Balloons are a thing of happiness, but a hot air balloon? Well it is sheer joy. Now little did I know that the Hot air balloon is first literally filled with a fan, then after a while or so, with heated air, giving it an endless supply of light air until the balloon fills up and starts lifting off, err levitating and hence uplifting all it’s passengers literally and figuratively, all at once. The balloon basket itself is divided in parts and each one gets a space of their own, interchangeably for the ride that lasts an hour or so. After booking in advance, getting slots in the touristy season is no joke, and even after one can never be sure if the balloon does literally take off that morning. A lot depends on the wind speed, the climate condition and the weather per se. A lot like life dont you think? One can plan all one wants and yet what is to happen is a congruence of just too many factors.

Once up in the air, after taking in the surreal, breath-taking views, the landscape of Cappadocia, again one hundred percent God-made, completely natural, a terrain that was just left to be, with barely any man-made intervention, then getting truckloads of comic relief watching the belles of the ball run into the sunrise as a photographer runs behind them to get a perfect picture, the makeup man trailing not far behind and the fashion designer lulling the trail of the dress to domesticity, (thank you Chetna, for pointing out the sheer absurdity of human existence at times) it is time to simply be. So much can be achieved with nothingness at times, it reminded me of the saying in Hindi, jo log kuch nahi karte woh kamaal karte hain, translating to the ones who do nothing are the ones who do marvels! La Dolce Vita, the sweetness of doing nothing!! But then after all that sense of wonder, delight, fun, hilariousness, when it is time to simply be, one understands the beauty of life. Peace draws in prosperity, in every era, under any circumstance. But when cajoled with natural wonders, treading softly or even lightly on the planet there is something amazing and exceedingly beautiful being up in the air. The supreme lightness of being. Alacrity brings forth conviction and with a birds eye view, priorities never seem more clear. Deftly I fished out my phone to share the moment with the ones I love the most.

In Cappadocia, the Turkish authorities allow for a balloon to reach a maximum height of 6000m but all through the hour, the pilot sashays the balloon through different heights sometimes reaching the minimum, and then raises it all the way, again expertly maneuvering as per the wind that blows. At no point the balloon’s direction is controlled, only it’s altitude can be worked on, even while landing, hence bringing factitude to the importance of attitude. While we were unsure if we could even take off due to the winds and waited for almost an hour, the same uncertainty got us an extra half an hour on air, the pilot simply could not find the right place to land!! While life is unfair, it is also at times unfair in one’s favor, and to that we aren’t complaining. The moments of bliss were obviously numbered but that made it all the more cherished. The eyes couldnt see enough, and the heart was full of wonder, if only we could traipse through life with exactly the same ideals! Yet it takes great beauty to move the soul, nah it does not budge on daily adventures, but what if everyday adventures look beautiful, for beauty lies definitely in the heart, err eyes of the beholder. The most beautiful part of the visuals were the sighting of not just lone balloon in the air rather it was at that precise moment when all the 150-odd balloons get up into the air at different levels, there is no competition, for who can dare to compete with nature? When all the balloons rise, in different colors, different patterns, the effect is out of the world. But then what can be better than out of the world? On top of the world you say? Damn right! On that note I must say, happiness is a precursor to beauty. For after that very memorably gleeful morning, I was so happy and bright all day. Now that’s a feeling I wish will never ever leave me, a day that I’d never want to shake it off. The exceedingly lightness of being on a hot air balloon!

The graduation ceremony to finally get the meaning and hence living of life came complete with a certificate and a picture, to be cherished! But the best question remains, Ma how will you come down? It’s enormously hard I say, not that I wanted to!!