For Christmas 2007 I bought Fred a balloon ride over Glastonbury Tor with Virgin Flights.  Unfortunately, all last year they were unable to take off from Glastonbury because of the weather conditions on each booked flight.  However, on Tuesday Fred managed to finally get his flight.  He had waited nearly 18 months, but there were some people who had waited 2 years.  He wanted me to go with him, but I am definitely not that stupid - 1 mile in the sky with nothing but a bit of braided willow between me and the final destination.  I don’t think so!

Anyway,  I took him to the field.  No-one was there, as usual we were first.  About an hour later I saw this red balloon flying over the Tor and then wished I had gone as well, it looked amazing.  Fred came back so excited and taken up with the whole thing that I think it is an experience not to be missed.

Of course he took loads of pictures and they are amazing.  Here are a selection of the ones over the Tor and Glastonbury.  I love the shadow of the Balloon.

From a distance

Our house from the Balloon

Tor and Balloon

At one point I wathed as the balloon went so high that it was a tiny pin-prick in the sky and then went into the clouds.  This was more than a little worrying, especially as it didn’t appear again - it was making its way to Shepton Mallet, hmmm, the mile high club over Shepton Mallet, doesn’t have a completely wonderful ring to it.

In the clouds

Fred said later that it was really hot in the clouds, not what you would expect.