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Published: March 16th 2010
DAY 492
.................In My Beautiful Balloon
I checked my watch it was 3.40am and Andy was stirring, it seems that he was restless, I don’t know why but he beetled around a bit and then he got back into bed, he told me that he could not sleep but it was cold so wanted to get back into bed to keep warm, a while later someone outside was shouting “Daniel! Daniel!” I wonder if he knows how loud he sounded at this time of the morning. Finally at 5.00am Andy got out of bed.
It was not long before I could hear Darryl’s voice, I murmured loudly “Have you lot got insomnia?” We are not supposed to be getting up until 6.00 so I value every minute I have to sleep in my nice cosy bed. Darryl and Andy chatted for a while so I listened and eventually the alarm went off signalling that it was 6.00 and I could get up.
Before 6.30 we were off heading toward the lawns Parliament House and the Canberra Balloon Festival. The roads were quiet and the dark began giving way to light, over the Commonwealth Bridge we could see
Oh Golly !!
Got my eye on youa familiar turtle head peering over the top of the tree’s, the traffic suddenly became busy and lots of people were already on the lawns, we were just in time to see the first balloons go up.
We parked and amongst many others now parking alongside of us, we headed over to the balloons, we were all in awe, so much that you would think that we had never seen balloons before, but it was busy, the sun was shining onto the colourful balloons, many of them were being inflated with hot air, and some had just lifted high into the air above us.
People were milling around us, this place was a bustle with people and balloons, and we stood next to the large ponds and watched the colours of the balloons ripple through the water as they drifted over ahead of us.
After many photos and a while we headed up to the Aboriginal Tent Embassy which seems to have expanded in the last couple of weeks and then once most of the balloons had gone we jumped back in the truck and headed over to Lake Burley Griffin to see if we could see
EarlyMorning
About 06.30 in the morning, balloons being inflated the balloons drift overhead, most of them had already gone over but we watched the final few and found that there were some people dragon boat racing to the beat of a drum. The balloons were dropping onto the landscape in the distance, no doubt with people chasing them to pick up the basket, the balloon and its payload of passengers.
Breakfast was calling so it was off to Macca’s for a brekky roll and a latte. The four of us sat and chatted about the morning so far, still catching up of course on our travels since we last met.
Eventually we head back to camp to face a few chores before heading back out again, soon 3 washing machines were on the go with our weekly wash and 30 minutes later all hanging on the line drying on this lovely sunny day with a nice cool breeze to help it along.
We were all showered and sitting around in the Wallaby Wanderers caravan, we were planning what to do for the rest of the day but the general consensus was, let’s do nothing, so we drank more tea and chatted for the rest of the
morning, which became dominated with constant chatter and funny stories from our travels, of course we had been reading each others blog’s but there is nothing like relaying the story in person.
Andy spied the lovely comfy bed at the back of the caravan and tested it out for comfort he was soon fast asleep, though it seems that the rest of us just continue to talk, there is so much to catch up on and yet there seems so little time.
When Andy rejoined us, we discussed the option of what to do for the afternoon, swimming was an option, but let’s face it, the days are getting colder here in Canberra, it is Autumn and the water in the swimming pool is not warming up at all. So eventually we all decided to go for a fish, and after a quick phone call to a friend of Andy’s for some local information we were soon on our way, but first we had a quick stop at the bait shop in Belconnen.
While the boys went into the bait shop Sarah and I dashed next door where as luck would have it was a bead shop,
Colourful
Beautiful Balloons, floating in the morning air stream great, we both have a little project that we want to do and this shop is a veritable heaven of little bead treasures and lots of trinkets and more importantly stuff that we need for our respective projects.
The boys come in, decide that the shop is boring, they tell us that they have the bait and cannot wait to go, in other words “hurry up we want to go fishing!” Paper bag full of bits and pieces we jump back into the Patrol and soon we are on the jetty, bait and rods in hand, well Sarah and I have our usual cameras in hand, there are things to be photographed, mainly the two Black Swans that have come over to greet us.
When the swans realise that we don’t have food, just cameras they paddle off to find someone else.
Darryl was in first with his line and just as Andy cast his line Darryl was reeling his in and on the hook was a tiddler that jumped straight off the hook as soon as dry land was below it. We all argued as to who was going to pick it up and throw it
back in, but Sarah obliged and the little fish soon rejoined its acquaintances back into the lake.
We were there for a while and the conversation moved on to the suggestion that Sarah and I should pop over to the shopping centre a few things were needed from Woolworths for tea tonight and it was an opportunity to have a mooch in a couple of shops.
Just before we headed off, Andy appeared to have caught something but don’t panic it was just weed, so I extricated it from the hook and Andy recast his line, Sarah and I turned to walk back down the pier and then before we knew it Andy was calling us back, this time we turned to see a little fish hanging on the end of his line, poor Andy looked somewhat distressed as this little fish wriggled for its life.
Again we all argued as to who was going to deal with it, Sarah tried to free the little chap but then Andy took over, he struggled but the more he struggled so did the fish and now the fish was bleeding which made Andy feel worse, Darryl intervened and soon
the fish was off and swimming away from us.
Once Sarah and I were in the truck we heard a shout, turning again we could see that Andy has another fish on his hook, but we left him to it and headed off, Darryl and Andy could fight this one out between them.
We had a mooch in the shops, but could not stop for long, groceries in hand we headed back to the boys, they both had long faces, Andy especially and said “I’m not cut out for fishing, I am giving it up!” “Why?” we asked, only to find the sad truth that Andy had hooked a turtle, it appears that they had a job to get the turtle off the hook, apparently the turtle was not happy and thankfully a friend of Andy’s appeared wondering how they were getting on and they both asked “How do you get a turtle off the hook?” To which Rob replied “I dunno!”
Anyway they all worked it out together and the unhappy turtle was soon relieved and relegated back to the water and off it swam, but I am really not sure if Andy will pick up
the rod again or not, it is a bit of fun and for us we are not going to eat the fish, but we will see another day may see a renewed interest.
Darryl told us that this has happened to him before when fishing with other friends somewhere in WA, it must be a fishing hazard, and it is harder to get the hook out of a turtle than a fish.
We headed back to camp, while Sarah and I brought the washing in Darryl got the dinner on the go, we were expecting our friends Lee and Marilyn to join us tonight but unfortunately Marilyn is not well so they are not able to come over we were all disappointed especially as the Wallaby Wanderers were looking forward to meeting them.
While Darryl was busy with dinner Sarah and I messed around with our little project, we both have loads of shells that lend themselves to being made into pieces of jewellery, so we set about working out how it all goes together.
Darryl cooked up a real mean spaghetti Bolognese, it went down very well, I think Andy is pleased to have a
break from cooking, it is always nice when someone else cooks for you.
After dinner we spend time on the blogs, Sarah has some catching up to do with her blogs from Tasmania. I start writing up today’s blog, we review the photo’s I am pleased with the results from this mornings effort, but we all agree that perhaps while we have the opportunity perhaps we should head out to the balloon festival again in the morning. I am happy with this however the thought of another early morning does not appeal. That said, once I am up and about then I am happy.
With such an early start this morning we are all wilting so by 10.00 Andy and I vacated the Wallaby Wanderers caravan and headed back to our trailer to get ready for bed, not long after we were blissfully in slumber.
Another exciting day tomorrow folks!
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Jo Trouble
Jo McCarthy
Something I've always wanted to do is go for a ride in one of these :-) Specially liked your 'balloon reflection' photos.