Hot air ballooning was originally touted as the future of transport – a way of getting where one needed to go quickly and effectively, despite the fact that routes could not really be planned and that the ultimate destination would depend a great deal on the whims of Mother Nature. However, even by the end of the 19th Century, it was an outdated approach to getting from one place to another and had instead become a favourite with those who wanted a more unique way of getting around and something that would be at once fun and mysterious. In short, ballooning doesn’t tell you where you are going – it is far more interested in the journey itself than the destination. However, this is not the only allure of balloon flights. Instead, the experience they offer is unique, allowing a far more encompassing view of an area without the impersonal nature of flying in the likes of an aeroplane. In the early days of ballooning, individuals would be able to move from one side of a city to the other, experiencing how the feel of the place changed gradually as they swept across the sky, moving from the bright lights and exuberance of more affluent areas, to the darker and louder locales where more bawdy action would be taking place. Whilst the disparity in sounds, smells and sights may be more slight today, the experience of moving from one area to another and seeing with your own eyes how these changes take place is still a great allure. Furthermore, hot air ballooning is one of the few forms of transport that has changed very little over the past three centuries. As such, it is a link to the past as well as a great way to travel and whilst the sights and sounds may have changed over the many years, the experience will still be extremely similar to that which people got to enjoy as far back as the time of George III. Today, hot air balloon experience days are as popular as ever and it is that sense of mystery and adventure that makes them as appealing now as they were in the days that they were the best possible form of transport. Not knowing where you will go or what you will see or indeed if anyone has ever travelled the exact path you will be taking all leads to one simple fact – each trip is, in its own way, unique. And after all that excitement, you will also find that the views aren’t all that bad either. At Virgin Balloon flights, we are aware that the journey is more important than the destination is every facet of life, and we make sure that your journey with us will be unique, mysterious and exciting, and that you have the most enjoyable trip possible whether you want romantic hot air balloon rides for 2 or a trip with an entire group of like minded adventurers. So, no matter what you want from your mysterious adventure, we will do our best to make sure that you get it.