F1 - Day 3

Day 3                         

The teenager had been busy with his own friends and had already said he wouldn’t attend today so once again I invited my US friend.  He was more than happy to oblige as he is a racing fan attending Nascar in the States.  Picking me up early, so we can be there for the all important first V8 race starting at 10am, we head out for another long day.

The roar of the engines as the cars moved onto the grid got my blood pumping and I just had to phone my sister back in NZ to let her hear the sound.  Unmistakable!  I’m sure she enjoyed it as much as I did from her family weekend in Taupo.

Once again the grandstand is nearly empty and I thank my good fortune for our seats.  We did watch several races from the top as you could see more of the track.

During a break in the races we walk around to the nearby marina to get a cold beer and see how the other half live.  Talk about the rich and famous, although I probably wouldn’t know the famous.  But the rich have their own advertisements such as the cars parked in the lot or the super yachts berthed outside the marina as they were too big to get in.

The Marina grandstand had the most amazing view out over the marina which was lined with yachts crowed with people partying and watching the races.  It also overlooked Yas Viceroy Hotel which at night lit up with changing colours.  The race track winds it way underneath the hotel.  All the action at the hotel was visible to us as tables were set up for night dining while guests watched from the balconies.

Our section of the track was to prove the best spot to be on race day with all the action happening within our view.

Once again, one F1 race was enough for me and we headed home late afternoon for a rest before tonight’s concert, the Canadian group, Nickelback.

It was good to shower and change into something resembling concert clothes also, rather than attending in shorts.

I loved Nickelback.  The whole atmosphere was rocking when we arrived and the crowd, although they must have been the same people as only race goers got tickets, rocked.  I loved this concert and thought they had the crowd rocking before the band even came on.  A couple of beers helped the night along and the buses ferried us back to the car for the trip home.  

We’d met up with the Aussie couple at the concert so I offered them a ride back into town to their hotel.  They informed me they wouldn’t be attending tomorrow’s concert and that the teenager could have their tickets.