Page 137 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL MAGAZINE FALL 2023 DISCOVERING TURKEY

We booked our ride for our second day as kept their eyes down as they boarded. No one
we were checking into our hotel. We were wanted to be late for liftoff and the thrill of
lucky; the weather was perfect for us. But, we flying with all those other balloons in the sky
talked to several people who had balloon too.
rides canceled the day before. Some were on Another challenge for van drivers is finding
site before crews called the ride off. Sure you the right balloon among the sea of balloons
can reschedule, but if your flight out is the spread over two valley floors. Our driver got
next day, you’re out of lost and spent some
luck. 20 minutes searching
To better your odds for ours. By the time
of flying, schedule we got there, the sun
your balloon ride was climbing and a lot
early in your visit so of balloons were al-
you’ll be around for a ready aloft. Later, as
few more days if you our flight ends, van
need to re-book. Also, drivers have to figure
plan your visit for the out where their bal-
best months for bal- loon will land. With
looning - spring (April changing winds that
to June) and fall (Sep- can be a crap shoot.
tember to October). Once we located our
Although they fly year balloon, the crew gave
round, Cappadocia us a little “breakfast”
sizzles in summer and bag, with a small bot-
is frosty — and some- tle of water and some
times snowy — in win- kind of plastic-
ter. wrapped pastry we
Our balloon ride couldn’t identify or
meant breaking our eat. While they filled
travel rule of NO the balloon with hot
EARLY FLIGHTS! Ho- air, we wandered
tel pickup was 4 a.m. It was dark when we around the field taking selfies and photos of
joined another sleepy couple already in our the other crews at work and wide-eyed pas-
van. For almost an hour, we drove to load sengers about to lift off.
other passengers. Finally, our pilot gathered us around the
Cappadocia van drivers deserve our highest gondola, a large shoe box-shaped woven
admiration. Navigating steep winding streets wicker basket divided into eight compart-
lined with hundreds of small hotels and ments. It’s attached to a five-story tall bal-
parked cars is no minor achievement in day- loon with a few ropes. Mary and I were the
light. In the dark, with dozens of other vans last passengers hoisted on board, which
on the same mission, it’s a miracle. Being late meant we scored prime viewing positions. A
for pickup is poor form. At our last stop, we delightful family of three from Mexico shared
waited for over 15 minutes for a couple who our little compartment.

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