I have always wanted to fly in a Hot Air Balloon so for my 40th Birthday my husband bought us a Romance Gift Package from Virgin Balloons.
This was in June 2014 and we still have not had our flight!
Five times we have booked and five times it has been cancelled due to adverse weather conditions, one of which was during that epic storm we witnessed back in June, so I was quite relieved for that one.
Virgin Balloons give you six months from the flight cancellation to book another flight, which is what we have done each time until now. Flights from Larmer Tree in Salisbury get updated on a Wednesday at 5pm so I have been religiously logging on every week to attempt to book another flight, only there are no new flights available and haven’t been for the last 4 weeks. We are fast approaching winter months and my voucher runs out in February so I am anxious to get it booked and done.
It is beginning to frustrate me no end that the helpline cannot help, there seems to be no explanation as to why no new flights are available locally either.
The second balloon I have been wanting to try for years is the Bournemouth Balloon. I won a voucher to go up in it last year which runs out at the end of this week.
Although I am able to take the kids onboard, none of them want to do it and on days when hubby has been around to look after them whilst I go up, the weather has been awful.
Today, hubby is day off, the skies are gloriously clear and there is no wind – perfect for a balloon flight. About to hop into the car and make my way to Bournemouth Gardens I decide to double-check the website just to be sure and was met with this!
Due to adverse weather conditions the balloon is not currently flying, existing ticket holders please call to arrange another booking.
Erm, as I said before, the weather is glorious – not a cloud in the sky and barely a breeze.
I phoned to check, thinking it may be an error – nope the balloon is not flying today!
Me and balloons – it’s not destined to be is it?
Your very brave wanting to go up in one! It must be quite frustrating each time not to be able to get up and go! We used to have a big balloon festival near to where I grew up – the weather never seemed to stop them!
Omg how frustrating.
I’ve always wanted to do this too.
Surely it’s not your fault and they can see you have been booking it over and over again….seems so unfair for it to run out through no fault of your own