at a surf club and climbed over rocks on the beach.
The best day of my life was an Australian winter’s afternoon at Currumbin Beach as my kids played tag with the ocean.
We were visiting the Gold Coast as part of a half marathon I ran with Team Diabetes. The boys and my wife raised money and participated too. This was the first time our entire family was along for the philanthropic ride, and I loved their commitment to training and giving back and gaining a broader understanding of the world.
It was a perfect, clear day. The wind was howling off the ocean, but the sun was just warm enough that you could take your hoodie off along with your socks and shoes to walk in the sand and dance in the surf.
We visited Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary in the morning, saw all the wonderful animals of Australia, and then had lunch at the Currumbin Beach Viking Surf Club.
After lunch we bolted out to the only place around we could find that had platypus, David Fleay Wildlife Park, and when we were minutes late for the show and the platypus had hidden in their cubby for the day, we begged the trainers to take us behind-the-scenes to see the animal I had dreamt about since I was my sons’ age.
So that was it. Some animals, some beach time, some family time, and all of it half a world away in what has become the most perfect day I have ever lived.
Pics from this day float through my feed every now and again and I’m always struck with the same feeling: that was absolutely, and without doubt, the best day ever.
Dad. Broadcaster. Writer.
Three time Guinness World Record Holder.
I run the world for Team Diabetes.