Balloons from Krakow in the African sky!
Four Polish balloon crews which were taking part in the 2nd Tunisian Balloon Festival have just returned home. Two of them, commanded by pilots from the Krakow Aero club, come from our city. The teams were stationed in Sousse and in Tunis. The Festival gathered 12 teams from 12 different countries and the Polish team was the most numerous.
The organization of the event was superb and the program very intensive: a 24-hour ferry crossing from Marseille to Tunis, early morning flights, among others, above the many miles long Roman aqueduct that in the ancient times supplied water to the nearby Carthage. There were also night shows on the golf courses, trips to the desert areas, even during….the sand storm. A treacherous surprise were the so called dry lakes that, though without water, had enough moisture below the bottom level to trap one of the balloons which chose the former lake as its landing place. There was time for official meetings, but also for visits to the really provincial places. Particularly striking was not only the wonderful hospitality of organizers in the big centres, but also the natural friendliness shown by the residents of villages and small towns who always gathered at the take-off and landing sites, ready to help in carrying the basket, fold the envelope, guide to the target points and….which was an absolute must, take a selfie together. The organizers and sponsors were highly satisfied with the success of the event and have already announced the second edition next year.
The country deserted by tourists after the terrorist attacks is trying to rebuild the visitors` trust. The backpack containing documents and money that had been left in the Roman amphitheatre by an absent minded tourist from Krakow was safely deposited with the security guards for a couple of hours and the police were searching for the owner to give him back his property.
Hopefully, Tunisia will manage to regain its former status of a holiday paradise and the now empty charming medinas and enchanting beaches along the warm sea will again thrive and be filled with a hum of happy holiday voices …
