up up and away

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We arrived here and had a mooch around the city to find out that the dog and horse racing were free that night so off we went, won a few and lost a few and only spent a few dollas barging great day out in all.

Its started to rain alot on the 2nd day so we opted to go to the swimming baths and take full advantage of the whirl pools, spas and steam room, came out looking all new and clean (after 4 days of living in a car park with a freezing cold shower by the sea it was a deffinate luxury).

We went to a show which was on at the theater called the shape of things which was highly entertaining, agian another great night!

The 3rd day jade and I went up in a hot air baloon, now this is on my list of top ten things to do. We went to the launch place and helped put the balloon out on the field and fill it with air. Jade had to lie in the basket oin its side and i had to jump in it when it was upright then off we went. Can you believe btheir was 17 of us in there!!!!!

As we rose through the clouds we saw the sun pop up as it was 6.30am and perfect! The suns rays looked so cool over the clouds and mountains it was so peacefull up their and calm. Because you travel at the same speed as the wind it isnt windy like you might think. We traveled in an s shape for an hour for about 40kms.

Hot air balloons have the right to land in any field as there is no steering so basically yo have no choice...we tried to pick the one minus the bulls and cow poo!

We helped deflate the balloon and out it all away and finished the day with a glass of champaine which is a tradition.

Heres a story for you.....

Back in the 1800s before airoplanes were invented some royal people used to make small paper balloons and they used to fly them powered from the heat of a lit candle ...the balloons used to land in the farmers fields and set them alight. The farmers thought they were sent by the devil (it was at the time where they burnt witchs by the way) and the farmerms used to stab the balloons with fawks.

The french royals then decided to invent a balloon that could carry a person but were afraid that when the balloon landed they would be murdered, as the farmers might think they were devils also. They came with champaine as an offering as the farmers knew only the rich and royal would have this drink and not devils and thats how the tradition started...our pilot even gave the farmers whose field we landed in a bottle as an offering....good story eh!

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Photos

me..obviously
this is where we put the hot air in at t6he start