点评:A hot air balloon ride has been on my bucket list and I finally did it at the balloon rally in Prosser, WA with Seattle Ballooning. Easy to reserve online and great communication via email, text, and phone as the flight grew close. Easy launch location in Prosser. All our crew--Eliav the pilot and ground crew Kyle and Riley--were fun, informative, and kind. I have bad knees so they "pre-loaded" me and another passenger in the basket before inflation so that when the balloon was fully inflated and the basket tilted upright, we were standing without effort. The flight was wonderful with clear skies for an astounding sunrise launch. Eliav took us up high and low depending on wind. He dipped the basket into the Yakima River in downtown Prosser, amid kayakers and onlookers on the bridge cheering us. We drifted low over wetlands to see herons and red-winged blackbirds, then up sky-high for views of other balloons and surrounding countryside and hills, before navigating to a soft landing in a field. Ground crew helped stabilize us and get out of the balloon. While they packed up the balloon and basket, Eliav treated us to French champagne and chocolates while recounting hot air balloon history, from the Montgolfier brothers to Auguste Piccard (and Star Trek!) via French kings, Ben Franklin, and several wars. The crew transported us in a van back to our starting location. Highly recommend flying with Seattle Ballooning and turning a bucket list item into memories. Thank you Eliav and Seattle Ballooning!
翻译:乘坐热气球一直是我的愿望清单,最终在华盛顿州普罗瑟的西雅图热气球节上,我实现了这个愿望。在线预订很方便,而且随着飞行临近,通过电子邮件、短信和电话沟通也很顺畅。普罗瑟的起飞地点也很容易。我们所有的机组人员——飞行员埃利亚夫、地勤人员凯尔和莱利——都很有趣、知识渊博、友善。我的膝盖不好,所以他们在充气前把我和另一位乘客“预先”塞进了吊篮里,这样当气球充满气、吊篮倾斜直立时,我们就能毫不费力地站着。这次飞行非常棒,晴朗的天空为令人惊叹的日出起飞提供了绝佳的机会。埃利亚夫根据风向带我们升空。他把吊篮放入普罗瑟市中心的雅基马河中,桥上的皮划艇运动员和旁观者为我们欢呼雀跃。我们低空飘过湿地,观赏苍鹭和红翅黑鹂,然后飞上高空,欣赏其他热气球以及周围的乡村和山丘,最后在田野里软着陆。地勤人员帮我们稳定身体,并帮我们走出热气球。他们收拾热气球和篮子的时候,埃利亚夫一边用法国香槟和巧克力招待我们,一边向我们讲述热气球的历史,从孟格菲兄弟到奥古斯特·皮卡德(还有《星际迷航》!),再到法国国王、本杰明·富兰克林,以及几场战争。工作人员用面包车把我们送回了出发地。强烈推荐西雅图热气球之旅,把愿望清单上的愿望变成美好的回忆。感谢埃利亚夫和西雅图热气球之旅!