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| It pretty much explains itself |
Y'see, Jenny has had a fondness for our little eucalypt monsters since she was a kiddilywink, and there wasn't a day that went by, in the time coming up to the trip, that she didn't mention how excited she was to finally cuddle a koala. It seemed like I was just a formality.
Naturally we had to get there first, which was really quite easy. First we get a bus out to the most available train station, Zillmere, take the train to Caboolture, then take the bus out to the Zoo.
Sounds simple, no? Too bad it takes about 2 hours in total to get out there. It's a good thing that there was a lot for Jenny to look at on the way, especially on the bus ride from Caboolture. It was annoying though, because Jenny had her camera with her and we were passing the Glass House Mountains, but every time we saw them, they were gone just as quick. Which is annoying when we were trying to take a photo of old Monkey Face.
Later, a lady on the bus gave us a tap on the shoulder and said that Jenny could get a good photo as we were coming up to a particular bridge going over a road that I wanted to call the Bruce Highway, but it wasn't.
Then we arrived. It took one blink of the eye to see Jenny get off the bus and pull out the camera and take photos of just signs and trees and one of the Australia Zoo Staff who drive a minibus to one of the nearby stations.
Again, I was feeling like a bit of a third wheel while she drooled over the man in khaki.
After such success, we began our walk through the brush and aimed for the one thing we really needed: Breakfast. It was lunchtime by now, but damnit we were hungry. But not so hungry to not stare at the leather skinned Alligators we walked past on the bridge. We sat there for a good 10 or 15 minutes, taking photos, and wondering how quickly a feral Bush Turkey, a bird wandering around the grounds freely, would change its tune if it were dangled above the pit.
We were happily walking along, enjoying the foliage and more of me being eaten by creatures, until we were stopped and I was dropped like a bad habit because, you guessed it, she saw a Koala.
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| It's the most exciting moment of Jennys life |
But horror stories of any kind never put Jenny off at all. She wanted to take him home and hug him and kiss him and squeeze him with all her heart. Myself, three croc handlers and an Elephant Tranquiliser later, she was settled down and reassured that she would get to cuddle one later, after we had a walk around and especially after we had something to eat.
That wasn't so easy a plan to accomplish. You see, Australia Zoo tries to be as stereotypical as can be imagined. Not quite Paul Hogan level, but with enough -isms floating about on signs and such, it's hard to get the camera away from Jenny's face.
There was good that came out of it. Jenny caught children in Uniform and remarked on their school hats; two girls holding a baby croc posed for her; and the fella holding a large snake offered her a hold which she giggled and shied away from, naturally. And more of me playing silly buggers, of course.
Eventually she decided she was more hungry than photographer, and we made our way upstairs to the food court. This was a new opportunity to get Jenny to try an Aussie Burger.
Sadly, she didn't go for it today. I did and was only a little disappointed that there wasn't any pineapple.
We spent lunch fending off dumpster ducks and bush turkeys while admiring the large wood slice tables they had in the court. They were very cool, and I kinda wished I could have one for my own home one day. It'd be cool to have an office in that style. I'm sure I've ranted about that before today.
Then we had to fill in time. Jenny was getting desperate to hold a Koala, and we found the area where we were allowed to let Jenny hold one. Under strict supervision, of course. So we just had to faff around for about an hour and a bit.
Happily, there's plenty to do at Aus Zoo. Like seeing the sheep mowing an area of lawn, and the petting zoo. Jenny was delighted to see all the Goats just climbing the small platforms and staring at her blankly, while I enjoyed the piglets who were all too excited to just run around and round and squeal incessantly in their pen. It was about this time that we found out about the croc show which was soon.
We wandered a little further away and saw the Camels gnawing away at a rather naked tree before returning to the Food Court and taking our seat to the croc show, where we laughed at the small flock of ducks waddling around the pool which hid an interesting white croc. As we learnt, he wasn't albino, he was actually a white croc.
Then it was time. Time to finally hold a Koala. Jenny is a great smiler. And if you saw the photos, you'd never see a smile bigger except in caricatures.
It took her a while to let go, but her life was now complete, fulfilled to the brim. And to top it off, a few of the Dingo's were being walked about and Jenny whispered a few baby eating jokes.
Now it was time to really begin the excursion. With camera in hand, she took photos of everything. From encased spiders and creepy crawlies, to the long walls of tributes and memorials to Steve Irwin. She was practically in tears at how much people loved him.
Then came one of the biggest surprises of the day for Jenny.
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| "It was heaven" |
The excitement was palpable. She didn't know what to do with herself. We spent a good few minutes disappointing a hungry kangaroo so we could take photos of Jenny with it while it looked around with someone with feed in their hands.
We let it move on and moved on to watch the short beaked Echidna's do laps around their enclosure; the wallabies stare at us from atop it's rock; and watch more Kangaroo's laze about while the bush turkeys wandered about doing whatever it is they do. Aside from poop everywhere.
Our travels moved on to The Wetlands, where the Jabiru's plotted against us, Bruce Brolga (real name) remained adamant in keeping himself parked in the wrong area while he cleaned himself, the one Emu we saw refused to look at us, and I pointed out a few bottle brushes here and there.
Once we circled around, we were on to the Koala Walk. Jenny was calm and collected as we walked around the Koalas in the trees and saw more Kangaroo's jumping about the open seating area that led into the Aviary, where i pointed out as many different birds as were flapping about. Even saw a very silent and still Kookaburra. It wouldn't be a few days until Jenny finally got to hear a Kookaburra making his morning laugh.
Then it would be my favourite area: The Wallabies. And quite frankly, it was because we saw one scratching its arse on a wall. Life's simple pleasures, y'know.
After was life's simple squirms. Namely Snakes. They were behind glass and I don't think any of them were moving, but Jenny was still feeling nervious watching them. They're snakes after all. The coolest thing I found about it was the snake skeleton wrapped around a tree and attacking a small pig (I think it was a pig).
By this time, we had finally circled the Zoo. We had completely left out the Africa area, because Jenny said "Well, I can see african animals at home, so why see them here". I looked at the map, and found there was a maze of small enclosures that we had completely missed filled with Taz Devils, more Dingos and a Cassowary. Crimeny that's a weird bird. No wonder it's so vicious.
After a few more photos of Koalas and a few pickups at the gift shop, we began the trip home. I was clever enough to call mum and have her pick us up on the way. And get Pizza on the way home. It was too good an opportunity.
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