Home » Australia » Sydney - New Years Eve 2003

Never really enjoyed a new years eve before, it has always felt anticlimatic & a hollow reason to celebrate.
From years of enviously watching it on tv, NYE in Sydney is something i've always wanted to experience.
The Aussies always look like they are having a ball and besides i've never had a new years eve in warm weather, its always been brass monkeys in the Uk.
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Sydney - New Years Eve 2003

Leebee
2006-01-06 16:42:28

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Never really enjoyed a new years eve before, it has always felt anticlimatic & a hollow reason to celebrate.
From years of enviously watching it on tv, NYE in Sydney is something i've always wanted to experience.
The Aussies always look like they are having a ball and besides i've never had a new years eve in warm weather, its always been brass monkeys in the Uk.

Sydney was similar to London on millenium eve outside, millions of people, great party atmosphere, random drunk strangers in your photos etc etc, only this time it was balmy warm t-shirt weather instead of toe numbing arctic weather in London at this time of the year. Sydney is a beautiful city especially when you are on the famous harbour and on new years eve there is an electricity in the air and it felt great to be a part of it, its something that has to be experienced at least once.

Sydneys Alcohol laws are very strict, and there are sections (Opera House) of the Harbour that were designated alcohol free zones. So after the 3rd attempt at smuggling beer down our pants and disguising wine as soft drink we decided not to
plague the forbidding strait-laced officials for a 4th time so opted for the abundantly populated & intoxicated spot next to the Harbour bridge where the alcohol flowed freely and ceaselessly which was a good thing as people were much more rejoicing & game for a laugh plus the place was devoid of kids (always a bonus)

I love the moments leading up to midnight, this night there was a buzz in the air, millions of people whistling, horns, whistles, shouting, singing, helicopters hovering above, people crying (mostly girls), people laughing (mostly men) and then silence! the harbour bridge is the focal point & is used to illuminate the numbers from 10 down to 1 and everyone counts down together in unison, (10) your thoughts are with everyone you know at home and in the world whilst you wonder what they are doing you raise a glass (or paper cup)and make a toast(7) you remember all the years you've done this kind of thing and you appreciate where you are now (4) you start treating total strangers like they are your long lost best friends shaking hands hugging and wishing them a happy new year (2) pause with baited breath - (1)

The fireworks off the bridge were fantastic but i was way too excited to get a picture :o(
your cue to behave like a daft delirious demented & deranged nutcase & jump around like you've just been informed you have won the lottery......excellent! everyone loved it, and then....a blank, we all party on and drink even more alcohol whilst the focus of the world is shifted to another major city further west...

I'd love to be able to account for my actions after midnight but the wine/beer and energy drinks were firing on all their cilinders at this point and my next memory was opening my eyes and realising that i was staring at the morning sky and starting the year lying in the middle of a park with a dry throat and throbbing head amongst approximately 2 thirds of Sydneys hungover population. What a good night. Cant wait for the next one.