Tips for Your First Hot Air Balloon Ride

15 Apr Tips for Your First Hot Air Balloon Ride

Going up in the air to be entranced by the blowing winds all over your face and sleek hair is one experience that you shouldn’t miss in your life. The initial heat dissipates as the balloon takes on the thrust and moves skyward to provide you with a wide top view of the city. But wouldn’t you prefer the countryside for that ride where you get to see those distinct boundaries between each field, marshy lands, and the lush greenery? That surely is a better place to escape into. Hot Air Balloon rides are always fun-filled and less risky. But when you are in for the adventure for the first time, you need to know a few things about how to approach it and how the process would be. Let us have a look at a few tips that can help you with your first hot air balloon ride.

What Should You Wear?

• Make sure that you aren’t wearing any delicate footwear since you could land on grass fields where the burrs can hurt your feet. So, wear sneakers or boots with high socks to protect your feet.
• Wear pants or shorts rather than skirts or kilts since you will need to bend while climbing into the basket and also there could be a few jostles during the propulsion.
• You could be exposed to immense heat if you are out ballooning in the summer, with the burner to add to the scalding ride. Wear a ball cap or hat to protect your head from being excessively exposed to the sunlight.
• Dress according to the weather. If you are ballooning in the summer, t-shirts or tank tops with a bit of sunscreen will do. On the other hand, if you are taking the ride in the winter, make sure to wear jackets and gloves because it becomes colder as you go to higher altitudes.

What Should You Be Carrying?

You wouldn’t need to carry a bag full of items with you because you will not be spending more than 2 hours in the air. Every passenger will be provided with water before and after the ride. So, you just need to make sure that you are carrying sunglasses, cameras (preferably small ones like GoPro), a free spirit ready to fly high, and an empty bladder because you cannot go to the loo while taking the flight. Bring some personalized pint glasses to have a nice drink while taking in the view.

What Should You Expect?

• If you had booked a private ride, you would be provided with a flight with just you, the pilot, and crew. Whereas, you will need to share the flight with strangers if you booked a shared flight. But it is always good to travel with other people because you get to meet new people and befriend them.
• The crew will inflate the balloon envelope which is laid out on the field to be aided by the wind. Once it is ready for flight, the pilot lights the burner.
• The flight takes off due to the rising heat within the balloon.
• Don’t forget to capture the memories with your camera, and also enjoy the view of the vast lands.

The landing of the balloon depends on the terrain and wind speed. In calm winds, the balloon would rest on the ground gradually and calmly. If you are landing during moderate winds, you will need to crouch for a better landing position.