Let's Go To The Zooooooo!

It was the school holidays some time back, and we decided to set aside a day for the zoo. We prepared snacks, including freshly cut fruits, packed the usual contingencies, water-play essentials, cameras, and cabbed down to the Singapore Zoological Gardens! We decided that this time, we would allocate more time for the kids to play at the water-themed playground. On the way, we managed to catch the feeding of the Orang Utans, and view some of the larger birds and mammals, along with our favourite reptiles.

It's interesting to note that the zoo rents out scooters, strollers, mini-trailers, wheelchairs and other equipment to accomodate almost anyone. We did not ride on the trams till much later in our trip when the kids started to get tired of walking.

We made sure we stopped by at all our favourite exhibits, one of which is the elephant bathing time where tourists get to interact with the bathing elephants by buying a basket of fruit for $5 each and feeding them right in their baths! It's easy to forget just how huge these giants are until their thick trunks reach out to take the apples out of your hand and toss it whole into their bucket sized mouths.

 

Feeding the giraffes has also become one of the activities we look forward to when we visit the zoo. We always recall the day three years ago when we brought our older girl to feed the giraffes, and the then baby took a mouthful out of the carrot meant for the giraffe. You should have seen the shocked look on the giraffe. I could imagine the giraffe saying, "Hey! That's mine." It was so funny!

We took some pictures of our best animal imitations and compiled them here. Can you tell what we are pretending to be? (*Hint: the animal is in the picture too!)

The kids' area was our focus today. There is an animal themed carousel, small mammal touch pens, playgrounds, and the main fuel of the day: Kentucy Fried Chicken! We bought a ticket that allowed us to try the carousel, and pony ride, but we did not get round to trying the horse drawn carriage.

The KFC just fronts the water-play area making it an appropriate launch pad to hours of fun in the sun. There were about three different slides, and we lost count how many times the older girl came down each one.

Water cannons, climbing nets, stairs and ladders, misting and water spouting structures, even a gigantic tipping bucket that pours out a crashing waterfall every few minutes. There was much running about, and kids everywhere. There were employees dispatching the kids down the slides and maintaining safety.

Needless to say, the girls were more than tired after their lunch and water-play, and the trip back to the main entrance was on the tram as everyone did not feel like walking very much. I think we all fell asleep in the cab on the way home. The zoo is one place we never seem to get bored of. We've made a handful of trips here and we always enjoy ourselves. We look forward to our next trip here!

Educational Aspects:

- The exhibit groupings (for example Fragile Forest, Australian Outback, Wild Africa, Great Rift Valley of Ethiopia) provide an appropriate and readily available educational dimension to the trip. If you have school going children, it is useful to highlight the different characteristcs of the different habitats, and how the animals in those habitats have adaptations that allow them to thrive in the habitats they live in.

- Why is it important to showcase wildlife in a setting like the zoo? What are some concerns and issues with regards to deciding where these animals come from? How far should we go in conserving natural habitats and how can it be balanced with economic development and bettering the lives of the people who live there? Your young ones, if they are old enough to understand, can learn that like many issues, conservation is sometimes tricky and while public education is crucial to future protection of a species, some institutions can be unethical when it comes to sourcing for their exhibits.

- While surfing the Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) website, I came across a treasure trove of multi media resources, articles, and newsletters informing readers about upcoming educational activities for children. The activities on the website are divided into sections for Preschool, Primary, Secondary and above, and there is even a page for teachers. To make the visit to the zoo even more enriching, a suggestion might be to view some of these videos highlighting conservation issues before the trip so that we can talk about these issues inbetween walks from one exhibit to another.

Road Trip to Coral Coast, Western Australia Part 8 Swan Valley Margaret River Chocolate Company

As we drove on, we would feel the effect of city life elbowing its way in. The number of cars on the road increased exponentially and so did the crowd. Somehow we were beginning to miss the sparse Exmouth again. It also meant that our long holiday was coming to an end soon. *sob sob sniff sniff*

We had time for one stop before heading back to Perth City. Yummy chocolates and ice-cream were the obvious choice. It was also a good place to stock up on gifts for family and friends.

Time stopped as we came face to face with the inviting chocolates

Chocolate factory. Stools are provided just outside the viewing glass for children.

Cafe within the building. Majority of the guests opted for outdoor dining.

A happy ice-cream fan

Time passed very quickly when we were enjoying ourselves. In a short while, we would be in Perth city and it would be time to say goodbye to our home for the past 2 weeks. Would certainly miss the motorhome and I sure will miss the space and convenience it gave. Thank you, goozgo.com.au and Maui.

