Chapter 1880 3... 2... 1... Lift Off!
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Yaya blinked severally, not computing the question thrown at her. You dare to ask that: who said anything about traveling by land? If they don't travel by land, how are they to travel? By AIR? That's impossible! The day man flies would be the day pigs fly too. Yaya was about to question them more, when she suddenly saw Mitchen and the others spread out the massive white sheets on the flowers. Following that, she saw several massive flames come on above each basket. Yaya was still blinking in disbelief as the massive white balloons swelled and lifted off the ground before her eyes. "Impossible!" she muttered, choking back her words as the wicker baskets showed signs of movement.
"Lady Yaya, please, right this way," Mitchen called, gesturing for her to join him in one of the 16-person baskets. Yaya felt her heart racing as she peered over the tall woven sides, as she tentatively approached. There were 2 pilots at the center. And around the corners, were stalls with little waist-tall doors to secure them in. When in a sitting position, seated on the baskets floors, one can find seatbelts, as well as blankets, scarfs, and neck pillows too. Crunchy bars and other snack items are also available. The edges of the baskets were made higher than the stall doors. The pilots in the center and the stall doors were separated by a small square path that went around the pilot stalls. "Lady Yaya, please clamp your feets by using these foot belts whenever you stand close to the edge. It's important that you also keep your hands inside the basket at all times during ascension." A pilot advised.
Closer to the edge were 2 little pairs of feet ropes for one to slide their feet in and out of. Once you slide into it, you can then adjust the tightness, adjusting the tightness of the rope holding your front foot, and the one holding your heels in place. Yaya nodded like a sheep, still not able to comprehend what was going on here. "You are only allowed to slide off the foot straps when the pilots announce you can, understood?" "_"
A lightweight parachute was placed on her, and expansions were also given. Of course, in case of an event for parachuting, Mitchen who was in the stall by her side, would definitely jump behind her with his own parachute on his back too. .
As they were behind explaining safety measures to her, this was still the Monnet for many to make one last bathroom break. Because while in the air, there was little to no privacy concerning this matter. There were no bathrooms up here, so forget it. Now it was 8:32 PM. Their next bathroom break will be at 2AM. Bathroom break is scheduled for me at most, 30 minutes. Following that, they'll go back into the air and continue flying until just a few moments before dawn. For now, they never fly in the daytime, everything must be at night, and they must always only descend in the deep, deep, deepest parts of the wild. After landing, keeping the campsite safe was easier for them with their newly imported and advanced night and heat vision devices. They also use these devices to ensure scouts don't come close to their campsites. Although they were told to land in the deepest parts of the wild, they still chose areas where Nature gave them great assistance too. Take these massive flower beds for example. Did you know that there are paralyzing blood sucking plants underneath these flowers?
One must know where to step to safely reach the center, where there were no dangers. When landing here earlier, they met with a Green Gobbler Bear that roared and charged at them like crazy. Too bad he was then grabbed by over 30 spiky vines and forced to lie down while the plants devoured him slowly. Sure enough, nature was a cruel lady if you weren't knowledgeable while walking across her plains. Whelp. With the last bathroom break done,everyone strapped onboard and were now ready to go. Mitchen gave the final signal, and together, all hot air balloons ascended the skies unhurriedly. Are they… are they really going to do what she thinks they would? 'And you, what does that smile of yours mean? Tell me, tell me… am I guessing it right or not?'
Mitchen gave her an all-knowing smile that set boundless waves in her now turbulent heart. Her anxiety traveled throughout her entire body alongside the little vibrations from the massive and sturdy basket. As the last passengers boarded, the pilots turned up the heat even more, sending plumes of hot air into the balloons. "What was that?"
Yaya felt her entire body grow several times heavier the moment the basket left the ground. Up, up, up and away they went, causing Yaya to only feel heavier and heavier by the second. But this was not her concern now, as she was still trying to wrap her head around the bloody fact that she was now flying like a bird in the air.
This, what, when, how, you… Could I have died and now been taken up to the heavens by heavenly beings in the form of man?!
Slowly, majestically, the baskets began to rise, leaving the flower-strewn ground far below. Yaya felt a strange sensation of weightlessness as the earth fell away.
"Look, Lady Yaya!" a woman by herself exclaimed, pointing out over the landscape. "See how small everything becomes?" Wow!
Yaya gasped as the trees, buildings, and winding roads shrank into a patchwork quilt beneath them. The world had never seemed so vast, yet so fragile from up here.
The hot air balloon rose higher and higher, leaving Yaya in more disbelief, especially when seeing everything grow as tiny as her pinky finger. Gripping the basket's edge, Yaya peered out,mesmerized. "So this is what birds see?" Yaya murmured, as a sense of wonder and freedom washed over her. (^0^)
No wonder many poets speak of being Free as a Bird. When you hear and see the world at this point, it makes you think of your problems, feeling they are all nonexistent. All her troubles, all the fear and uncertainty, now felt inconsequential from this lofty vantage point.
