Hot Air Ballooning by grets
We have a pick-up time of 04:25 this morning, but we do begin to think there has been some mix-up when nobody turns up by 04:45. We are just about to crawl back into bed when he finally arrives, apparently another couple didn?t wake up on time and he had to wait for them. Eventually he gave up, decided to call for us and then go back for the other couple. I?m afraid I would have just left them behind if they didn?t show up within half an hour of being called. It?s just as well I don?t run this outfit! The journey to the launch site takes over an hour, and the balloons (there are five of them) are already inflated by the time we arrive. They are just waiting for us, and as soon as we climb on board the basket, they?re off. The basket is the largest I?ve ever seen, and already looks completely full, but we do find some space and clamber in. There are 16 people in the basket including Sven, the pilot, a grumpy Yankee, a nice English couple and a chatty Japanese young lad. From the balloon we spot a kangaroo running across the bush and many birds just waking up and taking off. We fly mainly across farmland, at heights of up to 1400 ft, and there isn?t a great deal to see below. It?s a nice sunny day, and all too soon we come in to land at a local airstrip. The basket drags for some distance before coming to a halt in the long dry grass. We all join in to deflate the balloon and pack it into its bag before continuing to the rest rooms for cleaning up. It?s surprising how dirty you get rolling up a balloon. The breakfast is astounding, by far the best breakfast we?ve ever had following a balloon flight. With so many people to feed, it?s served in the Tjapukai Visitors? Centre, and it?s a buffet: egg, crispy bacon, tomatoes, sausages, the best fried potatoes ever, every tropical fruit imaginable, bread, a selection of Japanese dishes, fruit juices and of course champagne. After the presentation of certificates, we head back into town.