Advertisement
Published: January 5th 2019
Edit Blog Post
Billed as front row seats to the world's best New Years Eve fireworks under the sails of the Sydney Opera House with unobstructed views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Also as the biggest fireworks display ever.
Next day the Sydney Morning Herald reported,
"More than a million people braved lightning storms and transport chaos to pack vantage points around the harbour as Sydney ushered in 2019...and a further two billion watching from around the World." But sometimes shit happens and the best laid plans can cause discontent and this may lead to the NSW government to fall.
This was our year to be there...front row...nearly didn't get there...dancing in pouring rain...nearly didn't get back.
"Don't say I don't give you a good time", I kept saying...when there's no refunds ya just gotta ride your luck.
******
I've seen the Sydney NYE fireworks while in a Buenos Aires hospital with a necrotic leg...in Dubai as Israel bombed Gaza...other snippets on TV as we are often travelling at this time.
We live in Sydney but why jostle for hours in the heat with a million others when an armchair will do?
Yet
there was one time we had front row that we can't forget.
Had a client who was personal assistant to the wife of the NSW Governor...only our car allowed on the road to get in there...escorted by Police onto lawns of Government House overlooking and behind the Opera House...lying on the grass sipping champagne with about 20 others...police ringing the metal spear fence to stop the riff-raff climbing in...the other side of the fence like a massive tin of sardines..never seen so many people squashed into one place...fireworks exploding above our heads...didn't feel right to stand...just lay there sipping champers...wondering what the poor people were doing...stepping over comatosed bodies after midnight as we walked out of there.
Fast forward to 2018...son Simon coming from Canada, daughter Anna-Louise back and her boyfriend Floris coming from The Netherlands...family together for the first time in years...think that means we're staying home for Christmas.
So we booked Portside at the Opera House for New Years Eve...3 of Sydneys hottest DJs to have us dancing all night...pricey for five...justifing the cost as our whole family is rarely together.
Booked beach units at Newcastle Beach as well as we are spending some
time with Denise's family at Christmas...the waves refreshing and clean...photographing surfers...even the gorgeous Arizona who did some modelling for me!
New Years Eve...Getting there is sometimes the hard part Getting adult kids organised is like herding cats...why leave at 5pm if gates don't open til 7pm? The heat so oppressive...glad Anna-Louise helped me buy shorts and white shoes to be French Riviera...dressed to kill...lets go.
Expecting up to a million and a half to descend on Sydney Harbour...only public transpot allowed...onto the train at 5:30 pm from Hornsby for the 40 minute trip we did go.
But the train stopped at Waverton...3 stops before the Harbour Bridge...passengers streaming out...announcements the train is not continuing until further notice...couldn't hear the reason so I got out to ask why.
"Lightning has hit signals in the city...just wait til its fixed...no idea how long it will take"...yeeka! Due at Portside in less than an hour...decided we'd walk to and across the Harbour Bridge to the City...the price not refundable for our NYE tickets...better to walk an hour or two than not getting there at all.
Fortunately Floris is Dutch and called an Uber which
I thought due to the crowds was unattainable...called a large one and quickly it arrived...close to no traffic so dropped us off in the city...phones saying the trains on the northern lines still not moving...me thinking how fortunate we were not on a later train stuck who knows where...in about a 30 mins walk we'll be at Portside partying.
Lightning flashing...thunder crashing...the heaven's opening...heavy rain pouring over our party dress. Me saying lets shelter til the storm passes...the others saying lets press on as we are already drenched.
Luckily I brought a plastic bag to protect my camera...lucky Denise scored 3 small umbrellas on the way...why not 5???
At $25 each even Denise has her limits!
We pressed on through pouring rain...police directing hordes up this road and down that...tight security relaxed to get folk through...women in shimmering evening dresses and men in tuxedos like in A Clockwork Orange...singing in the rain.
Passed the tent city camped on the Opera House forecourt...seas of umbrellas and ponchos...their spots also user pay.
To the Portside entrance...tickets scanned...down a corridor under the Opera House...laughing we have made it...hostesses with champagne and canapes...bars and plenty of folk
as wet as us...others in ponchos outside...dancing to the first DJ...or drinking G.H Mumm champers while standing in the rain.
