CELEBRATING TWICE
Two countdowns,
two parties
Two couples greet the new year
By Suzanne Tswei
in New Zealand, then hit Hawaii
for a second celebration
Star-BulletinONCE was not enough for Rodney and Karen Brooks of Washington, D.C., not when it comes to celebrating the passing of a millennium.
The couple celebrated the end of 1999 twice -- first in an Auckland, New Zealand hotel ballroom, then on the beach in Waikiki.
"I guess you can tell what we are here for," said Karen Brooks, who arrived at Honolulu Airport dressed in millennium-appropriate party attire from head to toe.
"See my shoes. They have champagne bottles on them, and they say 2000 for the year 2000," she said, showing off her black flats that matched her black sequined gown decorated with similar motifs.
"Yup, we are ready. We are going to do it all over again," said her husband, a retired physicist, who paired a dark suit with a purple tie decorated with corkscrews and confetti designs.
They decided almost two years ago to be among the first and last revelers counting down to the end of the millennium. They made their reservations early and kept their eyes peeled for party outfits that would allow them to celebrate in style.
"I got this in July for $20. I knew I had to have it for the trip," said Karen Brooks, showing off her black gown embroidered with party paraphernalia in colorful spangles.
About 20 minutes before touchdown, she changed into her party clothes on the plane so as not to miss a minute of partying in Waikiki.
The Brookses flew to Auckland more than two weeks ago to begin the first part of their celebration. After traveling through New Zealand for two weeks, they settled in the posh Stamford Plaza.
At midnight Thursday Honolulu time, the couple celebrated their first New Year's Eve in the hotel's ballroom with a gourmet dinner, dancing and champagne toasts.
"It was lovely but very subdued. It was an older and more conservative group of people. Compare that to Waikiki, it was night and day," she said.
Waikiki was noisy and lively -- filled with young people, fireworks explosions and smoke.
"Our first celebration was quiet and conservative. Our second was rowdy and loud. The second was definitely a young people's celebration. Of course, nobody celebrates like the Americans, that's all there is to it."
The couple sat at a Waikiki beachside bar and watched people gather for the midnight countdown. At the stroke of midnight, they toasted their second New Year's eve with champagne.
"If you are lucky, you get one shot at doing this, and we did it. It's really been wonderful, but I think we've had enough partying," Karen Brooks said early this morning as she retired to her Waikiki hotel room.
Jerry and Lis Ranges of Waikiki also celebrated New Year's Eve twice. They partied with friends on the north shore of Auckland and watched the sunrise before getting on an airplane to return to Honolulu for a second round of celebration.
"It's great. It's definitely worth it. We'd do it again, if we could," said Jerry Ranges.
"This is extra special, because Jerry wasn't even supposed to be here now," said his wife, adding that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago.
The Ranges celebrated their second New Year's Eve on Waimanalo Beach with friends, and stayed up to watch another sunrise.
