Usually I don’t use the words ‘bucket list’ because I have certain associations with them. So for the sake of my superstition let’s rephrase that and call it a ‘wish list’. I certainly have one: front row seats at a Chanel fashion show in Paris, a flight (or more) on a private jet, stuff like that. But don’t get me wrong, I’m easily pleased with the smaller things in life as well. But like you could have read in the last post, zip lining is not one of them. Another thing on the wish list was a ride on a hot air balloon. I kept seeing pictures from colleagues pop up on my feed and I started to get the jitters as well. Even cooler would be to do this trip in Cappadocia, Turkey. But hey, flying over the pyramids of the sun and the moon in Mexico City will do just as fine. Just so happened I got called out of stand-by duty to go to Mexico City the other day. But, that also sometimes happens: nobody from the crew wanted to do anything special and stayed in an around the hotel. No biggie because there was another flight to Mexico on my schedule so I had another shot. Did I get the green light this time? Vamos a ver!
We got caught in a major rain storm, is this trip still happening?
After a 12 hour flight and an hour drive we arrived at the hotel completely knackered. But before we could finally enjoy a well deserved rest we needed to arrange the tour for the next day. Unfortunately, the tour for the next day was already fully booked. But the day after, was still open. We had to meet up in the lobby at 5.50 am and would be picked up at 6am sharp. On our way to the station we got caught in a major rain storm, is this trip still happening? After arriving at the station (and many positive affirmations later) it’d finally stopped raining. Still didn’t get the green light to go up though. The wind conditions weren’t good and had to be monitored by the minute.
And we got the ok! The plan was to be in the air during sun rise but because we had to wait for the weather to improve the sun was already up and shining bright. Just one more little hitch, because of the wind conditions, we didn’t exactly fly over the pyramids, which was the intention. But come on: hot.air.balloon.ride. How amazing??
From a distance. On the left, the pyramide of the Sun and the smaller one on the right, pyramide of the Moon and between them, the avenue of the dead. Did you know my first training flight (with my current employer) was to Mexico City as well? One of my course mates and I went all the way up the pyramids. Feeling nostalgic..
Haha! The fashion, the awkward pose, the white t-shirt, the hair, the climbing a pyramid on flip-flops! #throwback 🙈
Magical.. so happy and thankful to have had this experience. Although you’re in a small basket together with eight other people, it still felt very peaceful. You’d only hear the hot air blazing into the balloon, other than that it was very quiet. Only thing I was afraid of was my afro being fried..but that also went well 😅.
Contrary to Costa Rica, all smiles in Mexico. It’s a good thing I don’t have a fear of heights and this was, hands down, the most awesome trip I’ve done so far. After being up in the air for about an hour it was time to get our feet back on the ground. After a not very soft landing between in a field of cacti 😅🌵 we got picked up and taken back to the station. During a lovely traditional Mexican breakfast we received our certificate and I officially could tick off this goal of my wish list.
What experience is still on your wish list?
xx Mishanou
