Writing Prompt: 9.15.22 The View from a Hot Air Balloon

I have always been afraid of heights. I do not like the idea of being anywhere with my feet off the ground. In a very short time, I can feel extremely uneasy when it comes to being up in the air. I do not like rollercoasters that go up high. I’m not a fan of skyscrapers. I always feel like sky scrapers are moving when I’m in them (they are but not as much as I think)

Today, I forced myself into the experience of being a hot air balloon. The reality here is that there is a large number of things that can go wrong and throw everything for a loop when it comes to being in a hot air balloon.

The view though, it’s amazing. Looking over the horizon and seeing so many things off in the distance, it is breath taking. Well, it is either breath taking or I am having a mild panic attack while I’m up here.

I looked down, and realized how high up I was and I immediately started to freak out. Funny thing, I have been in buildings that are taller and not felt nearly as uncomfortable as I did looking down from the hot air balloon.

I was floating over the river at one point. Looking down, seeing the boats that looked way too small to be on the water. It’s amazing to think that the first hot air balloon was in France, and how the world was so excited to see how it worked. This entire experience was a little different for me.

I’ve been in air planes. Way above the height that I was in with this balloon but was scared to death in the hot air balloon. I’m guessing it’s because when I looked down, I was just in a wicker basket looking thing that was holding me while the balloon was controlled by a small flame creating hot air.