Happy New Year!

What better way to start the first day of 2005 then to post up an entry in my blog? *CHAY!* Ya... I know I'm getting quite proud about keeping my blog up-to-date! Hee! Well, what to do? I've to entertain frequent blog visitor like you mah... ok, enough of crap...

1st Jan is like every other ordinary day - guess the difference is how you usher in the New Year... Here in Melbourne, most people gather at the Federation Square (City Centre) & the Yarra River for countdown & fireworks once the clock strikes 12am! Despite some public suggestion to cancel the fireworks & donate the money in aid for the Tsunami victims, the Melbourne Council decided to proceed with it & will also set up some collection points so that the public can contribute & raise some funds for the affected Countries...

It was after much contemplation that I finally decided (reluctantly) to join my colleague who had so kindly extended an invitation for me to join her & her friends for the countdown party. I left my apartment around 11.30pm and walked down Collins Street towards Dockland Street to meet with her... But it didn't help very much for a "2 weeks old" visitor like me who isn't very familiar with the place here when she said to me over the phone: "I'm at this open field near the water where the fireworks are gonna be. There are 4 apartment blocks on my right & Telstra Dome is behind me..." and I was thinking to myself like how would I know where the water & the fireworks are gonna be?!

Anyway, we were on the phone for quite a while with me trying to figure out how to get to her & telling her my location & all that stuff... until I heard the fireworks. That's right... HEARD the fireworks! And she went "Ah! The fireworks, come quick!!" and I was like "Ok... I heard the fireworks but I don't see any. So... that means I'm probably quite far from where you are..." And our conversation continued with description of landmarks, etc with the sound of fireworks in the background...

5min past 12, I finally saw the fireworks! In the end, we decided to watch the fireworks at wherever we were then & it lasted for about 15min before the search for my colleague continues... Found her around half past 12 when most of the crowd have already dispersed & our exchange of New Year greetings were actually 30min late...

Standing on the waterfront pier with the water & the CityLink flyover ahead - the view was fantastic! Found out that this place is call New Quay where there are rows of Pubs & Restaurants & some private apartments - it's something like our Clarke Quay in Singapore.

After that I joined my colleague at her friend's apartment in New Quay for drinks & left the party at 4am on New Year's day. Definitely didn't regret meeting the nice people!

Woke up this morning & watched the 9am News broadcasting the people of Ukraine counting down to the New Year "Live" in Kiev...