Balloon Aloft Canberra has been operating flights for over 30 years
Waking up at 5:00am is not an excitable propect, usually. For this occasion however, there was no dread about the early morning. We met two members of the friendly Balloon Aloft team at Hyatt Hotel Canberra. After a briefing and reading of important safety information, we boarded a bus for less than 2 minutes to arrive at Nara Peace Park.
Here, the air was still and the day was starting. We were fortunate that the good weather had prevailed. Balloon Aloft does not guaruntee that its flight will go ahead, even on the day. Safety is the primary concern, and their team makes sure of weather stability before the flight.
The process of unpacking and inflating the balloon was fascinating to watch. As you can see in this TikTok, the envelope (i.e. the balloon part) is enormous. Two passengers helped to hold open the envelope while Kim (our pilot) operated fans and a flame-thrower machine. Gradually, the envelope rose and lifted the attached basket upright.
It was peaceful and quiet in the air, especially with such majestic scenery
The process of inflating our balloon took time and it was interesting to observe the process
An interactive and memorable experience
Floating a thousand feet high in a basket may cause nervousness for some people. Kim, our pilot, warmed up our flight both literally (he operated the fire to keep us afloat) and with his words. We enjoyed his humour and sharing of knowledge. While in the sky, the atmosphere was calm and quietly excitable, with everyone marvelling at the breathtaking views over Canberra and its surrounding landscape.
Other members from the Balloon Aloft team met us when we landed. Continuing a tradition practised since the first days of ballooning, champagne was offered to each passenger (along with chocolate). Afterwards, we were invited to take photos inside the envelope. It was cavernous inside!
Flights are available to book with Balloon Aloft here.
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