A day at the zoo

I was expecting a cold day today as yesterday was freezing - a high of 8oC so my plan was to take the kids ten pin bowling.  We woke to a lovely Autumn day and although it was a bit brisk it certainly didn't have the wind chill factor of yesterday.  We spent the morning at home and I started packing as we go to Paris on Saturday and when we come back move straight into our new house.  I also found out this morning at the reception that we need to clean the kitchen when we leave as the cleaners don't do that.  I think it is a bit odd as we have been here for 8 weeks and you think that the hotel would want to make sure it was all clean before the new guests arrive.  They clean the rest of the unit just not the kitchen.

As it was a lovely day we decided to go to the Zoo which is in a neighbouring suburb so only ten minutes away.  When we arrived it wasn't that clear where to pay so I just kept driving and suddenly found that I was driving on a road with camels on either side!  Penelope then told me that she had turned around and saw a lady looking at us and shaking her head - oops.  Anyway as there was nowhere to turn around I just kept driving and there were other cars so decided I must be in the right place!  We drove through the park past Lions and zebras and two hippos that came very close to the car!  It was lovely although at one point we had to drive through two antelopes and I thought that one of them was going to give the car a little nudge with its antlers!

We wound our way through the safari park and arrived at the car park.  I then found the ticket office which I had driven past and yes I was meant to have paid on entry to the park but they didn't seem too worried.  We then walked down and into the zoo and Hannah ran off and disappeared!  We eventually found her about 20 minutes later and she burst into tears very upset and apologetic.  Penelope was quite concerned that Hannah might have to end up sleeping with the animals overnight in one of their cages!  Oh well better to wander off in a reasonably small enclosed Zoo then in Paris, hopefully she has learned her lesson!

It was a really lovely zoo with lots of gorgeous animals but some of the animals especially the big cats - tigers, panthers and jaguars seemed to be in very small enclosures.  This was great for us being able to see them but probably not so good for the animals.  I think of the lovely big enclosures that the big cats have at Wellington Zoo and at Orana park and think they have got a much better deal.  We also didn't see any zookeepers apart from the lady that worked with the seals, which was a bit surprising.  It did feel like it could perhaps do with a bit of a spruce up and some of the enclosures being changed and enlarged but in saying that the animals all looked really healthy.  The highlight of the day though was a show put on by the two fab seals Dolly and Daisy!  They leapt and clapped and generally showed off to the audience which was a real treat to see.