Watching Stephen Tomkinson’s Australian adventures on tv last night took me back to my own first experience of a hot air balloon, just a couple of years ago…
We were up well before dawn, on a cold winter’s morning up on the Atherton Tablelands, Queensland – and were so grouchy we had to stop for some very strong coffee to kick-start us for the day! But as soon as we arrived at a remote field, in the dark, in the middle of nowhere, my bleary eyes opened wide and a massive grin crept across my face. There before us were a number of balloons, which suddenly lit up in the darkness as the flames roared to inflate them – quite an awe-inspiring sight! We clambered inelegantly into our basket with a mixture of excitement and anticipation. I am actually terrified of heights, and as the balloon left the ground I realized that leaning right over the edge was not such a great idea – although once we were up and away all my worries dissolved. We floated gracefully over the Tablelands, watching ‘roos and cows below us as the sun came up. I will never forget watching the sun rise that morning, in the company of good friends, with the occasional blast of the fire into the balloon on an otherwise near-silent morning… It’s such an incredibly peaceful and moving way to travel, but still provides an adrenalin kick too as you float high above the landscape.
By the time we landed the sun was fully up, the day was warm and a full fried breakfast with champagne was the only possible way to round off what had been a truly memorable experience – one we can’t recommend highly enough!
Follow Stephen Tomkinson’s Australian Balloon Adventure on Sundays at 8pm on ITV1, or contact our team of specialists to find out how to incorporate your own hot air balloon adventure into your holiday to Australia or New Zealand.
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