I can tell you this: taking
off in a hot air balloon is a
strange, exhilarating feeling.
It takes getting used to—about
10 minutes. After that, you don't
want to come down.
It's not like ending a sea voyage
where it feels good to step on
solid ground again. When you
climb out of the balloon basket,
it feels like your wings have
been clipped.
Still you've done it,
and you can enjoy the memories
(and photos) forever after.
You
can bore your friends with superlatives
for years, but you know something
they don't, and can't know—until
they fly for themselves.
