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Rising out of the field, above the tree tops of a dense pine forest, we leave the other balloon below us. We seem to be floating for just a few seconds before we see, like in a mirage, the Château of Chenonceau astride the river. It is reflected in perfect mirror-image in the majestic Loire.
It’s the only château we are going to see, and on reflection that’s a bit of a disappointment. However, we could not have asked for a better ‘magic moment’ than the one we got over Chenonceau, so I’m happy.
We float like a bird, aloft for an hour taking in the river, the fields and the countryside below us (and taking so many photos).
Great skill coming into land, low and slow with an eye to the power lines and the other watching carefully to clear the tree tops on the perimeter of an unsuspecting farmer’s field. We come down with hardly a bump. Just worrying for thirty seconds as the basket rests on the ground and suddenly tilting at forty five degrees, until Franck rights it somehow.
We climb out into the soft, deeply furrowed, unevenly ploughed field. It’s full of prickly thistles and weeds, which prevent us from getting a sound footing. Giant mosquitoes buzz and bite. Snakes are a fear for some, while others complain of ants crawling up their leg and biting. With my record, I’ll be checking for ticks in the privacy of my bathroom when I get home.
Franck is still at the burners in the basket and a hole appears in the top of the balloon. As the air escapes it folds in on itself falling tidily to the ground. We able-bodied men help, lay it out and tie it up to get it back on the trailer.
And then, the 4WD gets bogged and the wheels spin in the soggy ground we’ve been ploughing through. An hour later, champagne corks pop; we have a friendly drink with the family crew from Touraine Montgolfière, and head home, arriving on the stroke of midnight.
I clear the refrigerator of every leftover salad item and ‘ends’ of cheeses, and make a delicious supper! Tomorrow, we sleep-in. (But we don’t! Edmundo uncharacteristically decides to wake us all at some ungodly early hour, to be together, socialising over breakfast.)
Click on arrow at bottom left of the photo below to play video
Michael,
Your video was so great; you brought back the wonderful memories. The music at the of your video just great.
Thank you Michael for all of your effort to please us
Naser in Tripoli
Wonderful video Michael! Even though we only saw one chateau, the view,the excitement, the company…was more than enough for me. I was a little scared in our way over to the field where the balloon took off. Therefore, I hereby thank my dear friend Edmundo for making me laugh on our way over there! It really helped, it was my Xanax!
Michael,
This is a beautiful memento of that afternoon. Thank you for taking the time to put it together.
Edmundo
Michael, your blogs on our trip to the North of Spain and to the Chateau d’Oyre in France are a wonderful way to tell in an entertaining way what we experienced during those days. I will read them again every time I want to relive those beautiful days. Edmundo.
Edmundo you look great, and that balloon ride looks like so much fun. So glad to see you in these blogs. Hope to see sometime again. Linda B from Santa Barbara, now Utah.