It's 5.00a.m. And Linda's alarm reminds us we have an early start. Why did I sign up for this madness? I don't do mornings. I don't do heights. We stumble into our clothes and add a jumper as there is a chill in the pre dawn air. A minibus arrives to collect us and we are offered a cup of tea and a biscuit to revive ourselves. It's too early and I can't face a biscuit, even a chocolate one with a cream centre. There's another drive to the takeoff site and we see lots of Land Rovers towing baskets. Elsewhere, other groups are already inflating their brightly coloured and patterned balloons. I so hope we have one of those and I am a little disappointed when we arrive at our site to see balloons of rather boring blues and greens. Our team unfolds our balloon and I cannot believe my eyes. Our balloon is silver and blue with a huge Mercedes logo on it. It was meant to be. This is MY balloon.
When the balloon is sufficiently inflated, we all clamber into the basket. It's not a particularly graceful entry and as I switch on my camera on, the battery dies. No problem. I have another, fully charged. I put it in the cameral Nothing happens. This battery is also dead. Crap. It's 5 years old and not surprising. I ask for copies from others. As the balloon takes off. I look over the side as we float away from the ground and feel the heat from the burners in the dawn chill. The sun is starting to rise over the distant hills and all around us are balloons. It is an incredible scene. If I die now, I will die happy. Our pilot (is that what they are in a balloon) is concentrating hard, pulling cords, burners on and off, relating his speed, altitude and air pressure into a radio. Below us, 2 balloons are heading our way as they take off. Their canopies are touching and I wonder what happens if 2 balloons crash together. Our pilot pulls some more cords and exchanges a few words with the other two. We touch briefly and they are already floating above us. But we are approaching the amazing rock formations that look like open air stalagmites (mites go up, tites come down, or is it the other way). We are most definitely going to crash. But we skim up the side and over the top with inches to spare. I knew we would. Cameras are snapping away all over the place. There is too much to take in . On every side there is a constantly changing, fantastic view. Our pilot turns the basket to ensure everyone gets everything. We go up to 500m above the ground. Everything below is tiny. I suddenly have a flash of the blindingly obvious. I just might have put my camera battery in the wrong way. Did I leave my brains in London? I am so grateful to have realised it before the end of the balloon ride that I snap away until my camera runs out of memory!
As we come down for the final descent, the land rover with trailer is chasing us along the road. We come to a stop in the field and the trailer parks up beside us, the pilot skilfully pulls a cord and we rise slightly to land on the trailer. We all clamber out to claim our certificates, cake, and a few glasses of champoo to celebrate our survival.
Back at the hotel, we enjoy our breakfast as others start to rise. The whole day still lies in front of us and it is hard to decide what to do. There are hop on hop buses to tour the various valleys. A trip to an underground city. The local open air museum is recommended but packed with bus loads of tourists. In the heat of the morning sun it is hard to contemplate any strenuous activity. Barry, Mark and I decide a short walk to the local cave castles will be enough exercise. They are fascinating and we find the entrance to several which are no longer inhabited. As we clamber in the entrance and explore. There are shelves and seats and bedrooms hewn out of the rock., Inside another is a small place of worship with the arches carved and painted. They are lovely and cool in the heat of the day. As we make our way back to the town, I decide a day by the pool, on a sunbed, with a good book is long overdue. I get my pink towel and claim one as my own. Heaven is right here, right now.
When the balloon is sufficiently inflated, we all clamber into the basket. It's not a particularly graceful entry and as I switch on my camera on, the battery dies. No problem. I have another, fully charged. I put it in the cameral Nothing happens. This battery is also dead. Crap. It's 5 years old and not surprising. I ask for copies from others. As the balloon takes off. I look over the side as we float away from the ground and feel the heat from the burners in the dawn chill. The sun is starting to rise over the distant hills and all around us are balloons. It is an incredible scene. If I die now, I will die happy. Our pilot (is that what they are in a balloon) is concentrating hard, pulling cords, burners on and off, relating his speed, altitude and air pressure into a radio. Below us, 2 balloons are heading our way as they take off. Their canopies are touching and I wonder what happens if 2 balloons crash together. Our pilot pulls some more cords and exchanges a few words with the other two. We touch briefly and they are already floating above us. But we are approaching the amazing rock formations that look like open air stalagmites (mites go up, tites come down, or is it the other way). We are most definitely going to crash. But we skim up the side and over the top with inches to spare. I knew we would. Cameras are snapping away all over the place. There is too much to take in . On every side there is a constantly changing, fantastic view. Our pilot turns the basket to ensure everyone gets everything. We go up to 500m above the ground. Everything below is tiny. I suddenly have a flash of the blindingly obvious. I just might have put my camera battery in the wrong way. Did I leave my brains in London? I am so grateful to have realised it before the end of the balloon ride that I snap away until my camera runs out of memory!
As we come down for the final descent, the land rover with trailer is chasing us along the road. We come to a stop in the field and the trailer parks up beside us, the pilot skilfully pulls a cord and we rise slightly to land on the trailer. We all clamber out to claim our certificates, cake, and a few glasses of champoo to celebrate our survival.
Back at the hotel, we enjoy our breakfast as others start to rise. The whole day still lies in front of us and it is hard to decide what to do. There are hop on hop buses to tour the various valleys. A trip to an underground city. The local open air museum is recommended but packed with bus loads of tourists. In the heat of the morning sun it is hard to contemplate any strenuous activity. Barry, Mark and I decide a short walk to the local cave castles will be enough exercise. They are fascinating and we find the entrance to several which are no longer inhabited. As we clamber in the entrance and explore. There are shelves and seats and bedrooms hewn out of the rock., Inside another is a small place of worship with the arches carved and painted. They are lovely and cool in the heat of the day. As we make our way back to the town, I decide a day by the pool, on a sunbed, with a good book is long overdue. I get my pink towel and claim one as my own. Heaven is right here, right now.
RSS Feed
