Happy 2009!

If this photo doesn't scream Happy 2009! Then I don't know what does! This picture was taken about 30 minutes after midnight in Sydney, and there were massive street parties going on all over the city - we were walking back to the apartment when we stumbled upon a bit of dance party happening right on Bridge Street, so we stayed and showed the other party animals a thing or two.

I realize there has been a gap in my blogs, and I am deeply sorry for any loneliness you may have experienced due to your lack of Kanga Route blogging - but I have been a rather busy gal as of late.

The first month and a half of being here in Sydney I was doing some freelance projects for a company back home - and just before the New Year my work was completed with them, so now I am on the hunt for a job here in Sydney. I am actually heading out this afternoon to check out The Rocks neighborhood to see what I can find -- there plenty of little restaurants and shops so keep your fingers crossed that one of the hundred little shops just outside my front door are in the need for a 24 year old, American, for the next four months. Seriously -- keep 'em crossed.

So I am sure you are asking yourself - Sam, what the heck have you been up to then? Well lets see, between Christmas, Boxing Day and New Years - Chris had 10 out of 15 days away from work - we did the walk along the southern beaches; Bondi to Bronte, and then we just kept heading south to Coogee. Christmas Day was a bit cool and cloudy so we didn't end up heading to the beach in our Santa hats like we were hoping -- but Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) it was gorgeous and we hung out on the patio all day, soaking in the Sydney sun. We went to the largest IMAX screen in the world and saw, (for the second time) the Dark Knight. 

New Years was quite the spectacle - the entire Central Business District (CBD) shuts down and the streets are free for all of the people roam all day and all night. It was like nothing I had ever seen before; the streets were just as busy at 9pm as they were at 5am. The weather was perfect, there were nearly 1.5 million people crammed into The Rocks and the CBD area, the streets in the Circular Quay were lined with Hot Dog stands, Fish and Chips stands, people selling glow sticks (much safer than sparklers when you are dealing with millions of people). It was basically like the Iowa State fair x20...and just a bit more classy...but not by much.

Australians really don't mess around when it comes to celebrating, not only were there the traditional 12pm fireworks, but an earlier show at 9pm for the younger kids and families. And our apartment was the perfect spot for the "warm up" show. After the first burst of NYE we made our way over to Chris's office to watch the midnight firework display off of the Harbour Bridge, and from the 43rd floor of the AMP building we had quite a view. Like I said before, the city didn't really quiet down until 5am or so....therefore, there wasn't much sleep to be had - we had several friends stay at our place that night - and no one wanted the party to end. Needless to say, most of us have given up drinking for the entire month of January. And I am okay with that.

And I promised there were surf lessons, just after New Years - and I actually was able to stand up by the end of the lesson! We have booked our tickets to Surf Camp and we will be going later in January -- I will come back a pro I'm sure.

I thought I would share this little tid bit with you to close for the day - from my pal Bryson....

"In 1954 (flight) prices began to fall, but even by the end of the decade traveling to Europe by air still cost as much as a new car. Nor was it terribly speedy or comfortable experience. The Super Constellations took three days to reach London and lacked the power or range to dodge most storms. When monsoons or cyclones were encountered, the pilots had no choice but to put on the seat belt signs and bounce through them......Quantas called it, without evident irony, the Kangaroo Route."

How about that! I should probably let Bryson know that my blog shares the name with the old Quantas flight - how ironic is that!?