Advertisement
Published: January 22nd 2009
Edit Blog Post
31/12/08 = An Australian New Year
Well, after many of our NYE plans being thwarted at the last minute, finally made a conclusive plan yesterday. Decided to still go to Botanical Gardens, but to a different part called Macquaries Point. Apparently supposed to be really busy, brilliant view of fireworks and definitely don't need tickets. With plan in mind, had to get up extra early, have a quick breakfast and shower, then get outfits on. Looked a treat in our silky boxers and capes...although got to admit, I didn't put my cape on until we got there. Walked to meet Hat's friends at St James' station, as they had been year before and were showing us the way. All this was at 10am. Were supposed to be getting supply of alcohol that morning too, but apparently not allowed to take it into park and security really good at checking, so didn't take any. Think it was a sign from God myself.
On the way to gardens, an Australian couple gave us a great tip and told us a shortcut to get to queue. Said that is was already thousands deep and if we took shortcut, at least we could
The Australian fakers
So excited to even be in queue...Deb more rough than excited at this stage though. beat a couple of hundred. Unbelievable when we came out of exit and first saw the queue. Never seen a queue like it. Truly the biggest queue I have ever seen. Snaked all across the park in all directions and couldn't even see where it began. Nightmare. Ran along to join back and kept looking around in disbelief. Poor Deb crashed out on floor completely hungover from night before and Hattie had to go and find shade from heat. Was v.v.v.hot. As queue started to v.slowly move, Charlotte and weatherman (people from hostel) came to join us and 5 mins later Coventry boys came too. All pushed in with us and ended up being loads of us in queue. Played a bit of ball (which I didn't do for too long because my throwing and catching is shocking!), chatted and got to know people more (including the penguin...who was totally like Frank from Shameless...love you Penguin), did a few mexican waves and just generally ended up having a good time in queue. Made us really excited in anticipation of what was to come.
Finally, at 2pm, after 4hrs queing, we saw the end....the gates...yeh! Girls started getting really excited,
guys getting nervous with all alcohol they had stashed. Some ingenius places though: 1) A loaf of bread hollowed out, vodka bottle in middle, top put back on bread, glued back together and put back in bread bag = brilliant! 2) Pringles tub; most of pringles eaten, vodka bottle in and a few pringles put back on top = also good! None of us needed to worry anyway because security barely checked bags; wish we had brought some now. Was so amazing to get through gates and all got really excited. Got our wrist bands to allow us to but alcohol in there, then off we went to find a good spot for fireowrks. Was already over 7000people in venue (even though looked and felt alot more) and still had 13,000 places to go. Even though we were in first half, really struggled to find a good view of bridge and took quite a bit of deciding. Finally settled on a hillbank and me and Hat went off just to double check that there wasn't anywhere better, but all best places had been taken.
Got an ice cream, then settled in boiling hot sun, on beach towel, chilling in
Botanical Gardens. Bit of a wierd situation. Felt alot like being at a festival:- loads of people chilling, drinknig, chatting and playing games. Such a good atmosphere. Already fed up of sun after being trapped in it in queue, so played some cards and had some good games. 5 o'clock soon came round = time had decided was acceptable to drink. As soon as watch struck 5, me and Kirst went and got a beer. V.expensive, but was already going to be a cheap new year because didn't have to pay to get into park. Had some food from picnic basket (cheese and chocolate didn't fair so well) and just chilled. As got later, me, Kirst and Hat went off to look for a better place to see fireworks, as our seats weren't as good. Found a really good spot that all early people had got. No room to sit there, but could definitley come over to watch fireworks. Saw a guy from uni there which was completely surreal. Said the usual stupid thing of "wow...what are you doing here?" Stupid question....'what are you doing here in Sydney on New Year....errrm....let me think!"
Spent the whole day chilling out,
Me 'n' Gem
She loves doing the lift...it's in her blood from Town middle...she just can't resist a good lift! drinkning, chatting, playing cards until 8:30 came and was time to go and watch fireworks. Only kids fireworks, but still got really excited. Glad I did too, because they were amazing! Lit the whole of the sky and the river up and was really cool that had lots of different set off point, but all set exacy same fireworks off at exact same time. Brilliant! Deb even got a bit emotional with it all and spent next 30mins crying! Started to get a bit rowdy after that. All park really excited, with loads of people singing and dancing in big groups. We did a bit of a sing song, then went with Hat and Kirst to get some food. All a bit giddy drunk...kind of stage where everything seems funny. Everybody kept mistaking us for Australians, suppose understandable with the outfits, so we kept trying to be Australian. Shame the only thing we could say was "G'day mate" and "Ow's it goin"...didn't really work out when we got passed the hello stage.
Soon got to 11:15 and time to go to main viewing spot. Had found a better place earlier, so headed for that. Gardens were so full of
Brilliant sign.
Just after entrance; all v.excited. people now as more and more were making their way to all good spots. Had lost a few people and didn't have clue where Gem had gone. Security man moved us on from best spot, so stood on bit of a hill, still with good view. As came to midnight, atmosphere really picked up and all started singing. Count down was amazing...then fireworks started. Can't do justice to how good they were and my pictures definitely don't. I absolutley love fireworks and have seen loads of displays, but this was unlike any of others I've seen. Totally unbelievable. Watched in awe for the full 15mins and they just kept getting better...bigger...more colourful...better combinations...just better. Was really pleased when Deb found us just after they started and all held hands as watched them. Beautiful and worth all the days wait. Sang all new years songs, cuddled everyone around us and was the best start possible to a new year. Would only have been better if had found Gem.
Guys went off to a club night out and us girls went back to 'base camp' as Hattie described it. Found Gem and had good new year cuddle and all caught up.
The air show
Just a small part of the day (not as goos as ours). Hattie said her goodbyes and headed to Bondi to watch a sunrise and we spent ages messing around before finally setting off to go back home (home being hostel). Funniest thing ever when found Hattie messing around with the remains of her sun umberella = the pole. She had decided not to go to Bondi after having a heated argument with a guy who mistook her for a blind lady...I thought it was hilarious! We laughed all way home about it.
Whe got back to hostel, decided we were all hungry, so went back out into Kings Cross, Deb stayed to use phone. Some amazing sights, including even more 'working girls' than usual...most of which started life as a guy I think. So many people out and Kings Cross such a bizarre place. Did our dancing through the streets in search of food, but pretty much only thing we could find was McDonalds and none of us wanted that. Encountered a v.odd guy on a skateboard who dared to insult fireworks in front of us...Hattie turned staight to him and said "I don't like this guy, let's go" and that was the end of him! Did walk back through
Happy Girlies
This was our first viewing spot for the 9 o'clock fireworks. town (best thing could find was a slice of pizza) moon walked some lof way. laughed all of way and ended up in bed at 2:45. Very easily the best new year I have ever had...don't think it will ever be as good as that again! 😊
Advertisement
Tot: 0.071s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 16; qc: 28; dbt: 0.0388s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb