sydney, the last leg...............

i think that i need a holiday to recover from the last week................

Sydney Mardi Gras has been amazing. The city is beautiful and interesting to start with, and then to add on superb bars and clubs, friendly people, and the most spectacular parade and parties, it has been a massive experience, and such a contrast from the last three months of scenery and views. Have made some great friends here, who have made the whole experience even more fun.

Its strange though, it has been easy to sit and describe my adventures in the big outside, but when it comed to this, i am at a loss for words. Just look at the photos and imagine the atmosphere. A blend of fairground, carnival, parade excitement, with thousands and thousands of people all having a great time.

I watched the parade from the roadside, amongst the crowds. The rest of the gang had spent an extrordinarily large sum of money to be in an enclosure with a superior view, bar and food. It was strange being there alone, although soon became part of the immediate audience. A colossal number of floats of all extravagances passed by, some with hundreds of dancers in amazing costumes performing dance routines, others supported by political parties, big business promoting their wares (Ikea was fun)and smaller organisations providing worthwhile and much needed services to the community. The parade lasted for several hours, the last float disappearing down the street to deafening applause and the sound of thousands of whistles calling for more.

The party was huge. Set in an exhibition complex using the massive halls as dance floors with all kinds of music playing, dj'd by international dj's, drag acts and other performers, bars for drinks, stalls for food and areas to sit and chill. It was great to move from area to area and cool off outside before heading off to another dance floor for another boogie. My ticket number was 14820, from one of two vendors, so you can imagine the size of the event. From 10pm to 10am, the sun came up and we carried on partying. I managed till 8.30am without any help, and legally drove back to my accomodation for a rest before heading out mid evening for another night at a city centre club on Oxford Street.

Its now Tuesday morning and the city is all but back to normal. Need to work out my itinerary for the next few days and then head off of of town to a slower pace of life for a while. Ive heard that Byron Bay is good, so i'll probably head off in that direction soon.