My first ride on a hot-air balloon above the Baobab Alley

by Fenonjara Ghislain RAKOTOMAHARO (Madagascar)

I didn't expect to find Madagascar

My first ride on a hot-air balloon above the Baobab Alley of Morondava During the Montgolfier event held in Madagascar between the 21st of April to 7th of May 2016, 12 hot-air balloons were flown from the Antsirabe sky and Morondava region. This event sponsored by Ultramagic, the second hot-air balloon manufacturer in the world and Vitogaz company, the local gas supplier. During this flight, the passengers had the opportunity to see the beautiful landscape of Antsirabe’s volcanic region, the Baobab Alley of Morondava and the Tsingy of Bemaraha. Starting the ride at the Andraikiba lake area, we are floating in a thin wicker basket with only 2,000ft of air between us and planet Earth. I am one of the 5 people in the basket, where the youngest are eight, the oldest 70. I think, it seems the only age barrier to ballooning is the basket. Elderly, people may have difficulty getting in, while very young children discouraged because of the temptation to climb out. Preparation for my maiden flight began at 5 am on this warm, autumn’s morning. Hot-air balloon flights generally take place in the early morning or evening as, according to our pilot, this is when the temperature of the land and air are most similar, reducing the risk of abnormal winds. After to unpack the balloon, we pulled it into shape. Only then could it be inflated, with cold air to begin with. While the neck of the balloon was held open, huge fans forced the air inside. Then, when the balloon was two third full were the burners ignited and the air inside heated. It took just 20 minutes from the time the balloon left its bag, to the moment when 200,000 cubic feet of hot air were hovering above us. Once the balloon began to tug, we climbed into the basket as it flipped into its upright position. The pilot made his safety checks, then asked if we were ready. “I think I am,” I said. Then, effortlessly, we soared upward to catch a breeze to carry us across the countryside. Everything was done slowly, smoothly and gently as we floated up in to the calm sky. The pilot has limited influence over a hot air balloon. Altitude is controlled by altering the air temperature inside the balloon, while the basket can be rotated by the opening and closing of certain flaps. Mother Nature, though, controls our direction of travel. Surprisingly, it is no colder in the air than it is on the ground. The burners emit a fierce heat and we are all wearing hats protect our heads. When the burners are off, all is tranquil and quiet as we float over the volcanic region of Vakinankaratra. What a different perspective this is. We are high enough to be looking down on the flying birds, but low enough to make out paths, tracks and ancient field boundaries. It is easy to see how the village have grown, how the Tritriva crater lake has shaped and so on along region. From 2,000ft the landscape seems like a model village, with zebu carts moving along small country roads, cattle grazing in the field and childrens played in the autumn’s forenoon. I am surprised by how calm I feel now that we’re in full flight. It’s a magical and unique experience. The hour’s flight is almost done when the balloon floated the sky of Baobab Alley. A beautiful region in the west of Madagascar, and there are many tourists visit the place. It attract many people at the key point of afternoon, a few minutes before the red sun rising. It is the great moment to catch the red sun with camera. Most are happy for recovery teams to enter the land. Before carry on the flight, we make a rest at the Morondava westcoast, when the pilot begins to look somewhere to land by scrutinising his map. The first flight on hot-air balloon was a wonderful experience. My exhausted, birthday-girl mother stands back from the basket and smiles. “That was heaven”, she says.