My birthday was so far the thing that i had got most excited about since i have been here. And rightly so, i mean, it is my 18th, and i think i would be even more excited i i was in sydney.
The day began normally. Konnie had left for work early, so i had breakfast with Max and i walked to school alone, because Max was studying that day for his driving test. The walk to school was really quite nice. I mean i have done the walk before but it was a really crisp fresh morning and everything was so still. We had had a big dump of snow the night before and everything was blanketted in it so that made the walk even more picturesque (i knew i wouldnt be able to spell that even before typing it!). It was a really nice start to being 18.
I got to school and walked into the classroom where everyone congratulated me and was really interested in what 18 felt like. I think i answered, 'like 17, except a year on'. Haha! I thought it would be a good chance to show them the photos i had brought over of my family, school, house and everything else from home. The one that impressed them all the most was the shot of Sydney looking from Ryde out to the City and beyond in a helicopter. I dont think anyone realised how much water and harbour there was in Sydney!
Two of the girls in the class had baked me a cake and we ate it together. Everyone was dressed up because it was the end of karnival, and it is tradition to dress in costume, even to school, ha, try that one at 'view! But school only went until about 10, and it was a bit of a non-event. We all went from there to the top of the schlo�berg, where we had a celebratory drink which was pretty wicked. I then returned home and had a birthday lunch with my family and recieved some presents, books, tickets to the opera, a tshirt and a new guitar string, which we had been meaning to get since i arrived! The lunch was really nice. Really nice food and wine, and just a time to sit down with good people and celebrate my birthday. I think i enjoyed this part of the day the most.
After that we got ready to go out. It was the end of Karnival, as i said, so on this day, everyone packs the streets and parties and drinks in the Hauptplatz (main place or square) and Jakominplatz. Max told me a little about it but i really knew nothing about what was going to go on. We went in, and we had to be the only people there not in some sort of costume. But that was cool. We went into a local pub and had some drinks. It was so full and we were really lucky to get a seat. It was good fun there, we hung around for a couple of hours, and then at about 5 we left and went outside. Outside in the Hauptplatz was absolutely crazy! There were people everywhere and all the pubs had set up stalls outside where people were drinking and stuff. It was about -4�C but no one seemed to care a bit! Haha, there was so much to take in; people, drinks, music, food. It was seriously the best party ever! Max said we were going to Michi's house (his girlfriends place) and i asked if we were going to come back here later, he said maybe. I really wanted to stay, and as we were walking along i lost them (maybe fortuitously!) and i stayed there partying. I had lost everyone but i didn't seem to care, it was just good fun to be around and partying with everyone, taking photos and having a good time, it was awesome!