The 4:30 a.m. alarm that was worth it

You've seen the photos. Here's the honest version: it's better in person.

The morning starts at 4:30 with hotel pickup, tea, and a safety briefing you half-hear because the crews are already unrolling a hundred balloons across the valley floor in the dark. Liftoff comes at the exact moment the horizon goes pink, and then you're drifting silent over fairy chimneys while a hundred other balloons rise around you like slow fireworks.

An hour in the air passes in about eleven minutes of perceived time. The landing is a controlled comedy involving a trailer and six strong men, followed by the traditional champagne toast at 7 a.m., which feels earned.

We paid about €230 each with a mid-sized reputable operator. Book the small basket if you can, first flight of the morning always, and don't fly on a day windy enough to be rescheduled — take the reschedule.