hot air ballooning in Cappadocia

Our wake-up call came before dawn, and the instructions were to dress very warmly. I took that advice very literally, wearing two undershirts, two sweaters, two pairs of socks, in addition to a down jacket, scarf, gloves, and a Polartec beanie. Comfort is definitely more important to me than elegance!

I had never gone hot air ballooning before, and I must confess to having some fear, but once our balloon lifted off the ground and we started floating upward, all anxiety disappeared. Totally unlike an airplane, a hot air balloon is virtually silent and free of any shaking or vibrations. Save for an occasional blast of the propane burner to re-heat the air within the balloon, sending the balloon higher, the loudest sound you'll hear is the conversation among your traveling companions. It's a beautiful, peaceful experience as you float high above the ground and look out to the horizon.

The winds were extremely calm that morning, and we floated above the amazing landscape of Cappadocia, a region in the southeast corner of Turkey. There had been a recent snowstorm, and the valley was covered with the glistening white of a clean cover of snow. Pictured above is a photograph I took from our balloon; seen in the distance is the other balloon flown that morning by Kapodokya Balloons, the first ballooning company in the region and the vendor used by our Virtuoso on-site.

The flight was a magical experience. Talk about a bird's eye view! We looked down at the fairy chimneys, conical rock formations for which Cappadocia is known, and as we floated over the countryside, we saw the natural beauty of this part of the world. Cappadocia is a destination rich in history, culture, and scenic landscapes -- not to mention wonderful food and gifted pottery artists. It's a place you must visit when you come to Turkey. For help with putting together a completely customized tour of Turkey, just send me an email.

hot air ballooning (search here on Google)


copyright (c) 2007 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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