{"id":8414,"date":"2019-06-13T16:20:17","date_gmt":"2019-06-13T16:20:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/?p=8414"},"modified":"2019-07-08T20:21:23","modified_gmt":"2019-07-08T20:21:23","slug":"houston-to-san-diego-day-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/index.php\/2019\/06\/13\/houston-to-san-diego-day-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Houston to San Diego &#8211; Day 4"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Day 4 &#8211; Salton Sea to San Diego, California<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The temperature rose quickly, and fairly early in the morning it was already uncomfortably warm to be in the tents. This suited us well, however, as we wanted to spend the afternoon in San Diego at the famous San Diego Zoo! We headed west across the coastal mountain range and were soon flying overhead a low undercast layer, the typical marine layer that covers the California coast of a morning. We were headed for San Diego international, and without any hassle or waiting we were given a pop-up IFR clearance from SoCal approach to fly the ILS into San Diego. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"847\" height=\"492\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Salton-Sea-to-San-Diego.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8428\" srcset=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Salton-Sea-to-San-Diego.jpg 847w, https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Salton-Sea-to-San-Diego-768x446.jpg 768w, https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Salton-Sea-to-San-Diego-465x270.jpg 465w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 847px) 100vw, 847px\" \/><figcaption>Across the coastal range to San Diego<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"rl-gallery-container rl-loading\" id=\"rl-gallery-container-1\" data-gallery_id=\"8449\"> <div class=\"rl-gallery rl-basicgrid-gallery rl-hover-effect-2 rl-hover-icon-2\" id=\"rl-gallery-1\" data-gallery_no=\"1\"> <div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-07.29.48.jpg\" title=\"Morning at Salton Sea\" data-rl_title=\"Morning at Salton Sea\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-07.29.48-500x300.jpg\" width=\"367\" height=\"220\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">Morning at Salton Sea<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/IMG-20170505-WA0017.jpg\" title=\"Over California&#039;s central valley\" data-rl_title=\"Over California&#039;s central valley\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/IMG-20170505-WA0017-500x300.jpg\" width=\"367\" height=\"220\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">Over California&#039;s central valley<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/P1130919.jpg\" title=\"Hilltop poking out of the marine layer near San Diego\" data-rl_title=\"Hilltop poking out of the marine layer near San Diego\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/P1130919-500x300.jpg\" width=\"367\" height=\"220\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">Hilltop poking out of the marine layer near San Diego<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>We dropped out the bottom of what was to us now an overcast, rather than an undercast, with downtown San Diego visible directly to our left. We touched down between airliner landings and taxied to the FBO, which was as fancy as you&#8217;d expect from a major international airport, but surprisingly decent value for money! Sophia would be leaving me here, so we made sure she&#8217;d taken all her luggage, and took a taxi downtown to the hotel. Sophia had a large hotel room so was putting me up in her spare bed!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"rl-gallery-container rl-loading\" id=\"rl-gallery-container-2\" data-gallery_id=\"8451\"> <div class=\"rl-gallery rl-basicgrid-gallery rl-hover-effect-2 rl-hover-icon-2\" id=\"rl-gallery-2\" data-gallery_no=\"2\"> <div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/IMG-20170505-WA0011.jpg\" title=\"Dropping out of the cloud by San Diego\" data-rl_title=\"Dropping out of the cloud by San Diego\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/IMG-20170505-WA0011-1038x576.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"388\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">Dropping out of the cloud by San Diego<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/P1130922.jpg\" title=\"Final approach to San Diego\" data-rl_title=\"Final approach to San Diego\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/P1130922-1038x576.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"388\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">Final approach to San Diego<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/IMG-20170505-WA0009.jpg\" title=\"Unloading Sophia&#039;s gear\" data-rl_title=\"Unloading Sophia&#039;s gear\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/IMG-20170505-WA0009-1038x576.