The adventure of a baptism
in the countryside
Even more 'special' than our baptism ceremonies organized at our base is a baptism party in the countryside, surrounded by nature: forest, meadows, hedgerows, cattle in the background. Together with the balloon basket this makes for a great backdrop when we take photos of the event.
If there is a pond, lake or stream the passengers can take a good plunge. We also use ingredients we find on the spot. The result can be quite similar to participating in a mud run...
The caveat is that we need water (it's called a 'baptism' after all). The challenge for the pilot is thus to steer the balloon to a landing spot near water, if possible.
It is quite possible that we land in a field where no water is readily available, or that is not suitable for organizing a baptism ceremony for other reasons. No worries (and no escape): we will carry some souvenirs from the landing field with us and use them for an extra wet and messy 'XL' ceremony back at our place, with some 'organic' supplements to the usual menu. In any case, it ends at our home base - after a coffee break - with a ceremonial presentation of noble balloonist titles and certificates, along with a very gungy final round! Whether partly in the countryside or entirely at our home, the result is always very photogenic (you will also get the pictures we take, for posterity). After a rinse with the garden hose you can of course take a good warm shower to clean up.
In case of a bachelor's party, wedding or birthday present the organizers of this muddy, slimy ordeal can lend a hand during the baptism ceremony... and of course risk catching some overspill themselves. Or even to plunge in the water and mud along with the 'victims'. Everybody better bring a change of clothes and a large towel...
There are no additional costs involved on top of the costs of a flight. In fact, this being mostly the XXL variety of the special baptism for featherweight passegers or the Crazy Ladies flights, it may even be slightly less costly per person (we are indeed crazy)! But we need to make some additional preparations and carry some things in the vehicle that we normally don't bring along. Which is why we ask our passengers, or the people ordering a flight as a gift, to indicate on the flight form that they want such an option. Just write under 'comments' what you would like (say 'Terroir/XL', or 'XXXL!!! or mention any ideas you might have to enhance the fun).
A note on dress code. During the flight, passengers wear the usual practical clothing (jeans or other full-length pants, sturdy footwear, a shirt or sweater that covers the arms, all of natural fibers). Safety always comes first. But after the landing, the passengers can change into fancy dress, party outfits or whatever if the occasion warrants it.
If anyone wants to plunge headlong into a spectacular messy adventure in addition to a great balloon flight, just mention it on the flight form. And bring two changes of clothes....
Bonding
This is typically an adventure for a romantic couple (romantic mud and cream fights, showering off together afterwards...) or for a henparty or similar. In any case, something to organize with someone with whom you want to go crazy and get wet and messy. If you have ever participated in a mud run, mud masters or felt an urge to get gunged, this is for you. Two crazy adventures for the price of one. It is an obvious addition to the already extra wet and messy baptism ceremonies that come with a '3 Feathers' or a 'Crazy Ladies' flight (to order such a flight with the 'natural' option added, use the special order form below). ;-)
Very refreshing, being baptized in a creek...
Joke !
Of course it is not our habit to dunk our passengers in muddy ponds. This page is mostly a way to add some extra handles to our site for organic searches in Google. (yeah, 'organic', like mud). If you order a normal flight for two or one of the already crazy versions for 3 Feathers or Crazy Ladies, it will get pretty wet and messy anyway, that's how we always organize our baptism ceremonies. It is almost our 'brand' at Le Ballon Bleu. If you fly with us, you usually end up wet and somewhat slimed (or a lot). And at our base, the shower is just a few steps away so we won't send you home all covered in slop.
Nevertheless, almost all the pictures on this page show true situations that we photographed during baptism ceremonies in the outdoors that got a bit crazier than usual. In most cases the passengers were friends, balloon team members or family, and everybody had a lot of fun. Just get messy together, girls wanna have fun, that sort of thing.
When we flew in The Netherlands, we used to baptize our passengers at the landing site, because we had no possibility to do this at home. Given the state of the polder ditches we got the water from, sometimes these situations became pretty muddy.
Nowadays we have a property in the French cuntryside, where we can go wild and party with our passengers without bothering the neighbours. Usually, that is more practical and comfortable for everybody. It is also more 'formatted'.
Sometimes we do miss the spontaneity and surprises of the Dutch-style countryside baptisms a bit, so if you really ask for it (it's rare but that actually does happen !) we will gladly organize this crazyness in the outdoors. Do realize that in that case, if we land near water, the passengers really will take the plunge, no matter how muddy it may be (actually, the muddier the better!).
So do go ahead and ask for it. Make it part of some action to bring in donations for a good cause, Red Nose Day style, or similar to the Ice Bucket Challenge of a few years ago. Send us a list of sponsored additional messyness. Go crazy. :-
