We had a huge barbecue and all around there was this huge lightning storm rolling in that never actually materialized as rain. It gave the party a rather energized feeling (pardon the pun) and I think everyone was in more of a mood to let loose. A few hours later I gave a rousing impromptu karaoke performance of Blind Melon's "No Rain" (oooh, another pun!), minus any actual karaoke equipment. As official time-keeper, I had to get my act together as it neared midnight and I set off the countdown right on time... I hope. I never actually checked the accuracy of my watch, but it is too late now.
Still later in the night, I had a long and interesting conversation with Tim Parker, who is an older aboriginal fellow from down the road. The clouds had cleared and he was telling me the indigenous names for various constellations. The only one I recognize from the northern hemisphere is Orion, who is upside down here, but Tim said that he was taught that it represented a certain type of lizard I can't remember the name of. He also warned me about my hike- apparently there is an area a couple of kilometers past where I was going to climb that he described as a "bad place" and he felt responsible for my safety. Nothing to do with rock instability or anything like that, I think he meant it was dangerous in a spiritual way. He told me about an archaeologist he was friends with who mysteriously died a few months after visiting one of these bad places. I am not sure how I feel about that, but better safe than sorry, so I will be staying within a 3 km radius of Auski when up in the hills. Maybe that was another reason I was reluctant to head out the hike the next day.
I hope everyone had as fun of a time on New Years as I did. Better than drinking wine by myself in my parents' basement like last year (no offence, Mom and Dad, but you did go to bed at 10pm! Jody did too, but she was pregnant so had an excuse.) Happy 2009!
Cheers.
-A.
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