Balloon over Morocco

The first passengers to travel by hot air balloon were a sheep, a duck, and a rooster. That was in 1783. This year, I took my fifth trip on a hot air balloon, accompanied by three friends who had never traveled in that mode before. This trip took place just outside of Marrakesh, Morocco.

We left our riad at 5:45am, walked through the narrow alleys of the Médina to the main square and our car, then traveled along streets mostly devoid of traffic (unusual for Marrakesh). We drove through the darkness on roads that got more and more narrow, finally shrinking to what was probably wide enough for a one way street, but which allowed two way traffic – oncoming cars move over so that they are half on the pavement and have on the gravel ‘shoulder’ along side.

We arrived at the lift off site to find a fire awaiting us and cups of hot tea or coffee to sip while enjoying the stars overhead.

Soon, we heard giant fans begin pushing air into the ‘envelope’ of the balloon, and then the roar of the propane burners made it clear that hot air was going to be next!

The basket was attached to the balloon while laying on its side, but as more hot air was added, it tipped up,

and soon we were invited to board. This involved climbing up the outside of the basket, using the foot holes placed in the sides (and, for me, getting an appreciated “boost” from one of the team members below).

After a short time, the pilot, Ragab, called for the ropes that were tethering the basket to a tractor to be cast off, and we lifted into the air. This is what you see if you look up above your head at the burners:

And, of course, when the burners are ignited, here’s what you see:

(Why doesn’t the balloon catch fire? Because the flame is not directed to the fabric of the balloon, only to the inside of it.)

When the burners are not ignited, you see only the balloon above you, and hear only the sound of silence.

Then you turn your attention to what is happening outside the basket. Another balloon that has taken off before you:

And the emerging sunrise. (Unfortunately, because of the wind yesterday, there was a lot of dust in the air today, so the sunrise was not very spectacular).

Of course, everyone has their cameras/iPhones out!

Immediately, you get a much different view of the villages we have been passing over the last several days:

Our pilot takes the balloon up to 5,000 feet, which is the legal limit, and soon we are looking down at other balloons.

The pilot ‘reads’ the layers of air, using that information to find an air current to take us back towards the lift off site, and all too soon we are landing again (flight was actually an hour and 10 minutes).

Members of the crew, who have been ‘chasing’ the balloon in a car, dash over and start ‘spilling” air from the balloon.

The pilot, Ragab, takes a well deserved bow

And then we are helped out

And turn to watch the crew beginning the process of packing everything up.

Here’s a picture of your friendly blogger/photographer, taken by a friend who went along for the ride with me:

Mary

Marrakesh, Morocco 10/2/19