Orlando Balloon Adventures invited me to experience a Hot Air Balloon Ride. Expenses were covered and all opinions are my own.
I am still in awe of the fact that recently took my very first Hot Air Balloon Ride with Orlando Balloon Adventures.
To make this once in a lifetime opportunity even more special, I got to ride at sunrise along with 5 other great ladies and of course our very talented pilot, Pat.
Pictures truly do speak a thousand words and the photos really show what this ride was all about.
However I will give you a little bit of background of how we actually got up in the air that morning.
We first headed out at 5 am and met our pilot at a local Starbucks. We got introduced to the gentlemen who would coordinate our adventure, and also signed off on wavers for our flight.
After the pilot determined the wind direction, we then headed off to a field for take off.
Once we arrived at the location in Orlando, the equipment was pulled out, and the staff immediately started setting up the balloon. This included laying the balloon out in front of the basket and starting the inflation process with a fan.
The other ladies and myself each got a chance to hold on while it was being blown up.
Once it began to rise up, it was time to turn on the heat.
I could feel the warmth on my face and see just how powerful this vehicle was as it rose up higher.
At this point, it was time for us to make our entrance.
Along the sides of the basket there are notches to step up on, and with a little assistance, we entered inside.
Here I am with Kelly, Mary, Amy, Jennifer, and Tara as we are getting ready to go.
Right after take-off, Crew member Adam took this photo. Thank you to the Orlando Balloon Adventures May 30 Facebook Post for supplying this picture.
As we went up into the sky, this is one of the first things I saw. Breathtaking Sunrise.
Next, the pilot maneuvered us over a body of water so we could see our reflection.
Pat also told us, that we might also see wildlife and he did not disappoint. We saw a large group of deer.
Of course one of neat things was seeing the other balloons around us. It was such an awesome sight.
As we floated along, I snapped a picture of our shadow as well.
I think what was the most eye-opening to me on this flight was just how small we are, being up this high was a big reminder.
As we went over other bodies of water, we were also reminded that Florida has Alligators.
I zoomed in on this one poking his head out of a pond.
Check out how small that person is in the pool below.
Do you see the famous Mickey Mouse Ears power line? It is next to the push pin.
From up at this height, we were also able to see Epcot and other Disney World Attractions.
As we heading towards the field we would be using for our landing, I caught another neat photo of the other 2 balloons.
At our descent, one of the balloons was getting pretty close to the water.
I thought this was a great photo of it hovering over the pond.
As we were coming in to land, we were instructed to bend our knees a little and hold onto the ropes on the inside of the baskets.
It was a smooth touchdown thanks to Pat.
After the landing, the balloon was immediately deflated and came down a lot faster than it went up.
I actually was very calm through the whole process, and only after landing did I get emotional. They were happy tears.
Our stats for the day included reaching a top altitude of 1476 and top speed of 17 mph.
We weren’t finished after the landing though. Just as the day began, we ended our trip by helping to dissemble the aircraft.
A couple of the ladies helped break it down and load it back up. It was fun to watch.
Of course an Orlando Balloon Adventures ride would not be complete without some history and a toast.
Crew member Adam and Pat even set us up with a great breakfast, and furnished Mimosas to complete our, “Cheers!”.
We were even entertained with “The Balloonist Prayer”.
The winds have welcomed you
with softness, the sun has blessed you with
his warm hands, you have flown so high
and so well that God has joined you in
your laughter and set you
gently back into
the loving arms
of Mother
Earth.
I highly recommend taking a Hot Hair Balloon Ride with Orlando Balloon Adventures. The Crew, Pat and Adam, were professional and at no point in time did I ever feel scared. They did a great job of lifting us off and bringing us in for a safe landing.
This was such an amazing opportunity and I am so grateful to have seen such wonderful views from that height and perspective.
Have you ever been in a Hot Air Balloon before? Is this something you would like to do?
Visit orlandoballoonadventures.com or call (877) 475-9386 to find out more information and to make a reservation.
You can also follow along via Facebook at facebook.com/orlandoballoonadventures and Twitter @orlandoballoons.
FFM
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