Team Mr Tom

New plan. New country. Last chance.

Location 1 progress report from the end of our Botswana field testing. In short, none.

Car 1 goes to scout launch sites in the salt flats. Gets stuck in mud up to the chassis.

Car 2 reaches car 1 to pull them out after they boiled in the sun for 36 hrs. Car 2 gets stuck pulling them out.

Helium truck breaks down on it way to the launch site.

All eventually arrive in the dark at the site and begin setting up inflation 1 until 2am. All pass out.

Get up 2 hours later at 4am to begin inflation.

Finally looking good as we get into full swing at 9am.

9:03 massive, unforecasted wind arrives and shits all over inflation 1.

Next day we aim for an afternoon flight with all forecasts giving a flat calm.

Inflation begins. Flat calm... but with 15knot gusts.

24 balloons bust in the wind.

Wind dies down. Inflation begins again.

The odd gust casualty but all balloons inflated finally.

Sun sets as we are ready so flight is on hold till the morning as there looks to be a small window.

Weather was lying again and almost all balloons burst in the night.

No small amount of grumpy faces.

Location abandoned to restock and replan.

Bum.

A few photos of the test run before we got clusterfucked by the wind

We have inflation. 

Well that didn't work. 

Finally hit some signal. As every serious Cluster Balloonist knows, choosing the right flying camping chair is key. Here's Buddy meeting our flying camping chair a few days ago.

DAY 6

Just dug out Carlos and Charles' car from the mud after they spent a night stuck in the salt pans. After we dug out our car that got stuck trying to unstick them. Yesterday bumped into Chris and his wife Sue. He happens to be one of 8 gas balloon pilots in the UK. Somewhat handy. They're following the helium into the desert to meet us and planning to fly their hot air balloon they keep in the boot with us.

DAY 3

Finally all in one place. Even the right place. Making up some plans.