Problem
People set off fireworks on New Year's Even Where can I light the fireworks? Who set off the fire alarm?
Fireworks.
Answers
In the UK fireworks are lit on October 31 for Halloween, in London.
Fireworks will appear again on November 5th, for Guy Fawkes Night. You can see public displays when driving your car or from a balcony outside your bedroom if you have a view over the city or the sea where there is a public display.
Fee or Free
Public displays usually charge a fee. But from nearby or overlooking from a distance you will see them for free. Drive around a day earlier to plan your route in and out, noting side roads and making a map highlighting alternatives to speed your car through traffic jams on the day or night.
Also note any late night fast food restaurants in case you want to have a late night snack. Alternatively pack water and a picnic. Also note toilets.
Do not light fireworks near cars. When filling your car with petrol during the day before, wipe any drips off the outside of your car.
Park on the edge of the car park for a quick exit. You may want to leave at midnight or shortly after and find yourself boxed in or stuck in a queue. If a warden tries to direct you to a middle space, ask politely if they can allocate you a space for a quick exit because your child / family is tired and might leave early.
New Year's Eve, Prague
One year in Prague we went to a free display where you parked in a large field or paved car park. When other people started lighting fireworks amidst the cars I grew alarmed.
Sparks were too near our car and everybody else's. "Where are the engine and petrol cap in that car? Back or front?" I asked. "People are lighting fireworks all around."
"You worry too much," my husband said. Two minutes later he agreed, "I don't like this. Too many fireworks, near too many cars."
"What if somebody lights a spark near somebody else's box of fireworks and starts a fire beside a car? Or the box of fireworks inside their car?"
We were boxed in. We had to ask somebody to move back a bit so we could manoeuvre out. We drove off.
Indoor Fireworks In Florida
New Year's Eve in Florida. We looked at some of the public displays. We decided they were beyond our budget, especially as our small sun was likely to fall asleep before the start time.
So instead we bought handheld fireworks, sparklers. Much cheaper, and we could choose a time to suit our own schedule, and place. Where? When?
Wait until it was dark, or just turn the lights out at twilight? Not in a car. Not near cars.
Maybe draw the curtains in a hotel room. We were staying in a hotel in Florida.
The packet says indoor fireworks. So they must be safe indoors. We had often had indoor fireworks in the UK, in the days before we had a fire alarm.
So in Florida, we thought, how about on the balcony?
The wind was blowing them out. Wind and fireworks was not a good combination.
No Fireworks Indoors
How about inside? Not near the curtains. For safety in the bathroom, near water, no fire alarm there.
Oops. Fire alarm. That interrupted us. Interrupted a wedding. I wonder who set off the fire alarm?
A member of staff appears to check. Their warning system has shown a fire - on our floor! Oh, dear, was it us?
Maybe not. It could have been somebody else smoking. But better not to light fireworks in the hotel again.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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