Turts try Tuscany

---

We have to apologise for the delay in getting the latest blogs to you all. Its been near impossible to find WIFI internet, or any internet for that matter in Italy, and therefore we have not been able to upload the photos etc.

Following from the hussle and bussle of Rome we were greatly looking forward to the change of pace of Tuscany. Reaching the countryside, it was almost an instant feeling of relaxation. The scenery was simply beautiful. Our purpose for our visit to Tuscany was that tomorrow morning we would be going on a hot air balloon ride. We were only going to be in Tuscany for one night due to our hectic schedule, so we figured what better what to see the countryside, and see much of Tuscany in a short period of time. Plus Craig had never been on a hot air balloon ride before (Kellie went on one at Alice Springs a long time ago). We drove and drove around the little area and finally found a gem of a campsite. It was on a steap terraced hillside overlooking an olive tree orchid and an amazing view of the valley filled with vineyards. Could not have paid a Million dollars for a better view.

So early next morning we rose to get to the hot air balloon ride at around 6.45am (Yes Dad, thats early for us - not you I know!). And arriving there, we found a large 'family' of lovely friendly hot air balloon experts headed by Stephano - a quintesential Italian man who we booked the flight through. He was the Pilot of our balloon and the boss of the ballooning company. Whilst we were there, there was a team of hot air ballooners (friends of stephano) from Tanzania in Africa, who were training up an african man to be a pilot under Stephano - they were lovely and we now also have a contact for ballooning in Tanzania (when we go there one day!). They were inflating and practicing packing up a balloon so we were a bit confused where we should be, but after a few directions, we found stephano inflating OUR balloon.

The balloon flight was going to be just Us, and one other couple, plus stephano. the Italian couple that came, seemed friendly with Stephano, and we guess that perhaps they were friends of his and got a cheap discounted flight from him to fill our basket. Speaking of our basket, Kellie's past experience of ballooning were large baskets that held, say, 10-16 passangers. Quite large. This one, fit, JUST US, ONLY JUST! And they had to remove one of the gas bottles - stephano said Craig replaced one of those hehehe.

So our tight little tiny basket flew up into the air, and then........... stayed there. I mean, stayed right where it was! there was absolutely no wind. Zero reading of wind. As the other little italian lady said, we would go 'neah, neah' indicating up, then down! But eventually the master stephano found air flow going one way up high and blowing the other way down low above the trees, so for the next hour or so we would travel up to about 800m high and float, then drop right down to the tree tops fo the forest, and float back, and we did this several times. It was great because you could see everything in Macro, and in Micro. Then, the master ballooner managed to drag our balloon basket THROUGH the tree tops to land ONLY METRES FROM WHERE WE TOOK OFF. This is very rare in ballooning, and only possible with the conditions we had of no wind. So we saved a bit of time as the retrival car didnt need to come get us. And after watching the team pack up our balloon they set up a lovely table with roses, cakes, and sandwiches and we had a champagne breakfast.

It was a unique experience, and one you would only ever have once in a lifetime...if your lucky - so we thoroughly recommend it!

---

Photos

Turts in Tuscany
Dinner in Tuscany, not too bad a view

Campsite
Our campsite in the little Tuscany vilage Barberino di Val d'Elsa

Campsite View
The view over the valley from where we were camped for the night

Balooning
Our pilot Stefano 'talking' with one of the locals before our flight

Balooning
Almost ready to go

Balooning
Up up and away

Balooning
The town of Tavanelle val di Pesa

Balooning
A perfect landing... less than 50 metres from where we took off