Balloons, Balloons and more balloons. The Balloon Fiesta Australia (AKA Canberra Balloon fiesta) has come and gone in a flash. The compact four day version of the event was a huge success if not a bit too short for me. The flying was fun in a 240 with ten of my newest and best friends every morning (twenty on each of the weekend flights as we were doing hops).
Highlights included the night glow "spectacular" where I got to tether the Prime Television 240 before the start of the main show, get it packed away and then wander around and enjoy the main show. Truth be told, one of the Dawn Drifters Crew, Nicola did the glow once I got it standing up which was a good effort as we bounced around in the last of the days breeze.Years of being on the burners during a nigh glow makes you a bit jaded as it is all the hard work with out the flight. It is rare for a pilot to get to actually watch this sort of thing as a spectator and I have to say it was really good fun to gauge the public reaction - they loved it and so did I.
I snapped this great shot of parliament house on Sunday morning. What do you reckon the chances of getting one of the Pentagon like this? I also got to play media slut with a crew from Lonely Planet and should get some notice before the segment goes to air in about seven weeks on SBS. Watch this space for the details.As always there was the chance to be a kid again as we raced go-karts and I even did a few abseils out of a tethered Mike the Monster special shape. Hope to see some photos of that some time.
Another high was watching Lost in Translation. Fantastic film and very funny, particularly if you have ever been to Japan. Still makes me laugh thinking about it.
I had so much fun this year that my fingers crossed for the full ten days next year! A special thanks to my crew on the commercial flights Ian and Nicola - you made it easy and fun all at the same time.
PS: no fuel dramas on the way home and my wallet even made back with me ;-)
