Hot Air Balloons


Yesterday was a Public Holiday here in Canberra and it was Canberra's Birthday, 100 years old!
One of the things I love about Canberra is the Hot air balloons that you see majestically drifting through morning skies in Autumn. Each year there is an event where the balloons are launched from the lawn and surrounds of old parliament house and you can go and walk among them as they are inflated and take off, its amazing. I have not made the effort to go for probably the last three years or so and was so glad I roused the kids at 6 am and set off yesterday, they thoroughly enjoyed it.

I feel obliged to let you know that given my love of these amazing contraptions - this is an image heavy post. 

Hot air balloon Canberra 2013

Once we found a place to park which was an adventure in itself we headed over to the first lawn and saw this peacock ( below ) lifting off beyond the trees on a different lawn.

Hot air balloon Canberra 2013

We spent a lot of time standing by the purple balloon as it inflated and took off, my son was fixated on this one and took lots of pictures of it.

Hot air balloon Canberra 2013

I was much more aware of the empty balloons lying on top of each other in a staggered sequence; one almost ready to go, one in the process of being inflated, another perhaps in the early stages and several others flat on the ground underneath. As the first one took off they all moved up in the process and the top flat balloon would being its inflation process, ensuring we were treated to a constant procession.

Hot air balloon Canberra 2013

While standing among the balloons being inflated in the crowds of people the sun was rising higher and balloons were taking off over our heads while others could be seeing travelling off into the distance.

Hot air balloon Canberra 2013

The rising sun caught the gold on this air force balloon and it glowed! Oddly this made me feel quite patriotic.

Hot air balloon Canberra 2013

We had made it up to the third launch area and spent quite a lot of time from a distance waiting for this lion to inflate. It was fun trying to guess what it would be during the inflation process. 

Hot air balloon Canberra 2013

The majority had been launched and we decided to head back to the car and come home for some breakfast, which is when we saw this big turtle back at the place where we started out.

Hot air balloon Canberra 2013

Hot air balloon Canberra 2013

 On the way home we saw several cars with launch trailers on the road and going in the opposite direction.  We wondered where they had come from. Before too long we got to this spot and realised we were passing the designated place for landing. I had to pull over for some photos. The three of us ( my daughter, son and I ) all had our cameras. How beautiful is this! Multiple balloons coming in to land in this field back from the road! Just gorgeous. The blue Balloon on the right had been just taking off in my third photo above.

Hot air balloons Canberra 2013

  and if we looked back over our shoulders from this road side spot this was the skyline.
You can just see a row of waiting cars and trailers here on the right of the horizon line in this photo.

Hot air balloons Canberra 2013

A beautiful experience!
I hope you enjoyed seeing it through my eyes. x

Comments

  1. Fantastic pics(again).
    xxxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. Beautiful pictures.I got my husband a hot air ballon ride over the hunter valley he loved it.me too scared to go but i love looking at the balloons-love dee x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are so majestic aren't they! i think I'd like a ride in one, one day!

      Delete
  3. Stunning. They are so bright and colourful.
    What a lovely start to the day this sight would have been.
    x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was gorgeous Zara, really worth it. x

      Delete
  4. Yay! I'm so glad you went!!
    Love all your photos :)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks so much for stopping by and letting me know you were here. x
Have a happy Day.