It was so early that it was still night when I set off. A ride and then another ride until I was a short distance from the red city of Marrakech. The Moroccan hot air balloon men unloaded their equipment and then, after testing the wind, they began scurrying.
Night began to become day.
Another balloon flew away just as the sun came out.
Stretched out, my balloon was an astonishing size. So big that I wondered if it might not carry me away forever.
An internal fire breather pumped the balloon up until it was, quite astonishingly, full.
Oh.
I climbed aboard. And then gently, so gently, I floated away.
My French pilot's name was Maurice, of course.
He had manned thousands of flights.
I felt safe as the ground fell quickly beneath me until we were 3000 feet high.
The balloon's fire breathing heart kept us aloft.But mostly it was silent, perfectly silent. I saw our shadow drifting along the landscape.
I don't believe in God. But at the same time, I wondered if perhaps this was what heaven was like. It felt luminous, like I had a third eye.
All too soon, after about an hour, it was over.
But I won't soon forget.
If you're coming to Marrakesh, perhaps it's time for your own encounter. {Tell Maurice I sent you to see heaven.}
Ciel d'Afrique, Hot air ballooning in Marrakech Morocco
Imm. Ali, Appt.4, 2ème étage. Route de Targa - Victor Hugo
Tél.: +212 (5)24 43 28 43, +212 (6)61 13 70 51
E-mail: contact@cieldafrique.info