Ballooning

We were picked up from our hotel at 5:30 in the morning. It was dark, cold and a little bit drizzly. Our guide for the day hopped out of the drivers seat of his van with a smile, shook our hands, looked up to the skies and assured us (with a lot of hand gestures) the weather was clearing- he'd been watching the weather satellites and the winds were in our favour. He and his colleague spoke little english, but they were so friendly and jovial. One thing I've learnt while travelling is that kindness does not have a language, and communication is so often non-verbal. We drove for about an hour out of prague and into the Czech countryside, eventually reaching a large field. The sun was rising, melting the frost that clung to each blade of grass. Our chaperones begun their routine of preparing the balloon, with a little help from mum and 20 minutes later we were ready to launch!

Now I've always been somewhat anxious when it comes to heights. If I feel secure I am fine, but if I have the slightest feeling I could fall and hurt myself I get some pretty serious vertigo and have to calm myself down. I have very rarely let this fear stop me from doing things - I have bungee jumped and walked across unsteady rope bridges, stood of the edge of canyons and climbed rickety canopy towers. So when the idea came to me to go hot air ballooning in Prague with mum - something she has always wanted to do- there was no doubt that I would make it happen.

Turns out I had nothing to worry about. You'd think being in a wicker basket, floating high above the earth with nothing keeping you up but hot air would be scary, but it was one of the most peaceful experiences of my life. It was beautiful, and I had to remind myself a few times to put the camera away and just enjoy the experience. That being said, choosing a blip from the shots I did take was really difficult, but I liked this one for its simplicity.

Back when ballooning was first invented, Louis XVI (I think) thought it was so brave for men to fly that anyone that did so was accepted into aristocracy - a law that still stands to this day. So after we landed we had a gorgeous little ceremony in the middle of a field in the Czech countryside where by the elements EARTH (dirt picked up from the field was scattered over our heads) WIND (our guide exhaled in our direction) FIRE (a lighter was ignited) and WATER (champagne was poured at our feet) we were made honorary Baronesses of the closest town to where we touched down. We had a glass of sparkling and a biscuit with our guides and headed back to the hotel in time for breakfast!

Later that day we went on a free walking tour and visited The Pub where each table has beer taps, you serve yourself and pay per litre!