Happy New Year!

The grand finale to my trip was the New Year fireworks display at Sydney Harbour. It required a whole day’s investment for ten minutes’ entertainment, but as soon as I’d decided to extend my stay here beyond Christmas, I’d figured it was one worth making!

At 11am, I picked up my picnic (special mention to the cherries, which are in season and delicious at the moment!) from Coles, and headed to the botanic gardens. The whole event is brilliantly well organised, and a dedicated website gives the live status of all the vantage points. There were huge queues at the first location I tried, which seemed to be full anyway, but I was pleasantly surprised to find another section of the gardens still open and with free entry. Numbers at each site are limited to sensible levels, and the gates were shut about half an hour after my arrival.

The twelve hour wait certainly didn’t go quickly, but once a patch of grass had been claimed, it was possible to walk about, visit food stalls and mingle with people. I had a long chat with some Watford fans, and shorter ones with various other groups, which helped pass the time. I managed to fall over while leaning on a barrier, which proved to be a slightly embarrassing icebreaker with an American family, and my Barmy Hat attracted the attention of the stewards (especially those who’d witnessed my fall…)!

At 11pm, the estimated one million people gathered around the harbour rose and fell silent to remember the victims of the Bondi attack: a powerful and poignant moment.

A fleet of colourfully lit boats also paraded around the harbour, in significantly greater numbers than I managed to capture in this photo:

At midnight, the much anticipated display began. It was spectacular. Here are a few highlights:

At the end of the display, I joined the masses leaving the harbour, and arranged a late checkout from my hostel, to make the most of the last bed I’ll see for 48 hours!

I had a relaxed New Year’s Day in Sydney before heading to the airport: a final smashed avo brunch, a bit of souvenir-hunting and a catch-up with two of the Barmy Army members who’d sat next to me throughout the Brisbane Test.

I am now at Sydney Airport, awaiting my flight to Abu Dhabi, from where the next stop will be London!

Here’s a final message from Australia, as I prepare to complete my circumnavigation of the globe…