Jax here, and I've just wrapped up an epic adventure involving a hot air balloon purchased off Facebook Marketplace—no license, no insurance, just pure DIY ambition. We battled wind, rapidly emptying LP tanks, and even a hundred mysterious holes, pushing the limits of what a handful of determined builders could achieve with a massive, decommissioned aircraft. The lift-off was... *brief*, but the journey taught us more than any manual ever could about gravity, perseverance, and perhaps, what *not* to do when trying to fly.