weekends don't count unless you spend them doing something completely pointless...

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new year's eve. in sydney.
i have to leave tomorrow morning (jan 1) at 7am to make sure i get to the airport on time for my 9am flight to mackay (via brisbane).

still in north sydney- warriewood. still with kade. we decide it’s best to skip the downtown sydney tourist activities and go back to the beach for nye instead. to this, i agree whole heartedly. as if i'd need more to lure me than the irresistible draw of the beautiful beach and surfers, but we also decided against going into the city as they would be setting up road blocks and preparing for the fireworks tonight. and, sloppin on yet another reason, kade had decided at the last minute to throw a shindig for nye celebrations before we went out downtown.


so i wake quite early again… because waking up is a normal reaction to the sun blistering your eyelid flesh… but i managed only one insomnia wake up during the night before my proper wakeup around 730am. dawdled around the house with the computer then got dressed for the beach. waited for kade to emerge from his sleep cocoon. after a while we headed out for breaky and to warriewood beach. stopped by rabbit's (rabbit = chris) shop again so i could look at getting some havaianas (apparently it's the only thong the aussies wear.... when they wear shoes). he didn't have any in my size. (and no, it's not because he doesn't carry children's shoes.)

so we walked next door and grabbed breaky- mixed berry smoothie which got hot quickly. hot yogurt is not pleasant. by the way, chris' shop is in newport- which is apparently the cary of north sydney. kade got a massive plate of eggs on toast, sausages, and bacon which looked delicious but i figured i wasn't up for that much food before swimming. he seems to know everyone. after we ordered food we just went and waited for it at the back of rabbit's shop. the chick brought it out to us there. pretty sweet set up. so after hanging out with rabbit for a bit, we jetted off to warriewood beach.

it's about 7 minutes south of where we were the day before (narrabeen). something vague like that. we swam between the flags this time. which should make mom feel better. yesterday we weren't swimming anywhere near lifeguards or in the "safe" flagged areas. (the flags, kids, indicate a portion of the surf that doesn't have super strong currents- the flags are usually only covering about a 20 foot expanse of water). this was a calm, baby beach in comparison. threw down the towel and specs and dove head on into the waves- this is partly due to enthusiasm and partly because of the temperature. commit to pour. commit to swim. anyway, stayed out in it the majority of the time. the waves rolled as opposed to crashed. was easy surf and so relaxing. there were a couple surfers, whom kade knew and chatted with for a bit. why were there surfers in baby waves? i dunno. i sat still (if jellyfish-like bobbing is considered still) and drooled whenever they caught the little waves. it’s what i do. if i could surf, i would, but i'd still drool over the guys who make it look so easy.


we were only meant to be there for an hour or so leaving ourselves enough time to stop by the shop for beer and food and getting home to shower and pack up (for me). we accidentally had too much fun and stayed for about 3 hours. once we got in the car is was a little past 2pm and people were already sitting at kade's parents' house waiting on us. so we rushed home and i threw everything i brought from the states into the car and we got to the house around 230pm. kade's parents' were off camping somewhere. there was an older gentleman sun baking by the pool. apparently a neighbor or friend or something. yes. he was wearing a banana boat. and yes. he wanted to hold a conversation with me whilst wearing a speedo. after that uncomfortable chat, i went about packing for my mackay, airlie beach, whitsundays, brisbane, and new zealand adventures yet to come. i got to do a load of laundry ... because kade's sister helped me ghetto rig the washer long enough for it to work. after i got set to "grab and go" in the morning, i returned to the nye festivities which had callously continued without me. by the time i had slimmed down what i needed for (what was only meant to be) 18 days into a backpack and a daypack, all the boys were over and the beer was being chilled (in an eskie- that's a cooler).


i hadn't bothered to shower ... or change... since there's a pool there and i had no intention of sitting idly by while the boys had fun. so i played soccer and dogdged the shockingly angry bees near the pool. ally, kade, matt, justin, kirsti, nate, reece, nick, and a bunch of other boys were there. i didn't learn the girls names cause it was evident from the beginning they weren't my type of people so i wouldn't have much to discuss anyway. kirsti is awesome though. all the girls were made up and in dresses and sat daintily in the sun, sipping their premixed cocktails. i did try to sit with the girls but i could only stomach 10 minutes of their gossip (of which i knew nothing so couldn't add anything juicy). then i bailed and decided i needed to impose on the middle school separation of the boys and girls and go join the soccer ring with the boys. drank some wicked tasty brew: little creatures. and tried pure blonde. obviously didn't want to drink lots when i had a plane to catch early the next morn.

the avro continues in the same vein for a good long while. soccer. pool. beer. music. eventually it's time to leave for downtown. we have a sip of champage before heading to the bus stop to go out to the arms hotel for the huge nye party and fireworks. before you get your heart broken, like i did, be aware, i was not at the harbour bridge for nye. i didn’t see THE fireworks in person. i saw them on the screen… but it would’ve just been me and kade and a bunch of randoms if we’d gone into town so i decided hanging out with friends was better than hanging out with randoms and watching a phenomenal display of colorful pyromania. another time, right?

catch the bus to the arms. get there and i don’t have my passport (which is apparently the only acceptable form of id for a foreigner). luckily the bouncer was easily persuaded so i got in with a head tilt and an “ohhh. i’m so sorry. i had no idea. my passport is allll the way back at the house”. come on. i'm obviously over 18. did the amazing nye party thing… enormously enjoyed the company… watched the fireworks at the arms… and the fireworks over the bridge… then went home. (bar closed after midnight… odd ey?). caught the bus back… enjoyed the drunken fun of my friends (remember, i’m catching a flight in a few hours… i can't participate fully) and the silliness continued at kade’s parents’ house again… matt played some guitar (he’s stellar) and everyone was superbly behaved. the specific details of people's behavior and the shenanigans of the evening are mine, sorry. take what you can get.

amazing new year's eve. best i’ve ever had. by heaps. moving on from sunny sydney tomorrow so i quietly nodded off to sleep around 2am.

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