Happy New Year

All is quiet on New Year's Day, as U2 said it so well. Sydney knows how to do a New Year's party, and we took it all in from the vantage point of the Royal Botannical Gardens facing the iconic views of the Harbour bridge and Opera house. There are a lot of Euros here - they're easy to spot - the ones with little or no skin left on their bared chests. The few Aussies that braved the astronomical crowds were sensibly covered up in long sleeves, sun hats and plenty of lotion. Slip, Slap & Slop. Add in the booze and the many Brits were soon passed out on the ground. Sarah and I sought shade during the hot hours with a little packed picnic, drinking only water. There are actually two fireworks displays. The first is at 9 and supposedly aimed at (yeah yeah) families with young children. It was remarkable, and the air was thick with the smell of gunpowder. We had a great spot just by the edge of the water. We then joined the queue for the bar. When I get the opportunity to upload some more photos, you can share this experience with me. Suffice to say, it reminded me of the bread shortage queues in Moscow the winter of the depression just after the Bolshevik revolution. We got ourselves a bottle of local bubbly at $25, with an enforced bottle deposit of $5. This seemed like a brilliant idea until you realised that you'd have to brave the queue again to get your deposit back, but still. The main event was even more spectacular, of course. Afterwards we picked up enough empties to be able to fund another adventure.

Today, new year's day, it's a sweltering 40 degrees, and being outside feels like sticking your head under one of those driers you find in public toilets. I know I moaned a bit about the NZ weather, but surely humans were not intended to live under these conditions.. give me a cool NZ downpour any day. We're heading to Manly beach on the ferry today, and tomorrow we're visiting the Blue Mountains in search of some shade.