Travel Russia Today

You must do it once in your life. This was my second time but it may as well have been the first. The first was in Palm Springs but that experience, while exhilarating, pales in comparison to my second “first” time.

We woke before dawn. In the darkness of the room it was impossible to tell what time it was but the alarm was buzzing and the alarm clock never lies. You see there were no windows in the room and at the flick of the switch you had no idea if it was four a.m. or four p.m. But a night or two in a cave is a story for another time. My feet hit the cold stone floor- and it WAS very cold. Later that day there would be a blizzard but as we peeked out into the dark morning, stars twinkled in the sky as the crisp cold air enveloped us.

A 30 minute ride took us out of town and to an area that could have been in the desert west. As the sun barely touched the horizon the outline of an old horse drawn cart sat on a ridge just above us. And then the whoosh! The powerful noise and heat were overwhelming, exciting and welcoming as the warmth sent the cold air wafting away.


On the ground lay the fabric to reach from top to bottom of a nine-story building. An organized web of ropes and lines reached along to a wicker basket the Wicked Witch of the West could have filled with 200 Totos.

We met our fellow travelers over a cup of steaming coffee and a biscotti. Australians, Spaniards and Japanese made up the majority of flyers that day. The excitement was palpable and when it came time to clamber over the side of the gigantic picnic basket that hovers below the balloon the handlers had to hold the over-enthusiastic among us to avoid the rush. Every possible assistance is given when climbing in but you have to have at least some agility and therefore the trip is not for everyone.

In no time at all a very slight shake of the basket, a burst of hot air into the balloon and we had left the ground and the total silence of the Cappadocian morning was deafening. It was spectacular – more spectacular than words can ever describe. The flight takes you over the inaccessible valleys and canyons of the region. The pilots are incredible and adeptly maneuver the balloon dropping down to almost touch the canyon floor and sides and then soaring aloft again over scenery that belongs on another planet. There are always other balloons in the area, sometimes lots of them. Seeing them in this ethereal setting makes you feel as you though are in a movie.

The light changes as the sun rises into the sky and all too soon the pilot has decided on the landing site – this does depend on the weather conditions but is always a safe procedure. The fact that you actually have to crouch down into the basket during landing should not concern anyone. It is the balloon equivalent to fastening your seat belt for landing. The basket lightly brushes the dusty ground and comes to a stop and it is over. Champagne and orange juice are shared and you receive the statutory certificate proving that you have been there and done that. But you will not need a certificate tucked away in the back of a drawer to remind you of one of the most fantastic experiences you will have during your travels. The experience comes at a price you will not regret it.