Passing out on New Year's Eve

Fireworks launched from Sydney Harbour Bridge

We thought it was our friend but it proved to be our downfall

Whilst we were still respectable on NYE 2006

Rudolph's corpse

Regal? Maybe.

Happy New Year from Sydney! Was everyone's new year full of festive joy? Good. Ours began by getting to Sydney harbour about 5pm. From where we were sat, the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge were both in view so you could say we had a good spot. And more importantly, it was one of the minority of places that let you bring your own booze. So, naturally we started on the cheap box-wine at about 5.30pm. When I say cheap box wine, let me give you some perspective of just how cheap. About $14 for 4 litres, which is less than £6  Needless to say it gives you a distinctly fuzzy hangover the next day, but that is probably because the boxes usually mention that either fish or milk is involved in the making of the wine and therefore may still contain traces. How is fish or milk involved in wine making?!? I don't know, nor do I really want to.

So, after some pretty amazing fireworks, we decided to wander back to Kate's flat (where we're staying) with a plan to go on to a party. However, by about 3am we had all passed out in one way or another. My experience was that I woke up at about 6am still fully clothed, curled up in the foetal position on the floor. Our friends said that Nick fell asleep half way through sending someone a text message. Rock on.

Darlington, where Kate's flat is, is the heart of Sydney's gay scene. In the Lonely Planet guide, out of 11 gay nightspots in Sydney, 8 of them are around here. Also, we are sharing a sofa bed. On the wall by the sofa bed we are watched over by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhall sharing a warm embrace from a 'Brokeback Mountain' calendar. But it gets better. The first night we were here, I was knackered from a long coach journey so didn't go out. But the message I received from Nick at 2.24 that night was as follows: "I'm at a gay club. There are lots of men with their shirts off. My destiny is complete."

To wrap up, whilst we were still in Melbourne, we went to the biggest casino in the southern hemisphere. One of our mates won $200. I did not. We went to a club that was hidden down an alley next to brilliantly named ACDC Lane. I've bought a couple of festival tickets for February, one called Good Vibrations will be headlined by Jurassic 5 and the Beastie Boys (sweet). The other is called Laneways Festival and is held in an alley.

Keep enjoying the sunshine people