Up, up and away...

It's 5:15 am! The sun isn't even over the horizon but already half of our group (those have chosen this option,) are already in a van on our way to the nearby town of Goreme, where will launch on our much anticipated adventure - a balloon ride over the magical landscape of Cappadocia.

There are many different companies offering balloon rides; it's impossible to tell how many or how many balloons are being lifted into the air. We are with Voyager Balloons.At the launch site we watch our balloon being inflated with a giant roar of flame. The basket for passengers is divided into four sections with eight people in each - 24 people plus two pilots pile on board. We are shown the landing position, which is to crouch down below the top of the basket while holding onto a strategically placed rope. As the sun rises dozens of balloons sail up, up into the sky.

Our balloon skims the tree tops, playing dodgem with rocky outcroppings. Our young pilot uses ropes to maneuver and blasts of flame to give us lift. He is looking for the right thermals and wind direction. At last, the balloon begins to climb up, up, up. Now we have a hawk's view of the rugged Cappadocia landscape. My fingers are freezing as I point my camera over the basket's edge. It is breathlessly beautiful, and in the quiet between the flame's blasts, there is a magical calm as we journey above the earth.

An hour goes by so quickly when we are floating along. All too soon it is time to make our descent. Our chase vehicle has been following, watching for where we will be able to descend. We were told to take our landing positions which we had been shown earlier. It is rather awesome the way the pilot dropped our basked neatly with a gentle thump onto the trailer behind the truck. When the balloon was deflated and neatly stored, a bottle of celebratory champagne was popped.