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Asia Adventures first flight of many
Discover Sri Lanka from 1000 metres above the jungled hills and rice fields – in a hot air balloon
By: Olivia Richli
Olivia Richli recalls a truly magical moment: 'Yesterday I had one of the most magical mornings I have ever had in Sri Lanka...
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After a horribly early wake up call, and a dark drive inland from Galle, I arrived in time to see a magnificent balloon being slowly inflated over the sports ground of a village school. Hundreds of bemused children watched in wonder, as nine of us climbed into the basket and floated away into the sky. Mad screaming and waving from the children below, and the most awesome views over the beautiful countryside of the Ruhunu province around us. To the north, the hills of the tea country and the smudgy outline of Adams Peak, and to the south, the coast with the Fort and the Buddhist stupa of Rhummasala glinting in the distance.
Rice paddies stretched either side of verdant jungled hills as far as you can see, with ribbons of mist tracing the valleys.
Green parrots and kingfishers were swooping around below the basket- flashes of brilliant green and turquoise above the trees.
After floating to a height of 1000 metres, Captain Justin brought us down to the tree tops and close enough to see the monkeys bouncing from tree to tree in a state of shock as the biggest thing they have ever seen floated out of the sky above them. School children bursting into spontaneous applause as they spotted us, traffic jams of motor
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bikes and tuk tuks as we drifted across country roads, and constant waving and smiling from us and the crowds on the ground.
I gazed in wonder and took hundreds of photographs of the shadow we cast over the hills and paddies.
After an hour and a half we landed, and were surrounded by 100s of villagers amazed at what had landed in their midst. I was asked constantly where we had come from.
This was Asia Adventures first flight in the south of Sri Lanka, and it was a triumph. They will be flying in the south until April, on every calm morning.’
Olivia Richli is GM of Amangalla, www.amanresorts.com.
Amangalla, Galle, Sri Lanka
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