Honeymoon Day 4
Today's morning call was even earlier as transfer pick up for our Hot Air Balloon ride was at 4am! Ie we have to wake up by 3am...only went to sleep at 12 midnight the day before..tired man. Luckily the travelling time to the "take-off" area took about an hr, so at least we can still sleep while in the van.
This is our 1st time on a hot air balloon. Hee..its rather romantic. Our tour is booked for half an hr's flight with champagne breakfast, thus we were schedule for the 2nd flight. How this work is that, the ppl from the first flight will set off at 6am (which we need to be there too), depending on the wind direction, it would decide the balloon will land in half an hr's time. Thus we ppl from the 2nd flight would have to "chase" the balloon to its landing place so that we can get on it for our flight.
Waiting for the 1st flight to take off
While in the van chasing the balloons, we were given boarding pass for our own flight.
In the basket
Floating over the maize field
Thats our balloon's shadowAs our flight is the last flight for the day, they need to keep the balloon. Thus our landing position is not up right, but with the basket lying on its side so that the balloon will be on the land. We would then need to crawl out of the basket.
Lying in the basket while waiting for the OK sign to get out of it.
See what i meant
Look at the size of that balloon!
We were tasked to help them pack the balloon and load the basket onto the tractor, after which we headed for our champagne breakfast.
Very delicious :)After the breakfast, we were sent back to our motel to rest before our white water rafting in the afternoon. This is my 2nd time doing water rafting and Law's first. My first experience was in Taiwan and the river was rather mild. Our water rafting in Carins was at Barron River with a grade of 3 (beginner to intermediate level). Its much better than the one i had experience in Taiwan, but also scarier.
I had a near drowning experience during the ride (hope my parents dun read this..or else i would be banned from future rafting?) The experience was scary..me and law was seated on the front, with law on the right side and me on the left. Our boat guide is a small size japanese lady. Think she wasnt very experience either. During one of the rapids, somehow or rather, water came gashing into the left side of the boat. I remember holding on to my dear life (lol).. but the current was so strong that i was tugged off my grip. I was swept underneath the boat and suddenly i remember about the dragon boat incident that happened a few years back where some members where trapped underneath n drowned...i really panic then and kicked with all my might. Can feel the current tugging at my feet too..really scary, but after wat seems like an eternity, i managed to surface up and saw our boat. The guide threw me a rope to grab on and tow me back. Only after i was safely back in the boat that did i realised that all the ppl from the left side were swept off the boat n a guide from the other rafting boat have to come to our resuce..phew...really scary experience man. I was telling Law, u nearly lost ur wife..lol..no doubt its scary, but its not enough to deter my future rides..hee so whos on for water rafting?
Our ticket for the raftingDinner was at Rattle & Hum at Esplande (its their main town area). Saw good reviews for this restaurant over the internet, thus we went to try. Not bad i would say and the environment was good too.
Mine- seafood basket
Hubby's - some fish (forgot its name :P )
Top off the dinner with Baskin Robbins's ice cream. Yummy!Overall, we had an adventure packed day. Were dead tired by the end of the day and need to sleep early cos the next day we would be flying to Brisbane and airport transfer is at 4am as well.
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