Ride in Hot Air Balloon

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You’ve probably seen them soaring on the horizon in resort areas around the globe; brightly festooned balloons with huge whicker baskets carrying obviously happy passengers above the landscape using nothing more than heat and well designed rigging to keep the craft aloft. Hot Air Balloons have been carrying passengers since 2 French brothers convinced the King of France that humans could be safely transported thusly in 1783. Rides in Hot Air Balloons have become a popular pursuit of travelers around the world since then. The flights usually last around an hour and balloonists offer various packages to enhance the experience such as champagne breakfast or wine and cheese tastings. The flights typically are scheduled for right after dawn or just before sundown as that is when obtrusive winds are typically at their calmest. There are hundreds of balloon festivals that take place all around the globe each year where lovers of the multi-colored air ships can see hundreds of balloons in the sky simultaneously, creating a surreal horizon. Some of the most popular can be found in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA (known as the “Hot Air Balloon Capital of the World”); in the Temecula Valley, California, USA; at The Great Reno Balloon Race in Nevada, USA; Canadian festivals are held in Quebec and Sussex, New Brunswick; festivals in the Philippines and Velikie Luki, Russia attract a good number of balloonists; the cities of Dole, France, Bristol, United Kingdom and Leipzig, Germany are the sites of 3 other popular international gatherings of balloonists. Other locations as diverse as the Swiss Alps and the Australian Outback offer opportunities for rides in Hot Air Balloons. You may find that your dream of flying in a hot air balloon blossoms into a fantasy of actually piloting a hot air balloon yourself. Flight instruction is available in many places and licensed commercial balloon pilots provide the training necessary to get you airborne. Add a ride in a Hot Air Balloon to your list and tie the experience into a dream trip to your location of choice to experience this lighter than air adventure.

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