I guess this would be one of the more memorable Christmas eves. Vyanne had wanted to go watch Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight since last Christmas and only this time round we got to going.

We were wondering which tickets to get at the time, there was the $120 reserved seating tickets or the $40 general admission sitting on a lawn ticket. Heh, I thought since it was to be donated to Vision Australia anyway (they provide assistance to vision impaired children), we’d just get the more expensive tickets.

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Melbourne is pretty notorious for its totally unpredictable weather. It was 36 degrees or so the day before, and it was pretty warm on Christmas eve itself. There was a drizzle of rain every now and then throughout the day but nothing to cool the heat down. Then at 5pm, the sky decided to let itself go and it started pouring.

I was roasting in my room when we decide to get going to attend the show. Stepped out the door without a jacket and only a tiny umbrella. As we walked to the tram stop, the rain got progressively worse. Heh, both of us were wondering what we got ourselves into.

Anyway, managed to get to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl at the Botanical Gardens. The temperature managed to plummet from 30+ degrees to 15 degrees in no time. I always tell visitors to Melbourne to bring a jacket out as the weather changes sporadically. I should have listened to my own advice.

Semi shivering, Vyanne saw people with the show’s programme, so I decided to go hunt for one at the entrance. As I picked up one from the counter where they sold candles (hence the name of the show, as you light your candles while listening to performers sing carols), I saw a few food stands near by. Quickly acquired a couple of lamb kebabs and when I got back to my seat, both of us started wolfing down the food. Heh, still doesn’t provide as much warmth as a jacket, but at least I felt slightly better. My poor nose is quite sensitive, so I started sneezing quite a bit and here I am typing this out now with a semi blocked, semi runny nose.

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The show started, and as it started, the rain came again and started soaking the poor audience that did not get a seat under the cover of the music bowl. We were fortunate to get seats close enough to the front that we did not get rained on. It was merely a couple of metres away of the rain and when the wind blew hard, we could feel a few droplets on our backs. Really impressed with the part of the audience who stuck it out in the rain to watch the show. Heh, the performers were grateful and encouraged those soaked by the rain for their commitment to watch the show.

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So onto the show, there were plenty of local celebrities belting out Christmas carols. There were also some choreographed dances and songs, so overall it was a pretty entertaining experience. I just snapped a few shots here and there with my camera. Heh, only processed one for the purpose of posting on the blog. I have nearly 400 photos to sieve through. Which I will do after the Christmas dinner preparations and the Christmas dinner binging.

Heh, reminds me that there is so much to be thankful for, with relatives nearby, and being able to enjoy their company with food and laughter. Sometimes it’s the simple things in life that are the most valuable.