The Gayest Mode Of Transport?

SEE cos I'm reading about the Franco-Prussian War what led to German unification, the creation of the French 3rd Republic and all that shite, but then I read that this frenchy politician type Leon Gambetta escaped from Paris under siege by the Germans by hot air balloon.

I remember cracking up in the lecture over that. Yeah, I always remember the "human interest" bits of lectures, the bits they tell you to make you think history is cooool and junk. But you'd be a retard to put it in an essay. I might though...

Anyway, then I thought about hot air balloons. During war time did they look like this? Not very menacing, not very sturdy under a hail of anti aircraft missiles.

BUT THEN, they aren't affected by volcanic ash.

Renaissance of the Hot Air Balloon as popular mode of transport?? I think so