One of our passengers reflects on their experience of a hot air balloon flight with Bailey Balloons:
“I flew with Bailey Balloons on an evening flight from the Royal Victoria Park in Bath. It was the most beautiful sunny Springtime afternoon. The great thing about a hot air balloon flight is that, even though you may have to wait for the perfect conditions to come along, you are guaranteed that it will be the most gorgeous day when you take your flight.
Preparing for take off
“As I arrived at the Royal Victoria Park, the Bailey Balloons vehicle and trailer were there already. Once the other passengers had arrived, the friendly crew and pilot checked everyone off, and clearly explained the process to everyone.
“Onlookers picnicking and relaxing on the grass nearby were watching enviously as the balloon and basket were unloaded from the trailer – I felt so lucky that I was going to be one of the passengers actually going up in the balloon!
“We were all invited to help set up the balloon, and seeing the balloon inflate up close is just amazing. The flew in the red and white “Red Letter Days” balloon which is absolutely HUGE and can carry up to 16 passengers. The balloon was laid out flat on the ground and we all helped as it became inflated with cold air. The pilot then turned on the burners and the whole thing began to lift up, until finally the whole balloon was standing up, with the basket still on the ground. At this point the crew directed us into the basket, and I was pleased to see that inside was sectioned into different compartments, which meant that nobody got squashed and everyone got the most perfect comfortable view out of the side!
Fly over the Royal Crescent“Suddenly we were off, and the balloon began to ascend upwards away from the grass below. We seemed to be rising quickly away from the ground, but there was no feeling of movement, just a peaceful sensation as the onlookers in the park became tinier and tinier. The Royal Crescent emerged below us in a beautiful formation, and the heritage buildings and landscaped gardens of Bath appeared as a toy town from above. Our pilot Clive Bailey was very informative and highlighted various features on the ground as we floated through the skies. He seemed relaxed and personable, but remained also highly professional and everyone felt that they were in safe hands.
“We flew for approximately 1 hour across beautiful countryside – fields were interspersed with lovely wooded areas and country houses. Although I arrived on my own on the day, there were a variety of people on our flight, from couples to larger groups, and all different ages, and everyone felt included in the group as a whole. We landed in a field and worked together to pack away to balloon with Clive and the crew. After everything was packed away, we were served chilled Champagne and orange juice in glasses to toast the flight, and had a chance to look at the in-flight photographs and chat excitedly about the experience! We were driven back to the Park just as the sun was setting.
“What an experience to remember! I would recommend a flight with Bailey Balloons to anyone.”
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