Happy New Year celebrations - Sydney Style!!
The LONG line...
FIRST people through the gates
Running for best position
PART of the estimated 4klm long line
Some of the 9pm 'Family Fireworks'
We then sat around, ate some dinner, had something to drink and enjoy that atmosphere, and a little before midnight, went to set up along the front fenceline to get the following shots...
Hoo roo for now...
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Although this year, I did not get out into the city to see the fireworks to welcome in 2012, I did manage to see some out at Penrith, at Panthers no less!! However, as it was a VERY last minute decision, i was camera less.... Oh well, never mind! But this is how Sydney showed off, just HOW to bring in the New Year!!
Hoo roo for now...
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NYE
NYE
NYEOn New Years Eve, I was lucky enough to have some tickets to, basically, have front rows lawns to the biggest fireworks display in the world! For some reason, that's the way it seems! Really, our Eastern neighbours in New Zealand are the first, but the focus seems to be on Sydney with everyone comparing OUR fireworks. I wonder why...
NYE
NYE
NYE
NYEI took a mate with me, I prepared a dip, a salsa dip as well, cheese and a Danish salami and corn chips and crackers as well... I took some drinks for us to share! When we arrived, we caught up with D&A with their son B. He's a great kid, and was very friendly! It was also great to catch up with D&A as well, not to mention D's mum B!
I had a text message from another mate who was down from Newcastle, and after a couple of text's, we arranged that he will come and stay as well, after all, I have plenty of room and there were no more trains heading back north! We all eventually hit the beds at around 3.45am... I woke, later than normal, at 7am, whilst J & N got up and about around 9. We decided that a day of spotting was in order, so we got ourselves ready and was at YSSY in around 45 mins! It was going to be hot, 41c, so after a little while at one place, we headed for lunch of seafood, and then to a new place (for me) and set up camp there. Another mate, K, had decided to beat the heat in western Sydney, so when I dropped N at the station, I collected K and we headed back to the spotting spot! It was a great day, with great company!
TT VH-VNP
UA N175UAThe following day, Sunday, was a quick day trip down to Melbourne for another day of spotting... There was four of this day, with J's dad D and my mate from Melbourne, another D! Again, a great day and great company. When we left Melbourne, there was a considerable amount of storm activity in Sydney, and as a result, we were in a holding pattern over Canberra for a little bit. I didn't mind at all, and J got some great sunsetting pics! Thanks for a great couple of days J, (and N, K, D & D) I really had a great time!
Gooney VH-OVM
TG HS-TKB
VOZ with J at the fenceI've also been back to work this week, sad, but I am already planning a few things. There is a 3 day conference I am very interested in in Brussels which I think would be good to go to for a research paper I am co-authoring. There is also a possibility of a 4-5 days away to Hong Kong, to again visit the Hong Kong Jockey Club for a visit to discuss techniques with the Track Manager, and we may fill in with a bit of spotting there as well; who knows!
Hoo roo for now...
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Over the last couple of months, the cubby has been getting much more of a lean... It was about to fall over! So, I tried to take the roof off to brace it up a little, but as I touched it, I quickly found out that if I was to try and lift it off, the whole house would simply fall! The previous owner of the house, had a little girl, and I think it may have been a rush job to build it many years ago, as some of the joints were... well... not that good!
So on the weekend Christmas break, we dismantled it, and I built two new side wall frames. The back yard looked as though a cyclone (tornado) had gone through it!
We also did a 'new' floor, as the old one was just chipboard on a couple of bricks! Great for ALL sorts of bugs and stuff when kids are inside!!!
Now, yesterday afternoon, frames were finished and the rear cladding was nailed on. Right hand side cladding and window were also installed and then the cubby was placed onto the new floor. Whilst L was off getting dinner (it was too hot to cook anything, and that is a story in it's own right that I will tell you later...) the cladding and window were completed on the left hand side.
Now, as I said, it was rather hot and as I was busy, L said that she will do dinner, But as it was hot, we were busy so she decided to go to Alpacino's Pizza & Pasta house nearby. She left and dodged her way through traffic at a nearby intersection where a motorcyclist had an accident and later died. When she got to Alpacino's, it was closed! She left and then called me and it was decided to go to the local Lebanese bakery, where they have the BEST, woodfired pizza's. Sounds good? NUP, it was closed as well!!!!
By this time, somewhat deflated, she came home and defrosted some stir-fry beef, cracked open a bottle of Vietnamese sauce and cooked some rice. What a disaster! This dinner was so hot (spice), she could barely eat it! I had one bit of the beef and some rice, and I swear that it took off the lining of my mouth!
So, here I am, at work on New Years Eve (NYE). Outside it is a lovely day, where we are expecting a top in the city of around 30 degrees C. Our site is one of (if not THE best) the best sites for the NYE fireworks. Fencing has gone in and will not reopen until 10am. There is already thousands of people out there waiting. These are mainly backpackers (UK and USA to name a couple), and have already started drinking as grog is not allowed inside. It is not even 9am! We will be at home tonight, with family, having a BBQ, enjoying the spa and having a game or two on either the xbox or the PS2.
Your turn: What are your plans to see in 2009? Have you made a resolution yet, and will you?
Have a great night everyone, and stay safe. See you in 2009!
