In February, 1998, Bonaventura Balloon Company founder, Joyce Anna Bowen, led the first historic balloon flight expedition over Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines. The active volcano erupted in 1991, causing millions to flee their towns and farms and affecting the earth's sunsets for several years. Skimming the edges of what many have called one of the most violent volcanoes of the century, Bowen and crew threw traditional red blossoms into the crater and its boiling lake to appease "the volcano god".
 Draped with the American and Philippino flags, the flight was photographed by the Philippine Air Force and the Department of Tourism. Navigating to the volcano through a double mountain range was a challenge, and navigating to an accessible landing area before reaching the South China Sea was another. A perfect stand-up landing next to a beautiful lagoon revealed that the village seen from the air was occupied by friendly, curious pygmy natives of the Aeta tribe. They respectfully laid down bows and arrows a few hundred feet away and spent an 8-hour day playing games and singing, swimming and napping until the chase crew arrived. A surreal, magical priceless day in the life - a balloonist's life!