Showing posts with label Zoo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Zoo. Show all posts

Saturday, August 24, 2013

A day at the Zoo!

Hi y'all!
On Monday we had such a fun day trip to the Zoo with Papa and Granny (or Bunny, as Jaimeson says Granny! So cute!) I hadn't been to Taronga Zoo for about 12 years, and same for Mum and Dad I think, so it was a fun day out for all of us, not just Jaimeson!
We asked Jaimeson what he was excited to see at the Zoo, and he said Chickens, Cows and Sheep. LOL! I think we could have just gone on a drive in the country! (We bypassed the boring animals like that, and only went for the exotic animals at the zoo! Cos they do have a farmyard section!)
We caught the train into Circular Quay where we met up with Papa and Bunny, had a coffee, then caught the Ferry across the Harbour to Taronga. This is totally HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. It's such a beautiful trip across the harbour, there was a P&O ship in at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, the sun was shining and the view from the ferry is so beautiful. 
Here we are outside the Historic Entrance to "Taronga Zoological Park". Self-taken, of course! Once you get off the ferry there is a bus waiting to take you up to the Zoo's main entrance, or if you have a pre-bought Zoo ticket, you can go straight on the Sky Safari Gondolas up to the top.

So we're inside!! Commence Animal picture bombardment!!

Aligators: can you see 2 of them basking in the sunlight on that sandy patch back there? Jaimeson is pointing out a concrete one at the front of the enclosure!






And a crocodile! Steve Irwin would be proud of Jaimeson & Papa! Check out their Croc-wrangling skills!
 One of my favourites were these Mountain Goats, who have the most spectacular view of the Harbour Bridge as they perch on the side of their rocky mountain! They are so agile and just pop up the top like they're walking on flat ground!



I really loved the Giraffes! You forget just how tall they really are! Imagine being an explorer in Africa, and coming across them for the first time. They are so amazing! They came up quite close, cos it was feeding time, and we got a good look at them!



Bunny and Papa bought Jaimeson a gorgeous soft little Giraffe at the Zoo and he has taken it to bed every night this week & read it stories and watched Nemo with it. I think he likes Giraffes too! (Or Daraffe as he calls them!)

An action shot from walking around the Zoo, and a nice Photobomb by Willy! The sun came out half way around the Zoo and so we stripped down layers cos it was a gorgeous warm day! Perfect for the Zoo!


Next it was on to the Big Cats trail, where it seems the Big Cats are quite lazy! Bunny & Jaimeson are checking out the sleeping Bengal Tigers here.

And here is Will, Jaimeson & Papa admiring the sleeping Lion! LOL! I wanted to see some action! We were quite lucky on our trip around the zoo, to see many of the animals being fed at the exact time we came upon their enclosures. Like the Chimpanzees, the goats, the Giraffes & the Elephants.


Talking about Elephants... here they are!! They are definitely one of my favourite animals at the Zoo! Aren't they just so gorgeous! And there were so many of them! At least 7 Indian Elephants in this enclosure, plus they have the Male elsewhere. Maybe he causes too much shenanigans if left with his herd of women {tongue in cheek!}
Jaimeson loved the elephants too & kept "Brrrrrr-ing!" with his arm up in the air, mimicking the elephants! It was their feeding time too, so was fun to watch them get peanuts out of the big tubes the keepers threw down to them. Some of them banged it on the ground (much to Jaimeson's delight) and some rolled it along to get the peanuts to fall out. Thoroughly entertaining either way!

Further down the big hill we came to the Sea Life exhibits. There were plenty of seals and penguins & we sat down to watch the Seal Show, which I highly recommend! It was awesome! We got there nice & early and got a seat in the second row, with a fantastic view & we only got a little bit splashed during the show! I know Jaimeson loved the seal show too, cos he had a chip in one hand and a muesli bar in the other, and he didn't eat either of them for the whole 20mins of the show, he was mesmerized! How awesome is this jumping seal! What a cool pic too {high five!}

Next we went on to the Penguins, where you can watch them from under the water through a big glass window. On the way out there was this skylight over the walkway, then I saw a penguin flit past, and I realised it was another window on the roof and the penguins swam over the top of us at breakneck speed (man they are quick!) This has to be the best view of penguins EVER! And such a surprise, when I thought it was only a skylight!!

After the Sea Life area we caught the Sky Safari gondolas up to the top of the Zoo, then back down again, to take advantage of the cool view! It's a great way to fly over the exhibits, and also a fantastic view of the city from up there! It's included in the Zoo entry fee, so try it!



And you get a cool view of the Elephants! There's our little gondola's shadow too!

Back on the Ferry to Circular Quay, an Ice Cream then on the train back home again. Look how big Lentil pokes out after a day of walking around the Zoo! That's a big Bump!!


Wow, what a wonderful day it was! Jaimeosn totally crashed out on the Train on the way home, he was spent! But we had a fabulous day, and I really enjoyed Taronga Zoo! It's definitely easy to get around, with great paths and boardwalks & super easy with a stroller/pram. The only thing I recommend doing is taking your own packed lunch. We took sandwiches and I was so happy about that, cos food inside the Zoo is astronomically expensive (even more than Disneyland!!)
We also had a coupon for 25% off from the Entertainment Book, which saved Will & I $11 each on our tickets (Jaimeson was already free).
Thanks for coming with us Papa & Bunny! We had a wonderful day!!
:) C