Hot Air Balloons

If you want to enjoy an experience of a lifetime with a breath-taking sunrise, magnificent scenery with a 360 degree vantage point, and a delectable breakfast then I will strongly suggest a hot air balloon ride.

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I have always wondered what hot air ballooning feels like when looking at these beautiful picture. I decided to stop wondering and wishing and added it to my bucket list for 2018.

I happened to spend the weekend at Glenburn Lodge, where a hot air balloon company called "Air to Air Africa" use the grounds as a launching area. I got up at 4:45 am on Sunday morning to check it out to see if I can stir up some courage to book a trip. It was amazing to watch the entire process till the balloon ascended gracefully into the air.

We got to the grounds just in time to see them setting up the balloon before the passengers starts arriving. It took a good half an hour to get it ready and to fill the envelope with hot air to stand upright.

A hot air balloon consists of three main parts as you can see on the photo:

The envelope – a Nylon fabric which holds the air,
The burner – use propane gas to propel the heat inside the fabric and,
The basket – carries the pilot and passengers.

How does an air balloon work:

We all know that warmer air rises in cooler air because hot air is lighter. For the balloon to lift 500 kg it needs about 66 000 cubic feet of hot air, this the reason for the balloon to be so big. The pilot controls the burner which propels hot air upwards into the envelope throughout the flight, the warmer the air the faster the balloon rises. There is a “parachute Valve” at the top of the balloon to let the hot air out. When the pilot pulls the cord, allowing the hot air to escape, decreasing the inner air temperature of the balloon, it will lower. Weight distribution of the passengers at all times in the basket is very important to keep it aligned.

To move forward or change direction the pilot needs to make use of the different directions at different altitude the wind blows, by simply ascending and descending the balloon so it can ride the wind.

I unfortunately did not wait for the balloon to return but I came across some of the passengers in the dining room enjoying their breakfast which was part of the package. They all had a twinkle in their eyes and a huge smile on their faces, saying that it is an adventure not to be missed.

Did this experience help my gain courage to go on this crazy joyride? A definite yes. Now, I only need to convince some family members to join me.

To book your trip:

https://www.airtoairafrica.co.za/

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