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  I flew in a hot air balloon!
Updated 12 August 2002, 17.29
Shelley went up in a hot air balloon
Shelley went up in a hot air balloon at an international balloon fiesta.

Here she reports on what it felt like to take flight - and how even though she used to be afraid of heights she felt OK!


"I went to the Bristol Balloon Festival - it's been going on for 21 years and it's where balloonists get together, look at all the different balloons and have a quick flight.

I got there pretty early in the morning because the wind conditions are better at that time of day.

Less scary than I thought

Shelley used to be scared of heights
It was a lot less scary than you would think - you don't go up very fast and it's quite slow.

I was allowed to control the flame - the balloon pilot showed me how to rev it up. This controls how high the balloon goes up - the more hot air in the balloon the higher it goes.

Afraid of heights

The landing was OK - if you go pretty slow you will usually land upright. Sometimes you tip over and I saw some balloons land on their side - but we stayed upright!

Getting ready for take-off
I used to be afraid of heights but at home in Australia I went to a camp and we had to use the really high "flying fox" - it's like a high wire, you hold onto the handles and whizz down.

Doing this really helped me be less afraid of heights.

Floating

I've been up high in quite a few aeroplanes but this was different because it was open.

In a plane it doesn't really feel like you're in the air but in a balloon it feels high up because you can see out all around you.

I thought I'd be scared flying in a balloon but I wasn't - you get this feeling that you're floating. I had a brilliant day!"

Shelley, 13, Western Australia


Why don't you write us a Press Pack report - and get it published on the site?!

It can be about anything that's happened in your local area - or your views on the news.

  Click here to find out how to do it

More InfoBORDER=0
QuizQuiz on hot air balloons
ClubWrite YOUR report!

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Past StoriesBORDER=0
Balloon adventurer lands with a bump
Record-breaking balloon route!
Science Week lifts off with balloon launch
Skydiver balloons to record new heights

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