flying high

Wild Animal Park & San Pasqual Valley
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view straight down from the hot air balloon ~

we're tethered, but still swaying (!!)
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400' above the earth?? no worries...

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Today we made a trip out to the Wild Animal Park. We've been before but this time made a bee line for two of the more popular things to do since we've skipped them before -- the tram ride and the hot air balloon ride. This park is unique because almost all the larger animals are in one huge area together just as they are in the wild. The only way to see many of them is to take the tram ride so we were thrilled to do that one. The driver was very informative and we got up close to giraffes, wildebeests, cheetahs, all sorts of birds... After the tram, Thomas and I rode in the hot air balloon. It doesn't seem very high when you are viewing it from the ground, but 400' in the air is actually pretty high. At one point I nervously asked the pilot if we were at the top yet and he told me we still had another 30' to go. Wow! There was a little wind, too, so the balloon was swaying. None of this phased Thomas and he enjoyed the ride and the views from way up there. I enjoyed the views but was also happy to be back on solid ground.