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http://www.airadventures.org First International Air Balloon Competition will take off on Ukraine’s 19th birthday.

The fields of the Vasilkiv region 40 kilometers away from Kyiv will host air games thanks to their ravines, small lakes and forest patches. This landscape apparently works best for an air adventure.

Some 15 teams from Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania and Saudi Arabia will compete for five days navigating specific routes set up for them by organizers. Due to ever-changing weather conditions, traveling conundrums will be conjured an hour before the scheduled flights. GPS systems will track the competition and determine winners.

Apart from watching these oldest successful human-carrying aircrafts, you may be able to ride yourself. Children from the Vasilkiv orphanages were promised a ride in wicker baskets. Hot air balloons will be taking off daily at 7 a.m. and at 6 p.m. for professional and public flights. If you can’t get up that early, come to the center of Vasilkiv town at 8:30pm on Aug. 27 for a spectacular air balloon show.

Vasylkiv, Kyiv region (shuttle buses from metro Lybidska or festival’s transfer from Magelan shopping mall).
Tickets: Hr 1,000 for a group flight (4-10 people), Hr 3,300-3500 for a two-person flight. Details in Russian only: http://airadventures.org/index.php