As Good As It Goetz: One In A Million

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Thanks to Australia's desirable position - for one day anyway - among time zone demarcations, this year I found myself in the unique position to be among the first few million to usher in 2007. To celebrate this annual turn of the calendar, I joined a million of my closest friends along the shores of Sydney Harbour. In anticipation of the viewing the world's largest fireworks show, I found a myself a perfect vantage point along the foreshore of the Sydney Opera House, within burning embers distance of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. To secure the prime spot, I only had to stake claim to my 4' x 4' piece of concrete a mere nine hours before the stroke of midnight. But, thanks to pre-purchased food, a few beers, friendly neighbors, and an unusually cooperative bladder, time passed quickly as the sun set and anticipation grew.

To say that celebrating the new year along the water's edge in downtown Sydney is an occasion not to be missed would be an understatement. The city echoed with celebrations for miles up and down the shores, beginning long before the sun even thought about setting and building to a crescendo as daylight finally faded. Somewhere among the commingling of locals and tourists in revelry, an epic fireworks show broke out and captured everyone's singular attention. Once the last bang and pop lit up the sky, the real party began in earnest and continued long into the night as evidenced by the thousands, literally, who accompanied me for a solid mile down the streets of Sydney in the wee hours of the morning as I tried to find the least crowded train station so I could finally get back to my hotel.

To give you a taste of New Year's celebrations Down Under, I'll let the pictures and video that follow speak for themselves. As for New Year's resolutions, I just have one: keep traveling.

Hope everyone had an excellent New Year's and best wishes for a great 2007!