I almost canceled several times out of anxiety. However, I could not have anticipated the ease of lifting up and watching the transport vehicle grow smaller beneath me. Was a slow ascent, like a child’s balloon drifting upward. The day was glorious, the views were amazing and I felt prepared by our pilot. His transparent informative manner of educating us regarding the ways of the wind, the speed of travel, the altitude, etc. helped us feel that we were in expert hands. It was a delight to look across at Assisi and then later even far above it when he took us to the highest elevation. He pointed out several of the surrounding towns and answered all questions, including my curiosity regarding the fields of solar panels. The landing was pretty soft and we had been prepared for how to maneuver so I felt well cared for. Our brunch was in a lovely setting . At my table I met a family from Malta and was seated next to Peter, our pilot. Was a lively conversation! The opportunity to venture down to the barrels and hear about their wine production process was fascinating. And wow, that 40 euro bottle of wine…if I had room in my luggage I would have purchased several bottles. And I’m not generally much of a fan of wine. Best choice I made and stuck with. One of the high points of my trip.