New Year's Eve in Sydney

At least once in your life, you must make your way to Sydney, Australia on December 31st for the fireworks spectacular over the Sydney Harbour. I am certainly not a fireworks enthusiast, but I can appreciate a good show when I see one. And this, my friends, was a good show. Of course, it didn't hurt that we had prime seating at the waterfront of Sydney's Royal Botanic Gardens. From this

perspective, we could clearly see the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and the gorgeous seaside houses along Sydney Harbour's northern shores. We didn't have to bother mixing with the masses that were mainly congregating at Circular Quay near the Opera House, but also through other areas of the harbour's beautiful shorelines. Seeing people who had even camped out a day early to get the ideal vantage point, I knew I was lucky to be enjoying this world-renowned event from one of the best seats in the house.

Dan and I arrived at the gardens to meet his family for a picnic dinner, just as the initial 9 o'clock show began. The 9 o'clock fireworks show is meant primarily for younger children, whose bedtimes sadly come before the midnight extravaganza. This show was fairly impressive, though it didn't include the fireworks over the Harbour Bridge, which are reserved for the official show at midnight. I munched away on my chicken roll and potato salad, as the sky lit up with a rainbow of colours. Teals, magentas, golds and violets shined into view, and I marvelled at the sight before me. Dan's sister, Louise, leant over to me and whispered, "This is nothing...just you wait until midnight." And my excitement grew a bit more.

After about 15 minutes, the pre-show came to an end, while the festivities were just beginning. We drank wine, ate delicious finger foods, chatted, laughed and revelled with the other groups of spectators--all of us waiting for the night to draw closer and closer to 12 o'clock. Suffering from jetlag and a massive time difference, I was having some trouble fighting off the drowsy feeling. Louise caught me yawning, and she assured me that another drink was all I needed to keep myself up. I was skeptical of her advice, but I listened anyway. I didn't want to be the party pooper, missing out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience. So, I poured myself another drink...and then another, and then another, until surely I was not drowsy anymore, but rather, quite tipsy!

We were enjoying ourselves so much that by the time midnight came around, and the official fireworks show began, we had completely forgotten the midnight countdown! Not until a few minutes into the magnificent show, when Louise came over to kiss me on the cheek and wish me a Happy New Year, did I realise what I had missed. I suppose time had literally flown by, since were were having so much fun.

This time, being the official midnight showing, the fireworks last nearly half an hour, and the sky was again filled with bright colours and smoke. With all the bangs and booms and smoke filling the air, we couldn't help but have the eery feeling that this is what being a war must feel like. Needless to say, I felt quite happy and thankful for where I was and what I had in my life. And just as Louise had promised, this midnight show easily outdid the previous one. The fireworks spewing out over the Harbour Bridge were both unique and entertaining, and they definitely added an extra element to the midnight show.

Though I almost want to cringe at the idea of how much money was spent in one evening, I have to admit that the city of Sydney puts on an amazing show. I now understand why Sydneysiders are so proud of their city on this celebratory night. Throughout my years, I have found that most people think of New Year's Eve as a big disappointment--an anticlimax resulting from spending too much time and money deciding where to go, what to wear and whom to kiss. BUT, if you're looking for anything but a dull and disappointing night, then next New Year's Eve, get yourself to Sydney for a world famous celebration. I promise you won't regret it.