Surprise, surprise, 'doomsday' is just a day like any other

The sun came out yesterday as most Hongkongers expected. But elsewhere in the world, people were not so certain about seeing the light of day.

Australia was one of the first countries to see the sun rise on December 21, and Tourism Australia's Facebook page was bombarded with posts asking if anyone had survived Down Under.

"Yes, we're alive," the organisation responded.

The cause of the global obsession stems from a carved stone found in Tortuguero, a Mayan site in Mexico. The relief contains a cryptic allusion to something really big happening yesterday.

However, most experts interpret the calendar to mean December 21, 2012, is simply the end of a 5,200-year era for the Mayans and the start of another.

The did not find anyone preparing for an apocalypse, but did find that the special day reminded many to cherish their loved ones.