We left the college around 8:30 in the morning and went to catch a bus that would take us near the Aquarium in Sydney. I was excited about the possibilities of seeing different marine life for the first time! Namely, I wanted to see a duck billed platypus in person. After a 10-15 minute bus ride, we the bus and continued on foot the rest of the way to the Aquarium at Darling Harbour. From the outside, the Aquarium looked rather shabby and I began to question its legitimacy, but quickly stuck to the old saying "don't judge the book by its cover" and proceeded inside with much curiosity.
First holding tank - the duck billed platypus - YIPEE!
At first I thought it was just a wonderful coincidence seeing this fella first off, but then I began thinking and decided I'm probably one of several thousand tourists who want to see a platypus, so they probably place it first so that everyone can view the rest of the marine life free of platypus viewing anxiety syndrome. Anyway, the platypus in the tank was fairly shy, or pompous, perhaps a mixture of both. There were probably 20 people standing around the length of his tank waiting to see him. After several minutes (an eternity), it finally decided to show itself! I figured it was shy at first since it was hidden for so long, but then it swam right across the front of the tank, almost the full length as if going down the red carpet premier for all the tourist photographers. Then, quite suddenly, it dove back behind some plants and hid itself again. Oh how boring an aquarium life must be for a platypus... regular eating times would be welcome though.
Here are a couple of photos of the platypus in his (or her, I had no idea how to tell) tank.
After the platypus tank, everything else was more like a bonus for me. A really BIG bonus. Here are a few of the critters we viewed - Water snakes, a 7.4 meter Great White Shark replica, massive bass fish, killer jellyfish, lobsters the size of basketballs, sting rays, real sharks (smaller though), and PENGUINS!! Here's a few pictures to do the explaining:
After we finished at the aquarium, we were done as a big group for the day, so I wandered around for a bit and ended up back at the college to blog and continue posting some pictures and, more importantly, to get ready to go to Circular Quay for New Year's Eve Festivities!
After a fairly restful afternoon, the full group left for dinner around 5:00 or 5:30 and ended up choosing cheap fast food since time was crucial in getting to the Quay before they stopped letting pedestrians inside to view the fireworks show. However, as we found out upon arrival at the Quay around 6:30pm, the time to worry about when to get to the Quay was actually about 2:00pm. (Oops) Following the late "stragglers" (mind you midnight was still 5 and a half hours away) we found a place on George Street to sit and wait for the show.
Actually that is a little misleading. I was not satisfied with the viewing arrangements and went in search of a better view. I first attempted to get into the last area of the Quay still open to pedestrian traffic, though the view there was actually not all that wonderful, either. Looking around, I thought it might be nice to be on the other side of the bridge to view the show, though I was not close to the bridge to cross it. Still hopeful of finding a better view, I went in search of a ferry that might take me to the other side of the Harbour. As I approached the ferry loading zone, I could tell it was done for the night, but I heard a noise above me on the bridge! I looked up to see a public transportation train crossing the bridge! Excited, I asked a nearby hotel employee what station was boarding to cross the bridge and set off back to the middle of Circular Quay, to the train station. I hopped on the train and it took off - into a tunnel that completely took away my sense of direction. By the time the train stopped for a second time, I was back in the open and could tell by the absence of water and the massive Harbour Bridge, that the train was not taking me where I wanted to go. In a hurry, I hopped off and ran around to the other side of the station to get on a train going back in the direction of the Quay where I started. As this train begins moving, a voice comes over the loud speakers informing passengers that this train would not be stopping at Circular Quay due to large crowds. (I later learned approximately 4.5 million people turn out for this event!) Wondering just exactly how far away from the Quay the next stop would be, we pulled through the Quay station and the train stopped, though the doors did not open as we were forewarned.
However, my evening was about to start looking up. Before the train left the Quay station, a man and his daughter started banging frantically on the door of the train in my compartment, as his wife and other child stood out on the platform waiting to meet. A station worker saw the man and radioed the train driver to open only our compartment. The man and his daughter got off quickly and the station worker said the other people (only 3 others, including myself) could also get off here if we wanted. I jumped down before his supervisor could say possibly think about saying otherwise and ran down the stairs into the crowd below. I thought I might be able to get into a previously closed section of the Quay, but as it turned out I was forced out into the over crowded street behind the Quay with no view of the Harbour. I decided to try the right side of the Harbour (everything to this point involved the left side and center) to see what I could find. I walked about a block and then a total stranger came up to me and asked me if I was by myself. Suspicious, I told him I was with a group trying to find a better view. He started to walk away, explaining that he had an extra ticket into the Opera House viewing area he was looking to give someone who would be watching the show alone. Changing my story slightly (more towards the complete truth) I explained that I would most likely be watching the fireworks by myself and could actually use the ticket. He separated the wrist band from the others he had and gave it to me. I strapped it on, flashed it to security on the Opera House concourse, and walked right on through. What a brilliant blessing!
