AUSTRALIA DAY

We have had a hectic few days. On Saturday Phil invited friends and neighbours round to celebrate Burns Night, Australia Day and the upcoming Chinese New Year. We had food prepared representing the three cultures.  Everybody seemed to enjoy themselves and although the invite said 2 - 6 pm we were still sitting outside in the courtyard till after 11 o'clock.  Boy did we have empty bottles to throw out! Sunday was Australia Day and it is a big event all over Australia.  They have a big Ferry Race round the harbour with the finish line at the Bridge. There is also a tall ships race through the Heads which is the entrance to the harbour. The harbour is lined with thousands of people and everyone who has a boat is on the water to watch. It is very exciting the boats are all decorated and the there are people hanging off the ferries while they are racing. Phil and I had an invitation from Rod Salmon one of his clients to come aboard his 'tinny' as Phil described it, to spend the day and watch the festivities. The tinny turned out to be an 82ft cabin cruiser! It was amazing - cabins with hot tubs and saunas. The upper deck had a pop up BBQ.  Needless to say I had a ball.   Rod and his wife, Kylie, were great fun and very unassuming. There were another half dozen guests - all Aussies - who made it their business to welcome the Pom. I love travelling round the harbour even on the ferries so to sit there in the lap of luxury with champers and the works will take a lot of beating. Good job it is probably my only experience of Australia Day! We had a birds' eye view of the Ferry Race and the Dancing Tug Boats. The tugboats performed little turns etc to music - no mean feat in the congested harbour.  There was a fly past - three jets from the Aussie RAF which I am sorry to say did not measure up to the Red Arrows and then a big Quantas airbus circled the bridge. The blokes were very impressed by that!  When everything quietened down a bit, we dropped anchor just off Watson's Bay and had a BBQ.  Lamb, steak and snags (sausages) which is apparently very traditional for Australia Day. The sun came out during lunch. It had been a bit overcast earlier which I think was a blessing because we were able to watch everything without worrying about getting burnt. However when the sun comes out the colours of the harbour change dramatically from silver and grey to all shades of blue. Rod is a bit of a wheeler dealer and has just sold a pub (One World same name as the boat). As part of the deal he has acquired an amazing waterfront home with copper cladding. Don't know if my photo does it justice.  Anyway he made a slight detour on the way back to the marina so we could have a look at it.  Don't think Kylie is too enamoured about the thought of moving because she has just finished decorating their current home. Away from the harbour there are live acts performing on the Rocks and round Darling Harbour so although I would quite happily have gone to bed when we got back, Phil dragged me down to Darling to watch the fireworks etc. A heaving mass of humanity as Ken would say! The kids all had little Australian Flag face stickers and there were flags and bunting everywhere. I am glad we went though. The Australian Army Band were playing on a pontoon in the harbour (very Glen Miller) and the fire works were amazing. I think they might even have the edge over the New Year display. Aussies love their fireworks! Happy Australia Day!

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