NYE in Australia:
I’ve seen fireworks throughout my life and yet every time there is something new and surprising. Sydney really goes all out for their new year fireworks and it is quite a show. Australia’s an amazingly family-friendly country so they have a 9:00pm show for the kids and a 12:00pm adult’s show. At the 4:40 mark, I’d never seen moon, heart, and star shaped fireworks before. Finally ~6:20 mark the Sydney Harbour bridge goes alight with what I call a “waterfall of fire”!
The 12:00pm (video here) is a longer 12min show that is also just as breath taking. There were a total of 5 synchronized shows at various parts off the coast and the precision was outstanding. An estimated 1.5 million people watched the show live. Quite an audience!
Sadly my time in Australia had to come to an end, but what an amazing 2 weeks it was.
13 hour flight back to the States
Fortuitous planning and airline timing allowed me to get back in time for a wedding of an old friend of mine from college. Taylor Winters and I studied bioengineering together in undergrad and grad school and he’s the main reason I graduated at all. College is a whole lot easier when you have a relentless study buddy like this guy.
I actually have the saved conversation when he told me he was getting married.
11:46 AM me: things going well on your end?
11:47 AM Taylor: yeah
excited for the baby
me: i actually have a few friends
who are expecting right now
me: so i really can’t tell if you’re joking
me: except that it’s 4/1
11:48 AM so i’ll err on not believing you
Taylor: what if i said i was getting married
me: i’d cautiously congratulate you
No, he doesn’t have a baby…and I was not going bite. It was April Fool’s day…who breaks actual news on 4/1?! It was not until I actually received the Wedding invitation a few months later that I thought, “Taylor sure goes to great lengths for an april fools joke”. Congratulations came shortly thereafter.
In any case, exactly 7 months later on 1/1/11, the biggest kid I know bit the dust tied the knot. It was one of the most unique and fun weddings I’ve ever been to. And for a record I don’t believe I’ll ever see beat in person, the wedding ceremony lasted 8 minutes.
Groom and groomsmen rock in, bridesmaids rock in, bride rocks in. bride & groom whip out iphones to read their vows (awesome). i do/i do. kiss. rock out.
Groom almost got knocked out during his own wedding day. link to full album (here)
newly weds: Taylor and Ashley Winters
What a way to start the new year. Here’s wishing that 2011 is a game changer for everyone!
THEY'RE WEARING CONVERSE… thats SO awesome…