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Published: March 18th 2010
Flight in the Sky chair
Happy Birthday, 81 years young Day 493
It was just before 6.00 and I think Andy stopped the alarm before it went off, it was still dark, “6.00!” Andy says and clambers out of bed to get dressed, I hear the kettle going on and seconds later I hear Darryl’s voice. Everyone’s up already so I too join the happy throng, however it is drizzling outside and for a second I wonder if this morning is going to be worth the effort of getting out of bed so early, however the weather can be so changeable here so we carry on with our plans to head over to the lawns of old Parliament House to see the balloon festival again.
By 6.30 we were heading down Northbourne Avenue along with many others, it was very busy for the time of morning. There were a number of cyclist’s out and about taking advantage of quieter roads.
At the lawns of Parliament House we see a number of inflated balloons, by now it is light and we join a larger crowd of people than yesterday to watch the balloons, some were only just being inflated so we stood and watched the process and the concentration
in peoples eyes as they prepared for the balloon to fully inflate and upright the basket as the balloon left the ground to float in the air, by now of course the balloons are anchored to heavy objects such as cars to keep them from prematurely taking off without their payload of passengers.
A band is playing near the marquee but we can hear the music through loud speakers it seems bizarre that it is not yet 7.00am exven the lead singer also suggests that it is perhaps too early too sing of a morning, explaining that he was up at 5.00am to bring us this entertainment.
The drizzle is on and off it is a very dull grey morning but we see balloons are taking to the air, but the one that interests us most is the kookaburra, this giant of a balloon towers over and above everything and everyone and in many ways looks exactly like a Kookaburra apart from it’s size.
Before we get there though we watch another balloon inflate, we actually watch them roll the balloon out and position the basket, attach it, get everybody standing in the right place and before
you know it a huge fan starts blowing air into the balloon, a man gets inside and as it inflates he pushes the huge expanse of fabric to help it takes it’s shape, once he is out the gas is lit and the flame bursts into life allowing hot air to take over the inside.
In a short space of time the balloon is fighting to gain control and wants to upright itself so with a few instructions everyone knows what to do, the basket moves upright with the balloon and the man is standing inside a couple of people help keep it anchored as the hot air continues in bursts to keep it inflated, before long the basket is full a quick conversation with some people standing around it “How are we going to get over the Kookaburra?” The basket is then manoeuvred a few metres back, the crowd are all encouraged to wave and up up and away, the balloon very quickly leaves us all standing on the ground and disappears over the trees and high into the air.
Once this balloon had gone we noticed an unusual contraption being unloaded from the back of a
4wd and trailer, closer inspection reveals that it is not your bog standard ballooning basket but a frame with two seats complete with seat belts and a gas bottle underneath. We watch as a balloon is rolled out in front of it, attached and the same process of inflation follows, once ready, a man and an elderly lady sit in the seats, they are seat belted in and they are gone, high into the sky. This one for some reason attracted a lot of attention not just because of its design but the elderly lady is actually 81 years old today, very brave of her I must say, I have no idea how I would feel about this.
We see the Kookaburra but while we stand around talking Sarah notices a queue for the Australian Air Force Balloon, they are giving short rides in the basket on a tethered balloon, not one to miss an opportunity Sarah heads to the queue, we wonder if we will get the chance to go up, most of the balloons have gone by now, the queue is long so how long will it take?
The boys don’t join us, but head off
to get us a coffee, great idea, we have not had breakfast yet and even though we are hungry we will wait until we head back to camp to eat. While we wait though a chap from the Air Force explains that they cannot promise everyone in the queue will get chance to go up, we the chap standing behind us with his son and daughter, they are excited at this prospect, however don’t enjoy standing around in the queue, it is his birthday today, what an exciting treat, but he reckons that his luck would have it that they would stop the rides just as it go to him.
In the meantime Darryl and Andy find out that the Kookaburra will not fly today, it does not have enough gas, however they may also offer the tethered flight, we get ready to run to a new queue, just in case, but fair is fair and a discussion with the Air force guys means that they will share the occupants of the queue, the transformation is made and the queue goes down much quicker.
Andy tells me that the Kookaburra looks as if it has been re registered
because you can see the faded writing from the previous registration, he finds out that it was made by Cameron Balloons in England, Bristol no less and originally owned by an English chap he eventually sold it to someone in Australia, perhaps where it really belongs being a Kookaburra.
