Hot Air Ballooning in Cappadocia, Turkey

If you ever find yourself in Cappadocia, Turkey, hot air ballooning is a must! And so, on my solo trip to Turkey I put fear aside and booked a ride. 

At some ridiculous hour of the morning I arose, put on warm clothes, and headed down to the hostel reception with others to await pickup. After a quick breakfast hosted at a nearby restaurant, we were driven to our hot air balloon. Surrounding us were other balloons with flames already hot and angry, ready for take off. 

Crowded in our basket, I slipped my way into the edge for a better view. With the fire roaring, the ropes were cast off and we were up and away. The gentleness of the ride paired with the view of neighbouring balloons floating against the sand and soft light of the early morning was absolutely magical. Despite the craziness of cameras around me, my mind transcended into a meditative state. Pure happiness is only one hot air balloon ride away.

Travelling the skies until morning became day, we floated over the valleys and “chimneys” that define the Cappadocia landscape, eventually making our descent in a large grassy field. We helped bring the deflating balloon to the ground, flattened and rolled it up ready for the next adventurers, our adventure was done!