Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride at Sunrise
On a trip to Dubai in 2025, I decided to take a hot air balloon ride with my friend Adam. I was quite blasé about what to expect of the experience, thinking balloons always look so calm and serene. It was only once we got the safety briefing that I thought “Oh, we might actually die” 😅
We were told there was a brace position to adopt during take-off and landing, and then during landing in particular we would bounce a lot with the basket tipping onto its side or even upside-down completely!
Then to add to the anxiety, when we were boarding the balloon, it wasn’t inflated and the basket was laid on its side. So we had to lay down inside of it, adopt our brace position, and get strapped in. Then as the balloon inflated, we were slowly tipped upright and then launched into the air. I was next to the pilot so I could really feel the heat from the propane burners!
Once we climbed to 4,000 feet, it was a great experience. It was strange to be in the air under the power of a vehicle that is entirely silent, except for the occasional firing of the burners. I have only flown under engine-power previously.
As expected, it was a bumpy landing 😆 But I must say, the pilot judged it excellently, instructing us to adopt the brace position about 30 seconds before we landed. Though I must admit, I was a bit nervous about why we hadn’t been braced for about 5 minutes before 😅
Posts in this series
- Complete a 3 Peaks Challenge
- Go Horseback Riding
- See an Iconic West End Theatre Show
- See an Orchestra in Concert
- Have a Professional Photoshoot
- Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride at Sunrise
- Go on a Whale Watching Expedition
- Go on a Wildlife Safari
- Go Snorkelling or Scuba Diving
- See the Northern Lights
- Attend the Ballet
- 40 Before 40 Challenge