I’m extremely popular right now. No, it’s not my rugged good looks or even my pasty complexion, honed in the old country and not ruined by almost four decades of living in Sydney and being a regular visitor to its amazing beaches.
No, I’m popular with the old lady (as I like to call her, it’s affectionate old Brit stuff) because of an idea I had that turned into a spectacular reality.
It was her sixtieth birthday and I wanted a gift that would be special and memorable. Material things were not on my radar or hers, we know each other only too well. Wandering the pages of the internet past handbags and rings I stumbled on the ideal candidate.
A helicopter tour Sydney Harbour. Perfect. I found what looked like the perfect company with years of experience flying high above the iconic sights of the Opera House, the Harbour Bridge, Taronga Zoo, the mansions of Vaucluse, Bondi…….
We’ve loved Sydney forever but had never seen it from the air except for a fleeting glimpse from a Jumbo. This was going to be a whole new experience. I clicked on“Buy Gift Card”. Job done.
The look on her face when she opened the card was a classic but there was puzzlement amid the delight. She knew I was terrified of flying and would never get in a helicopter. 747s are my limit and I prefer camping on terra firma thank you very much. So what did it mean, a gift card for two on a private 30-minute flight?
I suggested she take a dear friend of ours who is in remission from breast cancer. Tears welled in her eyes as she got on the phone and everything was arranged for the next day.
Tourists are picked up from their hotels for flights but living in Maroubra I decided to take them to the nearby heliport myself. The pre-flight photos were great.
But the experience enjoyed by my wife and our friend after the safety briefing was something else. They couldn’t stop talking about the thrill of a helicopter ride (a first for both of them) in which they got an entirely new perspective on the greatest harbour in the world.
They took off from near the airport in the “Eurocopter”and headed north along the coastline then chugged a left doing a circular loop over the harbour itself. They were able to talk via headsets and get excellent commentary from the friendly and fully qualified pilot that enhanced the trip.
When they got back they were full of “unforgettable”, “OMG”, “shimmering water” quotes saying it was the best birthday present ever.
So that’s why my popularity went through the roof! There was just one problem…..now she wants to do the Blue Mountains aerial tour.
Maybe an idea for our Golden Wedding Anniversary. And maybe, just maybe, I can put my fear of flying aside for once.
We’ll see.
