waltzing matilda

Today was our fourth Australia Day in Sydney, and it was apparently the hottest one in twenty years. Yikes. (I thought last year was hotter, but what do I know?) Anyway - we celebrated Australia's 110th birthday with lots of activities in the sunshine. Starting out just like last year, we got up in the very early darkness and headed to Parramatta for the dawn hot air balloon launch.


Unlike last year, the weather was gorgeous, without a single drop of rain. The wind was blowing in the wrong direction, however, so the balloons didn't actually launch. But we did manage to take some great photos. The colours of the balloons were beautiful against the brilliant blue summer sky. Note the balloon reminding you to 'Slip! Slop! Slap!' I am happy to announce that I did all three!

It's not easy for me to get out of bed at 4:30am with a smile on my face, but it was totally worth it. Not everyone thought the balloons were wonderful, however. This guy wasn't so sure.


As usual, I took more photos of people than of anything else. I love that my long lens allows me to take a close up of someone without them even knowing it. People watching is always a good time; so many quintessential Aussie moments to capture this morning.


Just like last year, I headed back to bed for awhile, before we headed down to the harbour to watch the boat races and air show. Strangely, a thick fog had rolled in off the coast, and so the tall ships looked almost ghostly, floating through the mist.


It's kind of a bummer to have a holiday smack in the middle of the week, but always nice to have a day off to spend together. Definitely another successful Australia Day. Happy Birthday Australia!