It's such a surreal experience, isn't it? Now imagine doing it on an incredibly special area, like the soft golden sands of the desert.
If that doesn't sound unique enough to you, imagine this: you'll be flying when the sun comes up. Expect a spectacle of hues and colors only mother nature can achieve.
Next, I'm going to tell you all about my hot air balloons dubai experience in Dubai, so you can get a complete idea of what it's like. I'll add all the practical details towards the end and if you fall in love with my words and photos, you'll know where to book the amazing adventure.
Flying in a hot air balloon over the desert at sunrise: what it really looks like
The start of something amazing
Watch the balloon fabric on the ground slowly inflate and rise as hot air is sucked in under great pressure. Everyone lines up, buckles up, waiting for the moment when New Zealand captain Andrew announces loud and clear that it's time to get in the basket. We each find our little space and wait impatiently for the balloon to take off completely. He takes his time, as if he weren't quite awake yet. Suddenly, there is a subtle cry, and we are no longer touching the ground!
First we seem to be flying in the sky oh so high! Every once in a while I check the captain's face to make sure there is no terror and everything is under control. He obviously knows what he's doing. The highest point we reach is 4,000 feet above sea level (1.2 km). It's the height when you really can't tell if that point on the ground is a person or a camel.
Simultaneously, we continue to watch the other balloon that took off into the air just behind us. Sometimes it looks like we are in a competition, they seem to win at first but then we surpass them :) I guess it's all thought out and it's not just a random contest.
From the summit we descend a few thousand feet lower. We get a draft. Andrew succeeded and now we are carried beautifully by the air current, gliding a few meters above the sand dunes. Our speed is around 9 km/h, but it seems quite fast.
The flight
Everyone uses their camera to the fullest, takes selfies, records videos...because it's definitely one of the moments everyone wants to remember for life.
You look around and see an animal appear below as you continue to take photos of the beautiful rising sun tinting everything orange. Suddenly the other balloon appears, so the main task now is to fit the rising sun and the balloon into one photo.
The whole experience is... indescribable. On the one hand you feel as free as a bird, on the other you are fascinated by all the physics of flight. Maybe you're even a little scared. Especially if this is your first hot air balloon flight!
You don't know what to see first: there's the beautiful sunrise, there's another hot air balloon in the air that looks incredibly photogenic, and then there's the scenery: the eternal sand. There are oryx running off to the side, there is a farm with camels just below you.
You wonder why there are sometimes bushes in the arena. At the same time you continue to observe the performance of your captain. It's not just about popping the whole ball, it's definitely more like a performance worth seeing. It communicates with the control towers, informs them of the entry into the airspace and sends small data to us, the crew, here and there...
