**** After boarding the hot air balloon's rattan basket, the brightly colored sphere soars into the sky, and the field of vision becomes wider and wider; only by wandering in the high altitude, with the clouds and mist, can you feel the heaven and earth

Taiwan International Hot Air Balloon Carnival in Taitung . (Taiwan Tourism Bureau photo)

Taitung Luye in Taiwan is one of the few hot air balloon flying spots in Asia with geographical advantages. After landing in the rattan basket of the hot air balloon, the brightly colored sphere soared into the sky, and the field of vision became wider and wider; only by wandering in the high altitude, with the clouds and mist at the same level, can you feel the beauty of the heaven and earth.

The moment the hot air balloon took off, it was like a dream. The people waving goodbye on the grass are getting smaller and smaller, and the flat land is getting wider and wider. The newly awakened Huadong Rift Valley in Taiwan shows its fresh appearance in the morning light. The sun passes through the morning mist from the coastal mountains to the east, creating dramatic light and shadow effects. The field of vision is getting wider and wider, the 360-degree landscape is invincible, the golden sunshine, blue sky, and green earth are spreading slowly and steadily in front of you...

Is this a dream? In the early morning, my sleepy mind was still thinking about fantasy and reality. The hot air balloon made a loud "boom" and the warmth of the gas jet gently touched my skin, telling me that this was not a dream. The scenes of flying in the sky that I dreamed about countless times came before my eyes. It's like entering the scene of the documentary "Seeing Taiwan" and seeing Taitung.

The hot air balloon took off from Luye, Taitung, and the wind direction today was heading south. On the left are the Coastal Mountains, on the right are the Central Mountains, and the long East Longitudinal Valley is between the mountains on both sides. The fertile fields under our feet are Taiwan's best-quality rice. In autumn, the yellow rice is full of joy of harvest. In spring, the rice reflects the skylight, and the little seedlings express beautiful longings.

Brightly colored spheres float across the pure and clear blue sky, hovering at the same height as the clouds and mist at high altitudes, and brushing against the treetops at low altitudes, leaving leaves within easy reach. Under the sun, the shadow of the hot air balloon moves slowly on the ground, drifting over fields, rice waves, treetops, and water flows...

The map of Taiwan that I have read countless times on a flat surface is vividly presented in three dimensions before my eyes, leaving an unforgettable impression. . There is great beauty in heaven and earth. At this moment, I can feel it personally, and my heart full of piety and gratitude arises spontaneously.

Luye is uniquely endowed with it.

Flying in the sky like a bird has always been a human dream. It has become so common to travel quickly across time zones and countries by air. The low-altitude and slow flight of a hot air balloon still carries many romantic reveries and makes people yearn for it.

Luye, Taitung, is the only place in Taiwan where you can experience the free flight of a hot air balloon. It is also one of the few ideal flying locations in Asia with natural geographical advantages. Luye is located in the southern section of the East Longitudinal Valley Scenic Area, between the Coast Mountains and the Central Mountains. Strong winds are blocked by the mountains. There are not many buildings in the narrow valley. The open airspace has good visibility. The unique terrain and wind direction are suitable for flying.

Taitung hosted the Hot Air Balloon Carnival in 2011, which sparked a trend among Taiwanese people to play hot air balloons. Since then, the scale of the event has grown every year. Hot air balloons have become a symbol of Taitung's tourism and have also boosted Taitung's tourism industry. The content of the

Carnival is becoming more and more diverse, and the hosting days are getting longer and longer. It even broke the world record and became the longest-running international hot air balloon event. The

Hot Air Balloon Carnival has attracted more than 3 million participants in the past six years. The event is now called the "Taiwan International Hot Air Balloon Carnival". The 2017 event is scheduled to be held from June 30 to August 6.

The carnival is only available for a few weeks no matter how long it lasts, but in Taitung, hot air ballooning can be enjoyed all year round. In fact, after the hot air balloon carnival became a craze, other counties and cities in Taiwan also followed suit and held hot air balloon activities. However, they could only be viewed from the ground or tethered to experience, that is, a sphere was tied with a rope and launched into the air, and it could not stay at a fixed point. Flying in the air.

Pilots must obtain a professional license

The safety of hot air balloon flight is very important, so there are strict requirements for every detail such as environment, equipment, personnel, etc., and the operation must be carried out in accordance with the regulations of the Civil Aviation Administration. The conditions for hot air balloon pilots are as strict as those of pilots. They must go to the United States to train and obtain a professional license.

Hot air balloon flights are not restricted to any season, but the flight time is generally only in the early morning or evening when the sun is less intense. Try to carry out the flight within a few hours when the air flow is more stable and the temperature is cooler. At the same time, the wind direction of the day must also be taken into consideration. , wind speed, convection and other factors.After

registers, the center will notify you of the gathering time that day, which is usually before sunrise when it is still dark. Arriving at the flight school in the dark, you first listened to the explanation in the classroom, and then were taken by a special car to the take-off location for the day, where you watched the staff assemble the hot air balloon. While waiting, I took photos excitedly, and the sky gradually became brighter.

The hot balloon is composed of three parts: a sphere, a burner , and a rattan basket. After the long ball skin is spread out, cold air is poured in with a large fan, and the rattan basket is connected with a steel cable. After filling with air, use the burner to blow out hot air to make the ball upward, and then pull the entire balloon from a lying position to a standing position. Once everything is ready, you can board the basket. Each basket can carry three to five passengers, plus a pilot.

Every journey is different.

After everyone stood firm, the burner sprayed flames into the sphere like a dragon spitting fire, and the balloon slowly rose with the hot air, embarking on a dream journey.

A hot air balloon is an unpowered flying device. It does not have any engine machinery or a steering wheel to control it. During takeoff, high-purity liquid gas is ignited to create hot air to increase lift. After taking off, it can only follow the weather conditions and drift with the wind. Therefore, every flight is different. Not only does the scenery change throughout the seasons, but the wind direction and speed also vary every day. The landscape changes every second, and every ride is a new experience.

's all-round hot air balloon experience also includes the experience of chasing a ball with a special car on the ground. It turns out that when a hot air balloon is flying in the sky, a group of ground crew will follow it on the ground to ensure timely assistance when it lands. During the flight, the pilot will use the intercom to inform the flight route. The hot air balloon flies easily over rice fields, orchards, and grass. On the ground, you must find ways to take detours and follow the balloon. While chasing the ball, in addition to capturing the scene of the hot air balloon flying in the sky, I also witnessed the behind-the-scenes operation of the hot air balloon, giving me a more complete understanding of the entire flight activity.

The flight route is different every time. The pilot will find a suitable place to land based on experience, and according to tradition, open champagne to celebrate after a smooth landing. Finally, he returned to the flight school to receive his flight certificate, with his name written on it and a rare picture of his face full of joy captured in the air to commemorate the most unique flight journey in his life.