We're going to the zoo - zoo - zoo, how about you - you - you...

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Today was a very long but exciting day for Sooty, Sweep and Sue as they visited the famous Singapore Zoo to catch up with a few of their friends.

Unfortunately it was still raining (the torrential vairiety) but it didn't dampen their spirits as they arrived in their special colourful rain macs, carefully and lovingly purchased for this very type of occasion.

Sue fidgeted restlessly, eager to sprint through the turnstyles, as Sweep and Sooty slowly browsed the sweets and jewellery at the entrance.

Finally they were off! They rushed through the gates and stopped at the first 'enclosure'. Here they were supposed to see an exciting and colourful breed of monkey. They stopped and looked and waited, but alas nothing was to be seen. This type of monkey must not have liked the rain much and had obviously taken the sensible option and stayed hidden indoors.

Oh well - onto the next area and here they stopped at a large aligator enclosure... but once again - nothing was to be seen. Feeling slightly disgruntled and a little sad, the trio continued on the pretty path, heads bound up in their mac hoods, gazing at the map, imagining the kinds of animals they would have seen, had the weather been a little nicer.

Then suddenly out of nowhere, the sun came up and the rain stopped!! It was wonderful! The rain macs were hurridly taken off and stuffed into bags and they were back in action!

The Zoo was lovely - very large 'enclosures', which weren't really enclosures at all as they were separated only by very small moats and greenery. It looked very natural and was spread out very nicely. The monkeys, gibbons, and orangatangs were free to roam the trees so were often swinging right above people's heads. There were elephants, white tigers, lions, hunting dogs, cheetahs, leopards, all sorts of monkeys, polar bears, giraffes, spiders, snakes, seals, penguins and many many more lovely wild animals to look at.

At the giant tortoise enclosure, Sooty, Sweep and Sue all felt it quite necessary to climb on to the model of the tortoise outside the pen to pose for some 'fun' pictures. They waited in turn with a line of about 10 small children until it was their time to get on. They awkwardly clambered on as the tortoise strained and rocked and the line of children and their parents watched intrigued as these three 'grownups' proceeded to pretend to ride the poor animal. After the stares were getting a little embarrassing and the queue had grown rather substantially, the three clumsily slid off the back of the shell, (Sue's leg getting caught on the head in the process) and they scurried off.

Next was another exciting event. The three entered the 'delicate creatures' arena, a large covered tropical garden with butterflies everywhere! They were so pretty. Sooty squealed a few times, as some of the butterflies resembled fearful moths. There were monkeys in here too that you could've reached out and touched! It was just so lovely! Climbing up some steps they stopped at a platform with vines just ahead. Here they were met with giant bats! They were all hanging upside down, some eating fruit and others urinating which was rather interesting! Sue immediately whipped out her camera and started gleefully taking photos to show a certain relative who she felt woukd appreciate the gesture. A few hundred photos later, they left the enclosure and continued around the rest of the zoo.

No corner was left unexplored. They even visited the petting zoo where they saw sheep, cows, pigs and bunnies. The three smiled when some local children started exclaiming over the cows 'mooing' - perhaps there aren't many cow fields in Singapore??

6 hours later and the tour of the zoo was complete! Feeling rather weary, the trio managed to locate themselves to a KFC, where they had a small feast all ready for the evening's activity: The Night Zoo and Night Safari!!! Wooohooo!!

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Comments

[Panda]

hehe loving that giant tortoise bit - that's exactly what I would have done! (and actually kind of did do at Chester zoo with the otter tunnels :o)....) you need to put the photos on here now though! xxx

[Clare & Marco]

Hi there
Just had a look at your pictures so far Bean! looking good ! Have a fab time. Tonnes of love.