Flamingo - Sport & Adventure - The magnificent intoxication of being free
“What a treat to stroll through the veils of twilight, to float across the sky like a slowly forming thought. Flying an airplane, one usually travels the shortest distance between two points. Balloonists can dawdle, lollygag, cast their fate to the wind and become part of the ebb and flow of nature, part of the sky itself, held aloft like any bird, leaf or spore. In that silent realm, far from the mischief and toil of society, all one hears is the urgent breathing of the wind and, now and then, an inspiring gasp of hot air.”
Diane Ackerman
Aside from having a most interesting and rather long name, Henrique John Vanyenga Figueiredo de Almeida probably has the best job in the world; he is blessed with experiencing the intoxication of being free as a bird on a daily basis.
John recently made history by becoming the first private black ballooning pilot in Southern Africa. Even though he is not commercial yet (and is thus not qualified to fly paying guests), he’s working towards that goal. A hundred and fifty hours from now he will have made history again, this time by becoming the first black commercial pilot in Southern Africa. He is also the fourth Namibian-born ballooning pilot in the world. And all this at the mere age of 25.
John flies balloons for Namib Sky Balloon Safaris. The company was launched 19 years ago. It was the first ballooning operator in Namibia and is run and owned by the Hesemans, the balloon operators who own a concession in the NamibRand Nature Reserve, one of the largest private game reserves in Africa. Eric Hesemans, who is a pilot himself, believes that Namibia is a very special country and that every Namibian experience, including ballooning, becomes a special occasion.
With an eagle’s-eye view over the Tsaris, Nubib and Naukluft mountain ranges, John glides softly over the pinkish, red dunes of Sossusvlei, pointing out small specks of zebra, gemsbok and springbok in the distance. It’s such a magical experience, you almost forget to breathe and every now and then have to pinch yourself to take a gulp of the fresh high-altitude air. John lives by the carpe diem philosophy, believing that you should seize every moment. “You only live once, so go for it!”
Balloon piloting is not for everyone. It’s a constant learning experience, requires concentration and maintaining a fine balance between the right amounts of gas, wind and good weather. But John has some of the best instructors by his side. Eric has been flying for 19 years and his fellow instructor, Astrid Gerhardt, is a multiple record holder in gas ballooning.
As a long-time friend, John has been visiting the Hesemans on their farm, Geluk, for many years and when Eric asked him one day if he wanted to become a pilot, John decided to go for it. He started with his radio course in May 2009 and the rest, as they say, is history. “I’m not a lemming,” says John, “I like to be different. I’m unique and I like to live it.”
When not flying, there’s always something else to do; checking balloons, baking early-morning croissants, doing general maintenance, going sand boarding or exploring one of the most beautiful areas in Namibia. John also likes writing, reading, skipping stones and boulder hopping. On life in the desert, John maintains it’s one of the best experiences there is. Tranquillity, peace and serenity aside, the Namib is actually bursting with life. “The desert is all about details; you can spend a whole day looking at rocks and wondering about their geological origin. You can listen to the barking geckos at night or learn about the survival methods of desert-adapted animals. This is where you discover many of life’s little secrets. You never become bored with the desert and it’s the same with ballooning. Life is not set in stone; you must just go with the wind and you’ll find that it is actually one magnificent adventurous journey.”
Namib Sky Balloon Safaris currently uses nine balloons to take passengers over the NamibRand Reserve and Sossusvlei area. A balloon consists of a basket, envelope and burner and varies in size, but can usually take groups of between four and 16 people. Ballooning is dependent on the wind. If the wind speed is anything above 10 knots, it makes it difficult for the envelope to inflate, and the flight usually doesn’t take place. Being able to read the weather is thus an important part of the job.
According to John, ballooning is an extreme sport (albeit a very peaceful kind of extreme sport). The best part is that wherever you’re flying, you have a great view. Namib Sky Balloon Safaris respects mother earth, making sure that the majority of the landings are on a trailer or an existing track. Car tracks are kept to the minimum, as in a sensitive area such as this, tracks can be visible for as many as 40 years, leaving the natural environment with an unsightly man-made scar. It just doesn’t pay to damage one of the last remaining natural wildernesses on earth. The Namib is a glorious place where you can see the earth’s shadow as the sun sets over the mountains. www.namibsky.com
