HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

[SteveyC]

He's obviously a time traveller and has gone back a year. :D
Happy New Year, Pleccy and to everyone.

Stupidly large smiley!!!!

[MotherBear]

Stupidly large smiley!!!!

Just making sure I go out of 2005 in big style. :D

[tottefan]

I hope everyone on here has a great year!! Especially those who are moving to nz this year. Have fun.


Tottefan.

[MotherBear]

Thanks, Tottefan. We can't move for a few years and aren't even sure they'll let us in when the time comes, as it'll be under the Family Quota. Who knows what changes will come about during the time we're waiting?

Hope you can resolve your problems in 2006 and that it'll be a good year for you, whatever happens.

[Glenda]

Yes ...

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!

Phew ... it certainly is a hot start to the year here, and an expected max of 29degrees to look forward to tomorrow. :icon_neutral: :004:

::):

[MotherBear]

New Year in NZ.

Fireworks, fights and more road deaths usher in New Year
01.01.06 10.35am UPDATE

The New Year was celebrated with a carnival atmosphere in central Auckland, but drunken brawls broke out elsewhere overnight. The road toll for the holiday period has risen to 20, with two deaths early this morning.

Tens of thousands of people lined Auckland's Queen Street, with police diverting traffic so people could get a good spot to see fireworks blasting out from the Sky Tower. Auckland police were busy throughout the night, but reported no major incidents in the central city. The worst trouble was at Wanaka where about 500 people at the Albertown Camping Grounds turned on the police. Senior Sergeant Gavin Briggs said the trouble started mid-evening.

He said police were called after some of the revellers began causing a bit of disorder. In total, 52 people were arrested for breaching the liquor ban and a variety of street offences, compared to 55 in 2004. Of those arrested, 80 percent were aged between 16 and 20. There was also a large brawl involving around 40 people in Otara, in Manukau City. Further north, at Mangawhai, drunken youths have been fighting with knives and bottles. There was also fighting in Gisborne which saw at least one person knocked unconscious. Whangamata police said they were extremely busy, mainly dealing with breaches of the liquor ban.

Far North Area Commander Inspector Mike Rusbatch in Paihia said things there went very well, with plenty of families celebrating but not too many people driving-drunk or causing mayhem. The same can be said for Taupo and also in Nelson, where thousands of teenagers have crammed into Maitai Valley Camp to see in the New Year.

Meanwhile the holiday road toll stands as a grim reminder as New Zealand heads into 2006. One person was killed when a car crashed into a drain on State Highway Two near Paeroa, in Coromandel shortly before 6am. The highway is down to one lane while emergency services clear the scene. And a male pedestrian is dead after being struck by a vehicle on State Highway Three near New Plymouth.

Three more died yesterday. A body was found near an overturned quad bike in Ruawai, near Dargaville. An off-duty fireman made the discovery about 6pm yesterday evening. Around the same time, a 15-year-old was hit by a car and killed near Taupo. And yesterday morning a woman died in Palmerston North hospital after being injured in an horrific crash on Christmas Day, which had earlier claimed the life of an 83-year-old man.


Fireworks from Auckland's Skytower

[selchie]

We spent New Year's Eve by candlelight. The power went out around 10AM, and stayed out until near midnight. We've been having lots of rain & wind, so low areas are flooded, and trees are coming down - usually on electrical lines. Some of our friends still don't have power this afternoon. We have three main roads into the county, and they were all closed for a while because of slides and flooding. Another typical New Year in Humboldt County.

Today we're having friends over for hoppin' John and tamales - New Year's food from the South and Mexico. What a combo!

[Glenda]

We just went to bed as normal. Stirred a little when the fireworks went off. Don't know if that is 'sad' or sane! :icon_neutral:

:icon_lol:

[MotherBear]

Us too. Weren't even aware of any fireworks going off, only the squalling of yet another female cat on heat. :icon_rolleyes:

[Pulsarblu]

We spent the new year eve and new year's day just chilling out at home and dreaming of moving to NZ.