Celebrating New Year's Eve Abroad

If my trip around the world taught me one thing, it's how much I prefer to celebrate Christmas surrounded by family in the United States.

On my first December away from home, I was surprised to find minimal public decoration in New Zealand. I made it a point to leave Egypt for Belgium before Christmas in 2008, as there would've been even less to see there.

On the other hand, celebrating New Year's Eve abroad has always been exciting. Since 2007, I've had the chance to ring in the New Year in four countries.

The advantages of ringing in the New Year abroad are numerous, including:

• Exotic factor
• Cultural insights
• Saves a vacation day
• Special holiday offers
• No guilt for being away from family

Contiki, the popular international tour company catering to 18-35-year-olds, has designed several short European trips to help you take advantage of New Year's Eve 2014. Check out Contiki's festivals and short stays to see what's currently available.

New Year's Eve Celebrations

Public Square in Christchurch, New Zealand

A little over a month into my RTW trip, Christmas in Queenstown left me feeling homesick, but New Year's in Christchurch offered redemption.

I don't remember much from that night, and I only have a few photos to jog my memory. To some of you reading, that's the sign of a good night, and I'm not one to disagree! Near the end of my three-and-a-half-week stay in New Zealand, I stayed at a hostel close to Cathedral Square.

I had an early morning flight to Brisbane to catch January 2nd, so New Year's was to be my last hurrah. I linked up with some guys from the hostel, and we began drinking at a bar.

As midnight drew near, we walked over to Cathedral Square, where a stage featuring live music had been set up. A countdown timer was ticking on the adjacent screens.

The square was crowded, but it was a far cry from seeing the ball drop in New York City's Time Square. Christchurch's celebration was quaint by comparison but certainly more comfortable. At midnight, the crowd erupted as fireworks lit up the sky above.

According to the photographic evidence, my new friends and I concluded the night by walking around the nearby streets, which were now mostly empty, as people had either moved to bars or gone home.

House Party in Paris, France

I met Laura on the train from Varanasi to Agra earlier that year. After spending a few days bonding over visits to the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort, she offered to host me when I passed through Paris.

I hadn't planned that far ahead, and by the time I reached Paris, the New Year was only a few days away. When the big night arrived, we picked up some wine, vodka, and frozen quiche to bring to a pre-party. We went to Laura's friend Alice's apartment, a few metro stops away.

Upon arrival, I noticed three things: I was the only guy in a room full of attractive French medical students, there was no shortage of Champagne, and there was more quiche than any of us could consume in a single night.

As Laura explained, quiche, even the frozen ones, were seen as a step up from pizza, considered fast food. The night was off to a good start, and it was about to get better. At 9:30 pm, we split up in two cars and drove to a house party in the suburbs. Picture a Parisian Grey's Anatomy.

One guy was wearing a dress, another a gold suit, and others had donned fluorescent yellow construction worker vests with reflective tape. Whatever their motivation, their sense of humor added to the ambiance of a carefree night.

A lot of French was spoken, but as I've learned, patience and smiling go a long way. The endless supply of French wines and Champagne didn't hurt either.

Date Night in Lima, Peru

I'd gotten to know my way around Lima in November and early December, so when I returned from the US after Christmas, I wasn't too motivated to spend the night paying higher-than-normal cover charges at crowded bars and clubs.

Instead, I chose a relaxing night with a Peruvian woman I'd started dating. She arrived with food in hand (brilliant), and we proceeded to ring in the New Year from the comfort of the apartment I was renting.

At midnight, we began hearing fireworks go off. Walking out to the balcony, I was surprised to see people lighting fireworks in the street below while cars drove by. I watched as some vehicles swerved to avoid the projectiles, traveling horizontally as often as vertically. "What a crazy scene," I thought. Indeed, you wouldn't see it in any major American city unless you were looking to be arrested.

Private Home in Medellín, Colombia

Colombians love fireworks, too. The entire month of December in Medellín is marked by loud explosions of fireworks going off nightly around the city. Although I've been told it's illegal, it goes unabated anyway.

Given the amount of partying throughout the month, you'd think Colombians are also big on celebrating New Year's Eve publicly, but that's not the case. They see it as a holiday to spend with family and, more often than not, prefer to be at home when the clock strikes midnight.

At the end of 2012, my Colombian friend Lina invited me to the home of her tenant's girlfriend's parent's house in San Javier, a district known for its insecurity in recent years. Slightly nervous but confident in my friend, I went along for the ride. We took the metro line west to the San Javier stop and walked four to five blocks to the home.

The family greeted us with open arms and handed us plates of the recently cooked food. It was a humble meal: a little meat, salad, and arepa. The Aguardiente (local anise-flavored liquor) flowed, and I danced with Lina and others into the early morning hours.

To Be Determined

I have yet to decide where to ring in the upcoming New Year, but I expect to do so in a new country. I can't think of a better way to start another year of travel and adventure than to party abroad. I've heard fantastic things about Rio de Janeiro, and if I can get my Brazilian visa taken care of in time, you might find me on a beach sipping a caipirinha as we welcome 2015.

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This post was brought to you in partnership with Contiki.