The Blue Ridge Parkway

After lovely visits to New York City and Blowing Rock, I travel along the stunning Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina.

And continued to fall more in love with the Blue Ridge.

Which, for those following this blog for awhile, realize that seems impossible...

And, oh!  What colors.  And, oh! Autumn how I miss you while in Africa.

We crossed this swinging bridge which was at a mile high. 

It was cold and windy I mean cold. Cold. Like this is definitely not Africa up there!

The peak on the right is the peak of Grandfather Mountain---where that bridge led us!

Stunning.

Part of Grandfather Mountain.

Blowing Rock

While traveling recently in the United States, I visited Blowing Rock, North Carolina.

The view of my beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains was breathtaking.

I remembered what it was like to have a proper Autumn, something I miss dearly while in Africa.

Blowing Rock is both a wonderful, little mountain town and an actual rock.

I want this house.  Seriously.

The Blowing Rock.  Apparently North Carolina's oldest traveling attraction...

Sunrise over the mountains.

Such a different sunrise from the last time I watched it in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Sublime.

From Blowing Rock, I followed this lovely country road....

...to the wonderful Blue Ridge Parkway.  

Snapshots From the Air: Blue Ridge Mountains Ballooning!

I recently took a hot air balloon ride over the glorious Blue Ridge Mountains outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, United States.

This is what the whole world should look like.

Okay, maybe I exaggerate, but I have never once seen the Blue Ridge Mountains and not felt extraordinary joy.

Okay, maybe I exaggerate, but no, no, I don't really. Mountains bring me great joy.

How cool is this?  I must say this is an experience that I'm now looking for excuses to do allllll over the world.

The balloon's shadow over houses near Charlottesville.

The mist rising off the morning reminded me of the awesome mist from this fantastic hike in Chimanimani, Zimbabwe.

The barn near where we touched down after gliding across the Charlottesville skies.

Excellent views, even better company, and my glorious Blue Ridge Mountains--how can this not be beyond wonderful?

Charlottesville from the balloon.

At times the ride felt like a tour of all the fantastic homes on the outskirts of Charlottesville.

I saw a few I wouldn't mind having...but suspect I couldn't afford :)

So incredibly different from my last snapshots from the air!

A Hot Air Balloon Adventure!!

I recently had the luck to cross something off my bucket list: a hot air balloon ride!!

While on a (too) short visit to Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, I went on a hot air balloon ride...so different from my last flying adventure!

This is the pilot using the jets of hot air to blow up the balloon.

And let me tell you: the balloon ride more than exceeded expectations.

In fact: it was pretty awesome.

And just begged to be photographed.

This may be a silly observation

but I had no idea how ridiculously large the balloons are...

or how hot it really does get!

We rose very early to take a flight just after the sun had come up over the Blue Ridge Mountains with Boar's Head Ballooning.

If this isn't on your list of things to do, you really need to add it right now.

Actually it was so cool that you pretty much should have already had it on the list!

It's hard to believe the balloon looks this small prior to it being inflated.  Stay tuned: pictures from the air coming soon!

For more information on Boar's Head Ballooning.