Hot-air balloons are commonly used for recreational purposes. In addition to quiet morning or afternoon flights drifting cross-country to enjoy the view, many balloonists enjoy competitive sporting events and attempting to set new records. A balloonist may fly alone in the basket or carry several passengers. Often several balloons meet to launch together without any competitive goals. Individual flights generally last from one to three hours and may go several kilometres, though they often land very close to the take-off point.