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"388\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">Unloading Sophia&#039;s gear<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-09.16.40.jpg\" title=\"Parked up in San Diego\" data-rl_title=\"Parked up in San Diego\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-09.16.40-1038x576.jpg\" width=\"700\" height=\"388\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">Parked up in San Diego<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>We met up with a friend of Sophia&#8217;s and found a place close to the hotel for brunch. Fully sated, we took an Uber to the zoo. San Diego Zoo grew out of exotic animal exhibitions abandoned after the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, and is now the USA&#8217;s most visited zoo, and widely renowned as one of the best in the world. They have over 650 species of animal on exhibit, and perform significant work in the fields of conservation and endangered species reproduction. The zoo was not too busy and we spent a very enjoyable afternoon exploring the exhibits, including two pandas temporarily on display from China!<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"rl-gallery-container rl-loading\" id=\"rl-gallery-container-3\" data-gallery_id=\"8453\"> <div class=\"rl-gallery rl-basicgrid-gallery rl-hover-effect-2 rl-hover-icon-2\" id=\"rl-gallery-3\" data-gallery_no=\"3\"> <div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-13.11.10.jpg\" title=\"Sculptures at San Diego Zoo\" data-rl_title=\"Sculptures at San Diego Zoo\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-13.11.10-500x300.jpg\" width=\"367\" height=\"220\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">Sculptures at San Diego Zoo<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-13.37.03.jpg\" title=\"Watching the waterfall\" data-rl_title=\"Watching the waterfall\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-13.37.03-500x300.jpg\" width=\"367\" height=\"220\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">Watching the waterfall<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-13.53.25.jpg\" title=\"An Okapi, I think\" data-rl_title=\"An Okapi, I think\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-13.53.25-500x300.jpg\" width=\"367\" height=\"220\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">An Okapi, I think<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-14.32.28.jpg\" title=\"Panda time!\" data-rl_title=\"Panda time!\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-14.32.28-500x300.jpg\" width=\"367\" height=\"220\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">Panda time!<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-14.43.45.jpg\" title=\"Panda strutting its stuff\" data-rl_title=\"Panda strutting its stuff\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-14.43.45-500x300.jpg\" width=\"367\" height=\"220\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">Panda strutting its stuff<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-14.48.22.jpg\" title=\"Nap time for the brown bear\" data-rl_title=\"Nap time for the brown bear\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-14.48.22-500x300.jpg\" width=\"367\" height=\"220\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">Nap time for the brown bear<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-15.00.08.jpg\" title=\"Not the most exotic exhibit (actually a companion animal for a Cheetah)\" data-rl_title=\"Not the most exotic exhibit (actually a companion animal for a Cheetah)\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-15.00.08-500x300.jpg\" width=\"367\" height=\"220\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">Not the most exotic exhibit (actually a companion animal for a Cheetah)<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"rl-gallery-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-15.03.03.jpg\" title=\"Sophia finds her namesake\" data-rl_title=\"Sophia finds her namesake\" class=\"rl-gallery-link\" data-rl_caption=\"\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/2017-05-05-15.03.03-500x300.jpg\" width=\"367\" height=\"220\" alt=\"\" \/><span class=\"rl-gallery-caption\"><span class=\"rl-gallery-item-title\">Sophia finds her namesake<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div> <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"text-align:right\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/index.php\/2019\/06\/13\/houston-to-san-diego-days-5-and-6\/\">Click here<\/a><\/strong> to read the last part of the story.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Day 4 &#8211; Salton Sea to San Diego, California The temperature rose quickly, and fairly early in the morning it was already uncomfortably warm to be in the tents. This suited us well, however, as we wanted to spend the afternoon in San Diego at the famous San Diego Zoo! We headed west across the coastal mountain range and were soon flying overhead a low undercast layer, the typical marine layer that covers the California coast of a morning. We&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/index.php\/2019\/06\/13\/houston-to-san-diego-day-4\/\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-san-diego"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8414","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8414"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8414\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8520,"href":"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8414\/revisions\/8520"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8414"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8414"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/katamarino.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8414"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}