Road Trip to Coral Coast, Western Australia Part 7 Cervantes

The Pinnacles in the Nambung National Park - a must see. That is what friends who have visited the place told me. On top of that, websites and Australian travel magazines have promoted The Pinnacles as being world famous. So of course, we were not going to miss it. It was a bit challenging getting to the place as the driving signboards were so far apart from one another that we thought we missed one and hence a turn somewhere. Even with the GPS in the motorhome, we were uncertain. It kept chanting, "You have reached your destination." but there was no sign in sight. Geesh, it didn't help that the kids were ready for their legs exercise long ago. The younger one was also starting to get hungry and I needed to get her food ready. Somehow, Daddy had the wisdom to make a left turn, with the practical reasoning that the national park has to be inland. We were driving along the coastal road. Thankfully, Daddy was spot on with his intuition and we were there in a jiffy. Boy, were we all glad.

After lunch, (That's the good thing about driving a motorhome. We were able to whip up yummy hot food anywhere, anytime) we headed to The Pinnacles Desert. It was a nice slow stroll in and the kids were fascinated with the caterpillars they saw along the way. Weather was nice and cool so we were able to stop and appreciate the little things.

Meeting their new small friend

Love their laughters

When the pinnacles appeared before our eyes, we were in awe. Such beautiful creation. I couldn't help but feel dwarfed by these giant works of nature. If you were there, you too would feel the grandeur of the numerous towers so somehow, the photos we had taken didn't do the limestone structures any justice. Good to be there around sunset when the shadows spread their wings around the area, making it more surreal.

The sand amazed the kids more than the pinnacles though

Our own version of 'David and Goliath'

Running around the natural running track

View of the pinnacles from the viewing platform

Next, we headed to The Pinnacles Desert Discovery Centre. It is located within the Nambung National Park and is just a short stroll from The Pinnacles. It explains in detail theories regarding the origin of The Pinnacles and the flora and fauna around the region. The displays of animals are also very lifelike, intriguing the kids greatly.

After a good walk around the centre, the kids were tired. Just in time for a well needed nap as we headed off to our next destination - Swan Valley's Margaret River Chocolate Factory.

Changi City Point

We had seen advertisements promoting a new mall in the heart Changi Business Park and heard a lot about the outdoor Water Park for kids, and decided to see it for ourselves! Situated just beside Expo MRT, it was no wonder that the place was crowded even on a weekday mid-afternoon. My first impression of the place was that it resembled a mini 'Vivo-City'. Cafes, boutiques and branded sports apparel factory outlets lined the floors. They even had their own roving balloon artist dressed in clown costume giving out balloon sculptures to everyone from kids to ''kids at heart''. The girls got themselves a balloon flower each. Fish-feeding was also possible at the outdoor and indoor fish ponds but we missed the feeding time. Would be sure to catch it the next time we go.

After grabbing a drink and purchasing a bargain jacket, we continued a quick tour around. There were many children themed shops; I noticed a baby spa called 'babySPA' (what else?), where babies can go for a float-assisted swim, TV assisted haircuts, and other forms of pampering. There is also an educational store, Smart Alley http://www.smartalley.com.sg/ and it stocks a good range of educational books and toys for young children. I couldn't resist myself and got the kids a few things. There is a new indoor children's playground, Petite Park, featuring a bar counter like boundary where parents can leisurely sip their cappucino's while watching over their little once run, climb, and bounce around the play area. The playstations are very much like SingKids at Changi Airport Terminal 3. Singkids is a whole lot bigger so there is more space for the kids to run. Petite Park is very small and the playstations are very close to one another. It just needs a few kids to make the place feel crowded.  Still, it is a good option if you want some 'me-time'.

The children however will have to wait for another time to try out the ball pool, merry-go-rounds, and slides, for today, we decided to check out the Playground & Treehouse, the mall's very own outdoor water-themed playground! The facility features water canons, mist emitting structures, a suspension bridge, merry-go-rounds, and a 'Treehouse Trail'. Parents occupied the wooden benches around the playground. The modern looking toilet facility had an outdoor shower and only one large male and female cubicle each.

We were much less than prepared as we did not come from home. Fortunately, we had a change of clothes with us, so we gave them the green light to jump in with whatever they were wearing. It was a raining slightly, and we wished we had come more prepared with a towel or two. After about an hour of play, the kids seemed to be getting cold and we swiftly changed them into dry clothes and headed for the food court that the playground was fronting for some warm dinner.The kids had noodles with tofu while I tried a fusion chicken chop.

