Ballooning is fun

or the occasional God-awful drop back to earth

nice shot though...


always wanted to take a ride, but I want to do it in the desert somewhere - not from close to town

Great picture Jafo.

Haven't been in a balloon since I was a kid. Need to do it again someday.

Awesome photo. I've never been in a balloon. It looks like it would be kinda fun and scary at the same time.    Were you up there very long?

Timing was...

5.am Wake up.

5.15  final phone-in to check it was on [weather].

6.30 meet [at the Hilton]

7.15 take-off

9.15 managed to land [second go]

11.00 back at Hilton....champagne breakfast, etc...;)

About 7.20am ....5 minutes after launch....looking East across Melbourne....one of the sister balloons ahead of us.

We were the last to lift off of a total of around 10 ...;)

The Rialto, Melbourne.

Prior to the construction of the Petronas building in Malaysia this was the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere.

Jafo, that's so cool. I've been over the ocean and would love to go again. Great pics... thanks for aharing!

Yeah, what he said.  

Looks like you had a great time Jafo!

I am so happy for you and the pictures are great!!!  

Well, the photos look totally awesome, but it's not for me... like er, um, no brakes. No accelerator, either, to get out of stick situations quickly.

Nope, I prefer vehicles with wheels that remain on Terra Firma... and with the effects of my curried cabbage diet, I could see the whole shebang hot-airing well into the stratosphere and beyond.

Looks scary cool.    

Albert Park Lake...just south of the CBD [left of picture]....where the Australian Formula One GrandPrix is run.  The Pit straight and chicane [Turn 1 and 2] are visible to lower right of the lake...;) 

Ballooning is fun if you survive it. I'd have crapped myself @ 60 ft.   

That looks fun Jafo.
I bet jumping out of the balloon would be fun also.
  

The MCG [Melbourne Cricket Ground] ...probably the biggest Football Stadium on the planet ....seats around 100 thou.  The 'little' roofed stadium above-right is Rod Laver ...where the Aus Tennis Open is held.  The Albert park lake is center of pic....just below the bay coastline...;)

Ah...the ubiquitous sunrise shot....avec lens flare....;p

Got some great shots from up there

Maracana Stadium in Rio seats around 200,000.

I must say.. as scary as I would find it, it must be breathtaking.

Terry and I, about 1 or 2 minutes before launch.  A 50th birthday present that was a little different....;)

damn! that looks a bit crowded.

Trouble is, you could only do that once.

I hear it's not the drop, but the landing thats a b*tch.