Hot Air Balloon over the Masai Mara

Susan and yours truly to the right of the Pilot, gently floating above the Masai Mara

Sunrise and sunset come quickly at the low latitudes, as mariners dawn and dusk barely exist in the equatorial region.

This is magic hour – that time between total dark and the first sign of the sun peaking above the distant horizon. The clarity of light is unmatched at any other time of day.
Starting the cold inflate
Our pilot Mehmet from Turkey leads the safety briefing while the cold inflate continues
The balloon basket lies on its side to facilitate loading the 16 passengers in four compartments, and an employee demonstrates how we are to sit and hold on – crash position
Loaded and ready for the hot inflate to commence.
And Whoooosh, the hot inflate fires right above our head. Loud powerful and hot.
The balloon fills with hot air, the balloon rises to a position above the basket, the hot fill continues, the basket rotates from lying on its side to being upright, all the passengers slide down into the basket, Mehmet jumps in, gives the order to release the tie down line secured to the flatbed truck’s front bumper, the basket bumps gently three or four times, and then total silence, just a sensation of floating. We stand up and peer over, already 20 feet off the ground.
Mehmet pleased with his flawless launch!
Magic hour ends with the sun peaking above the African horizon.
Glorious
A nearby balloon firing hot air to ascend, creating a warm glow.
18 balloons launched on this early morning

A number of wildlife images from the balloon:

Large herd of Cape Buffalo continuing their long, slow, yearlong migration.
Zebras lead the migration
Thomson’s Gazelle caught mid air during full speed sprint
After touch down, the anti climax
Breakfast under a lone Balanite tree on the savanna.
Celebrating a successful float with a champagne breakfast among the tall savanna grasses with our friends Warren, Barbara, Jerry and Lou Ann.

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