What a way to welcome in the New Year and yes, the fireworks were indeed spectacular.
We started with a boat trip from our luxurious apartment down the Paramatta river into Sydney Harbour. It was a real festival mood with hundreds and thousands of people carrying picnics, umbrellas and sunscreen to the firework viewing points. We got there at noon, just in time to bag a couple of spaces of grass on Governor's Chair - a park right by the opera house overlooking the harbour bridge.
We sweated under the umbrella and made friends with our neighbours - Koreans, Argentinians, Ozzies and Chinese, all waiting out the 12 hours until midnight. We thought it only polite to partake of a cold beer or two and the afternoon soon passed.
once it was dark, we were treated to a "family firework" display. Now the family fireworks that I know centre around a small cardboard box, out if which come such delights as silver fountains, sparklers and a highlight if a Catherine wheel which gets stuck which an adult has to gingerly coax into going round. These ones were nothing like, they were amazing in their own right, better even than Shrewsbury flower show fireworks which I have to say are pretty special.
Various sailing boats added to the scene - lit up with fairy lights they sailed round the harbour.
finally it was the countdown - 3,2,1, "Happy New Year everyone!" Fireworks lit up the sky, pom-poms of colour, fountains of gold pouring from the bridge, shooting stars and twinkly ones, it was well worth the wait. It was with smiley faces and light hearts we made our way back, what a start to 2014.