Overall a quick, fun time spent together as a family in a family friendly place. We definitely will be back to enjoy everything else that the mall has to offer.

Wheels and Rods at East Coast Park

I cannot exactly remember how we ended up at East Coast Prawning but it could be the school holidays and availability of dad's car that made us want to try something new.

There was one pole fishing pond and two prawning ponds: one is a seawater pond with flower crabs, lobsters, and tiger prawns, and another is a freshwater pond with 'big head'prawns. So what is pole fishing? It's fishing with a pole instead of a rod and reel. The line is tied on to the tip of the pole. The fish in the pond were huge, which tempted me to put down $25 for six poles. Children were provided with cool eyewear to protect them from careless hooks. We soon found out, however, that the fish in the pond were often too large for the pole and line to hold, and although bites were frequent, the brief fights often ended up with the lines snapping. After about an hour and a half, we snapped our last line, with nothing to show for the experience. However, the experience itself was enjoyable, and the look on the faces of the children when the fish bite was priceless. Overall, it was worth trying something new, but once is enough for now. Perhaps bagging a large fish might have been enough to coax me to come back, but it didn't happen today. Next time, prawning perhaps? I saw how calm and cool those 'prawners' were while we were there. They sat on their chairs, reading books while those who were fishing displayed a very interesting combination of excitement and frustration as the fish snapped and let go off the hooks. Now on hindsight, I really do wonder what those 'prawners' were thinking as they see the 'fishermen' jumping around.

Upon stepping out of the pond fishing areas, we strolled a little before deciding to go cycling. At the bicycle kiosk, a unique cycling contraption caught our eye. It had a box-like carriage with a flat canopy, four wheels, enabling two persons to cycle side by side. It was steered using a wheel, and had a front overhanging bench to place the young ones. We decided to give it a go.

 The kids loved it! There was a cow bell that the kids rang to alert other riders sharing the path, but most of the time, people were passing us instead of us passing them. The contraption was mighty slow, even with two adults huffing and puffing away. Looking at it from a positive point of view, it was good exercise, and within half an hour we could feel a burning sensation in our bums and thighs. We booked it for 2 hours, but within an hour and a half, we were tired enough to return it. Of course, the kids enjoyed the scenic ride. They became the best friends and chatted happily away, with their arms around each other. It was a sweet sight to behold, even from the back. It was an enjoyable hour while it lasted! Would I do it again? Yes! I was forced to sit back and slow down, none of the rushing and housework. Most importantly, we were together as a family and that matters the most.

Roadtrip to Coral Coast, Western Australia Part 6 Geraldton and Jurien Bay

We had to return the motorhome in 3 days time so we could only manage a day trip to Geraldton while on route to Jurien Bay. Geraldton has tonnes to offer - the beach, the museums, shopping, eating...but we decided to focus only on two. We headed for a live lobster tour at Geraldton Fishermen's Co-operative Ltd. They run a morning tour every Monday to Friday at 930am and we were glad that we made it. We paid AUD$25 or 2 adults (AUD$10 each) and 1 child (AUD$5). It was free for the younger one. We were brought around the lobster factory. Grading and shipping of lobsters were explained and it sure was fascinating to know that lobsters hibernate in cold water and wake up when put in room temperature water. A good way to avoid motion-sickness during the transportation. The crowd was also given a chance to feel the lobsters. The children on the tour had a great time.

A family shot. Not everyone looked at the camera
but that was still a 50% success rate. Good enough, especially with kids.

We got a chance to feel the water in which the lobsters sleep and wake up in.



Kids loved the lobster. Can't say that about the lobster though.

The lobster pot was so heavy that no one on the tour could lift it.
Really admire those fishermen.

Gotta wear hair-net for the second part of the tour. The girls were very amused by them.

Next, we headed to the Western Australia Museum Geraldton where the town's rich maritime history was showcased. We figured it was the best place to soak up the history of the place before coming back again for more. The great thing about the museum was that they have a kids' corner within the building. There were a lot of activities to keep the girls occupied while we were there. Daddy took a tour around the place first while I stayed with the girls. We made puzzles, played with toy dinosaurs, studied fossils in rocks...in short, the kids were busy. This allowed Daddy and I to tour the museum in peace. It wasn't a big place but with its substantial display, we spent more than 3 hours there.

Lots to play with...



Made a dinosaur mask

Concentrated play

Beautiful view of the Marina

The coolest museum staff I have ever met - their skeleton staff.
Love how they took the term literally.
The skeleton staff was so cool that he even wore slippers to work!

