David Sudjiman

I always love to spend a day on Darling Harbour. Catch a train from Burwood to City, stop at Central and walk down to Chinatown, Sydney Entertainment Centre, and then Darling Harbour. Or you might want to get off from Wynyard station and go straight to Darling Harbour. Darling Harbour was only around 15 minutes by train from our place to Central, and 15 minutes walking from Central to the harbour.

Darling Harbour is always be one of our lovely place to hang out. Chinese foods at Chinatown, walking around on the harbour, or you just want to sit near the harbour with beer and watching the seagulls. It is a clean place, you can easily find anyplace to sit and enjoy the day. From Darling Harbour you can easily go to lots of nice place such as City where all of the Sydney office-goers works, Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and Circular Quay. Sometimes, we take a route from Circular Quay and walk down to Central city and enjoying the day. Definitely good for exercise.

Yesterday, 26 January 2007, I finally managed to get ourselves celebrating Australia Day. Australia Day basically a celebration about diversity and freedom. Not like celebration for Australia independence day as they don’t have one.

We started our day by arriving on site around 2 pm while people are starting to overflow Darling Harbour for Australia Day. Ah yes, we started before by getting some food on Tumbalong park, where there were happening arts and food as well. The most entertaining time will be the fireworks which will be started on 9.30pm yet you have to be around and secure your ’seat’ or place several hours before.

First, we visited Sydney Wild Life World. A small zoo which build recently on the Harbour. You can also visit Sydney Aquarium which exactly next building of Sydney Wild Life World. It was quite nice to know insects, snakes, birds, nocturnal, Kangaroo, and Koala. One thing that interest me most is to know that all of these animals are originated from Australia. Very good experience anyway.

From Sydney Wild Life World, we went to a food court nearby and had our lunch. KFC and Gloria Jeans coffee. The the best choice, though, but sometimes we need to indulge ourselves with junk food.

The clock was showing 4 pm when we secure our place to watch the fireworks, not many people during that moment so we can get a good place to sit. At 7pm the place starting get packed and it was around 200,000 people on Darling Harbour. At 830pm the place was packed I can even sit, I have to stand-up for the entire show. The show begun at 8.30 and opened by NSW Premier Morris Iemma.

The show started with several boats circling Darling Harbour, showing Australia boats and ships heritage. Continuing with music performances and Aboriginals

The fireworks was for about 30 minutes and It was really fun. This was actually my first time to watch a live fireworks for more than 5 minutes and it was a huge fireworks. The fireworks was closed by the Air Force One passed by and John Howard congratulated Darling Harbour people Australia Day.

We were actually standing quite close with the fireworks, it was only 200 metres away. I even needed to go to the paramedic as I got ashes in my eye. It was definitely to close. I’ll bring a big, gogle-like, spec next time I want to see the fireworks.

Came back at home around 11pm. It was a good Australia Day celebration. A country not by birth, but by choice. A choice of freedom.