٠٠:٠٤:٠٩British hot air balloon pilot Allie Dunnington, visited her 118th country in a hot air balloon, a world record among women, when she flew over Uzbekistan’s Khiva on Monday, chasing her late husband's record of 127 countries.
Footage shows colourful balloons flying over the city's landmarks, including the Konya Ark fortress, as part of an international piloting festival. Uzbekistan became the 118th country for the woman in her ballooning experience.
Dunnington said that she had been "chasing new countries to fly by balloon for nearly 20 years" and was excited by the 'beautiful views' of Khiva.
"The flight was really, really amazing. We took off from the [Amir] Timur statue area with several other balloons, and we managed to go right over the statue and over the beautiful remains of the castle, the fortress. It was an astonishing, beautiful view, and then we fly over the entire city. And the nice thing in ballooning is we can hear the voices from all the people. 'Hello', everybody's shouting and we're waving," she continued.
The woman particularly noted the hospitality of the locals of the village where she had landed and stressed it was an 'amazing experience'.
"We land near a little village. And after the landing, it was so nice. So the children came all and we invite them to go into the balloon in the basket. And then one lady came and she brought me flowers. She brought me a whole big bunch of roses. In my 20 years flying, I never had this experience that I was given flowers after the landing, and they brought us water. So the people here, especially around Shahrisabz, are very, very hospitable, really lovely people. It was an amazing experience, and I hope to be back, and we hope to bring more hot air ballooning to this beautiful city," Dunnington said.
Until the death of her husband Phil three years ago, Dunnington enjoyed ballooning with him. Phil flew in 127 countries and set the world record. Allie hopes to one day surpass his achievement.
By her example, the striving record-breaker is trying to inspire other women to become balloonists. Dunnington was also recognised for organising the first international women's ballooning championship.
Around the world! British woman flies around 118th country in hot air balloon, chasing husband's world record in Uzbekistan
British hot air balloon pilot Allie Dunnington, visited her 118th country in a hot air balloon, a world record among women, when she flew over Uzbekistan’s Khiva on Monday, chasing her late husband's record of 127 countries.
Footage shows colourful balloons flying over the city's landmarks, including the Konya Ark fortress, as part of an international piloting festival. Uzbekistan became the 118th country for the woman in her ballooning experience.
Dunnington said that she had been "chasing new countries to fly by balloon for nearly 20 years" and was excited by the 'beautiful views' of Khiva.
"The flight was really, really amazing. We took off from the [Amir] Timur statue area with several other balloons, and we managed to go right over the statue and over the beautiful remains of the castle, the fortress. It was an astonishing, beautiful view, and then we fly over the entire city. And the nice thing in ballooning is we can hear the voices from all the people. 'Hello', everybody's shouting and we're waving," she continued.
The woman particularly noted the hospitality of the locals of the village where she had landed and stressed it was an 'amazing experience'.
"We land near a little village. And after the landing, it was so nice. So the children came all and we invite them to go into the balloon in the basket. And then one lady came and she brought me flowers. She brought me a whole big bunch of roses. In my 20 years flying, I never had this experience that I was given flowers after the landing, and they brought us water. So the people here, especially around Shahrisabz, are very, very hospitable, really lovely people. It was an amazing experience, and I hope to be back, and we hope to bring more hot air ballooning to this beautiful city," Dunnington said.
Until the death of her husband Phil three years ago, Dunnington enjoyed ballooning with him. Phil flew in 127 countries and set the world record. Allie hopes to one day surpass his achievement.
By her example, the striving record-breaker is trying to inspire other women to become balloonists. Dunnington was also recognised for organising the first international women's ballooning championship.
British hot air balloon pilot Allie Dunnington, visited her 118th country in a hot air balloon, a world record among women, when she flew over Uzbekistan’s Khiva on Monday, chasing her late husband's record of 127 countries.
Footage shows colourful balloons flying over the city's landmarks, including the Konya Ark fortress, as part of an international piloting festival. Uzbekistan became the 118th country for the woman in her ballooning experience.
Dunnington said that she had been "chasing new countries to fly by balloon for nearly 20 years" and was excited by the 'beautiful views' of Khiva.
"The flight was really, really amazing. We took off from the [Amir] Timur statue area with several other balloons, and we managed to go right over the statue and over the beautiful remains of the castle, the fortress. It was an astonishing, beautiful view, and then we fly over the entire city. And the nice thing in ballooning is we can hear the voices from all the people. 'Hello', everybody's shouting and we're waving," she continued.
The woman particularly noted the hospitality of the locals of the village where she had landed and stressed it was an 'amazing experience'.
"We land near a little village. And after the landing, it was so nice. So the children came all and we invite them to go into the balloon in the basket. And then one lady came and she brought me flowers. She brought me a whole big bunch of roses. In my 20 years flying, I never had this experience that I was given flowers after the landing, and they brought us water. So the people here, especially around Shahrisabz, are very, very hospitable, really lovely people. It was an amazing experience, and I hope to be back, and we hope to bring more hot air ballooning to this beautiful city," Dunnington said.
Until the death of her husband Phil three years ago, Dunnington enjoyed ballooning with him. Phil flew in 127 countries and set the world record. Allie hopes to one day surpass his achievement.
By her example, the striving record-breaker is trying to inspire other women to become balloonists. Dunnington was also recognised for organising the first international women's ballooning championship.