Eventually it is our turn Sarah and I are offered the choice of balloons, we choose the Air force balloon as it means that we will get our ride quicker and we had heard that the kookaburra was fast running out of gas, but before we knew it the Air Force came to the rescue and lent them a bottle, besides they were getting close to packing up.
Sarah and I climb into the balloon followed closely by Shane and his children Eliza and Ike for a moment excitement gives way to nerves and I wonder how I would feel if I was doing this for real, however I remember that we are tethered and it will be ok, the Air force guy standing on the outside offers words of encouragement as they let the balloon slowly lift itself into the air, how exciting and what a strange feeling
RAAF
Royal Australian Air Force's Balloon, I woul soner havean FA18 though. of floating with silence, it was over all too quickly as we are back on the ground.
Leaving the balloon is orderly, then I am the last to leave and as I go, the next person gets in, these are the last people of the day for the Air Force, phew that was close!! Sarah and I managed our adrenaline rush looked on by Andy and Darryl who kindly took the photo’s!
As we leave we see that there are seems to be a vintage car rally going on also, thankfully for them, the sun is now out and there is no sign of the earlier drizzle. Sarah loses herself amongst the Mustangs and takes some photos but my inspiration for the day is done as hunger takes over my thoughts.
As we drive away we see the Kookaburra lying on the ground getting ready to be packed away for another day.
Back at camp, Darryl and Andy cook us all a hearty breakfast, we enjoy sitting around eating chatting and looking at photographs of our day so far.
Sarah and I continue our project to make some jewellery out of our fossicking finds on
The Giaint Kookie
Originly built and registeed in the UK the beaches of Australia, we find that we are having some success, Darryl even enjoys helping polish the shells up ready for use.
I have made two necklaces which I am very pleased with and will enjoy wearing them, Sarah has also made a couple of necklaces however she has a number of items that will make some great jewellery so she plans to head back to the bead shop tomorrow for more goodies to carry on with her project.
As the day has warmed up nicely we all head to the swimming pool, this time we have the addition of snorkels and flippers. Andy and I want to try out the gear in the swimming pool as we would both like to get into the snorkelling (not that there is much snorkelling to do in Canberra!!), the water of course is bitterly cold but we all get in, a little swim warms us up nicely.
It took a bit of getting used to breathing with the snorkel, I had the feeling that I would forget when I stuck my head underwater and accidentally try to breath through my nose, but it was easier than I thought
and as for the ease of swimming with flippers I have never swum so fast before as I cut an easy glide one length of the pool.
We had terrific fun with the snorkelling gear, so much so that I found 10 cents at the bottom of the pool, Sarah commented “don’t you ever stop fossicking!” to which I responded, “if there is something shiny and tempting it needs to be investigated!”
In a bid to do some exercise Andy, Darryl and Sarah were walking the length of the pool rather than swimming but it became some weird thing as they tried to waltz, hop like a kangaroo and star jump to the end, I refrained as I knew that the water was slightly too deep for me at the other end and if I attempted that I would not be able to keep my head above water so I kept amusing myself with the snorkel and flippers.
Darryl cooked an amazing tea for us that night, Thai Green Curry, Darryl has done most if not all of the cooking (Sarah may need to correct me on that point) on their adventure, while Sarah does the blog
Darryl cooks and I have to say he is a very good cook.
We had thought about going to the cinema, but we have had two very busy and long days and we cannot do everything, however there was one last important thing to do before bedtime, no it was not the blog, but Sarah had been telling me about Geocache and she had checked the website earlier to see if there were any close to our location, as luck would have it there is so Sarah and I head off for a short walk to find a Geocache.
I will explain a bit more about it another time, it does look like fun. Unfortunately it gets dark too quickly and although we have a vague idea on the location it means routing around some long grass and that is not a good plan at this time of the evening, so we abandon that with maybe a plan to find it tomorrow.
It could be a good way for us to get to know Canberra, it adds a little bit of excitement to exploration and maybe Andy and I can do our own Geocache for hiding somewhere,
food for thought.
It is 10.00 and some of us have work tomorrow, all too quickly Monday is upon us, but far be it from us to grumble about having to go to work as there are many people who would like to be in our shoes so grateful for our opportunities Andy and I head off to the confines of the Wendy House and bed!
Goodnight!
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Jan Kettle
non-member comment
Up Up and Away!
Hi guys - It's Sarah's Mum here - it's been great to read your adventures this weekend with the Wallaby Wanderers. We love balloon fiestas and often visit the Bristol one and in fact I have been lucky enough to take to the air during the fiesta which was awesome. Carry on having fun! Jan K xx