So I woke up New Year's Eve with the worst hangover...no idea why?
Luckily the day was pretty easy going, I spent most the morning in and out of bed feeling sorry for myself and the rest of the camp seemed to just chill out too. Some headed off for walks, some to the beach, some for a drive out, it was all really cruisy.
Michael, Bethany and I headed to the park to join Stef, Rich and Daisy, and Denyse, Tony, Beth and Maddie for some games. I of course just sat back taking the photos and let everyone else run around. I played with the girls for a while and was nominated as The Queen. Should think so too.
After the kids big and small got the excitement out of their systems, we said goodbyes as everyone else headed back to camp. Camp Dawes went and spent some alone time on the beach and lovely it was too. We had a fantastic walk alone the beach dipping in and out of the water, it was so nice to just enjoy the moment.
We no sooner got back to camp though and everyone was on their way back to the beach for a swim. So we packed up our gear again and followed on. Michael and Bethany went in the sea and I sat back once again taking the photos (still nursing a sore head). Everyone had such a wonderful fun time splashing and running around and the beach there is truly gorgeous.
Afterwards we headed back for some food and then it was down to serious party time. We all got ready, we adorned ourselves with glow sticks and party attire and headed off once again for the beach where we planned on having a few fireworks for the kids before they went to bed.
As you will see in the video the beach was just far too windy for fireworks and so we headed back to the park (which you have to walk through to get to the beach). There, courtesy of Jo and Lewi we enjoyed fireworks and sparklers. It was then that we popped open our bottle of bubbly and sat back enjoying the moment. Hair of the dog worked just fine!
Then the most lovely thing happened. Lewi does the most special thing with his children where he opens the end of a glow stick and then splatters it through the grass and the trees and then they have to follow the 'fallen stars' - what a beautiful idea it was, the children (especially the little ones) loved it.
Back at camp the children went to bed easily being that it was late. Sadly though it started to rain and we all had to huddle under a tarpaulin that Lewi set up. The rain eased off after half hour and we were back to starry skies again. Blissful.
We were also treated to lots of starry people too! I have no idea who started it but someone thought it would be fun to open a glow stick and splatter it on someones trousers...well from then on it was war! Our camp was covered (as we were) in glow stick formula! Very childish but very very funny.
Midnight was finally upon us and the New Year arrived. We lep to our feet to do the countdown and upon the hour Tony sprayed us all with bubbly! We were also so very fortunate to have found Auld Lang Syne on the radio, not something I have heard on before here in NZ, so we got to sing our hearts out. I bet you could hear us for miles!
So as the New Year rolled in we all rolled off to bed with smiles on our faces and hopes and dreams for the future in our hearts. To be together with such amazing people and to be able to share such a special night will be something I will cherish forever. Made even more special by the fact it was Stef and Rich's, and Rachel and Craig's first ever NZ New Years Eve. Magical for us all.
Anyway, here is the second video. Stay tuned for Part Three coming soon!
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