Fireworks Two NYE firework displays...the first at 9pm for those with young kids...the second at midnight to usher in 2019...the one the World will be watching...hoping the rain will clear...hoping I can score some decent photos...no tripod or unipod with me for fear it be confiscated as a potential weapon...if was not raining umbrellas would probably be banned...in this world of terrorism one cannot be too careful.
Our adults only event...our adult kids dancing with us in light rain...strangers giving us high fives as we boogied away.
Got front row at the railing for the 9pm... wide corridor along the water's edge sealed off for security and I guess to ensure noone fell into the harbour...the clouds lifting but no stars...the odd drop of rain or mizzle to remind one that Nature always has it's way...me suggesting folk still in plastic remove their ponchos so they no longer look like laundry bags...the DJs bopping...fireworks exploding in front, above and around...great entre before the final show.
We had unobstructed views across the water to
the Harbour Bridge in front of us but Sydney NYE is a harbour thing with millions watching along the foreshore and by TV...barges along the harbour and behind the Opera House obscured...no overcrowding where we were...the ultimate NYE party...but the World watching on TV may have got the best view.
The rain held off for the midnight fireworks as well...no front row railing this time as others held these positions for up to two hours...food grazing stations and bars under the Opera House with seating areas...the DJs ensuring more and more joining in to dance the night away.
Ten, nine, eight...countdown to midnight...the bridge exploding in colour...millions of dollars in fireworks and lightshows...illuminating the night.
Cheering...hugs all round...Happy New Year...what a fabulous night.
Left at 12:45am in jubilation...should be home in one hour...not aware chaos was awaiting us.
Transport chaos that for multitudes would scar their night. Transport Chaos...Can't Get Home...You've gotta be kidding Police directing us to Wynyard Station up the long hill along Macquarie Street past Circular Quay station...past barricaded side streets...down three streets in procession to catch trains home.
Arrived outside Wynyard to megaphones blasting,
"Wynyard Station Happy New Year
Simon, Floris, Anna-Louise & Denise is shut. You are directed to walk to Central Station to catch your train home."
What? The biggest night of the year...only public transport allowed..have to walk over 3 kms from the Opera House to Central. Multitudes muttering the government will fall...some on crutches...police on massive horses or on foot out in force...any complainers grabbed and restrained...crowd moving like sheep for shearing...past Town Hall Station...follow that road.
One foot ahead of the other...heads down trudging...like marching to the gulag...no hope...not knowing what ahead or.how or when will we get home.
Simon advising Ubers offering to get us home for $250...you have got to be kidding. Crowds at Central Station causing a crush...Police only allowing access to 50 a time...some jumping barricades...we trying a back way I knew which was surprisingly close to empty...onto a North Shore train waiting on Platform 16 that was indicating it was 54 minutes late.
Got back to Hornsby station at 3:30am...into bed at 4am.
What a night.
Remember kids...
"Don't say I don't give you a good time" Certainly a night to remember.
Si, Anna-Lou & Floris are at a music festival as I write this...arriving
a few hours later than planned...Denise and I watching the Sydney NYE Fireworks Encore on TV.
What a show the World had been watching...no way any city or country can match that.
Best show in the World...front seats at the NYE party to beat all parties.
Turned out Wynyard and Town Hall stations were open taking crowds from Darling Harbour, the Rocks and Barangaroo...we diverted to Central for crowd control...some train delays up to 204 minutes...papers full of tales of the inconsolable.
State Rail & the NSW Premier blaming "freak lightning strikes"...thanking all for their patience. But over a million pissed off people is a lot of voters.
Will the transport chaos that resulted lead to the fall of the NSW Government?
With the political climate in Oz as it is...last five Prime Ministers not lasting their terms...
I would not put any money on the New South Wales Government surviving this stir.
Relax & Enjoy,
Dancing Dave
Check out the panorama slideshow at top of page while listening to the video
Advertisement
Tot: 0.09s; Tpl: 0.019s; cc: 16; qc: 31; dbt: 0.0346s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
NYE as only the Aussies can do it!
Looks like a blast! Travails will accompany any large event when the transport and wicked weather intervene. A night to remember! ......Dangerous Dave