Tinggly Review: Hot Air Balloon Ride in Texas
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With Tinggly, I got to experience a Sunrise and Champagne Hot Air Balloon ride in Texas - it was my first time ever, and it was an incredible and memorable experience. It was exactly the type of experience that I was hoping to get with Tinggly.
What is Tinggly?
Their vision is to make the world a happier place by enriching everyone’s lives with unique experiences and unforgettable stories. Tinggly is set on changing the culture of gift giving - moving from giving material objects to experiences and reducing the amount of stuff cluttering people’s lives.
Why should I give a Tinggly experience instead of a physical gift?
It’s scientifically proven that memories and experiences make you happier than stuff. In a world that's overdriven by consumerism, an experience gift is one less material object in the world - making the world a better place.
What kind of experience can I give with Tinggly?
Tinggly breaks their gift boxes down into 2 categories - Experience Gifts and Getaway Gifts.
They are life-enhancing activities that add to our memories. A few examples of experience gifts include:
Bungee jumping
Spa treatments
Cooking classes
Hot air balloon rides
These kinds of experiences are offered in “themed” Tinggly gifts such as:
Bucketlist - 700+ experiences, 100+ countries, experience for 1-2 people
Taste the World - 180+ experiences, 50+ countries, experience for 2 people
Fun Together - 400+ experiences, 100+ countries, experience for 2 people
Best in the World - 850+ experiences, 100+ countries, experience for 1-2 people
Happy Birthday - 650+ experiences, 100+ countries, experience for 1-2 people
Premium Collection - 880+ experiences, 100+ countries, experience for 1-2 people
Some examples of getaway gifts include:
Catalan Charm in Barcelona - 300+ hotels, 3-5* hotels in Barcelona, 2 nights for 2 people
Enchanting New Orleans Escape - 150+ hotels, 3-5* hotels in New Orleans, 2 nights for 2 people
Luxurious London Escape - 500+ hotels, 3-5* hotels in London, 2 night stay for 2 people
Weekend in Washington DC - 100+ hotels, 3-5* hotels in Washington DC, 2 night stay for 2 people
A Night in New York - 200+ hotels, 3-5* hotels in New York, 1 night stay for 2 people
What makes Tinggly different from other gifting services?
As a return for a purchased experience or getaway, Tinggly removes 5kg of polluting plastics from the oceans (with the help of Plastic Bank) and 200% of CO2 that was created during the chosen experience. That’s almost 220 plastic bottles for every Tinggly gift box sold.
A few ways they are trying to change the planet include:
Investing in human happiness
Using only recycled materials
Removing toxic plastics for every gift sold
Installing Tinggly Trash Traps in Bali
Offsetting experience-generated CO2 by 200%
Offsetting worldwide delivery carbon footprint
Being a carbon positive company
Aside from the fact that Tinggly is a company that gives back, they also make sure that the gift giving process is hassle-free.
Gifts have no expiration date.
Gifts can be easily refunded or exchanged.
Gifts can be easily booked around the globe.
How do I give a Tinggly experience?
The gift box is available in a range of prices and themes to match nearly every occasion (e.g. birthday, wedding, anniversary, etc.) Regardless of which box you choose, it will come in a beautifully designed slim package, made from 100% eco-friendly materials. Not only does it include the actual voucher information but it also contains an experience journal for your recipient so that they can record their favorite memories.
The gift box can be shipped directly to the recipient so you don’t have to worry about shipping. (There’s also an option to send as an e-voucher but the mailed gift box is more special, in my opinion.) The recipient will then get to choose from hundreds of diverse experiences in over 100 countries around the world.
A Review of My Tinggly Experience
Tinggly vets all of the partners that they build experiences with to ensure high-quality experiences. My experience with Rohr Balloons could not have been better - our guide, Brian, was very clear in his communication before and during our flight. He was also very personable and willing to take pictures of everyone throughout the trip so that we could enjoy the scenery. He was also extremely knowledgeable and experienced in flying hot air balloons. I felt very safe the entire time. Although I’m not a morning person, the sunrise and champagne hot air balloon trip was well worth the early wake-up call.
It was still dark when we left the house - I rarely wake up this early...except to catch flights! Well...I guess this was a flight of sorts!
We drove to the meet-up point at 6:00 a.m. and got a brief introduction. The take-off location can change depending on the weather, so the meet-up point is always the start of the trip. We had very good weather despite it being a hot, humid July in Texas. There was not much wind and no bad weather on the horizon. After our introductions, the group headed to Oak Point Nature Preserve in two vans. There were several hot air balloons already out on the field getting ready for lift off.
