According to the Greenwich Royal Observatory in England — the official timekeeper of the world — the first populated place that will experience the new millennium will be near the Chatham Islands of New Zealand. The first place on the globe to truly experience the new millennium before anyone else, however, will be near Balleny Island in Antarctica.
Around the world, famous tourist attractions are filling up with reservations for millennium parties and celebrations. People from all parts of the world are looking to travel to such places as:
| Times Square in New York | |
| The Tower of London | |
| The Eiffel Tower in Paris | |
| The Coliseum in Rome | |
| Castles in Germany and Austria | |
| Temples and castles in Japan | |
| The pyramids of Egypt | |
| The Acropolis in Greece |
France and England have both
erected giant clocks counting down to January 1, 2000. The clock in England is
located in Greenwich; the clock in France is atop the Eiffel Tower.
England is planning to
reconstruct the sailing of the Mayflower 2000 — based on the famous
ship that brought the Pilgrims to America. Several ships will sail from England
to the United States, reaching ports in Boston and other destinations all around
the world.
World-famous Times Square in
New York will be one of the most densely populated places in the world. While
many landmark hotels are already booked with private parties, the Empire State
building will be open to the public. Hotels near other popular American tourist
attractions are filling up just as quickly, including Walt Disney World in
Florida, San Francisco Bay, and the casinos of Las Vegas, Nevada.
Members of The Millennium Society, a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C., are planning to sail on the Queen Elizabeth II to the Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt for a World Millennium Charity Ball.
A travel agency in Japan is
planning a ship cruise from Japan to Hawaii that will cross the International
Date Line at the stroke of midnight on December 31, 1999. Because the ship will
be traveling eastward, cruise passengers will get to experience the arrival of
the new millennium more than once.
Brazil is planning a grand-scale beach party in Rio de Janeiro. North Cape in Norway will host New Year’s Eve music celebrations, and the citizens of Iceland will light great bonfires to celebrate the arrival of the new millennium.
Do you have great travel plans for a millennium party? Then tell us about them below!