New Years Eve Dec 31, 2007

Well we had a quiet day just enjoying watching all the people lining up to get into the parks for the evening fireworks display. People started to line up in the queue at 4.00am. They came with blankets, coolers, chairs, sun screens, hats, umbrellas, food, drinks and babies in strollers. The great outdoors is enjoyed by one and all in this country. People just chatted with one another, read, had picnics and just generally took in the fresh air and sunshine. Lincoln took some pictures of the lines of people trying to get into Garden Island, as we walked over to a park not far from our place and found a nice quiet bench and read our books and watched the boats in the bay below us until dinner time. We then walked home and enjoyed a lovely evening meal, had time to tidy up before the first of the fireworks displays. As we watched out our window, as dinner was cooking, we noticed all these little dingys that were arriving and taking people out to many crafts in the harbour. People kept putting coolers, bags, and then themselves into these little rubber boats and by the time they were ready to putt putt out of our area they were barely out of the water.

The first fireworks were let off at 9.00 pm from three different vantage points, these are meant to be for the youngsters who are unable to stay awake until midnight. At midnight they again were let off from the same three spots, and also from the tops of the high rises in the Central Business District. These people know no fear.

We were so fortunate to be able to see them all from our living room windows, and did not have to jostle for a spot in the park. Australia must be the fireworks country of the universe, they seem to be let off for just about any occasion, but if you saw this show on the news networks you must admit they were spectacular.

The crowds were quiet and the parks were soon empty shortly after 1.00 am, with everyone having had a most enjoyable time.

Although our New Years Eve was quiet we did enjoy the fireworks and each others company. Do not really think I would want to be camped out all day in the sun waiting for the show, and our apartment was in a grand spot to take in the sights.

By the next morning the parks had been cleaned up off all the rubbish and the barriers and gates had all been taken down and away, you would never have known that such an event had taken place.