Hey everyone! Welcome back to ryalistic.net.
It’s been a minute since I posted here. Today at Le Bocage, I was just staring out the window at the mountains, daydreaming. Something sparked my curiosity recently, and I just can't stop thinking about it. Have you ever heard about the first hot air balloon flight in Mauritius?
It actually happened way back on June 30, 1784. A man named M. Cailleau built a massive 32-foot balloon out of white canvas, painted with yellow and red ochre.
I even saw an old historical record that commemorates it, describing the flight details:
100. EXPÉRIENCES faites à l'Isle de France par M. Cailleau, avec un Ballon Aérostatique de 32 pieds de diamètre, construit de toile blanche de Laval à pavillon, peinte en détrempe avec l'ochre jaune et rouge et la gomme de bois d'olive. A l'Isle de France, de l'Imprimerie Royale, 1784. 4p. (MA. Lib. A2).
Just picture it. Our island, hundreds of years ago. No tall buildings, no aeroplanes. Just the open sky.
Believing the Impossible
It made me wonder how we even figure out what is real sometimes. Like, I know gravity exists because every time I drop something, it falls to the ground. I've seen it happen with my own eyes, so I trust it. But imagine being a kid back in 1784 and suddenly seeing a giant balloon float up into the clouds. It must have felt like absolute magic. You would probably have to use your own imagination just to believe it was actually happening.
I love thinking about the community on that day. People from all over the island must have gathered together, looking up at the same thing. Nobody was looking down at their phones. They were just sharing this massive, crazy moment of discovery, connecting with everyone around them.
Thinking about it also got me looking back at my own life and choices. M. Cailleau was taking a huge risk. He had to be incredibly brave to build something so big and just hope his ideas worked. It makes me ask myself: what am I afraid to launch? What are the big dreams I'm keeping stuck on the ground because I'm scared they'll crash?
Growing up here in Mauritius, it’s easy to feel like we are just a small, independent island on the map. But imagine how M. Cailleau felt seeing our home from above, floating in a basket. A totally new perspective. It makes you realise how beautiful our little world really is.
Next time you look up at the sky, try to imagine that very first balloon. It might just give you the courage to let your own dreams take flight.
Until next time, keep looking up!
Rya