Saturday, February 05, 2005

Cock a doodle doo

My final night living in Wellington was graced with a spectacular fireworks display in the harbour celebrating the Chinese New Year. It is the hottest night I remember in all my five Wellington summers. We walked up to the top of our steep Mt Cook street to watch with a few dozen neighbours.

I thought my favourites were the ones like giant balls of fire zooming towards you in 3D, but then I became entranced by the flock of birds with suitable sound effects. On the bigger ones, the steep crater walls lined with houses echoed the explosions like a train bearing down, or waves crashing on a pebble beach. The lights left their shadows in smoke like the bare tangled branches of an huge hawthorne in the clear night sky.

It's too hot to sleep so I will finish packing tonight, including my laptop. I'm not sure yet about my internet access from the cowshed so there may be a gap in transmissions. Fear not, dear reader, I shall write again as soon as I can.

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