We had to be up by 5am to be at the launch site by 6. We where told it was just down the road so we left 15 mins early....Well we just made it on time. It was nearly just down the road and in the next town and accross the highway.... All good we weren't late :)
We drive into the field and the balloon is still on its side, its a very impressive sight. They have 2 balloons going up the other one has a norweigan family in it. There is only one way into a balloon basket and thats to climb up and over the side....funny but we all got in and it really didn't look like we would fit! 4 of us all a decent size and the pilot and then another lady gets in. It wasn't actually that tight of a squeeze once we where up. The hot air when ever he pulls the lever really does throw some heat. I was worried dad's hair was going to burn... he was the tallest. We all ducked everytimed he did it, though at that time in the morning it was a little cool so the heat of it was great.
We couldn't go as high as some of the other balloons in the sky as we had a different landing spot and the updraft would have meant we landed at "Florence airport which they apparently frown apon. Luckily for the other balloon though, there was a family with 2 kids and the young girl got quite airsick. So about 15mins before we landed they had to land in a paddock. Not understanding what the pilots where saying we had been watching them thinking we where so glad we didn't get in that balloon with that pilot. An unfair thought as we found out when we landed.
The photos would have been stunning if the sun had have stopped hiding behind the clouds!! It looked breath taking yet you really don't get the feel for it in the pictures. We saw deer in the clearings a few times too. We also had one run infront of us on the way there. Not too close to scare but it was our first one. We had seen all the signs warning for them. Alot like our roo signs. Now we have seen them we have no need to have anymore jump infront of our little hire car the Piccasso.
Once we landed the balloon which i must say was like landing a feather. So gentle. We sorta helped/watched them pack the balloon up and then we drove to the other team for our champagne breaky. What a spread they put on!! The cheese was all sheeps cheese and there was 5ypes and all of them delicious. They also had bread ( crusty of course), watermelo, grapes pear melon proscuitto parma ham salami juice. Olive oil an d the cheeses where all made by their relatives, and after going shopping for our new favourtie sheeps cheeses we think the ones they had where the best!! We wish we would have asked to buy them.I also had my first expresso shot so did Boyd. 2 teaspoons of sugar in a shot of coffee is actually not bad. Will put hairs on your chest for sure, but not bad at all.
We had to do a quick shop on the way home pick up some more food, we are really enjoying cooking for ourselves for a slight change.
The boys found a fishing tour and had it booked for 2pm we had a wine tour for 2. it worked out quite well as the guys got picked up from the Winery. Which left Sam and I the car......
Anyways the wine tour was as we expected all the wines tasted like wine....yuck. It has gotten to the point that if we finish the glass its not that bad. Sad sad. The olive oil was quite nice and the tour guide was fantastic she really was clear on how to taste and her descriptions where great. The wine was still shite though :)
So we go to drive home. Daz has parked the car facing the cliff of the mountain with a little wooden fence and a few good looking trees that may have helped me if i needed it. We get in and try and find reverse... yup we think we have it and foot of clutch ahhhhhhh another inch or two FORWARDS...ok try again...same thing.. Bugger, we where kinda out of room the next try needed to be right. We tried to ring daz he had no service and then i tried Boyd and he lucked into having service just at that point... it was one of the few times of the day they had it. We where going to go to reception and get the girl to reverse it. Anyways we found the 'button' reversed out all good, and I can confirm what the boys have been looking for all week..... the gear stick is not on the driversside door!! It is under the right hand! Important those bits of info. We live on the same piece of land as the winery but we have to go down the hill along the highway and the up a dirt/gravel road to our place. Would have been easier to walk the hill.....lol not!!It really is like learning to drive again, the peddles are the same but the gear stick is a pain. We drove very slowly much to the disgust of a few cars that came past, took some funny pics when i prolly should have been watching the road. But it was good we got home safe and slowly but nobody was hurt car or person.... No I wont be driving as a habit... way too hard to judge the distance of the side of the road.
The guys had an awesome fishing trip, the guy doing it was friendly and knowledgable. He took them to a lake where they have sturgeon fish which they didnt catch but could see them swimming. The fish they did catch where of a great size and theycaught alot of them. Some very happy boys!! He even set them up with some tackle and bait they call 'pasta' which is dry to start with, he fixed boyds fishing rod tip which some how had gotten broken in our travels. He also is getting them fishing licences so they can fish where they want to!! Did i mention we have very happy boys...
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