May 24, 2015
Can I call it "date night" if it started at four in the morning? Very, very early on a freezing cold Sunday morning (okay, "cold" is a relative term, but it was definitely below zero, and it was definitely winter in South Africa), M and I drove out to the Magaliesberg Mountains. In the North-West province, and less than two hour drive from Johannesburg, Magalies feels like another world entirely. It is small-town-country-charm through and through, with rolling hills, wide open blue skies and lots of fresh air. While there are many attractions in this area, we went for one specific reason: to go on a hot air balloon ride. Admittedly, this wasn't our first hot air balloon ride (we did one back in 2014 in Kenya over the Maasai Mara), but as a highly recommended local attraction for Gautengers, this was something we wanted to experience while we're here. I think I'm kind of in love with the feeling of floating over the clouds.
We continued our ballooning "date day" with a visit to the Van Gaalen cheese farm, the Welwitischia Country Market, and finally a lovely meal at the Silver Orange Bistro. Despite it all though, the main highlight for us was to spend the morning soaring over the Magalies River Valley and seeing this part of the country from a new perspective.
Watching from the clubhouse as the balloons were being filled.
Freezing and happy (those are the balloons being inflated in the background).
One's upright...
Bill Harrop himself, of Bill Harrop's Original Balloon Safaris. He was our pilot.
They're off!
Sunrise and balloon.
Sometimes, hazy skies can be beautiful.
Hot air.
Ballooning.
Looking down.
Looking up.
M & I in the balloon.
Starting the descent.
This guy was in charge of "catching" the balloon basket and ensuring it landed on the truck that was to transport the basket back to the base site.
Jump!
The balloon deflaters.
Cheers to date day.
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