A pilot who flew the first-ever non-stop trip around the world in a hot air balloon is thinking back on the 25th anniversary of the flight.

Ah, the glory days of ballooning adventures and record-breaking flights – because who needs airplanes when you can float around the world in a giant hot air balloon, right? Brian Jones and Bertrand Piccard, the dynamic duo behind the Breitling Orbiter Three, are basking in the nostalgia of their 25th anniversary flight, where they floated from the Swiss Alps to the Egyptian desert without a single hiccup. Because, you know, crossing the Mediterranean Sea and soaring over Mauritania in a hot air balloon is just your average leisurely activity. And let’s not forget the highlight of the journey – the absolute pandemonium that awaited them in Cairo, where they were met with cheers, accolades, and probably a few puzzled looks from bystanders wondering why two grown men decided to spend 20 days floating around in a balloon.

But fear not, for their world record of the furthest and longest non-stop unfueled flight in any form of aircraft remains intact – because nothing says “achievement” quite like spending three weeks in a glorified wicker basket, right? And let’s not overlook the commemorative items collected along the way – from control center clocks to royal encounters with Queen Elizabeth II herself. Because when you’ve conquered the skies in a balloon, what better way to remember the journey than with a clock and a photo op with royalty? So here’s to Jones and Piccard, the high-flying pioneers of ballooning adventures – may their record-breaking feats continue to inspire baffled onlookers for years to come.