Not to be a pessimist, but New Years Eve can be such a let down. The anticipation and excitement that builds around the holiday as you make plans with friends and find the perfect dress can be so deceiving. And the expense of it all seems to create such high expectations. The night arrives, you feel pretty, you're with great friends, drink in hand all night...but you wake up the next morning and alas it just wasn't what you were hoping for.
WELL I have found a remedy! Spend it with Australians!
Believe it or not I celebrated NYE last year with a group of Aussies in Colorado, and let me tell you-- it was a FUN night and 2010 turned out to be GREAT year! It seemed only fitting that I would be able to end 2010 and ring in 2011 with another group of Aussies. And to top that- I was able to celebrate on Aussie turf! I wonder if that means 2011 will be even better?
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Thursday morning (Dec. 30th) I realized I hadn't figured out any plans for NYE yet. Yes, that is correct- I had one day to figure it out. In a new country, and confident I didn't want to bring in the new year alone, I started putting my feelers out. I had been invited to a house party and to an all you can drink party at a nightclub in Broadbeach. Neither option was very appealing. I had one more invitation that I was holding in my pocket. I was hesitant to accept for fear that I may be intruding on a group of close friends that don't get to see each other much. I didn't want to impose. BUT after a lot of contemplating...I did anyway.
I am sooo glad I did!
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Friday morning (Dec. 31st) I put on my beach gear and packed a small bag of essentials- beach towel, toothbrush, change of clothes, and beer. Who needs a new dress when you can spend NYE at the BEACH... drinking BEER...around a BONFIRE!!
I met Jason (a guy I had met randomly at a pub in Surfers Paradise one afternoon) and a couple of his friends at the supermarket where we gathered the necessities for an Aussie cookout- bread, sausage (hot dog sized brats) and tomato sauce (ketchup).
We arrived at Fingal Head and I received a tour of the area. No high-rises, no nightclubs, no high heels...just campers, jangles (flip flops) and the Fingal Head Surf Club- my home for the night. (I'll explain surf clubs in another post)
It was perfect.
(I live where it says Robina and Fingal Head is where the red marker is- about 45 mins apart)
The area was filled with people that made Fingal Head their NYE headquarters year after year. All generations were present and everyone around was considered a friend. Kids of all ages ran freely from the campsites to the beach, while the adults sat around eating chip sandwiches and reminisced about years past.
Chip Sandwich = French Fries on Bread
After enjoying my very first chip sandwich we headed to the water where I learned to throw a rugby ball and finally figured out how to body surf!
I laughed watching old friends act like they were 13 again.
Enjoyed conversations about US sports vs. AUS sports with new friends.
Reveled in the feeling of being a local at Fingal Head as we drove on the beach and gathered wood from any dead tree along the way.
Gawked at the stars while learning that Australia sees America's summer stars this time of year, and that they call the Little Dipper the Little Saucer.
Squirmed seeing small crabs scurry as we lit the bonfire.
Took pleasure in seeing fireworks over the ocean at midnight twice because we were on the border of two time zones.
Listened in awe to the never ending ocean waves approach the shore.
And smiled knowing this was EXACTLY how I wanted to spend my New Years Eve.
(I promise my eyes are not a reflection of how much I had to drink)
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