11 December 2007

Balloons over Melbourne

On any calm and clear morning, Melbourne is treated to the sight of hot air balloons travelling across the skies. Balloon safari companies such as FreemanX, Balloon Sunrise, Global Ballooning and Adrenalin launch their balloons from various points around the city, dependent on the direction of whatever light breeze there might be.

At this time of year, ascent takes place between 5:30am and 5:45am. Behind our apartment lies Port Melbourne and the suburb of Williamstown which is one of the launch sites.

This morning as I rose to attend the early morning gym class, I was treated to the amazing sight of 7 balloons being carried on the zephyr from Williamstown and over our apartment, before sailing across the city towards the Yarra Valley.


It was touch and go for the 3 yellow balloons which seemed to make heavy going of getting airborne. They cruised very low past the apartments on the shoreline before popping over the tops of the buildings.



1st Note to self: when you go on a balloon safari, don't get into a yellow balloon because they have a propensity to be yellow submarines.


2nd Note to self: from now on before you pull open the window blinds, make sure that you have clothes on, because you never know when there's going to be a balloon basketful of people staring back at you.

Oy vey.

13 comments:

Pandabonium said...

Beautiful to watch. (for my own flying adventures, I'll take a pair of sturdy wings and trustworthy motor myself, thank you) :^)

Seabee said...

A great sight - but that's a disgustingly early time for you to be up and about!

Paresh said...

LOL - i love the part about having clothes on!

Keef said...

Aah, it reminds me of when we lived in Bristol, ooh, about 22 years ago. There was a factory there that made hot-air balloons, so there were alway a fw of the blighters out on test-flights. And every Easter weekend there was the Bristol Balloon Fiesta: mass ascents of hundreds of balloons. It was grand, but I never went there neckid.

Jayne said...

OMG I'm still on my perch at that time of day, but I commend you for putting us all to shame by getting up so early to go to gym! (ratbag!)

Stunning photos hon & undoubtably a beautiful sight at the break of dawn. Kinda peaceful innit? *sigh*

Lirun said...

thats awesome :)

Mme Cyn said...

Ha ha! Reminds me of a story my ex-boss tells. When she lived in Chicago, her flat was on the 52nd floor of a skyscraper. She rented it specifically because of the floor to ceiling windows and the fact that no other buildings were anywhere nearby... incredible views, 24/7. Her first morning in the flat, she gets out of bed (buck naked, of course) and stretches in front of the window, admiring the incredible morning skyline of Chicago...just as a traffic helicopter buzzes her building.

The pilot grinned at her. She ordered window blinds before she went in to work that morning.

Aussie said...

Great pics. We had hot air balloons overhead most summer mornings on the Gold Coast in Aus. They were generally quite low so that you could hear the whoosh of the gas. It wasn't the whoosh that woke me up though. It was the dog. He went beserk at the sound of the balloons and we had to let him before the whole neighbourhood cursed him! Danm wimp of a dog!

moryarti said...

lol@2nd note to self :)

Al Nims Media said...

Hahahahah...2nd note to self was funny! I hope media guys don't use this tool to get 'exclusive shots' of Hollywood celebrities :)

Shaykhspeara Sha'ira said...

lol on that last note, oy vey indeed!

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Demetrios the traveller

brexians said...

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