Happy New Year!

I've never seen the fireworks in London at first hand and so decided this year as the rain had stopped and it wasn't too cold or too far to travel, to see if I could see them in person!  However, we were possibly too late to get a good spot and by the time we got there all access to the river was closed off and we found ourselves 'cordoned off' on the Strand, very near to Waterloo Bridge with no view of any fireworks at all.  The atmosphere was jovial to begin with, but then the crowds (some very drunk) started to surge and it was all we could do to stay upright due to the force of people shoving and pushing.  It made me appreciate just how dangerous a mass gathering situation like that can be and it certainly wasn't pleasurable.  So I caught the fireworks the next day on the BBC iPlayer and next year think I'll stay firmly at home.... much more comfortable!  There in the peace of your home you can also travel the world on the news seeing the New Year start in many different countries - a cheap form of travelling the globe!