Wake-up call at 4:30 am; this was the hardest part. After that, everything went smooth: car from the hotel to a boat, we signed the papers for acknowledging the dangers involved in flying with such a contraption (no responsibilities for the company – after having our signatures), then crossed the Nile, went again in small cars that transported us at the edge of the city – were the hot-air balloons were waiting for us.
Before arriving at the field, we got a glimpse from the distance and saw the balloons being fed with hot air. It looked like we had a plantation of huge mushrooms in front of us, some ripe, other still growing.
Seeing those things from 10 meters, was a totally different perspective: “colossal” was the first word that came into our minds.
Well, maybe it was “huge” :), but let’s use “colossal” instead, since it seems more fit.
After simulating the landing procedures for a couple of times, we begun climbing.
What a smooth takeoff.. didn’t feel that much different than in a good elevator, maybe even smoother.
I’m not usually afraid of heights, but I’m not that happy with them either. However, it was interesting that I didn’t feel anything this time; it actually felt pleasant from the start, and it slowly turned into a breathtaking experience. I shared with Andra my idea about having some seats placed on the outside, for a truly crazy experience 🙂
From above, we saw the whole city, Luxor, Karnak and a queen’s temple (Hatshepsut). But probably the nicest thing was the sunrise, for which, unfortunately, I have no pictures that could do it justice.
Next… skydiving!
