I arrived in Sydney on December 31, 2005 at 9 a.m. after 20 hours on an airplane and one day having mysteriously disappeared in transit. What I really needed was a nap, but what I wanted was to pack some city sights into my first day – New Year’s Eve.
Stop one was, of course, the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House. My first sight of these magnificent city icons stirred something inside me. Was I really here?
Everywhere there were signs of the night to come. Flag banners lined the streets for NYE with the 2005 theme of “Heart” prevalent in all. Digital road signs flashed “Happy New Year” with instructions on road closures and instructions for spectators.
It wasn’t even 10 a.m. when I got into the city center, and already folks had staked out the “good” spots for the show that evening. People had blankets laid out along the railing of the Opera House walkway, and plenty of water – it was one of the hottest New Year’s on record!
I smiled, because as good as their spot was, I had planned for the best spot – onboard the Harbor Queen (http://www.harbourqueen.com.au) for a New Year’s eve cruise in the center of the action ($350 incl. dinner & 6 hour cruise).
We set off at 7:30. I watched the sun set behind the Anzac bridge on the back of the ship, then turned around to see the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House appear from the front. The anticipation was building.
There are two fireworks shows, one at 9pm and “the big one” at midnight. At the stroke of 9, facing the Opera House, five minutes of fireworks dazzled the crowds. How many people get to have the Opera House for a fireworks backdrop? Unreal and spectacular is the only way to describe the experience.
After the preliminary show, the boats in the harbor – all decked out using the Heart theme – showed off in the boat parade, circling the harbor. After circling the harbor 6 or 7 times, we angled the boat into place for the big show.
As midnight rang, a beam of light from each side of the bridge snaked across to the middle, and upon meeting, the bridge lit up with color and light. There was a heart in the center of the bridge, beating and pulsing along with the display. Behind me, one of the crewmen said, “Mates. That bridge? She’s not even warmed up yet.” Fifteen minutes went so fast, yet stood still, as Sydney – the first major city to arrive in 2006 - showed the world how it’s done.
Though I’ve tried, it was an indescribable night. I see the photos and the images in my head, and think to myself – “I was there!”