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Private Notes
Our balloon trip to Sri Lanka is a journey through an exceptionally beautiful country in the Indian Ocean. Rich cultures, ancient temples, exotic landscapes, old steam locomotives and tea plantations are part of the adventure. Landing however is difficult in a country, which seems to consist only of jungle, lakes and rice-paddies.
In Mongolia we follow international crews from France, Germany, Great Britain and Switzerland through the Mongolian steppe, the temple complex of Karakorum and the Gobi Desert. Boundless vastness, pathless solitude and infinite freedom shape the life of the steppe people. The ground logistics alone are pure adventure and off-road vehicles are a must outside the Mongolian Capital Ulan Bator.
The giant mountain scenery and the majestic panorama of the Alps is an outstanding and challenging experience for every hot-air balloonist. This episode also focuses on the theoretical aspects of ballooning: how high, how far and how precise can a balloon fly? What do you need to know about weather, wind and geography? A spectacular highlight is the Night Glow in Chateau d’Oex, when the fiery balloons illuminate the darkness of the valley.
The Kenyan Rift-Valley with its enormous herds of animals is one of the most breathtaking savannas of the world. Kenya is also the home of Alan Root, one of the world’s most renowned wildlife filmmakers. Over forty years ago he was taught how to fly a balloon by our pilot Phil Dunnington. Now they meet again and fly through the skies above the Maasai Mara as they used to in the old days.
Venezuela with its spectacular landscapes is the grand finale of our journey. The spectacular Table Mountains (Tepuis) in the south of the country build the backdrop for the adventurous flights in La Gran Sabana. In this episode the renowned Director Werner Herzog joins us in search of inspiration for new unusual visuals. For a long time he has been an admirer of the austere beauty of the Tepuis - now he not only ventures to experience the eerie ambience on their top, but also takes the risk of ballooning in the vicinity of the “Lost World” mountains.
