balloon joy flights

What a fantastic experience! A sunrise balloon trip! We met Graham and Jan in the town before sunrise and they drove us out to a paddock where the whole experience began. They got us involved in the whole process, so that we really got hands on experience in unfurling the big balloon. We were lucky to have just the four of us in the basket plus Graham our Pilot. Canowindra did not disappoint as a top ballooning spot with simply perfect weather. As we rose up from the ground Graham quipped "You see, our flights always leave on time, it's the sun that gets up late" - which meant we had good height by the time the sun did peak up over the horizon.What followed was about an hours gentle journey across the countryside. We got to see the town from a height, could see our cars parked on the main street and could even see the property where we were staying. Graham shared his local knowledge of the area as we were just mesmerized by the fact that we were floating in a big basket that was hanging off the balloon!The landing was text book perfect and we even got involved with the packing up of the 'registered aircraft' again as Graham noted. Who would have thought you can pack up your aircraft into a basket? It all folded up a lot easier and quicker than you'd think too.And finally as a reward we drove back to Graham and Jan's property where Jan had prepared for us a fabulous cooked breakfast (crispy bacon, sausages, super fluffy scrambled eggs and freshly baked warm bread rolls from the oven) which we enjoyed with their own Tom Waterhole's champagne! We relaxed as we were regaled with more tales from Jan and Graham and colleagues. Yep can highly recommend this for a morning's activity in Canowindra.

Experience lived up to all expectation, coming away with some amazing photos. My non-flying family were welcomed to be part of the chase-car team. They felt quite included with stories of past flights and history while travelling the back roads of Canowindra. Finished with an enjoyable cooked country breakfast eating home preserves and damper, washed down with champagne and orange juice. We left feeling it was worth getting up before dawn!!!

Thanks Graham & Jan for a truly memorable experience!! The flight was so peaceful drifting over the valley & the breakfast after was relaxed, fun & delicious!!

We visited Balloon Joy Flights as part of a school group of 24 parents and teenage children and had a wonderful time. The motel departure at 5:30 am was a little difficult, but seeing the mist lying under the gum trees and drifting across the yellow canola fields as the balloon lazily climbed into an azure sky was priceless. There was a lot of unresolved discussion on whether the bright halo cast around the balloon's shadow on the ground was due to the dew on the ground or the hot air enveloping the balloon. Our experience was doubly worthwhile as we had participated in the roll-out of the balloon skin and then watched it inflate as the blowers and burners were activated. Eight of us could travel in the balloon basket at a time and after the three flights had concluded, our somewhat hungry group had a tasty and filling champagne breakfast (orange juice for the children). Breakfast finished at about 9:30 am and we moved on to our next activity.

I have had the most beautiful time. Graham and kel were professional and friendly. The breakfast of home preserves and a cooked meal surpassed my expectations and to finish with an espresso. Wow. They even had their own toms waterhole champagne

For my partners birthday I gave him a gift voucher for a balloon flight with Graham and Jan. We took the flight last Sunday morning and it was absolutely stunning, the country is looking particularly magnificent especially with the canola coming out and fruit trees in blossom. Graham's knowledge of the area and commentary during the flight was great and after we landed we where taken back to Graham and Jan's farm for a really delicious home cooked breakfast. My partner and I both thoroughly enjoyed our morning with Graham, Jan and Kel and would highly recommend it.

How can I adequately describe the experience of the first balloon flight we took with Balloon Joy Flights' Graham and Jan Kerr to celebrate my wife's birthday?Floating in the air above the Canowindra countryside with the early morning sun caressing our faces; long shadows cast across the patchwork of lush green wheat fields and spectacular golden canola crops; barely any sensation of movement; the only sound the occasional firing of the burners; the sheep in the pasture stirred from their rest by the movement of the huge rainbow coloured balloon passing above; the bright halo around the balloon's shadow reflected from the dew on the ground.We'd been picked up from the local bed and breakfast where we'd stayed the night, and driven to the launch site, where we all helped ready the balloon for its flight. We were impressed with pilot Graham's friendly welcome and relaxed approach, coupled of course with meticulous attention to the all the safety aspects of balloon flying by both Graham and his ground crew.It was a perfect morning and our fellow passengers were as excited and happy as we were. We were told that flights can vary in length from 45 minutes to an hour depending on the prevailing air currents and the availability of landing sites. We were fortunate to have flown for nearly an hour before we were back on the ground, where we were met by the chase vehicle. After helping to pack up the balloon, we all climbed into the Toyota "Troopy" and headed off for some post-flight sustenance.The ballooning flight was followed by a sumptuous breakfast, served at the winery also operated by Graham and Jan. First we were treated to the traditional silver goblet of champagne made on the premises, the Balloonist's Prayer was recited, and we selected our repast from a spread of fresh fruits, cereals, homemade bread, bacon, eggs, baked beans and sausages. Also in abundant evidence were Jan's award winning jams, chutneys and sauces.We were all presented with our personalized Flight Certificates as a record of the flight, and we were driven back to our accommodation afterwards. Graham and Jan made us all feel so welcome, and we were invited to visit the winery for a wine tasting later in the day, an invitation which we enthusiastically accepted!We can thoroughly recommend locally owned Balloon Joy Flights as a Canowindra attraction. We loved every minute of the precious experience, and our new found love of ballooning will take us back to Canowindra many more times, I'm sure.