High as a Kite, and Down with a Bump - in a Hot Air Balloon over Haro, Rioja, Spain
Share
After a heady night sampling the delights of Rioja, the best way to clear your head is to take a balloon flight over the vineyards washed down with a livening glass of Spanish champagne.
The weather forecast was rain, but as dawn broke, we headed for the hills, hoping for good news from our balloonists. Our Rendezvous was the small town of Haro, in the West of Rioja, and it seemed they were giving us the thumbs up as we made for open country. Finding an open field next to the vineyards, they started unpacking their gear from their trailer and started a huge fan to inflate the balloon. It gradually took shape, towering above the flimsy wickerwork basket, and soon the pilot had turned on the burners and was sending huge sheets of flame up into the air.
Five of us jumped inside and effortlessly we lifted into the air, the silence broken only by blasts from the burners and disturbed mutterings from some of our party. They needn’t have worried. Our pilot knew exactly what he was doing and soon we were doing the equivalent of balloon acrobatics, either so low off the ground that we were skimming the tops of the vines, or so high that all we could see was the cotton wool of the clouds below us.
Most of the time we drifted over the landscape, taking in the seemingly endless rows of vines and, although visibility wasn’t great, at least it wasn’t raining. I’m not usually a fan of heights, often suffering from dreadful vertigo, but ballooning is different, probably because it’s so slow and gentle. I even managed to hold down an airborne breakfast of Cava and chocolate, a combination peculiar to blimps. It seems, however, that the usual rules of drink driving don’t apply to balloons, at least not in Spain, as our pilot joined us in a toast to happy landings…
Now that’s where the problem started – after an hour of flying we were warned to prepare for the descent. The technique is simple – you crouch down inside the basket and hang on to the ropes, literally for dear life, and hope for the best. I couldn’t resist peeking over the sides until the last possible moment, and then suddenly there was a thud, and we were all thrown on our sides. It wasn’t over yet, for the basket was jerked into the air and then finally came down again with a very big bump, landing on its side and almost spilling us out onto the ground. At least we’d come to rest and Ivan leapt out, grabbed a camera, and captured the moment. I suspect that scaring the tourists was all part of the routine, but it made for a memorable ending.
Useful links
Iberia (0870 609 0500) flies from London to Logroño via Madrid.
One hour balloon flights cost around 150 Euros
Rooms start at around 80 Euros in this converted convent in Haro
Spanish Tourist Office has information
Email
Add to your Pocket Guide
