World Championship in Ballooning

Well, here I am in Michigan, Battle Creek with the Swedish National Team in Ballooning! Amazing!

Our sponsors is Turkish Airlines, so we got spoiled with Business class tickets from Istanbul and the incredible business launch, I wish I never have to travel economy again…

Our sponsors

Me happy in Business class

I arrived Chicago Saturday night and missed the last bus and train so I had to rent a car. After 20 min bargain with AVIS, I ended up with a brand new Mustang for the price of small economy hairdryer seat, a very good start in USA… It took me almost 5h (instead of 3,5…) to get to my hotel in Battle Creek by midnight, It must have been something wrong with the gps…. (not me…!!?)

My rental car - a Mustang

05.10 in the morning I got up again feeling like a confused hen with lack of sleep since 24h.
Briefing meeting at 06.15 was huge. 105 balloon-teams from all over the world. Then everybody set off to a common start area, my team set of 3 min too late and got a bad start-spot on the field.

Briefing meeting

neun und neunsisch luftballong

Start-area

The sight on the startfield was breathtaking! 105 balloons with crews on a small start-area.

Soon time to set off, Pilot Lars Ekstedt

Taem captain Charles and our car,
that Volvo Cars New Jersey  lend us

Que to the first drop

The first task was the throw a marker on a specific coordinate on the ground, then fly a “donut” dont ask me to explain, and then throw a marker on a pilot declared coordinate also called “hesitation waltz”

We borrowed this familys garden on our 2nd flight

We landed 08.30 and got back to the hotel at 10 for some sleep. Next flight is at 19.

Our balloon in the air

Early morning flights and late night flight.
This is surley a fantastic sweetliving adventure.
I tell you more later...