21st November 2011
Ballooning on the West Bank - Luxor
For those of you that are afraid of heights, let me tell you that I have suffered from Vertigo (Fear of height) all of my life. I booked this flight the evening before fully expecting to back out at the sight of the balloons in the early morning. When I got there and saw all the balloons and people, fear never entered my mind at all. It might have been because I saw that most balloons had passenger baskets that held up to fifteen, it might have been because there were so many balloons and so many people that it had to be safe. I am not sure what it was but from the beginning of the flight to the end, however high we went I was not afraid at all. It was amazing. When we were only about five hundred feet high, I found myself saying “higher, higher” You will only believe me when you try Ballooning for yourself; only then will you remember these words.
Ballooning on the West Bank - Luxor
For those of you that are afraid of heights, let me tell you that I have suffered from Vertigo (Fear of height) all of my life. I booked this flight the evening before fully expecting to back out at the sight of the balloons in the early morning. When I got there and saw all the balloons and people, fear never entered my mind at all. It might have been because I saw that most balloons had passenger baskets that held up to fifteen, it might have been because there were so many balloons and so many people that it had to be safe. I am not sure what it was but from the beginning of the flight to the end, however high we went I was not afraid at all. It was amazing. When we were only about five hundred feet high, I found myself saying “higher, higher” You will only believe me when you try Ballooning for yourself; only then will you remember these words.
Your day starts at around 3:30 in the morning. You are picked up from your hotel or where ever you are staying by a courtesy bus and taken to motorboats that will take you across the Nile, where again buses will be waiting for you to take you to the balloon-launching site.
On the motorboat crossing the Nile there is tea, cakes and biscuits awaiting you, just the thing for such an early morning start. The tea and cakes were in my opinion just great.
On the motorboat crossing the Nile there is tea, cakes and biscuits awaiting you, just the thing for such an early morning start. The tea and cakes were in my opinion just great.
Once you arrive at the launching site, there and behold awaits you one of the most wonderful sights you will imagine.
Balloon over Qurna
Launch Site - Qurna
Hatshepsut Temple
Colossi of Memnon
Ramesses lll Temple at Habu
Ramesses lll Temple at Harbu Kom Village Kom Village
This is quite an amazing part of the trip. Its just after sunrise, people are lighting their fires to make tea and breakfast. At this height and the still air you can hear them talking, you can hear the crackle of the fires and the smell of their cooking breakfast.
Arriving at the landing area
at Malqata. Here you are welcomed
by some of the young locals. When
you land you are given a flight certificate along with a T-shirt. Well! With Magic
Horizon Balloons you are; they are whom I flew with. It is these T-shirts that the young locals are after.