We were intentionally left in the dark about a lot of the stuff we did in Valencia (it was definitely an amazing surprise itinerary) and so, we had no idea until we returned from watching the tango, to take us on a hot air balloon ride the very next morning!
I can’t even begin to describe to you how excited we were! We’d both never been and had wanted to for quite some time now so we were practically bouncing off the walls in anticipation.
The next morning, we got up very (VERY) early and made our way to Sierra De Mariola, an hour or so outside of the city centre to find our hot air balloons being prepped ready for us!
After a quick coffee, we went to watch the guys prepare the balloons.
Actually, if I’m being perfectly honest, that was just an excuse. 😉
Seeing as the sun was still hiding behind the mountains, it was still quite cold and the fire being used to create the hot air was providing some much-needed warmth.
The warmth and the caffeine boost did nothing to quell our excitement though. If anything, it exacerbated it!
Before long, we got into our baskets and away we went!
Rising higher and higher with each passing minute…
… till the fields, houses and people beneath looks like tiny dots!
Slowly, the sun started to peer out between the mountains and light up the land beneath…
… leaving us with a rather impressive view!
I expected to be a lot more terrified of the heights from up there in the balloon but it’s surprisingly calming and rather mesmerising!
I’m not much of a ‘construction expert’ (interiors are more my kinda thing) but even I had many versions of a daydream as to what I could do with that little farmhouse below…
“By the time, I was be done with it, it would be the country home of all country homes” I kept reassuring myself (despite my obvious lack of skill in actually building houses…
Minutes felt like seconds up here as we floated idyllically across the Spanish countryside…
I also changed my mind about the country house once I saw this one. I’ll take this one instead. 😉
Eventually, it was time to make our descent and even after we landed, I just couldn’t get over the buzz of finally taking this air balloon ride.
It turned out to be so much better than I pictures it in my head.
We finished our morning off with a celebratory glass of champagne (or two)…
… just the way I like it! 🙂