An ordinary life in an extra-ordinary place
Up up and away in my beautiful….elephant
The time: around 0600
The location: a field outside Pattaya.
It’s barely dawn, but there is an object growing larger in the early morning light (ah, sweet memories):
Then a flash of flame in the darkness:
It’s a balloon!:
A bit more heat…
..and up it goes:
By 0620 the field was full of balloons (it gets light in the space of ten minutes here):
Click below to see more weird designs, including the reason why one balloon needed a Lucasfilm copyright notice.
about 2 years ago
There seems to be no limit to the designs they can come up with. I’ve been up twice in more conventional balloons, and it is the most wonderful experience. One of the best things I’ve ever done in my life, actually. The silence when you’re up (when the burner isn’t on), setting the dogs off barking below, the great view. Once was near Eastbourne in the UK, and the other was in the desert near Alberqerque, New Mexico. The feeling of sweeping along at a fair old pace just a couple of metres off the ground before we landed, well. you can’t experience that in any other way. It’s great – if you like that kind of thing.
about 2 years ago
Given what you have recorded with your trusty cameras over the last month or so it is clear, despite the usual harping expat complaints about its imperfections, that Pattaya regularly offers a lot of events of some quality at least, and more than the odd interesting character. Though I prefer mine rather later in the day than 06:00 it must be said.
about 2 years ago
25% of events I never hear of until after they are over, 50% are of no interest or not photogenic; so indeed there is a lot going on. It’s by no means perfect, but some of the imperfections are amusing if you act as spectator.