After meeting old friends for lunch in Manly I rendezvoused with Suze outside liquorland. Its the place to be. It was also packed with people similarly seeking to avoid overextending their credit cards by attempting to drink in any of the bars hosting NYE events... Oh god no!
On return to circular quay, chaos reigned. Herded off the ferry like sheep, with police officers interlocking arms on either side. Anyone attempting to break free was viciously returned to the prearranged path. So having being forced to exit the station I attempted to reenter it to get to the neighbouring quay to the one from which I had exited. Which also proved impossible. When I questioned one of the policeman as to why the entire station was fenced off by metal gates he replied that he had no idea and was himself trying to get to the other side. At this point a woman in the 50 people strong ticket queue collapsed and more policemen rushed in. I gave up. Fate was evidently telling me to get the train from a different station.
Headed to a harbourside apartment rented by some friends of a girl who was a friend of a friend of mine. The elaborate subterfuge that goes on to get into a harbourside apartment...
After drinking our liquorland purchases we headed out to Luna Park, arriving just in time to get a prime viewpoint to watch the 9 oclock fireworks. From our position the view was amazing. I particularly liked the silhouettes of the boats lit up on the harbour.
Our entry was slighlty impeded by my fear of the front gate. But only slightly. I was very proud of myself.
Having dismally failed to meet with other friends at the same venue, mostly due to the curse of mobile phones simultaneously breaking on NYE we headed to see the midnight fireworks. They were spectacular. Even the Kylie Minogue lips that blew Sydney a New Year's kiss...
On return to circular quay, chaos reigned. Herded off the ferry like sheep, with police officers interlocking arms on either side. Anyone attempting to break free was viciously returned to the prearranged path. So having being forced to exit the station I attempted to reenter it to get to the neighbouring quay to the one from which I had exited. Which also proved impossible. When I questioned one of the policeman as to why the entire station was fenced off by metal gates he replied that he had no idea and was himself trying to get to the other side. At this point a woman in the 50 people strong ticket queue collapsed and more policemen rushed in. I gave up. Fate was evidently telling me to get the train from a different station.
Headed to a harbourside apartment rented by some friends of a girl who was a friend of a friend of mine. The elaborate subterfuge that goes on to get into a harbourside apartment...
After drinking our liquorland purchases we headed out to Luna Park, arriving just in time to get a prime viewpoint to watch the 9 oclock fireworks. From our position the view was amazing. I particularly liked the silhouettes of the boats lit up on the harbour.
Then we were in! A dearth of adults ran round, glorifying in the over 18s only policy. From an early stage it became slightly obvious that alcohol and rollercoasters did not mix. We queued for the waltzer while trying to avoid the increasingly dirty white bra that was being thrown around over our heads. Some people have such great ideas about what constitutes 'fun'.
Having dismally failed to meet with other friends at the same venue, mostly due to the curse of mobile phones simultaneously breaking on NYE we headed to see the midnight fireworks. They were spectacular. Even the Kylie Minogue lips that blew Sydney a New Year's kiss...
Back at the harbourside flat more drinking and merriment ensued. The Scottish residents were slightly disenamoured to discover that the three Southerners present had been following a 'smile and nod' policy due to the combination of a strong accent and severe slurring rendering them completely unintelligable. I eventually struggled home - still rather amazed that I managed to change trains without falling asleep. As I stepped out at my station, two men yelled "Happy New Year!" I narrowly avoided reacting badly to what I in my semi- addled state took as someone yelling abuse.
Fell asleep on the sofa wondering vaguely whether it was really safe to spend time on a rollercoaster that boasted a sign stating 'built in 1963'.
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