You will never be the same!!
Like the saying... “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.”
Heraclitus of EphesusThe same goes with a flight in a Balloon.. You are not the same person after and Ballooning changes for you forever right there.
So lets start by going to one difference I found...
A ride in a Private Balloon blows away a ride in a Ride Balloon. Now saying this I am not slamming Ride Balloon Company's.. I know a few Great Ride Balloon Company's and they are very good at what they do. That is... get a lot of people in the air for a good price. If you are thinking of buying a ride with a Balloon Company then here are the links to two in Albuquerque that are worth booking with....
http://www.rainbowryders.com/
and
http://www.worldballoon.com/
Now.... if you can swing a ride with a private balloon.... You are in for an amazing and very intimate experience with the sky.
Most private balloons carry one to three passengers. It may cost you more but it is worth every extra dollar you spend. Every dollar! I know many Pilots who do pay rides year round. Let me know if your interested and I will get you contacts.
If you want to see a snippit of what it looks like to fly in a balloon by yourself check out this video I did for myself from a flight....
http://invisibleblack.zenfolio.com/p715442282/h17f14bc9#h17f14bc9
I had one passenger and they were beyond thrilled.. never stopped going wild...and there was some serious screaming going on too..
Good.... which way are you thinking of going flying?
Go for it!!!!!
So you now have a ride set up... what do you do now...
First.. think about what time of the year it is? Hot? Cold? Or just nice and balmy.
If its hot out... Do wear sturdy shoes.. a regular shirt and good sturdy shorts or pants.
Things to remember... The burner above your head is very hot. Most of that heat radiates upwards but there is enough coming down that it can hurt bare shoulders or thin shirts. If you get a ride in Albuquerque.. we are in the desert... You may land in that darn desert... There are sharp plants and rocks and stuff out there.. Sturdy shoes protect your feet.. Sturdy clothing protects everything else. So... you may want to wear that sun dress or sandals or a muscle t-shirt... but... you will be unhappy with your choice.. been there saw that... it isn't real fun. Trekking around before and after your flight might take you from green soft grass to sand, cacti, stickers and volcanic rock. There is a possibility that you may land in a wonderful place but don't count on it. Balloons go the way the winds are going... The Pilot can get the balloon to maneuver by changing altitude to put the balloon in an airflow going another way if its there to find. Sometimes all you get is one direction...
Yup.. that's just the first part... Hang on.. there's more!
PS.. Here are a few links to Awesome Friends and Pilots...
http://www.kissesoffire.com/
http://www.philsballoons.co.uk/
