3 days to go i cant believe it!!! its been over a year and yes finally i get to use my voucher

turn back the clock to may 2nd 2007. my big "50" hubby went all out with a lavish night at a 5 star hotel on the banks of the yarra in melbourne.  enjoyable evening awoke on my birthday with a beautiful sunrise. we had the city view. after a beautiful dinner brought to ensuite the night before. breakfast in bed.

we get home and go out to a greek tavern that night with our 2 sons who presented me with a voucher for a "hot air ballooning" experience over melbourne.

why that? because the boys asked me for a list of things i would like.

just to fill you in im scared of heights. why then would i ask for this?

well it all started one morning back in march. i had woken up but i lingered in my bed just that little bit longer before having to get up to go to work.

i kept hearing this hissing noise getting louder and louder. at first i thought it was my adjoining neighbour. he is a tradesman and sometimes works from his shed. then it was so persistent that i went to my bedroom window which is on the second level.

lo and behold!! i see 2 balloons sailing on the low side!! i cannot describe this feeling i had inside! i have seen so many balloons flying over melbourne but none so low.

i had this strong urge to go on one!!!!

til this day words cannot describe it. it was like something guiding me and gently telling me that i should go on one. i even took a photo from my mobile phone camera that i havent downloaded but every now and then i would look at this photo

i have always had the gift to embrace life like this. it is such a paradox. considering im scared of heights!!!

but at the end of the day i feel this will certainly cure me.!!!!!!

i remember back in the eighties when we were holidaying in queensland with hubby and our oldest son we went up to a lighthouse. when we went to the top we were standing on the outer  looking at the view.

hubby went to the railing and i wouldnt approach it. in fact i even held our son back. thats when i realised that i was scared of heights. when we went to tassie (tasmania) hubby aand i went to see  a forest we went up this platform "to walk with the trees" so to speak then there was a swing bridge. hubby gets to the other end and starts swinging and running much to my horror. underneath there is a little river.

well im clinging on to the life of me.

saturday morning i go on this "infamous" balloon flight weather permitting, they ring the night before to let you know whether the flight is still on then we are given the mobile phone number to the pilot to call him in the "wee hours of morning" just to get amore accurate weather forecast if he gives the go ahead then there will be no stopping me.

my heart will be racing at 1,000,000 ks an hour oh but the thrill of it!

if i live to tell a tale you will all get to hear about it!!

one reassuring thing is that this company boasts that the most experienced pilot runs the company. so hopefully the safety standards are up to scratch!!!

i have heard of  disasters happening. there was one last year overseas. but so many things happen in the world that im certainly not going to dwell on anything negative

so heres to all the positive thoughts. yeah im very brave now!! with both feet firmly on the ground.

my how its going to be a different picure when im ready for take off. 

once we are up there i feel i will be okay. apparently there are 10 of us in the balloon.

now i have only been on the "ranger" and even then i had my eyes closed and screaming throughout the whole ride. so for those of you that have beenon the ranger and think nothing of it , you have just got  a great insight to how i will be!!!!

yet i still think it will be one of the best "experiences " i will endevour to do.

who knows i then one day i might be game enough to do "parachutting or absailing "

love to hear from others who have experienced or dabbled in dangerous and "thrill seeking adventures"

i have read about some people in their 80s doing a "parachuting jump" with a parachuter as thier guide.

so apparently "its a piece of cake"

i will keep you all informed with an update til then 

cheers annie