Gunpowder Treason and Pretty Panicked Ponies

Well it's been and gone . . .New Year's Eve and fireworks. Lots of fireworks. After spending every hour or so checking on two very nose-out-of-joint horses until after 1pm, receiving a drunken call from DrummerBoy somewhere in a boat on Port Stephens and watching the Sydney Harbour bridge do a terrorist proud . . . NYE was over.

I love fireworks. I'm sorry though that it upsets animals and frankly my dog does a squish into the tiniest crevice in the house and put your head down trip at the slightest bang. She never used to, I think she learned it from another dog and realised that a quiet pat would be received. Now I don't do anything, I just let her sulk. Then dogs hearing being what it is, God knows what fireworks sound like or smell like. Either way, not a happy camper.

So, you're nursing hangovers or having after party barbecues or lazing in some park with a picnic or watching the boats on the harbour or coming off night shift. I sadly have spent far too much time on the computer chatting with overseas friends and visiting Facebook. It's quiet as the grave here except for the odd cool-off splosh in the pool and the sound of bark falling off the lemon scented gum (which I hope finishes shedding tomorrow because I need to tidy up a bit).

There is no contest about who's fireworks are the best.

• I'm sorry, but a big ball abseiling down the front of a building in Time's Square is just, well dull
• Lighting up the Eiffel tower is very pretty but that's it?
• Seeing that silly ferris wheel and the milennium dome in London flash each time a pink bloom explodes is ha! - although listening to Big Ben sound 12:00 is pretty cool, the rest is fun park stuff
• Dubai is lovely and hell knows, they have the money for the most amazing displays
• Rio has buildings and barges that go off big time and hey, they last a whole 15 minutes "Duh"
• Taipei has the highest fireworks from the Taipei 101 tower, but the shortest length at only 3 or 4 minutes
• Last year Honkers blew the lid on its IFC One building still no doughnut
• Prague has two, one official and one 'take your life into your own hands' display put on by the locals so if danger isn't your middle name . . .

But Sydney harbour goes off! Barges are laid out from Manly to Gladesville along the Parramatta River. Buildings are wired, and the bridge finale is nothing short of spectacular. I mean, the year Princess Dianna died they played Candle in the Wind and exploded Red Hearts all over the sky . .amazing . .how do they do that?

I love my city . .it's not the best, it's not the most cosmopolitan, it has a short history and it's overpriced but it provides the perfect backdrop for scaring the shit out of your pets on New Years Eve, Australia Day and any other firework worthy event . . We don't do it once, we do it twice. 9pm for the 'families' and then the midnight spectacular for the squillions who have waited since 2pm . . and yes, before you ask I've had many a picnic at Lady Macquarie's Chair waiting for nightfall.

It costs around 5 million dollars but brings in around 40 million in tourist bucks so . .

If you see nothing whilst visiting Sydney, catch the New Year's Fireworks, they are beyond description and have to be seen 'live' TV just doesn't do them justice. I fancied they were a little little shorter than usual after watching on the teev last night after a promised full 30 minutes of colourful explosions. We win . .that's it . .no contest . . nup . .no point arguing . . .we do the best fireworks, OK the soundtrack sucked but. . . we're almost the first, definitely the best . . .nup!. . shoosh! . . . ah! . . ah-ah! . . .zip it!

No horses or dogs were hurt during the production of this post