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I have, in the past 24 hours, pretty much run through the entire gamut of human emotions. Started with overwhelming depression as I started to get ready for new year non-extravaganza. Missed new year 2006 (spent partying with old school friends at local community club in hometown back in India), 2007 (spent red, swollen and itchy with rare sudden outbreak of "allergic urticarea" at best friend's home watching James Bond movie with her and her family, i forget which movie it was). Miss sense of partying and imminent hours of dancing till I drop...miss friends. Sudden realization, will have to go through at least 3 more of these without them. Gravity of physical distance suddenly shooting up to highest possible level - like when ball is rotating and direction of angular motion is at highest point of circumfrence and parallel to ground (pls God don't let my Class 12 Physics teacher ever read this).
Being newcomers to a new city and country, we set out to see the famous Melbourne fireworks (actually the pre midnight ones at 9pm, aka Family Fireworks). At around 8 pm we set out to catch one of them free trams. Please remember that the sun starts setting at 9 pm out here. Was quite an experience as the trams strategy of keeping cars/drunken drivers off the roads on new years eve by providing free tram transport after 6pm worked a little too well. So my sis and I jumped on to one of them, with a promise to Mama of a pre-midnight return. Emotional turmoil worsened by giggly-dolled-up-obviously-close-group-of-girls being all girly right next to us in tram. Nostalgia. Nostalgia. Ugh, why don't I stress smoke? Why don't I smoke? Coz I have an awesome baby sister, who listened to me as I ranted and raved in the tram. And an awesome friend with awesome timing who, by the time I reached, called from overseas. He promptly reminded me that this was my chance to do all I always wanted to - be the adventuress who explored the world, met new people on airports, swapped life stories and opinions on random topics with strangers and experienced all moments to the fullest - without the disadvantage of being a single girl in a country with loads of oglers. Good point. As he hung up with the statutory warning of not taking his pep talk too seriously and entering a crashable rave party which would leave me as one of the many bodies the City Police pick up off the St Kilda beach and sometimes had to deliver home in semi-conscious state next morning, I felt happier. Nice music. Live band. Lotsa people. Young people. Old people. Nice people. Not so pleasant people. This was quite okay.
Noises. Sudden rush of people in one direction - hey preliminary 9pm fireworks. Yay! Saw. Liked. Reminisced some more about Diwali back home and how beautiful it wouldve looked from my 6th floor bachelorette pad back home. Then settled down with some nice tangy lemony semi-ice-lolly semi-lemonade thingy and pringles. Said sorry to sis for messing up the start of the evening. Soaked in the atmosphere. Picked up some Lindt for Mama. On way out, saw police taking away person with bloody nose and holding back expletive-spewing-supposed-girlfriend. Ah, the essential New Year violence episode. Maybe this would be a traditional celebration after all. Saw masses of people on streets. Felt sudden i-am-part-of-humanity-unity-in-diversity happiness twinge. Flinders Street has changed into a massive nightclub it seems. Its quite nice to have New Year in the middle of the sweltering summer, it only adds colour and festivity to the dresses worn and makes it all like one beach party - people actually come down to watch the show with beach towels. The street is actually the best party of em all. Trams have been disallowed in the area, which means we must walk up two blocks to catch our ride home, a fact we realize after waiting at the now-non-functional-tramstop for about 15 minutes. Tram empty at 10pm except for parents who's children got too cranky for them to stay and some love stuck couples who - oh im not going to imagine.
Reached home. Happy. Dinner with Mum. Nice. Watched some TV specials. Midnight, yay. Hugs. Kisses. Goodnight then. Thoughts just before sleep - 2007, long year. 2008 - probably even longer year. Thankful for friends. Remind self that I'd much rather have a slightly struggle needing interesting life than a boring and strugleless one. Write panicky email to friend about state of 3 deteiorating friendships with very nice peopl and self introspectory psychological babble. Sleep.
Next morning, wake up at noon. Shop for much needed fan in sweltering heat. Difficult since few shops open. Note on one shop - TOO HOT. GONE HOME. I like this country. The people are so cute! Buy fans. Bring home. Assemble fans. Lose a bolt (of fan). Find bolt thankfully. Switch on fans. Motor not exploding. Not bad for a person with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Receive reply to aforementioned psychobabble filled email. Relief from appreciative you-will-be-okay standard feel-good fare.
Must sleep now.
Happy 2008 ! May it be an eventful year that will make us all stronger, filled with adventures to be remembered, silent evenings to be cherished, good books, good music and of course, good company (pun intended).