After waiting 4.5 years, my friend and I finally went on a hot air balloon ride she received as a gift for her 40th birthday. After 18 cancellations the 19th booking was the charm. You really can’t rely on the Scottish weather!
We were both feeling a bit nervous as we had no idea what to expect and how 16 people were going to fit in the basket, but also excited as to the experience we were about to have. As the journey to the site continued our excitement grew.
We arrived at the site for 7.30pm but due to wind gusts we had to hold off for a while until they died down. After what seemed liked a long time, 20 minutes or so, they said we could finally go down to the launch site and start inflating the balloon. This was going to be a team effort.
Wow – the balloon was unfurled and it was huge! It took a while and the effort of a number of us. As the fans turned on and the balloon began to inflate, it seemed like an impossible task that it would ever fill up. It took about 20 – 25 minutes to fill the balloon up. Once it was ready, we all clambered in the basket and got ready for take off. We had a safety briefing beforehand and were all clued up on what we had to do and not to do.
Standing in the basket, wondering how on earth the hot air balloon was ever going to take off, the pilot Graeme, flared the gas several times, made a few jokes about having to lose a teddy bear someone had brought along for the ride, in order to take off. A few more flares of the gas, the basket moved forward and up, up and away we went.
It was a very smooth flight, it wasn’t bumpy or wobbly, the balloon glided along. Floating like any balloon would, but perhaps with a bit more control. Well, as much as you can control a balloon.
As we flew through the countryside, over the fields and houses (lower than I expected) I felt calm and peace wash over me. A similar feeling to what I experienced when I did a bungee jump (yes I know that seems unlikely), but after the initial jump, the wind rushing past my ears, gave me a sense of calm.
Whilst this is a very extreme way to have a sense of calm, it came in the most unexpected of places. I never would have thought I’d feel relaxed and calm on this adventure. For me I was expecting it to be high adrenaline with fear of falling out over the side of the basket.
Thinking about my adventure, have you had a similar experience where you find serenity and calm in an unusual place? If so, great. Is there something we can do to recreate the sense of peace and tranquillity in normal every day life. I mean, it isn’t practical to do a balloon ride everyday and given the very unpredictable-ness of the Scottish weather it isn’t something that would even be feasible.
It was an amazing experience, and one which I may never repeat, well not in Scotland, as I could be waiting another 4.5 years!
If we think about what made the hot air balloon ride calm and serene then we can pick out the points and try to replicate it elsewhere. The smooth journey, the quiet, the scenery, nature, the fresh air, the views and the time of day – sunset!
What could I do to get this feeling again. Well I could go for a walk in the country or climb a hill or go to a lovely high point and look at the stunning views – even better at sunset. This isn’t guaranteed to work, however, I can give it a try and see if I become awash with tranquillity. You never know, this could become a regular thing.
You could do this with any good experience you have, what can you do to replicate the feelings? Whether it is a high rush of adrenaline or a serene relaxing massage. Break it down into small parts and see what you can do to fit that into your daily life.
We all deserve to be happy and if we find something that makes us feel good and then of course we want to experience those feelings again. It may not be practical to do the exact same thing again then why not work out what it is you loved about the experience and try to find something else that matches those feelings.
Who knows, it may or may not work. But give it a go and try to recreate those feelings and see what happens. Enjoy yourself and let me know how you go.
Thank you for reading, have a great week and look after you.
Love Emma xx
Wellbeing with Relaxing Lavender 
Hello Emma , that was great you managed to go up in the balloon after waiting so long to do so. I had the chance just after my first surgery on my arthritic feet Ruth booked it for my 60 th Birthday , it was to be leaving from Castle Fraser . Ten folks to be in the basket .
id to fill out a form to say I understood all the do s and don’ts etc , and because I’d to be able to climb in and out of the basket unaided and me still on crutches at the time , I was advised to cancel and Ruth got her Money back without any trouble .i always wanted to be able to go up in the the hot air balloon basket .. I was up in the wee helicopter that left from Kintore It flew out over Giedleness lighthouse And swung over Aberdeen and Inverurie and back to KIntore . I’d never flown before that and thought it was great . There were three passengers and pilot .fro t was a man on his 80 th birthday , myself and another fella in the back , it was superb .. great memory .
good you and your friend enjoyed the experience ,take care , love May xx
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Hi May, thanks for reading. Oh that’s a shame you never got to go up in a hot air balloon. But the helicopter trip sounds amazing. So glad you did that and got to see Inverurie, Kintore and the lighthouse too! It was a good experience and I enjoyed it. Thanks x
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