I groggily walked across the field with the group. The grass was still wet from the morning dew; I left wet foot tracks behind as we headed to our multi-colored balloon. The first step of prepping the balloon for take off is blowing cool air into the balloon to inflate it with two large industrial fans. A couple people have to hold the balloon open so it starts to inflate. It was fun to see these colorful blobs grow across the field.
Next, the balloon requires hot air - this is what make it rise. The hot air comes from the burner which sits in the basket. The basket is very large and can hold about 8-10 people. It’s sectioned off into 3 sections which can hold 4-5 people in each section, which one section reserved for the pilot and his burner equipment.
Jordan and I being the ones who don’t want to sit and wait around were ready to jump straight in the basket as soon as they said it was time. Little did we know that if you’re the first to get in the basket, you’re the closest ones to the burner. The burner is HOT. I recommend waiting to be some of the last few people to get in the basket so you’re not directly under the flames.
After we all got into the basket, it was time for lift-off! We got off the ground around 7:00 a.m. - just as the sun was rising. The first thing I realized was how peaceful and quiet everything was up in the sky. There was not much of a breeze (which would have been welcome) but the lack of wind factored into the stillness and serenity of the experience.
It was really beautiful floating across the nature preserve and seeing the tops of the trees and pond start shimmering in the sun’s rising glow. At some points on our drift, you could reach out and touch the leaves of the trees. We started to float down to the pond for a “splash and dash”. Brian, our pilot, took us down low enough so that we drifted across the pond and formed a small wake behind us then started lifting off again.
I enjoyed seeing all the different types of neighborhoods across our trip. After the splash and dash, we got really high - it was a little breezier higher up and the cooler temperatures were welcome. At this point, I opted for one of the chilled water bottles that Rohr Balloons supplied while in flight.
It was fun seeing the suburban backyards from the skies as well as larger plots of land with more acreage and rural land. Occasionally we’d spot a person in their backyard enjoying their morning coffee and I’d give them a friendly wave. (I’m not sure if they like having aerial visitors on a regular basis but I imagine it would be fun to see balloons float above your backyard from time to time.)
Although the trip was extremely steady and peaceful, we did have one passenger that felt a little motion sick. So if you’re prone to that, take some Dramamine beforehand. Our flight ended in a different location near the McKinney Airport, just beyond their borders. We got to listen to Brian speak with the airport’s command center and get clearance for our balloon.
After a very smooth landing, we got out and enjoyed some mimosas and breakfast treats. What made this experience even more special was that Brian recited the “Balloonist Prayer” as we had a champagne toast.
"May the winds welcome you with softness.
May the sun bless you with its warm hands.
May you fly so high and so well that God joins you in laughter
And sets you gently back into the loving arms of Mother Earth."
Beautiful - don’t you think?
Here are some pro tips for hot air balloon rides:
Wear closed-toed shoes, like sneakers. The grass is tall in the areas that you take off and land. (Rohr Balloons had bug spray for anyone that needed it.)
Try to be the last person on the hot air balloon - this is because the first people to get in the basket are closest to the burner - and the burner is HOT. The further away from the burner you are in the basket, the more enjoyable your flight will be.
Consider wearing a ballcap to protect your head from the heat of the burner.
If you’re flying in the hot, humid summertime (like I did), consider bringing a handheld fan to keep you cool when there’s no breeze.
If you have a history of being a butterfingers with your phone (like me), be very careful when taking it out for pictures and videos. You don’t want to drop it from high up!
Go to the bathroom before your trip! The trip is about an hour so you’ll want an empty bladder. Don’t worry though - the meet-up point has bathrooms.
Although I did not have any issues whatsoever, if you’re prone to motion sickness, take some Dramamine beforehand.
Summary
So what do you get the childfree couple who has everything already? An experience or getaway, of course!
I love luxurious things, don’t get me wrong, but if given the choice of staying in the presidential suite of a 5-star hotel in Paris or owning a Louis Vuitton bag, I’d pick the hotel every time. In my experience of traveling around the world, memories are much more valuable than material goods.
My sunrise and champagne hot air balloon ride in Texas with Rohr Balloons was a super high quality, unforgettable experience that I’ll cherish and Tinggly made the entire process special, fun, and easy. 10/10 would recommend.
And if you are wondering what to get me for a wedding gift...I’ll gladly accept Tinggly gifts! ;)
author bio
Known as The Jet Set Blonde, Brittany Ryan inspires others to add more adventure to their childfree travel experiences. Brittany has visited 23 countries (and counting!) Connect with her to get access to detailed childfree travel itineraries, travel guides for weekend getaways, and updates on adult-only hotels, resorts, cruises, and other travel amenities.
