| Today is New Year’s Eve, and once again, everyone is asking what everyone else’s plans are. My New Year’s Day plans are exciting: I’m headed to Whistler for a few days of skiing some of the world’s best in-bounds terrain. But New Year’s Eve will probably look a lot like this: give kids their supper, put kids to bed, cook nice dinner with husband and try to make our kitchen table look romantic with a few candles and a bottle of wine. Try to stay up until midnight and decide that sleep wins out over watching the pre-televised East Coast countdown on TV. |
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But if I were to buy a last minute ticket to usher in the New Year with a bang, I'd be headed to one of these five places, where they really know how to party:
1. In New York City, Times Square’s giant shimmering ball has counted down the final seconds of the year’s end for over a century. Odds are it will be a long, cold wait until midnight, but dress warmly and snuggle up to the million or so friends and strangers celebrating along with you in America’s iconic New Year’s Eve tradition.
2. Prefer warmer climes? Head down under to Sydney, where the Aussies put on a massive display of fireworks in Sydney Harbour. According to the City’s news release, this is the “world’s largest and most technologically advanced New Year’s Eve fireworks display.” Hire a boat and watch from the water, or grab a table at one of the waterfront restaurants. Bear in mind you’ll have to come early for prime viewing spots as about 1.5 million people have RSVP’d to this party.
3. For more warm-weather, beach-front celebrations, fly to one of the world’s great party-cities: Rio de Janeiro. Copacabana Beach is the centre of the action, where revellers start dancing to live samba music around 8pm. Wear white (it’s a lucky tradition to usher in the New Year) and be prepared for crowds! Two million people flocked to Rio’s beaches on December 31st last year.
4. If your vision of New Year’s Eve involves an entire night of manic dancing on the beach followed by a dawn swim, you might want to think about joining the international crowd on the island of Koh Pha Ngan, Thailand. Sunrise Beach in Hat Rin is already (in)famous for its Full Moon parties, and the New Year’s Eve celebrations are the biggest of all. Be warned: this crowd doesn't always know when to quit.
5. Back in the Northern Hemisphere there’s another group of people renowned for their ability to get a party started: the Scots. Grab a pint and join the crowds taking to the streets in historic Edinburgh. Sure it’s probably going to be cold and drizzling, but who cares when you’re singing the world’s loudest rendition of Auld Lang Syne along with 80,000 other voices?
Are you inspired to book a last minute flight?? Tell us what your NYE plans are on my Facebook Page! |
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Comment by Chef LeeZ on February 10, 2013 at 12:39am
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