Thursday 22 March 2012

4th Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta

The Putrajaya International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta this year making the 4th consecutive year but my first visit to the festival.

Here are some interesting facts about Hot Air Balloons...

So what exactly is a Hot Air Balloon? It is the earliest carrying flying machine but not practical flying machine as it is can't really steered as due to travel by the wind direction.It can't go backwards and they seldom take off and land in the same place.

There is no gas inside this balloon and works by the principle of warmer air rises in cooler air.It can be reheat by the burner under the open balloon envelope when the air inside cool down. Buoyancy will keep the balloon up.

To keep the balloon float, hot air is pumps into the envelope. Envelope is the air bag which  trap the heated air.To deflate the balloon ,cold air is used to pump in.

Nowadays balloon can be seen in many shape and colours, no longer the conventional "tear" shape.
There are many people confused between gas and hot air balloons.What makes the difference is that unlike gas balloons, the hot air balloon envelope does not have to be sealed at the bottom.

It is expensive and time consuming to inflate a gas balloon and the most common gas use is helium which is expensive.



Jambatan Seri Wawasan


We were lucky to find a parking space once  we passed by the bridge of "Jambatan Seri Wawasan".This bridge special feature is that it has the able to change illuminating colours of the bridge.



please give yourself a big smile!You are all beautiful

As we walk by the main road pedestrian walkway along the Ministry of Finance, my sister notice that the yellow braille pedestrian walkway has a lamp post obstructed along the way.( Maybe not the only one..)

This should be relocate as the people with impaired vision will walk straight into a lamp post.Ouch!.. so much for safety.


safety first rule no 1-wear glasses

As we walked, we come to a fenced tents area presumably this is the open space area where the balloons will be launched but I can't see any. Hot air balloon is normally launch in a non-congested rural areas.

My sister went over to information counter and found out we need to wait till 6pm for the hot air balloon to lift off.

Most everybody has seen a balloon in the sky before, but the majority has never had the opportunity to ride one and this fiesta offer the tethered ride.What that..? A tethered balloon ride is when the balloon is tied to the ground.

tethered balloon ride
Unfortunately all tickets were already sold out for the ride.It costs RM10 for adults and RM5 for children . Only 300 tickets available.
Felix the cat -Vietnam
Michelin - Belgium
green leaf- USA


Finally at 6pm it started. One by one the balloon waits for its turn to release. The balloon need to get hot air in first to inflate , before the lift can be done.Although its nice to see all the balloon take off simultaneously but you need a huge open space to launch that.Now that will be "Quite a feat!".
Just for the record , Albuquerque, New Mexico, is home to the largest hot air balloon Festival in the world where hundreds of balloons launch simultaneously into the air.(600 last year)

The only way you could imagine is Chinese Kunming Lanterns(sky lanterns) flown simultaneously. Unfortunately again this lantern is banned here due to hazard to aircraft.



see you all here next year

The sky is starting  to turn black and we'll have enough. Let's go home, so we head back to Seremban. On the way back, we passed through the bridge of Seri Wawasan and has to drive slowly as from the dual three lane carriageways is down to one lane road each side.

Although the bridge clearly says no parking along the bridge but on certain occasion it is allow.. I think so?

No parking along this bridge,right?

One thing that still evoke my mind is the 11 hot air balloon deaths (after hitting a power line) in a single accident at the Balloons over Wairarapa hot air balloon festival in New Zealand.My God rest their soul in peace.

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