Hot Air Balloon; the Magic in the Sky

There are few pleasures as enjoyable as drifting gently in a hot air balloon over a breathtaking landscape, and in my relentless pursuit of boosting your happiness :) I thought I should give you a taste (and a vivid preview) of this joy.
The photos are taken by me, who as a Commercial Balloon Pilot has been experiencing countless Hot Air Ballooning highlights around the world, and managed to capture the beauty and ambiance of those moments perfectly.

This amazing volcanic rock landscape will follow us thru this photo album

And before we take-off... this is how a balloon looks like from the inside during cold inflation

A whimsical Hot Air Balloon ride over the “Fairyland” called Cappadocia - balloon ride video

Hot Air Balloons start their flight normally early in the morning taking off during sunrise because that is when there is the best chance of getting light and stable winds

Here a flight at the very end of Zemi Valley near Göreme, Cappadocia, where you can find all these huge "Fairy Chimneys" rock formations

My favorite picture for Valentine's Day!

Cappadocia is the most popular balloon ride place in the world! Up to 100 balloons can flight daily here, if the weather allows it!

The amazing fairy chimneys in Love valley! As a comparison, the 24 pax balloon by the hoodoo rock formation is 28 mts (+90 ft) high!

No words for this one!

The Amazing colors of Rose Valley

Passing by the peculiar cave houses village of Uçhisar

Time for a picture passing by another balloon flying over Swords Valley

Balloons flying over Love Valley

Flying over the “Time & Space” stone figures open air museum made by the contemporary australian sculptor Andrew Rogers

Balloons flying low inside Love Valley during sunrise

Beautiful, white and very cold landscape

General view of balloons passing by and landing just by Devrent Valley

Close shoot of a another balloon flying over Meskendir Valley

Passing by the amazing rock formations with “hats” in Monks Valley

The walls of Cappadocia!

Passing by the amazing rock formations inside Swords Valley to closely show the local geology to the passengers!

Great shoot of a crowded Love Valley

Over Pigeons Valley

The cave houses in Uçhisar village

Flying low inside Swords Valley

Rocky Red Valley!

Leaving Love Valley behind

Passing by the walls of Swords Valley

Landing time… and the end of my hot air ballooning post. Hope someone likes it!

Hot Air Balloon Facts, Figures & Fun

• the very first hot air balloon passengers in history were a sheep called Montauciel (Climb-to-the-sky), a duck and a rooster, and after the successful maiden voyage on 19 September 1783, Montauciel got adopted by Louis XVI’s spouse Queen Marie Antoinette

• the brothers Joseph-Michel and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier from Annonay, France, are the inventors of the Montgolfière-style hot air balloon

• according to IMDb, it would take over 12 million balloons to lift Carl’s house in the movie ‘Up’, yet only 20,622 balloons appear on the house when it first lifts off

• balloonists Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones, were the first to complete the first successful uninterrupted circumnavigation of the world on board the balloon Breitling Orbiter 3 (equipped with a single bunk, and a pressure-operated toilet); they set off on 1 March 1999 from Château d’Oex in Switzerland and landed in Egypt after a 25,361 miles (40,814 km) flight lasting 19 days, 21 hours and 47 minutes

• the greatest mass ascent of hot air balloons consists of 456 balloons and was achieved in 2017, during the Lorraine Mondial Air Ballons event, at the former United States Air Force base Chambley-Bussières in Hagéville, north-eastern France

• the World Record for “The Highest Altitude From Which To Sing The United States National Anthem In A Hot Air Balloon” is 60 feet (18.3 meters) and the record holder is Alan St. Louis from Nashua, New Hampshire

• Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is one of the most-photographed events in the world; around 25 million pictures are taken during the week

Really appreciate that you arrived this far on this colorful hot air ballooning post! Hope you enjoyed it!