Tag:hot air balloons
It’s July 2020, and Covid has created havoc across the world. I live in Victoria. The leper colony of Australia. We are now in stage four lockdown with the harshest restrictions in the world. A Nighttime curfew only allowed 5km from home during the day, shops closed, masks mandatory, businesses closing, and public transport halted. The only option for a holiday is in my imagination.
Photoshop and Luminar
My passport is Adobe Photoshop, and my mode of transport is Luminar 4. This time, luggage wasn’t a problem, nor was choosing what to wear. I made the entire trip in my pyjamas during lockdown 2020.
I gathered together images from previous holidays, fired up Photoshop and Luminar, settled into my desk chair with a coffee, and took off!
Arctic Circle
First stop was the Arctic circle – I had signed on to repatriate three lost polar bears. The boatswain took one look at my pyjamas and handed me a puffy jacket. Then, while he steered, I took photos for posterity.
Leaving the bears safely on a genetically modified ice floe (guaranteed not to melt), we jumped on a plane and headed for Cairns. Queensland. The sunshine state. No lockdown 2020 in Qld. Currently locked tighter than a chastity belt against anyone from Victoria or NSW.
Sunny Cairns
The sun was rising as we arrived and settled in. waving goodbye to Biggles as he flew away from our cuckoo nest. We spent a pleasant and warm few hours in Cairns – then hopped a hot air balloon and headed to New Zealand.
Drifting across the Tasman, we hovered over Melbourne briefly (who would want to land there!?) and watched the space shuttle take off from Princes Pier.
Stonehenge, UK
Our hot air balloon then dropped us at Stonehenge in the UK. We had heard a confluence of druids coming in on Samhain night to attempt a ritual, to drive out the virus. Unfortunately, it was unsuccessful, so the druids headed back to Avalon to report to the lady of the lake.
We bid adieu to our balloon pilot and boarded a flight for Norway. The northern lights were illuminating the skies as we flew over the fjords.
We landed briefly to stretch our legs and had a short visit with Rudolf. He was on holiday from the North Pole – he figures Christmas is cancelled this year, so he was backpacking around Europe.
To be Continued.……..
The Canberra Balloon Spectacular takes place each year in early March, with the balloons launching from the lawns of Old Parliament House. Once the balloons are airborne, they fly across Lake Burley Griffin and the surrounding hills.
During the annual Canberra Balloon Spectacular, around 30 giant balloons take to the air each morning at dawn. Over the next nine days of the spectacular, weather permitting, they fly. Some with passengers, some with just a pilot or two. There is, however, no guarantee of them flying every morning, as rain or strong wind can ground them. The balloons fly best in winds of 4-10 kms an hour and will never take to the sky in winds of 18km or more. We were extremely lucky with the weather on our flight. Light winds and sunshine were the order of the day.
The next day, a front came through with rain and high winds, and the balloons were grounded for the next two days.
The first morning, we headed down to Lennox Park on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin. The Balloons were taking off quite near to where we set up, so we were able to photograph them quite close up as they rose over the trees and crossed the lake.
The giant 38.7m Tyrannosaurus Rex balloon was one of the stars of the spectacular – making his first appearance in Australia.
Taking To The Air
This year – when the balloons took flight, I planned to be in one of them. That my booking for my first ever balloon flight happened to fall on Friday 13th did give me pause for thought. However, following my rule of trying something new, each holiday I take, I bit the bullet and booked. Our flight was in the yellow Canberra balloon, piloted by Gary from Balloons Aloft.
The balloons started inflating around 6.30 am, and we were in the air by 7 am. The flight was smooth and totally fantastic. We rose silently (apart from the sound of flame bursts) to a height of approximately 3000 ft. With a multitude of balloons all rising at the same time, it sounded like a flock/herd? of dragons taking flight. In spite of the early morning, it wasn’t cold in the balloon, as you had the whoosh of gas and bursts of flame warming your head, keeping you warm.
