Why You Should Try A Hot Air Balloon Trip
For some, the idea of sailing quietly and peacefully several hundred feet above the ground supported by little more than silk, ropes and a basket sounds like heaven.
Hot air ballooning is one of those experiences that you really should try at least once. Once you get over any qualms you may have about safety (see below), you can discover a truly relaxing and unforgettable experience. Combining ballooning with an exotic holiday is a really unique and exhilarating choice.
Typically, companies offering balloon tours as part of a package holiday will offer hour-long journeys, but with preparation, take-off and complimentary champagne breakfasts the experience will usually last around five hours. These will normally involve a very early start (you’ll need to be there for around 4.30am) and it is, of course, weather-dependent. However, if you’re choosing somewhere like Dubai, or one of the desserts in Africa to visit, then the weather is pretty much guaranteed, and the early start will be well worth it when you get to see the native wildlife starting their day, listening to the dawn chorus and watching the world wake up beneath you as the hue of the desert sands change with the changing light.
It’s really the only way to experience panoramic views of the world beneath you whilst you travel at a steady pace, able to absorb all that you can see. The peace and tranquillity of the ride is soothing and you will soon feel the woes and stresses of life back home slip away.
Ballooning is one of the most safe ways to travel. Pretty much the only thing that can affect the safety of a trip is the weather, and companies (and pilots) are much too careful to allow you to fly if the weather isn’t perfect. If you’re thinking of taking your children with you, take note that they should be tall enough to see over the edge of the basket! As a rough guide, children over 130cm should be fine.
On average, balloon trips cover approximately ten miles, travelling with the wind so that you don’t feel acceleration or velocity.
Ballooning gives you the best vantage point for all those photographs you want to take to remember your trip, and since wild animals are rarely aware of your presence (unlike if you were travelling by 4×4) you can see them in their natural state.
If you do fancy a try at ballooning, wear clothes that suit the season of the country you’re visiting. You might think it will be cold up there in the basket but in fact the burner that keeps the balloon inflated will keep you nice and warm, rather like sitting in an outdoor cafe with one of those heat lamps above you. The balloon flies with the wind, so you won’t be blown about inside the basket.
Relax and enjoy the trip of a lifetime!