I’m not the kind of guy who is afraid of a challenge or a new experience, but when my wife came up with the idea of taking a trip in an air balloon  I said sure, whatever you like, pretty sure that the idea would evaporate in no time. Right? Wrong as usual. A couple of years went past and I honestly forgot about the whole thing. 
Then, three summers ago, we decided to spend our summer vacation in Holland. I say summer but of course they Dutch have no such season in their calendar. They have the cold season, the wet season, the wet and cold season and the lets pretend it’s actually warm when it’s freezing cold and pouring with rain season. We had already experimented with the latter a few years earlier along with our kids, but we were both convinced that that had been a fluke of nature and this time it was bound to be different. Big mistake. While I planned the schedule my spouse put on her best smile, handed me a hot cup of coffee and casually remarked: I’ve been reading up on the internet and it just so happens (never ever fall for that one) Holland is famous for air balloons. I was ambushed. There was no way I, Steve the macho man, was going to admit that the idea of floating 200 metersup  in the air in a laundry basket,  accompanied by an assortment of red hot gas balloons, didn’t really overwhelm me. Anyway with our luck the stormy weather was sure to ruin our plans.
     So we made our balloon reservations over the internet -  fully refundable if the weather wouldn’t permit lift off or  if we chickened out. Sure enough when we landed at Schiphol Airport – and no I don’t know anyone who can properly pronounce that name – it was raining. And it rained and rained and rained some more,, and when the rain finally stopped for a moment the wind was so strong  you  could have sworn we were participating in a remake of the Three Pigs. We bought umbrellas, which immediately turned inside out, and raincoats which the Dutch sell everywhere even in the middle of summer and waited for the sun. After five days of miserable weather I received a call on my mobile. 
    “Meester Taite, this is Jaclyn from The Happy Balloon Service. We wanted to discuss with you a possible change of plans”
   Right here goes, balloon cancelled and I come out the hero anyway.
   “There is a balloon festival down south on Friday. It would mean you will by flying with other balloons instead of alone.”
   Thursday evening I switch on the T.V. to catch the weather forecast and immediately fall out of bed. 26 degrees centgrade and sunny,  a perfect day for the beach – or for ballooning.  I’d  been had. Friday morning finds us driving south in short sleeves and shades.In two and a half hours we reach the site of the balloon festival.
   Now for those of you who have never been to a balloon festival or up in a balloon here are a few ground rules followed by some air ones.
1. To qualify for flight it is very important that you are equipped properly – the draft beer is sold at any of the surrounding stands.
2. Make sure you have your picture together wth one of the marching bands – one day you can show it to your grandchildren.
3. Watching the pilot blowing  up the balloon with a massive electric fan does little for your confidence.
4. When you chose your place in the minute picnic basket, try not to be adjacent to an oversized dutchman who immediately treads on your right foot.
5. Make sure you have fully charged your video camera – you don’t want to go through this again do you?

 
Oh, I almost forgot to add. The experience was incredible, it’s very similar to drifting on a stray cloud. I highly recommend it. No really , I really do. 

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