Taking a flight in a hot air balloon has long been on my ‘must do’ wish list and during our recent holiday in tropical North Queensland, my dream finally came true. We’d arranged this once in a life time experience with Hot Air Balloon Cairns and were extremely excited at the prospect of soaring high above the Atherton Tablelands.
This part of North Queensland has some of Australia’s best conditions for hot air ballooning with calm, stable conditions meaning that flights are able to take place on almost every day of the year, so there is no need to worry about cancellations and missed opportunities due to inclement weather conditions.
Getting there:
It was to be an early start but with the prospect of such an exciting day ahead, for once we had no problem getting out of bed at 3.00 a.m. We had arranged to make our own way to Mareeba from Port Douglas as we would be spending the remaining part of our holiday nearby. The journey over there took around one and a half hours and was quite eventful as with the help of the car headlights, we spotted a couple of kangaroos hopping across the road in front of us.
Our meeting place was to be the car park in front of the Mareeba Heritage Centre and it was reassuring to receive a couple of messages with tracking information from the balloon company to say that they were on their way and would be with us at the agreed time of 5.00 a.m. Almost all of the other people booked on the hot air balloon flight that morning had arranged the bus transfer as it was more convenient for them. For a small extra fee transfers can be added to the booking from hotels in Cairns and surrounding areas. We were there first but soon afterwards met up with the others in the car park and after saying hello, boarded the minibus for the final ten minutes of the journey to where our adventure would begin.
The launch site:
When the minibus arrived at the launch site it was just starting to become light and excitedly we got our first view of the two balloons being inflated that morning. It was so interesting to watch how the balloons took shape as the fans pumped cold air into them. Hot air was then pumped into our balloon to lift it to an upright position. You might wonder why hot air balloon flights generally launch just after dawn or several hours before sunset.
This is due to the fact that the wind is usually at its calmest during these times. As wind speed is one of the most important considerations in ballooning, it’s vital that weather conditions are just right as the balloon is carried along by the wind. We were part of a group of 15 embarking on this epic adventure and before getting on board we were divided into groups depending on our approximate size and weight so that the balloon would be evenly balanced.
The in-flight experience:
It was then time for us to climb into the basket which I had thought might be a bit tricky as I’m quite small and the baskets don’t have doors. It turned out to actually be very easy as a plastic box was placed at one end of the basket and as there were foothold grooves in the basket I managed to get in without a problem. The basket was quite spacious with four separate sections to balance the weight. We shared our part with two girls from Adelaide, South Australia. Facing us were a couple from Germany and on the other side of the pilot a Chinese group and three ladies from the U.S. celebrating their 50th birthdays in style.
With everything ready and final safety checks undertaken it was time to cast off the ropes and for our adventure to begin. The balloon left the ground under the control of Neil our experienced and very friendly pilot who’d be gliding us over the countryside that morning.
As we drifted into the sky the balloon floated gently along and it was so tranquil that if we hadn’t been eagerly looking down from the basket we probably wouldn’t have realised that we had left the ground. Whilst I’m certain everyone on board would have experienced the sensation of flying on board an airliner, the sensation of taking a hot air balloon flight was entirely different.
Our one hour flight was an incredibly calming experience as we drifted over the farmlands of the Atherton Tablelands gazing down below watching the scenic landscape unfold as it gradually became lighter. Gazing down from the edge of the basket we experienced a totally different perspective to the one we were used to from the ground.
As we soared through the sky our pilot pointed out local landmarks and was happy to answer any questions we might have about operating the controls of the balloon and how often the heat burners needed to be used. Neil explained that he had four gas canisters on board and had used an additional one to fill the balloon before we left the ground. We watched as he controlled the burners, utilising this to heat the air inside the balloon as required when it needed to gain height.
I was positioned nearest to the cockpit and although I could feel the heat when the burners were turned on, it was very gentle and there was no need to wear a hat for protection. Despite occasional sounds from the burner, the flight remained peaceful and it really did feel as if we were floating in the sky. As we drifted over the Atherton Tablelands we saw so much, passing over the Barron River, spotting avocado farms, horses, cattle and kangaroos.
The landing was a fun part of the hot air balloon experience and nothing to get anxious about. Just before we touched the ground we were asked to crouch down, bend our knees and grab hold of the leather strap handles in front of us. This brace position was just for safety in the rare event that the balloon might tip on its side as it touched the ground. We had no such problems as our landing that morning was very gentle as we just dragged along the ground a few metres before coming to a halt.
The post flight experience
I actually found getting back out of the basket harder than getting in as there were no grooves inside it to put my feet into and I got stuck half way. There was no need to panic though as help was at hand as one of the friendly ground crew lifted me out. I noticed other people having the same problem so I was glad it wasn’t just me.
After the balloon had been uncoupled from the basket we were invited to step inside. I was surprised that the material could withstand our weight and the fact that we were all wearing shoes wouldn’t damage it in any way.
It was really fun to stand inside the cavernous balloon and as well as taking our own photos, lots of professional ones were taken of us individually and in groups. There was also a camera attached to the balloon during our flight to capture an airborne moment as a lasting memory.
After we had finished taking photos it was then time to help to deflate the balloon and pack it up. We all stood in a line pressing the air out of it and helped to roll it up. One girl even assisted by rolling on the sausage shaped balloon to help with its deflation. Although not obligatory, everyone joined in as it was such good fun.
With the balloon back in its sack and the basket lifted on to its trailer it was then time for our celebratory champagne breakfast. A delicious assortment of locally sourced produce was set out on a table and we tucked into breakfast baps, muffins, pastries and quiches.
Along with our glasses of fizz, this was the perfect end to our morning’s epic balloon ride and gave us an opportunity to chat and mingle with the pilot, ground crew and our fellow adventurers.
Before heading back in the minibus we were each handed a commemorative flight certificate and later that day a superb digital photo package arrived by email for us to treasure.
What an amazing day we’d had. Taking our first ever hot air balloon flight was definitely one of those ‘pinch me’ moments, the fond memories of which will live with us forever.
