Happy New Year!

    Since we arrived, we've been hearing about the fantastic fireworks over the Harbour on New Year's Eve.  We've asked lots of folks for recommendations on preferred locations from which to watch the evening's events.  I don't think we ever got the same answer twice.  Many places with a harbor view hold some sort of event and charge an outrageous, I mean Aussie, amount to be at their location.  Ugh.  With no school and no work this week, we could afford to camp out for the day to have a great spot at midnight.  We headed to Cremorne Point early and were thoroughly impressed at midnight.  This is how our day unfolded -

9 AM - Quiet but already getting spots "reserved"

11 AM - Fight!  This lady below stormed up with her 2 kids and began screaming at the 2 men/boys in the tent at the front that they "had better move and right now!"  Apparently, she had gotten up at 5 AM, put down her tarps and left.  They came later, moved her tarp, set up their own tent and went to sleep.  When they didn't move after lots of screaming, she picked up their tent and tried to move it with them in it.   Then she started throwing their stuff.  They threatened to call the police.  She kept screaming.  Here's the interesting part.  As soon as they spoke and it was obvious they were foreign, 3 other Aussies came forward and started telling them to move, "This is Australia Mate, you can't do this!" etc.  No one had said a word up until that point.  Hmm.  They ended up getting moved back a spot or so and the drama was over.  I stayed out of the ordeal,  but it seems to me to be pushing things a bit to take a great spot and then leave for 6 hours. 

1:00 PM Everyone's here for the long haul, even the dog.

2:00 PM Time for some chess

5:00 PM It's getting more and more crowded!

6:00 PM  Heaps and heaps of boats in the Harbour

8 PM - Sunset over the Harbour Bridge

8:15 PM Sky writing tries to tell me something.  Anything I should know Hubbie?

OK, so it wasn't quite finished yet.  You can imagine the religious message but we had a good laugh!

8:45 PM  Gorgeous, calm night

8:50 PM  Ready for the 9 PM Family Fireworks

9 PM  Despite leaving the piece that connects the tripod to the camera at home, we were able to get a few good photos at these early fireworks.

9:15 - Midnight

It got a lot more crowded and a bit chilly, in my cold-natured opinion, as the sun went down.  There was a lighted boat parade and some teaser fireworks every half an hour or so.  Hoards of folks started crowding in and we ended up with 3 Kiwi girls (who complained about the heat :-)) practically sitting in our laps.  The crowd, and there were thousands, was incredibly well behaved overall, no doubt due to the NSW police presence and no alcohol policy.

The fireworks at midnight lasted for 12 minutes and were absolutely fantastic!  I'm not one to be overly impressed by fireworks.  They're fun but if I miss them, I don't really mind.  These were just amazing.  There were 7 spots across the harbor and the bridge from which the fireworks were synchronized.  We had put the camera away and enjoyed the show rather than trying to take photographs.  To see them, check out the link here.

 If there is any question about whether the dog is mellow, it should be noted that he slept through the entire 12 minutes. 

Happy New Year!