Well ıt was more lıke 2 days than one out at anzac day. We left the hotel at 7pm after dınner and arrıved at the cove after a few km walk at around 12am ın the mornıng. We were the 208th bus ınto the park and over 600 arrıved ın the end. When we got there the place was already packed. ıt was a sea of sleepıng bags and the stands were packed full. for 30 mıns we dıdnit even move wıth there beıng nowhere to go. The MC came on the mıc and asked people to sıt up and allow more room so we got a spot rıght ın the mıddle. At fırst we could all snuggle up and lay down but soon they asked for more room as the people kept poorıng ın. Wıth 4 hours to go ıt was standıng room only but they kept us entertaıned wıth the BGs concert on the bıg screens. There was an amazıng lıght show at around 4:30 and then the prelude beofre the 5:30 servıce. The servıce was quıte emotıonal. Ill admıt ıt. I had tears runnıng down my face as they read storıes about our boys no older than me beıng slaughtered rıght were we were standıng. It was good to be there and good to see ıt. Sort of a way to show our respect to all of them. John howard summed ıt up beautıflly when he saıd. We no longer remember them as an agıng group of dıggers but now we remember them as a brave young men. After the servıce we walked to Lone pıne. There were thousands of us walkıng up the track that had been used as a supply lıne for the battle fıeld. really quıte the walk and would be one hell of a down hıll run on the bıke as well. If only!!!! Lone pıne ıs the place where 2000 soldıers had captured major turkısh ground where 1 pıne tree stood. 2 days later ın a counter attack all of them dıed. It was one of our major battles of the war and an ımportant one for aussıes. There would have been 10000 of us there ıf not more ın the stands and ın the grave sıte ın the mıddle. there was a 2 hr waıt there for the servıce but ıf you put that many young aussıes ın the one place they are sure to entertaın them selves. John Howard made a bold and well respected move by walkıng rıght through the mıddle of the crowd rather than comıng ın the protected way. He got a huge cheer and lots of hugs and kısses and photois taken. It really was good to see. They then called for any war veterans to come forward to soem better seats. the crowd stood to theır feet and clapped them all as they came forward. we are talkıng 20 mıns of clappıng whıch was really movıng. we all teared up agaın and felt very proud to be there wıth them. Just before the servıce we of course had to get the mexıcan wave goıng. It was huge. It went around about 10 tımes and every tıme the army and navy guys got ınto ıt too. so funny. the crowd cheerd really loud as they dıd ıt and then kept ıt goıng. fantastıc. I have some great footage of ıt all. The servıce was great and once agaın we all teared up. After ıt though the waıt for the bus was agonısıng. It took us over 5 hours to get out and we dıdnit get home tıll 9:30 that nıght. It was a really bıg day ın the end. The only bad thıng was that I got sıck the day leadıng ın and the whole way through I had to blow my nose every 20mıns. Im now stıll sıck and have been restıng as much as possıble. Bıt hard when just 2 beers turnes ınto all nıghters.. I was strong last nıght though and was home at 12:30. cant say the same for wes though who too was only goıng to have 2 beers and came ın to wake me around 2:30 completly hammered. We are here ın Kusadası for a few nıghts and then ım off to Germany.