Page 22 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 8_2023

Adventure

impala. A crocodile could be seen on Mark allowed the balloon to descend defying flight and also recited the
the banks of the lake waiting for the slowly towards the ground. We balloonist’s prayer. “May the winds
sun to provide enough warmth to re- were advised to bend our knees to welcome you with softness. May the
energise its cold-blooded body. We cushion the impact of landing but sun bless you with its warm hands.
watched the other balloon with the this was hardly necessary as the May you fly so high and so well that
Americans on board, rise above the basket gently kissed the earth about God joins you in laughter, and sets
surrounding hills and then descend a kilometer from our launch site. The you gently back into the loving arms
lower to no doubt enable a closer support crew in the back up vehicles of Mother Earth.”
view of the elephant herd. From our had tracked our progress throughout
height we could see many animal our flight and arrived within seconds All of us were then transported back
trails leading off in all directions and of our landing. A champagne to our respective lodges, having
also many of the surrounding hills breakfast was quickly set up and we enjoyed a unique and quite amazing
that were formed by volcanic action shared a celebratory drink with our experience. Mankwe Gametrackers
in prehistoric times. fellow passengers. has been conducting balloon flights
over the Pilanesberg for 29 years
After more than an hour of calmly Mark handed out certificates to each and have an excellent safety record
floating above all that we surveyed, of us, commemorating our gravity catering for the adventurous at

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