16. A night of celebration
New Years Eve, 2017, and we were enjoying a magical post-Christmas holiday in a European winter wonderland, in Nuremberg, Germany. We kicked things off with “Australian new year”, toasting each other with bubbles as the fireworks exploded over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Detmar and Petra, our German friends, had planned an evening of celebrations, German style, and we were celebrating our good fortune to be there with them. A drive along the busy motorway and into the mountains and Detmar parked the car just as darkness fell. Rugging up in our coats, scarves and gloves, we wandered along a candle lit path, through the trees, to reach a tiny village. We grabbed a warming Glühwein and found a spot to watch the parade of pilgrims leaving church after a 24-hour vigil, walking solemnly through the streets accompanied by hymns. The experience was quite mesmerising and we expressed our wonder in hushed tones, not wishing to break the magical spell. From there we drove to our friends’...