In late April, Dang Quang Vinh, a tourist from Dak Lak, visited Australia to experience a sunrise hot air balloon flight in the Yarra valley, Victoria. He considers this the most memorable part of his trip. As the hot air balloon launch site is about 60 km from Melbourne, he woke up at 4h to reach the meeting point.

The hot air balloon service in Yarra valley has been famous for decades, becoming a tourism icon for the region. Prices range from 500-570 AUD (approximately 9.2-10 million dong) for about one hour of flight, including a meal and shuttle service, depending on the chosen package.

Quang Vinh (in white shirt) experiences a hot air balloon flight. *Photo: Dang Quang Vinh*

At the launch site, staff use powerful fans to inflate the balloon's envelope. According to the Balloon Museum, hot air balloons operate on aerodynamic principles: hot air rises in cooler surrounding air.

As the burner heats the air inside the envelope, the entire balloon becomes lighter than the surrounding cool air and begins to ascend. Because the lift from hot air is relatively weak, the envelope must be very large to contain enough hot air, allowing it to carry the basket, fuel tanks, and passengers into the air.

"The initial feeling was very strange; there was no acceleration or dizziness like on an airplane. Everything happened so slowly that I barely realized I was ascending", Quang Vinh recounted.

From above, tourists can see interwoven colors of vineyards, forests, and rivers, creating a beautiful natural landscape.

For Quang Vinh, the most impressive sight was the vast, "endless" white sea of clouds, gilded with the golden hues of the sun. The tourist shared that witnessing this scene made his initial fear of flying almost disappear, replaced by a feeling of peace. Despite this, he still advises those with a fear of heights not to try this experience.

Mai Anh