Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon
Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon
We could float among the stars together, you and I
For we can fly we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon
We could float among the stars together, you and I
For we can fly we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
The world's a nicer place in my beautiful balloon
It wears a nicer face in my beautiful balloon
We can sing a song and sail along the silver sky
For we can fly we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
It wears a nicer face in my beautiful balloon
We can sing a song and sail along the silver sky
For we can fly we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
Suspended under a twilight canopy
We'll search the clouds for a star to guide us
If by some chance you find yourself loving me
We'll find a cloud to hide us
We'll keep the moon beside us
We'll search the clouds for a star to guide us
If by some chance you find yourself loving me
We'll find a cloud to hide us
We'll keep the moon beside us
Love is waiting there in my beautiful balloon
Way up in the air in my beautiful balloon
If you'll hold my hand we'll chase your dream across the sky
For we can fly we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
Balloon...
Up, up, and away.....
Way up in the air in my beautiful balloon
If you'll hold my hand we'll chase your dream across the sky
For we can fly we can fly
Up, up and away
My beautiful, my beautiful balloon
Balloon...
Up, up, and away.....
As you can probably tell, we went to see some balloons. Canowindra (pronounced Ca-noun-dra) is the ballooning capital of Australia and for good reason. The reason is that it is in a crater so there are no thermals and little wind to take the balloons off course. The best thing about this is that the national Ballooning Challenge is held only a 2 hour drive from us every year, how lucky can you get!!
I've never been this close to a balloon before so obviously haven't been up in one yet, but that will have to wait til next year I think. I didn't want to miss out on the excitement though so we headed to Canowindra to go check out the Balloon Glow and night markets.
The markets were buzzing with people everywhere. We met up with a friend of mine from work and her family.
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| She's a good sport, clinks Kristie! |
It was pretty cool getting to see all the balloons getting ready to set up right from the start. That's some fascinating equipment.
Before too long the sun was ready to set ...
And the balloons started to move into position ...
Now we had an unobstructed view ...
We were so close to the excitement that I was wishing that I'd brought along my shorter lens, I'd left it in the car in favour of the longer one thinking that I'd be miles from the action.
This balloon was setting up just meters from our feet.
The balloons were starting to take shape, and lighting up as they were inflated, giving us a taste of the light show to come.
A lot of hard work went into getting these floating beauties off the ground.
It seemed you had to check what was going on inside the balloon as well as outside ...
Really, he was the only one holding onto that rope ... it went to ...
Soon a few of them started to lift off the ground.
And light up ...
They just needed to be kept on the ground for this show.
Then the lights went out on the field and they showed their true colours.
Fantastic photos Brenda. What a lovely day out. The bright colours against the blackness of the night, quite amazing.
ReplyDeleteMy wife wants to go and see this, maybe next year. Did you ride over there or cage it.
Thanks Steve, we were only there for four hours unfortunately, took us longer to drive there and back. Next time we will make a weekend of it and take in a balloon flight as well. And take the bikes, we caged it this time cause it was such a flying visit, plus we took the road from Parkes which we didn't know. Glad we didn't ride cause that road is a bit ordinary and I wouldn't have liked to have ridden it at night.
DeleteIf ya's go next year maybe we'll see you there ;-D
Yikes! I'd be miles too nervous to go up in a balloon but the views must be fantastic and it must be eerily calm up there watching all us small dots known as human beings going about our various little ways down here on earth!
ReplyDeleteI dont think it would be scary at all, actually it's one of the things on my list of things I have to do. I went up in a glider a couple of years ago and I reckon it would be much the same cept you can feel the wind on your face .. tell me that isn't thrilling!!!
DeleteYet you ride .. that's something a lot of people are way too nervous to do ;-)
Such cool photos. I like that they put on a show at night and light up the balloons.
ReplyDeleteIt is neat you live close enough to go and see them. Thanks for sharing the pics - and for the ear worm. I have that song in my head now.
I know Brandy, that song has been stuck in my head since I first decided to go see the balloons, I was hoping to exorcise it by posting it here .. nope I woke up with it this morning :-D
DeleteYeah I didnt know about the night show but now that I do I'm going to try to see it again, it's a great idea they are made for night shows with all those bright colors and the enormous flames.
Brenda:
ReplyDeleteWe went to a Hot Air Balloon festival many years ago in Bellingham, WA but it was during the day time. I'd imagine it was spectacular at night with them all lit up. I don't think anyone was offering balloon rides, otherwise I may have tried it. Once at an air show display we did go for a helicopter ride.
. . . and I love Marilyn McCoo
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
This ones a competition Bob, and they are there all week flying round, the night show is kinda the opening act and it's a great idea they look amazing like that at night.
DeleteOOh a helicopter ride would be awsome .. I did one once over the 12 Apostles which was stunning.
Heh I had to look up which one was Marilyn .. I think they are all pretty great love that kinda music :)
Brenda these pictures are absolutely stunning! I have always wanted to go for a balloon ride and think it would be very exciting. I hope you get to do this next year and post lovely pictures!
ReplyDeleteWho knows Dar, maybe you will get to post pics from a balloon before me :-)
DeleteGreat colors. Beautiful motives. I once had the opportunity to ride in a balloon but I chickened out... Water and road is fine, up in the air... not my cup of tea.
ReplyDeleteI guess if it's not your cup of tea then that's fair enough .. they're still pretty to look at eh :-)
DeleteI love being on the water and on the road and in the air ... anything different actually.