Lack of
sleep over the past few days finally caught up with me. Woke up at 1 p.m. and all I wanted to do was stay in bed until
tomorrow. But remembering my self-imposed task of unofficially documenting New Year's Eve-related happenings
here, crawled out of bed and at 4.30 p.m. went to see what was happening down at the Opera House.
There were streams of people making their way there by foot; and when I arrived, was stunned to find several thousand already in its environs and at Circular Quay and outside the Museum of Contemporary Art. There were also many hundreds on the other side of the Harbor, near the Bridge. Also a few thousand boats moored in various parts of the Harbor. All these were the good spots for seeing the fireworks.
Wandered around for a few hours taking photographs and mingling with humanity in an atmosphere of suppressed anticipation and excitement.
Then walked back to the city center and had a burger at a Burger King clone on George Street. Saw a line of people waiting for Planet Hollywood to open its doors. Came back to my home-away-from-home and looked out from its heights at the Harbor, which was a sea of illumination; and on its southern shores, east of the Opera House, were massed crowds. Apart from the panorama of lights from boats, and of houses, apartment blocks and hotels facing the water, the summer's evening was lit up by camera flashes like a non-stop chain reaction.
By this time I was in the company of somebody I was in lust with...(a discreet interval passes). Had a nap for a coupla hours, then woke up, had a shower; and saw in the New Year in pyjamas...(cont'd)