THE KITES AT AIBF WILL BE SO KEWL!!! REALLY KEWL!

 Kites at the Balloon Fiesta :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-0y2PdaLso&t=62s 

One of the new events at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta will be KITES!!!

They are scheduled to be flown in the afternoon on a few days, at 4:00pm before Fastrax (Parachute Team) dives into the launch field. 

Currently I do not know much about the folks bringing the kites. They are Great American Kites and Events. I found them on FaceBook and links to their videos. I must say they look AMAZING!! I, for one, am looking forward to seeing and photographing their kites.

I got ahold of the folks at Great American Kites and Events and learned a good bit about them. Most impressive to me is their Mission Statement. Thanks to Sean for the following msg he sent me. I can not wait to see them at AIBF.

“About Us: Great American Kites & Events, LLC specializes in producing, planning, and managing the most astonishing outdoor giant kite displays, festivals, and colorful community entertainment experiences. We have over 15 years of amazing giant kite flying experiences, unique aerial displays, and magical once in a lifetime experiences all through the wonder of kites. Our displays will engrave incredible memories for people of all ages.
 
Vision: To bring people together and create stronger communities through the extraordinary wonder of kites.
 
Mission: Inspired by our love of community, we provide amazing giant kite festival performances, incomparable events and a dynamic fun family experience which create a sense of discovery and community. We help people, families, and communities take flight.”

Check out one of their YouTube videos: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vIFub3RZko 

 






 

The 66th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett on Route 66

 The 66th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett on Route 66

AIBF usually hosts the America’s Challenge gas ballon race, but this year is honored to be the host for the Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett.

This year the 51st Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta (AIBF)will host the 66th Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett gas balloon race. The last information I had was nine countries were be represented with 17 gas balloons in the competition. 

Gas balloon races are filled with adventure, skill, courage, survival and luck. The goal is simple: to fly the furthest non-stop distance from the launch site. In past years at the America’s Challenge the furthest distance flown was over 3600 kilometers and the average distance has been about 2500 kilometers.  

The scheduled start for the Gordon Bennett is October 7, 2023. One can follow the race in an app called YB Races and there will be a link in the AIBF webpage. This will be exciting to follow.

Here is a link to the AIBF video on the event. 

Gordon-Bennett-2023
 

Balloon Flight and Journey Home

  September 10:  

We are up early getting ready to go with Serengeti Balloons for a flight this morning.  Ourselves and three other guests from our group will be doing this. We’re also had to hustle and get our final packing done and be ready for our flight back to Arusha, have lunch, and then the journey home starts from there.

What can I say but the balloon flight was more than worthwhile, it was beyond belief.   We had the most excellent pilot who flew the drain (a down river flow of air)  so  we were able to go over the Mara River so low that we were actually instructed to ascend as we’re getting too low. Ascending, we flew right over the mass amounts of wildebeest getting ready to do the river crossing.

During the flight we saw Zebras, wildebeest, lions, elephants, giraffes, impalas, toby, eagles, and vultures.  We came in for a most excellent landing, and then a great breakfast before heading to the airstrip to make the flight back to Arusha.

After our bush flight back to Arusha, we had lunch at a coffee farm. Then we were driven straight to the airport in Arusha. At Kilimanjaro airport  we had two security checks, once to get in and then again to get to the gate and finally on our plane for a short flight to Addis.

In Addis, we were able to spend some time in the lounge before the next flight to Frankfurt.

Pretty uneventful flight.   

In Frankfurt, we went to the lounge and waited a few hours for our next flight direct to Denver.
We planned on  spending  the night in DEN as it had been a long journey.

Well, that was our Tanzanian adventure, hope you enjoyed following along although I am a little late in getting the blog entry updated.  I have may many many  photos to edit and get up on the website.

Next we will be getting ready for Albuquerque, traveling to Missouri on the way and who knows what else.

One major project will be getting my camera cleaned due to all the dust we had on our trip. 

This was an amazing journey and the best of our three trips to Tanzania. Ialready long to return. Yes many many more photos can be viewed by following the link below. 

https://soggymoosephoto.smugmug.com/browse 

 

 

 

September 9 Northern Serengeti

  September 9 Northern Serengeti

There are a few photos at teh end of this entry. More photos from the journey can be found by following the link below. 

https://soggymoosephoto.smugmug.com/browse 

I had a good nights sleep after a most eventful day yesterday. We got up early, had our showers, made some coffee, and then coffee was delivered to the room along with rusks as part of our wake up call.  Soon we will head down for breakfast.

After breakfast, we headed out for a morning game drive. We went straight to a crossing site (where wildebeest and zebras cross the Mara River) that was just beyond words and I don’t think photos can do justice to it. We did see several wildebeest taken by the crocs in the river.

The numbers of crossing animals is staggering. After the first crossing, we drove to another crossing on the river and experienced a similar situation. We saw a few new birds to us along the way. We saw a lion take down a wildebeest as it was coming up the bank of the river.

After lunch, we start to rearrange our bags since we will probably, if weather is good, go flying tomorrow in a hot air balloon over the savanna.

Tonight we will be going out for a short game drive starting at 5 o’clock, then come back to have dinner and get ourselves organized. Tomorrow will be the start of our journey back home after the balloon ride.

A most rousing farewell by the staff after dinner last night, with dancing and singing.

Flying to the North Serengeti

  

 

September 8:  We’re up early we don’t need to be at breakfast till eight but will probably go up at seven for an early breakfast. When it  gets light enough, we hope to get  some photos of this amazing lodge.  Today the plan is a short game drive then our flight to the northern Serengeti.

 

We will also have to decide on when we might try for a balloon ride.

After breakfast, there was a short game drive for a couple of hours before we arrived at the airport, saw hippos and several other critters on the way.

Arriving at the airport, we checked in which was seamless, security was marginal and no bags were weighed. Soon we were flying north to the Northern Serengeti. 

Upon arrival we met our guides  and had coffee  in what I would call the executive lounge (under a tent outside), and then made our way to our lodge here in the Northern Serengeti. 

These are tents so to say, glamping  just doesn’t describe it, just take a look at the photos and you’ll understand why.

After check in and getting some things together in our tent, we made our way back to the main lodge for an evening game drive.  We drove to one of the river crossings were a baby zebra got consumed by a crocodile as it tried to make its way across the Mara River.

We then drove up into the forest, in the rocks where we spotted a leopard, and got some good photographs. A very good game drive was had.  

As we made our way back, we got some sunset photos, then back at the lodge, meeting folks by the fire for sundowners and then another great dinner.

Back to the room and they had already picked up our laundry so we did a few personal items and are in bed.  

We have a 5 o’clock personal wake up call and then at 5:30, coffee will be delivered here to our tent as part of our official wake up call. 

Photos taken during this journey can be found by following the below link. 

https://soggymoosephoto.smugmug.com/browse 

To the Serengeti

 

Yesterday started with the sunrise over the crater. It was amazing, then breakfast and then we were in for a very, very, very, very, very, very long day.

It was well worth it because we saw so, so much wildlife today.  Two or three prides of lions, a leopard, two cheetahs. I think I got some good photos of zebras, buffalo, just too many animals to name. Lynn is keeping a great list of the critters that we have observed. 

 

We arrived at our lodge late, cleaned up, had dinner and crashed. It was an amazing day and that’s why I’m not writing much, photos to follow.

 Photos taken during this journey can be found by following the below link. 

https://soggymoosephoto.smugmug.com/browse