Children were delighted yesterday as balloon pilots visited primary schools throughout Wairarapa.
It was too blustery to inflate the balloons, but children were able to hop in and out of the baskets and, at Solway Primary School, run in front of a giant fan. The purpose of the visit was for a talk about balloons and how they work.
The Kiwi Balloon Company, which has been visiting Wairarapa since 2008, set up a basket in the middle of Solway Primary School field. Children, with hands firmly holding down their hats, took turns at running in front of a fan that is used to inflate balloons.
Wendy Peel, of the Kiwi Balloon Company, said the school visit was great fun. "It's wonderful seeing the delight on the children's faces," she said. "After all, who doesn't love hot-air balloons?"
Solway pupil Xavier Newport, 8, said that although he'd never been in a balloon in the air, hopping in one on the ground was "very fun".
