New Mexico Travel Diary｜Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

🎈 Riding in a hot air balloon has always been on my bucket list. When I was planning my trip to New Mexico, I realized the timing aligned perfectly with the 50th anniversary of the Balloon Fiesta — so I decided to make it happen! Before dawn, the balloons began inflating across the field, slowly rising with the breeze before lifting off one after another. 🎈The ascent was incredibly smooth and peaceful — not scary at all! Our pilot had 40 years of experience and guided us effortlessly into the sky. 🌄 As we floated, the balloon rotated gently, offering views from every angle. The sight of countless colorful balloons in various shapes drifting around us was nothing short of magical and romantic — just as I’d always imagined! The only downside was the rainy morning, which meant we missed the sunrise, and the sky stayed overcast. ☁️🌧️ 📅 Rough timeline: 4:00 AM: Wake up 5:15 AM: Entered the launch zone (after a 20-min walk from the Uber drop-off) 6:30 AM: Balloons gathered and prepared 7:00 AM: Lift-off! We had some free time before takeoff to grab snacks and souvenirs from the stands. The flight itself lasted about an hour. We surprisingly snagged the last tickets just one month in advance 😂, priced at $600. Was it worth it? The experience was amazing, but the price felt a bit steep. If you want to experience this, I highly recommend booking early — I’ve heard you can reserve up to a year in advance with early-bird discounts! #NewMexico #NewMexicoTravel #Albuquerque #AlbuquerqueBalloonFiesta #HotAirBalloon #BalloonFiesta #USTravel #Travel #TravelSnaps #USA ✈️📸🌵