Thank you Mrs I, always been an ambition of mine, a trip in an hot air balloon.

Is it going to be as cool as I imagine ?

Cool as in good, not cold,

I think it's a bit of a marmite experience...

I've never done it myself, so I am not speaking from my own experience, but it doesn't appeal to me at all. Then again I am quite claustrophobic, and yes I know it seems wierd to be claustrophobic in the open space of sky, but not having the ability to just step out of the basket would freak me out!

I could imagine that if it's something you've always wanted to do then it would be an awesome experience, maybe quite surreal!?!

Have fun, take some pics...

HAPPY BIRHTDAY!
Nice that sounds like fun hope you like heights jon.

SWMBO got me a glider lesson a couple of years ago not something that would normally appeal to me but it was brilliant fun!

depends, do you suffer from vertigo?

I had a trip as a present, bit scary to start with but you soon get used to it. I was able to arrange that they took off in an adjacent field, so could see my home area from the sky, so that made it better.

You should definitely do it, you will like it.

One of the amazing things is how quiet it is (except when they fire the burner)

John

My Mum and Dad did it a few years ago and they both loved it. My sister (who'd always wanted to try it) then did it and hated every second of it! As Steve says, it's a bit of a Marmite thing.

adrian

Just done one in August in Florida.
I was sitting on the edge of the basket 3500ft up holding on with one hand and using the other to hold a camcorder.
Because you don't have any nearby reference points, the height issue is irrelevent.
Our operator said he would do ballooning all day long, but he couldn't stand on the edge of a building or he would get dizzy.
The whole experience was so gentle, not like aircraft when they hit air-pockets!

Happy Birthday Jon

As said above i am sure you will love it. Never done one myself but have done a parachute jump. I suffer from vertigo but as said above, for some strange reason with having no reference points, the height seems irrelevant!!

When are you going or do you have to arrange it yet?? Would love to see some pics.

Luck boy!

Just imagine... Standing in a flimsy basket made from grass. 2000 feet in the air and held up by a highly flamable cloth bag being filled with hot air from a giant flame thrower - life doesn't get much better!

Will be cold - I seem to remember being told that the temp drops a degree for every 1000 feet of height climbed or soimething like that.

Enjoy!

Gary

[Edited on 21/2/09 by Shamrock GS]

Take a hat. When the burner is on for a long period the top of your head gets very hot!

The landing can be fun.

I did one a few years ago from an airfield near Doncaster.

Calm clear summer evening - fantastic!

It wasn't a commercial flight, I was helping some pals who owned a balloon. We'd been at a village fair all day working hard trying to set up for tethered flights, but it proved too windy.

The evening flight when we got back to the airfield was an unexpected bonus.

Dave

Did one over the desert in Alice Spring at dawn, never forget it, totally awsome, and as other have said, you don't get a real sense of the height, not like in a plane, as it's all so peaceful....

The guys I did it with also did parachute jumps from them, they'd sit on the edge of the basket and hold onto a rope coming down from the top of the balloon, and then swing right out over the edge before letting go .....

BTW - mine only cost me a few hours pouring beers at their Christmas bash ....