Hot Air Ballooning!

All I did to finish up yesterday was have a very inexpensive and bland but filling dinner at the hostel and buy some groceries. Except...when I went to check out at the grocery store, I didn't have my wallet. Don't panic. I left my items with the young clerk and backtracked to the hostel. To get in the bar/pool/pokies area where I had dinner, I had to show i.d.*, but the guy let me in after I explained. No luck. Now panic is building. To reception. Several lost items had been turned in, including a couple of wallets which was reassuring to my dwindling faith in humanity, but not my wallet. One more place--my room. New key from the desk and a trot up to the second floor as I continued to push down the growing nausea. Not on my bed! Not on the floor! I am in serious panic mode now. Probably moaning out loud to my Irish roommates. Then, there it was! On the bench/table thing by the electrical sockets where I charge my phone. Whoosh! Key back to reception, friendly hoorah wave at the bar bouncer, and a jaunt back to the store, where I found my items waiting at the register. I. Am. So. Lucky.

This morning, I was up at 03:30 for the hot air balloon operator to collect me. At just before 04:00, the hostel tweens were still partying, which is probably why the hostel locks up all the food pantries and refrigerators from 22:00-05:00. 😉

We had just over an hour drive to the launch site. The ride was breathtaking! Kangaroos bolting out from under us while we were low. A hawk matching pace with us while we were high. We hit just over 2,300 feet at our highest, and we were airborne a bit longer than the scheduled 30 minutes. So peaceful, so quiet...except the very loud, very hot quadruple burners. The only downside was that I paid $80 AUD more than I thought I would and am fighting to get $50 of it back. But whatever. Still a terrific outing.

I got back to the hotel around 09:30. Finished my book, took a shower, and am now packing to leave tomorrow.

So long [for now] and thanks for all the fish. ✌️

* You must have a photo i.d. to enter nightclubs, discos, etc. Your i.d. is scanned at entry so that if there are any problems, the culprits are easily identified and can be banned from the establishment.Read more