Balloons

You know one of the things I miss the most from this lockdown?

Watching the balloons. 

There's something romantic, soulful, gentle about these mammoths of the sky that used to gracefully float over city. 

There's a joy in hearing the burners as they allow these gentle giants to cruise around. 

I love the unknown nature of a balloon journey as once they go up, you never quite know where they are going to land - or how they are going to land, or if, by some unfortunate chance in the bay. 

And you look up and ponder just who is in those baskets, while they make their way over you.

I also ponder the silence. Having taken a balloon ride for my birthday many years ago, I remember the silence and the unimaginable feeling of flying which you get while you're up there. Not when the burners are going full pelt, but in the rests, where you just float a kilometre or two over the city. 

I ponder what it takes to get your balloon pilot licence, because it appears to be a very specialised thing to do. 

Balloons made me happy. 

And we haven't seen them for nearly two years. 

I hope they come back soon. 

Today's song: