For the past few days, leading up to yesterday, the blasting noises filled our eardrums every few hours. Almost like a symbol of what's ahead.

The day arrived. I sure wasn't prepared for what was about to surface; I thought my startled jumps due to the blooming noises were on the same sound wave, boy was I wrong.

I haven’t been in China on this day since I was a mere 5 year old shrimp, so the search for any sort of familiarity, wasn’t remembered.

By late afternoon, family began to arrive. I would say they arrived in herds, however, I don’t boast an entire Hurstville population of a family (remember, one child policy and the absence of two grandchildren) so I can only say, they arrived in two’s. After a few snaps and jumps and smiles shown on display, we set off for the restaurant.

By 8pm, food was churning in our stomachs, and sounds of gunfire to our frail eardrums. The racket officially began.

From then onwards leaving up to midnight, sounds erupted all around us, and I naively thought I’ve seen it all, boy was I still wrong.

We fled downstairs at midnight, and the skies were painted with colour. The noise was deafening and shot straight to our bones, and I got to taste the life of a soldier on a battlefield. Standing outside for what seemed like eternity, the below zero temperature ushered us back indoors, however, the sound and display never stopped.

And that was how I spent Chinese New Year Eve in China ;)

What made it even more spectacular was due to the fact that, these were private displays of fireworks of all colours and kind. Not funded by the government, they were families who bought fireworks and set them off. And since China has such an enormous number of residents, the fireworks went on for hours. I, was able to enjoy them everywhere I looked without spoiled view because, they were so close.

I could have sworn some sort of debris landed in my right eye...and on me. Hmph!

PHOTO TIME ;) (hover for captions)

Who cares about the randomness? Chinese New Year means, GO AND ACT CRAZY !! ROFLEST RETARDATION.

LOVELOVE, emu. (1O more days loveeeeee)