New Year's Eve. It's exorbitantly expensive, stiflingly crowded and notoriously underwhelming. We all love to hate it (and usually regret it) but come December 31, millions of Australians will congregate in their cities, watch some fireworks, consume large amounts of booze and write off the following day.
But if you've ever considered giving the new year's festivities the flick, now is the time to do so. To conclude a year where kombucha and green juice trumped vodka Red Bulls as the drink of choice for the rich and instafamous, health-loving Aussies are opting for sunrise swims over sloppy snogging come New Year's Day.
Fuchsia Sims, co-founder of Adventure Junky, said people's attitudes towards experiences are shifting.
"There's this whole kind of awakening, in terms of what people want to spend their time on. People now want unique experiences that can't be re-created," she told The Huffington Post Australia.
And while we're not suggesting you forgo NYE shenanigans all-together (the fireworks truly are cracking) nor recommending you commit some cocktail crime (like mixing kale with your tequila), downing a couple of litres of water post-midnight and heading to bed will allow you to kick off the new year feeling fresh and fab -- and ready for some adventures.
1. Head out for a hike
Let's face it, the idea of walking somewhere after your usual new year's festivities sounds like a nightmare. But if you've hit the hay come midnight and avoided over-indulging prior, you should wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ready for some exploring. Grab your family or a few mates, a healthy picnic and head out into nature... you'll start the year feeling exhilarated and rejuvenated.
You get bonus points if your backpack looks like this... Image: Adventure Junky
2. Kick-start your resolutions
We've all been in a situation come New Year's Day where we realise we ruined our resolutions before the sun even came up. Declared you were quitting smoking in 2015 then found yourself on the back deck at your mate's NYE party bumming ciggies at 3 am? Resolved you'll be focusing nourishing your body with real food once the clock struck midnight only to have washed your 12 beers down with a kebab and two slices of pizza?
Instead, use New Year's Day to kick-start your resolutions. Head out on a bike ride if you promised to move more. Cook up a big batch of veggies if you're trying to improve your diet. Put your phone down if you're on a digital detox. Take a yoga class and meditate if you've vowed to be more present.
"Stop thinking about what you're sacrificing on New Year's Eve, see it as a joy because you get to do what you want on New Year's Day," Sims said.
"Think 'I want to be fresh and doing activities and start my new year being in an adventurous place and start my year the way I want.'"
You said you'd swim more. Swim more. Image: Adventure Junky
3. Party all day
Even if you haven't got tickets to Field Day, Beyond the Valley or Southbound, it's still worth ditching the crowded streets, taxi queues and kids with glow sticks for a far more elegant celebratory beverage on New Year's Day. Hit up a mate's backyard pool, your favourite beach or a trendy establishment with a rooftop bar -- you can soak up some sun, drink a few cheeky bevvies and still be home by 10 pm.
Maybe this is your idea of a party... Image: Adventure Junky
4. Start your long weekend early
Make the most of your three day weekend and head off on a cheeky road-trip. Three days is long enough to blast a couple of hours down the coast and pitch a tent. You'll get your feet dirty, your head clear and your kids away from those pesky screens.
"It [adventure] is in our DNA," Sims told HuffPost Australia.
"The more we unlock it and unleash it, the more we want to do. Its a healthy addiction, it is one of the most positive things on the planet. It is about that addiction and how you fuel it," she said.
You don't have to travel far to escape. Image: Adventure Junky
5. Celebrate JOMO
"JOMO is the Joy Of Missing Out," Sims told The Huffington Post.
"Don't get caught in that you have to be doing what your friends are doing. If you think 'I want to follow adventure', do it. When you make you mind up what you want to do, you'll collect people who are like-minded."
Getting away from the crowds and into nature might be just what you need. Image: Adventure Junky