Up Up And Away In My Beautiful My Beautiful

The 15th of August this year marked my mum's 50th Birthday. Being the nice son that I am I decided that this time I'll treat her to something different. So I got her a big-ass birthday card, and took here to a Chinese restaurant appropriately called Palm Trees (don't ask me why!). See, how nice am I!
But, before the restaurant, we drove half the way around the rural country side to get to some crafts show in a place called Braintree. There, in the middle of the field, lay this MASSIVE balloon in all it's glory!

Man the thing really was big, and very colourful, and also very dead! After everyone had gotten ready (it takes 16 passengers), the pilot told us all about what to expect, how to get on, and how to panic if something happened 2000feet above the ground!

Then him and some henchman came out with some kick-ass industrial fans and started inflating the balloon with "cold" air, with the help ofcourse of some passengers (it's all part of the fun you see!) Half way through it inflating, they both went inside to do something or another (perhaps make sure it blows up evenly, don't know) but it was cool seeing to adult men in there and the balloon just dominating all over them!


Soon afterwards, the balloon was nearing full size, and it was time for the captain to turn on the big burners. But, before he could do that, all the passengers had to get in, otherwise it'd fly off all by itself. Easier said than done! To get in, the basket is tilted on it's side and you have to climb in, sit down, and hold on for dear life with both hands!

Once everyone is in, the burners start (And they are HOT! it did say on the website to wear a hat or cap, but being arab we decided to ignore any official warning and just brave it. After all, who wore a cap in Iraq eh?)

Soon after, the balloon straightened itself and was tugging ferociously at the rope keeping it at bay (tied nontheless to a Range Rover Defender), the rope soon gave way and we started flying! Higher and higher, it was a scary feeling at first, cos there was no comfort in the fact that you're flying in a wicker basket with some flimsy balloon keeping you afloat!

Higher and higher, until we reached about 2000feet (so he said), and then it all became very surreal. When the burners are off you hardly feel or hear a thing, and all you do is just float in the middle of nothing! Houses and cars look like toys, the landscape patched beautifully with the colours of summer, the greens and the yellows and browns. The weather was helping as well, for that day it was actually sunshine in Britain!

As it was the flying season, we were soon joined by other balloons (I counted 4), and it was fun to watch them hover around and nearly follow the same path as we did

Surprisingly, it's not windier nor colder up in the skies as one would imagine. The sun started to set and I risked life and limb to take a picture of the beautiful sunset without showing any part of the balloon nor the passengers!

Then we started to descend. The captain explained that they could never pick where to land, and hence we'll end up in some random farmer's land any distance from where we started. Luckily, the Defender was connected by GPS and walkie talkie to us and it was following us around, to take us all back to the original flight field (and where our cars were!).
The landing itself was a bumpy affair (again you have to sit down and hold on to dear life!), but it went as smoothly as possible. We landed in some harvested wheat, and spent another 20 minutes packing the balloon into a tiny bag!

And that was the end of a great flight. All hungry and thristy, we went to that palm tree thing thinking it was a pub, only to be greeted by Mr and Mrs No Cum Too and their All-you-can-eat menu. Great stuff!