We were not sure we could make the journey in one go tonight, but the road is pretty good and we are doing well. Finally, until Arty begins to show signs of weakness: no more juice uphill after a few climbs. We stop, restart, it whirs and we advance at a speed of 2 per hour. Induction problem? Air intake?

We still arrive late in the evening, to stop on a lot right next to the site, and presented as one of the hot-air balloons launch sites (yes, it’s not just only in Cappadocia!). Will they fly? Will they not fly? It will be the surprise in the morning. We understood that all this was well regulated by the Civil Aviation and that the flight authorizations were more or less given the day before for the following day. And we will not be the only ones to enjoy the show: 2 other trucks are already parked there, promises of beautiful encounters!

07:30, the first 4 * 4 equipped with the hot-air balloon baskets appear! It looks like it’s happening today! Loïc has already left to spot good locations for the photos, while the occupants of the other trucks finally show themselves: 2 families from Germany! So we are all in the front row, lucky to witness the inflating of these huge sails and the flight with the rising sun of 3 « balloons ». Magical for the little ones and for the big ones… Five or six other balloons that left from other sites rise in the air, it gives us a small foretaste of Cappadocia.

This beautiful moment passed, we get acquainted with Dominik, Cristina and their 3 children (including a baby of 6 months!) in the red Magirus, and with Suzanne and Hagen and their baby in the mustard IFA.

Then it is time to discover the famous site with calcite rays in conditions that seem to us i-de-al: cold, but with a big sun (perfect for the volutes of steam), no wind, and few people. The sight of the dazzling rock under the sun and smoke swirling over the blue basins is magnificent. Very few are filled in this season, but that will be enough for us: shoes removed, swimsuits and coats on, the 5 of us leave, ready to take on the more distant basins, between rocks that freeze our feet and streams of hot water.

We enjoyed a good time in this shallow natural pool (within the limits of reasonable, it must be barely 2 or 3°C), and the tour ended with the amphitheater and the remains of Hierapolis, perfect with 3 children (and probably more suitable than Ephesus).

Return to the truck in the late afternoon before a little tour in the streets nearby in search of a little joint to eat. We are not presented with the most authentic choices: Chinese restaurants, balloon flight agencies (trying to sell us a flight for the next day), hotels… Finally, as we’d have expected it will not be good and expensive, but it will not detract from the beautiful day we just had!