I wrote this to go on the BBCi Bristol website on their Bristol International Balloon Fiesta page for 2002. This is how I got into the sport that is hot air ballooning. To see the story on the BBCi website, click here (also includes mugshot!)

I live in Ashton in Bristol and when I was about six years old I used to watch the hot air balloons come right over my house when the Fiesta was on.After getting bored of watching stunt planes from my bedroom window occasionally shoot up from behind a row of houses, my parents took me to the Fiesta for the first time.

I enjoyed every part of the Fiesta, the trade stands, music and, of course, the balloons.Ever since that first visit to the Fiesta I have gone every year to enjoy more of the fun that the organisers had planned.

As I got older I started to look at ballooning websites where I found out lots of interesting stuff like photos from previous fiestas, links to other balloon websites and general balloon information.This gave me the idea to make my own website that gave similar information which was quick and easy to use.

I made the website in February 2000 and up to today I have had well over 18,000 visitors.Since have the website I was contacted by a Bristol pilot, Lee Hooper, and he introduced me into ballooning and I became one of his crew.He took me ballooning in France as part of my first week of work experience.

For my second week I went to Cameron Balloons in Bedminster.From this I learnt how much work goes into making a balloon and how much ballooning means to the people of Bristol.

The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is a huge event for Bristol and visitors, pilots and exhibitors come from all over the world. After the foot-and-mouth restrictions that severely cut short last years event, this years varied programme promises to be the biggest and best Fiesta ever.

Phil Hooper, aged 16

This page was last updated on: Saturday, June 14, 2008 15:07