I hurried down the dock, as I only had about 15 minutes before the 9 o'clock fireworks would start. The 9 o'clock showing was for families with children who cannot stay up til midnight, then a much more massive show starts at the stroke of midnight. I snapped a few close-up pictures of the Opera House, then got into position in time for the early show. The early show was ok, but honestly I wasn't all that impressed. Instead of showing pics from the first show here, I'll show you the much more interesting pictures of the Opera House and save firework pictures for the epic midnight performance.
After the early show ended, I looked around at the people next to me and saw that none of them had a gold wristband like the one I was wearing. My curiosity peaked, I asked a security guard where my wristband would be of use. He pointed towards a seating area at the end of the dock, right at the edge of the Harbour! Ecstatic, I found the entrance, showed my wristband again and went in search of a decent place to stand for the next two and a half hours. I finally found a great place and stood there for several minutes taking pictures of the boats sailing around the Harbour. This scene normally would have been nothing too special, but the ships had all grouped together and tied strings of pink lights to form silhouettes of their vessels. Here's a look at the sight!
Then came what seemed like the longest wait of my life. Sitting there with 4.5 million of my closest strangers, I enjoyed taking in the city lights and all of the interesting people around me. After a half hour or so I bumped elbows with the man next to me and that led into about an hour conversation. The man was there with his wife. As I talked with him I learned he was originally from Seoul, South Korea, but had been living in Sydney for over 20 years. He said he and his wife were John and Helen, respectively. This struck me as odd, very odd. The probability that 40-50 years ago not one, but two South Korean parents would give their child and English name. Then, miraculously, the two would meet and get married. I found out a few minutes later the reason behind this, though, as "John" explained that he and his wife were given those aliases by the folks they met in Australia because nobody could pronounce their Korean names. He told me his Korean name, but all I remember was that the full first and last name lasted about 2, maybe 3 syllables. With a name that long, it's no wonder why the Australians re-named them! We continued to talk about the differences between Australia and America. Here are a few things I learned:
Minimum wage is $15-16 Australian Dollars compared to our $7.25 American dollars.
A good tip at a restaurant is 10% compared to 18%-20% in America.
It is not customary to tip your taxi driver in Australia.
Everything is more expensive in Australia because almost every product sold is imported.
While in the work environment, the motto and advice is "Don't work too hard."
Individuals of different companies who come together to work as one are called "work mates."
I enjoyed the chat with John, then the crowds started pressing in from all sides as the countdown drew ever closer. Occasionally, the fireworks crew would send off 5-6 fireworks from a couple of locations to tease everyone with a test fire. The countdown began showing from a screen hanging from the Harbour Bridge at 90 seconds. One over-joyous man who had had too much to drink began yelling his countdown at 84, but eventually stopped around 72 as he started laughing too hard to continue forming words. When the clock showed 20 seconds to go, a few people started counting down, several more joined at 15 seconds (myself included), and the full choir of 4.5 million caught on at 10 seconds - 10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
Meanwhile, 2012 commenced with a glorious bang:
The remaining pictures below may look spectacular in their own right, though they fail to do this show its full justice. Standing on the Sydney Opera House dock, I was completed surrounded by eruptions of fireworks. There wasn't just one main firing station, or even one main station with several smaller stations. Fireworks were going off to the left side of the bridge, across the arch of the bridge, the straight span of the bridge, several barges floating in various places throughout the harbour, behind me over the Opera House from either land or water (I couldn't tell for sure, maybe both) and - wait for it - from the top of many of the skyscrapers that form the picturesque Sydney skyline!! The show lasted exactly 20 minutes, but here are a few of the pictures I was able to take:
I am convinced that this is the best possible setting for a fireworks show; not only that, but also the best execution and immaculate display possible. Without a doubt in my mind, it was the best fireworks show on Planet Earth. If you know of one better, I'd like tickets, please!
For some reason once the fireworks were over, a mass exodus of Circular Quay ensued. (I mean some people had practically made their spot on the concourse a working home since yesterday - why leave now?) I bobbed and weaved through the pedestrian traffic, listening to the city officials explain that city transportation was available further away from the Quay. I began walking in the direction I knew the University of Sydney was located. (I watched the street signs earlier in the day to get an idea of how to get back in order to avoid deja vu of last night!) I was close to being halfway back and still in a massive crowd of people when I came to the point where the buses were "running." I noticed they were letting people board, but their forward progress was slowed tremendously by the crowds. I decided to nix the bus idea and instead chose to use my own two legs to walk back (As is the case most anywhere you go in the city.) Approximately 6 miles from the Opera House, at 1:25am (one hour and five minutes after the last firecrackers lit up the celebratory new year sky), I opened my dorm door back at Wesley College. Looking back I feel like I made great timing given the populated circumstances.
None of the other members of the study abroad group were back yet, so I waited around for a little over an hour in the room for the rest of the Auburn folks to get back safely. Eventually everyone trickled in safe and sound after one heck of a New Year's Celebration at Circular Quay in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia! War Eagle!!!
The fireworks show looks spectacular! Wish I could have seen them up close!
ReplyDeleteAh, this just sounds so incredibly awesome!!! I'm so glad that you got to be there! Your firework pictures are gorgeous!!!!!!!!
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