Gliding over the landscape, with balloons below and above us, was an unforgettable experience
The flight itself took around 45 mins before landing (reasonably gently) on the lawns of the National Arboretum. From there, we were taken back to the hospitality tents for breakfast put on by the Lions Club (and included in the price of our ticket). Balloons Aloft also supplied everyone with a certificate for the flight as well as champagne for those who wanted it. I did 😉
The whole event totally whetted my appetite to do it again. I loved the flight and cant wait to go up again… now, the question is, where to do it?
Best Spots To Photograph The Balloons
There are lots of great vantage points to see and photograph the balloons; our favourites were:
- By the lake opposite the National Museum. This is one of the first places the balloons reach, and they pass in front of you quite close
- Opposite the new playground/Park area on Barrine Dve (North side of the Lake), again looking over the water to the Museum in the west
- Black Mountain Peninsula – there is a vantage point on the left-hand side. In most instances, the Balloons will head toward you from the Parliament lawns, but it depends on the wind! The downside to this spot is you may end up with the sun rising behind the balloons, but if this is the case, you will get good silhouettes! If they drift more to the south of you, then it’s all good.
Balloon Aloft
We flew with Balloon Aloft, and they were great. Very professional, and really appreciated the hot cooked breakfast at the end of our flight
Ph: 02 6249 8660Â
Queens Birthday weekend 2019, the King Valley Balloon Festival was held at Brown Brothers Winery at Millawa. I made the journey up the Hume Hwy to Millawa in the King Valley for the Balloon Festival. There were mass ascensions at 7 am each morning, Friday to Monday, plus a Balloon Glow on Saturday night at Brown Brothers and the opportunity to visit friends.
Packing and Planning
Tickets to the Balloon Glow sold out a few weeks ahead, so we knew it would be packed out. The week before the event was freezing cold and wet in Melbourne, and we were concerned about the weather. So everyone planned their night around chairs, hand and toe warmers, a thermos of soup, lap rugs, gloves, and beanies. As it turned out, while it was cold in the mornings, it wasn’t too bad, and we had sunshine each day.
Morning Acsenions
On Saturday morning, we stumbled out of bed in the dark at the ungodly hour of 5 am, and with multiple layers of clothing and headlights on high beam, we drove from our accommodation at Cheshunt to Brown Brothers for the launch. I and some others were spectators, while a few other members were going up for a balloon ride with Goldrush Ballooning. Unfortunately, it wasn’t much of a sunrise on Saturday. Still, the atmosphere was excellent. The sounds of the balloons being inflated bursts of colourful flame as they warmed the air in the balloon. A myriad of colours coming to life before your eyes.
By 7.30 am, all balloons were in the air. We walked through a decommissioned balloon to see the inside (incredible), then headed back to the car with the plan to go home for breakfast. A fellow member, Mark Busittil from Mark at Melbourne Landscapes, took a great drone video of the departing balloons. Watch it HERE.
Leaving the carpark and driving down the road, we spotted the balloons over the fields, so we delayed our breakfast and had a fun half-hour balloon chasing.
Back for the Balloon Glow
Around 2.30 pm, we headed back to Brown Brothers Winery for the balloon glow. Gates opened at 3.30 pm and while the parking was easy – the queue to get in was horrendous.
A plodding shuffle that took 40 mins from the end of the queue to entry put a damper on the afternoon. Places against the barrier were very limited by the time we got through. Fortunately, members had saved spots for each other, and we shimmied in. By around 5 pm, it was four deep behind us, and the “Glow” show didn’t start till 6 pm.
The ‘Man In Grey Felt Hat Balloon’ modelled on a self-portrait by Van Gogh was over from the Netherlands and set up early – and the rows of photographers amused themselves by taking pics of it from all angles as it gently spun around.
At 6 pm, the music started, and the balloons followed in – one hour of balloons glowing synchronized to the music. Still have ‘Sweet Caroline” running through my head. Finally, at 8 pm, it was all over – and we started piling out of the car park for the trip home. Headlights and spotlights again on high beam, and eyes peeled for suicidal kangaroos or deer, of which we saw none. Made it back safe and sound.
I had a nice sleep in next morning. I’m told which was poor planning, as the sunrise was spectacular. A few more members went up and got incredible shots over the valley with the sun rising. Next year – I’m definitely going up!