Happy New Year from Sydney!

This place is awesome. To be honest, a lot of backpackers I have met on the road didn't really like Sydney and didn't have a problem telling me to only spend a couple days here. Well, I planned on four nights, and it's the fifth night already, and I'm still here. Yes, it's that cool. I'm staying in the central area, which is next to Chinatown and the skyscrapers of the business district. I'm about a twenty minute walk from the Opera House. This town is pretty; the city is clean (I don't know where they hide the homeless people for the holidays); and the city parks are safe.
I spent New Year's Eve in the Botanical Gardens, at Macquarie's Point, picnicking with the Swedish girls from Fraser Island. You had to get there early to save a spot to watch the fireworks and bridge display at midnight. We were there for 13 hours. It was really fun, actually. The weather was perfect: not too hot or sunny. There were tons of boats in the harbor, anchored for the day to watch the fireworks. As the day progressed, it got more and more crowded. It was sort of like a hippy concert. Some folks were playing guitar and singing. Some folks started doing "the wave". Some Irish guys behind us were drunk and sang their sad Irish ballads. I was going to go to Cronulla to party hardy with Fineberg, but never made it. It was worth it, though, to see the fireworks and stuff over the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.
The next day I met up with Fineberg at Luna Park, which is a Coney Island nightmare amusement park on the north side of the harbor, next to the bridge. There was a 12-hour dance party (rave?) going on there and he was getting down with his old mates from his nine-month fellowship here a couple years ago. Tickets were kind of steep, but it was worth it. Once you entered, you weren't allowed to exit and re-enter so there were a lot of people (passed out?) on the floors against the walls when I got there. I watched the first sunset of the new year turn the city skyline into a bright orange. It was as if the city was on fire and the regalers danced on oblivious to the awesome sight. There were lots of glowsticks being sold, and the main dance floor was a huge dark room with laser lights. It reminded me of that Frankie Goes to Hollywood video for "Relax". Anyone remember that one? I almost expected blood to come out of the sprinkler system (like in Blade). Anyways, it was good fun, and Fineberg is doing well.
Actually, the past few days, since he's arrived, he has been trying to get us tickets to go to Phuket, Thailand, to help with the disaster there. But, alas, it is not meant to be. The soonest we can go is the 6th, and he has to return to Hawaii the 10th. Plus, he was told by some of the folks that they really weren't interested in acute care providers; mostly they wanted infectious disease and public health specialists, and, oh yeah, I'm sure lots of money. It's tough finding places that want volunteer doctors. It astounds me.
The past couple of days I have met up with the Fraser Island friends at Manly and Bondi beaches. Both are pretty famous places here in Sydney (that I had not heard of prior to coming). The water, unlike the protected waters inside the Great Barrier Reef, is cold like San Diego (68 F today). Well, I guess that's considered average to warm in San Diego. Anyways, the waves were nice, and the views of sun-bathers even, um, nicer?
I'm headed to Melbourne on a 12-hour night bus in a couple days.
Did I mention there are humongous bats that fly through the skies at night?
It's totally wild.