When planning the first part of the trip we made a point to be in Sydney for the holidays. We flew in from Christchurch on the 19th and readied for our first ever summer Christmas.

On Christmas Eve we attended an early caroling service at the Scots Presbyterian Church. After listening to the pastor roll his R’s through some Australian carols, we walked into Chinatown for dinner, thinking that if we waited too long to be seated we wouldn’t find anything open. Little did we know that in Sydney, Christmas Eve is a night to hit the town. The later it got the busier the restaurants and streets, and as we were heading home around 10pm the downtown area was alive with activity. Next time we’re in town for the holidays we’ll plan differently.

We also got to visit the famous Bondi Beach on New Year’s Eve. We made it down just before lunch and spent the next few hours on the sand and in the water. We left before the crowds showed up for the evening’s beachfront concert. After a nap and some dinner, we worked our way south to see the city’s renowned New Year’s fireworks show. We weren’t disappointed.

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