By the time we reached Jurien Bay, it was almost evening. We stayed at Jurien Bay Tourist Park (http://www.jurienbaytouristpark.com.au/) which is located just beside the beach. Daddy took the girls to the beach while I got dinner ready. The tourist park has a huge jumping pillow and A, after being introduced to the trampoline at Carnarvon, had absolutely no qualms about doing more stunts on the huge pillow. K was too scared to even get near it. I wouldn't blame her. It was really huge, at least from her perspective.

Sisters forever

A on jumping pillow

We had to head back to Perth the next day so we spent the whole night playing silly games in the motorhome. Now that we were nearer the city, the temperature was getting lower. Just nice to stay in the warm motorhome and enjoy one another's company.

Roadtrip to Coral Coast, Western Australia Part 5 Carnarvon and Kalbarri

We set off for Carnarvon after a nice breakfast at the resort. Yes, we drove past the many termites nests again but this time, I saw something that made me stop the motorhome and got off without any hestitation. It was the sign, 'Tropic of Capricorn'. It is a plain sign and you might even miss it. After having taught Geography for years, it sure was a thrill to be able to 'touch' the imaginery Tropic of Capricorn. I took a photo with it and strangely, it made me feel powerful, like I have conqured the world...fine, just the Tropic of Capricorn.

I can't say much about Carnarvon as we had only one night there. Well, I suppose we did spend too much time in Exmouth. By the time we got there, it was already 2pm in the afternoon. It was a Sunday and a lot of the shops were closed. The supermarket would close in a few hours time so we hurried with our grocery shopping before checking in to Coral Coast Tourist Park (http://www.coralcoasttouristpark.com.au/) . I had wanted to visit Gascoyne Growers' Market but it only operates every Saturday morning from May to October. We had also wanted to visit The Coffee Pot Train, One Mile Jetty and other lovely spots but the girls were too tired from the long journey so we had no choice but to give them a miss. Of course, that also meant that we had the time to do our laundry which was piling up. The staff at Coral Coast Tourist Park were very friendly. They had two kids too and welcomed our kids to play with theirs. They had a trampoline within the park and A had a great time. She was a bit scared at first but once A got a hang of it, she was jumping non stop. The day ended early as the girls were too tired. Might as well as that gave Daddy and I more time to prepare for the drive to Kalbarri the next day.

Up, up but not away

Kalbarri is famous for a few highlights - their resident pelicans feed on the foreshore every morning, the beautifully sculpted coastal gorges and not forgetting, Kalbarri National Park. We stayed for 3 days at Murchison Caravan Park (http://www.murcp.com/) and simply loved how peaceful and beautiful the whole town was. I had wanted to visit Nature's Window within the Kalbarri National Park but motorhomes and caravans are not recommended in the park. The visitor center did provide day tour services to a few attraction spots within the national park but I could not make it on any of the dates. In fact, one just set off on the day we arrived. I had wanted to try my hand on canoeing along the Murchison River in the National Park but they needed a group of four. I was but one. Pelican feeding was also not available as the pelicians were off to Eyre Island for their nesting season. The girls were so disappointed. Thankfully, Kalbarri was a great place for easy walks with the children. The playground within the caravan park did great in keeping them happy too. We did spend half a day exploring the coastal gorges. There are simply beautiful. I couldn't help but asked, "God, did you make this?" everytime I stood on the viewing platforms of all the river gorges.

Natural Bridge

Eagle Gorge

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Minature watermelons by the road!

Play time while Mummy cooked dinner

Winding down time - Coloring

The stay at Kalbarri was peaceful. Just the way we liked it. We met another family travelling up to Coral Bay. Their daughter played with ours. He lamented how rushed it was and he had only 1 day to drive up to Coral Bay before reaching Perth 3 days later. He did not enjoy the trip as her daughter couldn't sit still. He was amazed at how calm we looked. We smiled. Response did not seem necessary at that time as it was clear that he just needed a listening ear.  Of course, we had our own fair share of difficulties. However, we were realistic in our planning. We gave ourselves more than enough time on the road so we could stop whenever we and the kids needed to. We gave ourselves extra days to unwind and enjoy the surroundings before heading off to the next destination. We expected little from the kids and were mentally prepared for the countless pit-stops on the way. We let the kids decide what they wanted to do whenever we got to any destination and we spent time just chatting and playing silly games. In short, we took it slow. Afterall, that was the whole reason why we go on family holidays. To get away from the rush and routine at home and take time to understand and appreciate one another. Let go and you would be amazed at what you get.

Beautiful sunset at Kalbarri