The sunrise glows a vibrant pallet of red, gold, orange and dark brown. We are in sheep and wheat country as we tackle the final leg of our Ghan trip.
Storm clouds burst over a sunburnt country offering watery sustenance and a reason to keep farming.
Sitting in air-conditioned comfort while rolling along the track is incongruent with the dusty path motorists travel along.
Rolling green wheat fields boast a hearty future. Life continues to flourish in the great southern land.
Arriving in Adelaide brings a degree of sadness. The trip was a lighthouse of excitement and a lure to save precious dollars for many months. Now the dream is nearly over. Two days in Adelaide with a trip to the Zoo and down to Glenelg on the travel agenda and then back home for more work and savings toward another journey.
Checking in at the accommodation was civilised. I am feeling a little deflated – and it is not that I’ve been unpacked. I don’t want this trip to end. It has been exciting and a real blast. Sitting on the apricot velvet chair gazing out of the window I feel somewhat depressed.
The humans move around – unpacking and making plans. They head off for a coffee and I slip into a dark and resentful slumber.
Back in the room and I can hear plans for tomorrow being discussed. We are going to the Zoo. We’re off to see the pandas and all of the other creatures. I am alert, vibrant and wriggling with excitement. Are we there yet?
Day IX – Adelaide Zoo
We grab a cab and are dropped right out front of Adelaide Zoo (http://www.zoossa.com.au/adelaide-zoo ).
It is a clean and welcoming entrance with really friendly people willing to take your money to gaze and photograph the caged beasties. I know it is a little sad but hey, when I am going to get to Africa or South America anytime soon?
We walk through the entrance and there is a little watery commotion. Stop please, Mistress I want to see what is happening. There are two little Otters frolicking in the water. Mistress takes her camera out and films a little sequence of their fun-filled escapade. They are so cute. Can we just stand here all day and watch them? What – don’t go yet – I’ve not finished soaking up their cheerful and massively cute ritual.
Next watery pen there is a pigmy hippopotamus. Wow it is so cute and tiny? Have I already used, “cute” well they are – just so darn cute – see I said it again. Okay I will think of another adjective – well I will try really hard but remember my vocabulary is limited there are only so many brain cells stitched into my green canvas flaps.
We line up for the Pandas (http://www.giantpanda.org.au/ ). I wish the people behind me would stop forging into my aura – my comfort zone has been penetrated and I am not happy. Not only that they have little munchkins that keep asking, “Are we there yet?” Do I have to state the obvious and remind them, “If we were there yet – we’d be darn-well there?”
The gates open. Cameras at the ready; come on Mistress – no don’t get his butt – I know it is adorable (see another word for “cute”). But (pardon the pun) we can take that back to the grandchildren. Aww they are so endearing (see stretching the vocabulary!). There are two little Pandas and their names are: Wang Wang and Funi. They are animated and very comfortable with the crowd of snap happy visitors. Of course they are munching their way around the compound but hey we are living the dream on the other side. It is amazing to be this close to such wild and endangered animals – and they’re so cute (see I said it again) beasties!
We wandered down to the lions and tigers (they are Master’s fav.). They were sleepy but I think that the lion had eyes for the lioness over there. He looks to lazy and somewhat confined to do anything about it. I am sure that the inclination does not pass though. You can see immediately why they are called, King and Queen of the jungle.
Mistress becomes fascinated with the giraffes. She loves them and proceeds to take 15,000 shots (slight exaggeration – maybe 12,000). Anyway I like the meerkats they are so animated and delightful. They make these funny little noises – I guess it can be interpreted as: “hey guys over there – there are these funny looking creatures with a big black eye starring at us – click click click – why are you so thick? Why don’t you put down the black eye and look at us with your two eyes instead?”
Primates are funny – aren’t they? I love the monkeys and the gorillas. They are so natural they just don’t give a crap about what is going on – they just love to do their thing. I am sure that they are making fun of us in their own lingo.
Mistress is captivated by the two orang-utans. Their plight is one of the main reasons why she continues to publish her books in eBook format. Stop cutting down forests so you can read your book in paper – step into the new millennium and go digital bozo!
Anyway, enough lecturing – lets just watch and see what they do! They have a play pen that has a lot of little food surprises hidden. They know where to go – where to delve into a log or to climb a rope to win a delightful prize. They are ugly in a funny charming sort of way don’t you think?
Fairy penguins are another group of beasties I adore. They are tiny and walk like they are in a very tight tuxedo with no room to move. Racing along fake banks of cement they dive into the water and swim like they’re possessed or at least have a tiny engine squeezed up their water tight behinds.
There are so many great animals in this Zoo. I have loved every minute. I don’t want to take the surprise out of your next visit. Come along and see for yourself. This was a great experience – even the food was reasonable and nourishing – a great day out!
Later that night I slouched exhausted in my velvet nest. Mistress and her other half went out for a candle light dinner upstairs in a fancy smancy restaurant. Care factor on that is zero but they seemed to like it. I have to get my rest as we are heading off early for a tram-ride to Glenelg. Want to join us? Sure come along – get a ticket to ride!
Grunting,
Greenie
