| Ten years ago it was all very different in the | | | | will just disappear into a constitutionally guaranteed |
| world of ballooning. You could expect to travel | | | | grey sky, where the best sight from our basket |
| some considerable distance to find a balloon ride | | | | will be a steaming cup of tea. But the truth is |
| operator to take you into the air for a hot air | | | | rather brighter. Most flights take place early in the |
| balloon ride. You might even have to leave your | | | | morning, when the weather is calmer, and if you |
| own country. If you were lucky, there would be a | | | | get up into the air, it's because the conditions are |
| small number of balloon ride operators | | | | right for flight, and so you will get a great view. I |
| somewhere near you, and if you were unlucky, | | | | have been taking photographs from way up there |
| there would be none. | | | | for ten years, and my photo albums speak of the |
| The good news is that all that has changed in the | | | | ballooning beauty that is Great Britain. |
| balloon ride business. These days a balloon ride | | | | Of course the weather can disappoint. Too much |
| can be had pretty much wherever you wish: | | | | wind, or the wrong type of wind, will keep you on |
| Brazil, Russia, Chile, Surrey, South Africa, Spain, | | | | the ground, ruining your day. But there is usually |
| Gloucestershire, Namibia, Costa Rica, Kenya, | | | | another one following it, so there is time to try |
| Hertfordshire and, let us not forget, little old | | | | again. |
| Australia and the United States of America. | | | | There are over a hundred commercial balloon ride |
| That I am able to throw a few counties in | | | | operators in the United Kingdom just waiting to |
| England into my list of exciting ballooning locations | | | | get you into the air. The statistics are impressive: |
| from around the world is a sign of high times for | | | | there were around 80,000 balloon ride passengers |
| the balloon ride business in the United Kingdom. It's | | | | in the United Kingdom last year. And if you don't |
| good news for any one like me who loves the | | | | trust the statistics, trust the pilots. Many of our |
| idea of taking a balloon ride in Kenya, but is too | | | | pilots are highly experienced Australian and |
| poor of time and money to book the flight out | | | | American pilots, and if the flying or the business |
| there. | | | | were poor, they would not be here. |
| Australians and Americans, blessed as they are in | | | | So why not make yourself one of the 80,000? |
| their respective countries with numerous stunning | | | | Bring your friends, the family, who ever you |
| locations that are ideal for balloon rides, might | | | | want. It really is jaw-droppingly beautiful up there. |
| legitimately say that the United Kingdom is not | | | | It's another world and you just do not want to |
| blessed with the most ideal of flying conditions for | | | | come down. But with business the way it is, you |
| a balloon ride. We Brits might sigh and agree that | | | | don't have to for long. |
| (even if we do get up in the air) our balloon ride | | | | |