A Trip to the National Zoo

OK, I know I haven't been making very creative titles recently. But, that's because I can sum up in a few words exactly what I did. For example, today I went to the National Zoo (No way! Really?), which I shall blog extensively about. Starting in the next paragraph. Which is after the next sentence. So, right now.

I woke up at 6:30 (hopefully it won't happen again. I would have gone back to sleep, but once I get up, I can't get back to sleep), and went out to finish yesterday's post. It was freezing in Canberra this morning, and it was cold all day. I played Spore up until the time we had to leave for the Zoo, around 9:30. I took my iPod and a book, just for the car. When we got there, we waited until it opened at 10, and then it was time to go see all of the animals. The first lot we saw were the Black-Capped Capuchin Monkeys (Wikipedia article included), which ended up being my favourite animals in the zoo. They were surrounded by this moat filled with koi fish, and in the middle was a gigantic set of trees, climbing posts, and a cabin to the right filled with food. And the monkeys got the nuts out by cracking them open on the wooden floor of the cabin. They looked so human; they used tools, their hands looked like ours, they socialised (they reminded me of my brother and I) like humans, and I saw one standing upright. It also made me think: if you watched them, you could see just what Charles Darwin meant. But, I'm getting off topic. After the monkeys, we went to the aquarium-and-reptile house in one. There were sharks that looked like they'd been shrunk, fish that were gigantic, one huge lobster-like creature, a lot of snakes (which freaked my Mum out no end, and was funny to watch), frogs, chameleons, iguanas, and one turtle (I like turtles. I have no idea why I just typed that.). Once we finished that, we went past the snow leopards, who didn't move, to the bears, who walked around and were pretty cool, past the otters, and to the realm of the lions. (I have a map of the Zoo in front of me, and I'm piecing it together from there.) We spent a while here. We couldn't take very good pictures, as they were a bit far off for the camera (though I did try), but we saw lions, and rare white lions (Wikipedia again. I might be doing this a lot. But it's good information). Then at quarter to 11, a zookeeper came by, who talked about the lions, and offered to let people hand-feed some white lion cubs. We had to sign a release form (since, with lions being carnivorous, seems like a good idea) just so that my brother could do it. I could only watch from a distance due to the number of people present, but from what I heard, they had to feed them through the bars, which sounds funny in hindsight but probably wasn't for my brother, who fed them, and was the first one to do it on top of that. It makes me smile and my brother feel woozy just thinking about it.

After that, we passed the red pandas (who look more like raccoons. Wikipedia link.), and went to see those most African of animals, the giraffes and zebras (we also saw elands, but I have absolutely no idea what they are.). You don't know how tall giraffes are until you actually see them in real life. I saw one next to a zebra, which is about as big as a horse: they tower over them. They are massive. After we saw them, we went to see some of the animals that were closer to home: the natives. We saw the dingos, who look just like dogs, but were the only animals in the park surrounded by an electric fence, which gives you some idea of how dangerous they are. Following on was the cheetahs, who are very agile. But we didn't see them running, so it kind of loses something in the moment. Still good, though. Next was the cougars, who were only at a distance, so we didn't see much of them. Then we saw the emus, who could run free with everyone else (though we had to go through a series of doors, so in a way, we were the caged ones as well.). After taking some pictures, we went to see the llamas and alpacas, which kind of lose the novelty since we have some in school. Same for the pig next to them, which was really out of place. Then moving up we saw the fairy penguins (oops, I mean little penguins. I don't understand why they renamed them. Anyway.), and then a wombat. Just one, who was sleeping. But it was funny. Apparently they can run 40 kilometres per hour (I learnt something. I thought that fact was pretty cool, actually. Just more things that can run faster than me.). Next we saw a koala, another one who was sleeping. Then we went to have lunch, passing by more monkeys called Cotton-Top Tamarins (I shouldn't have to explain myself here), who were also awesome (but not as awesome as the capuchins). They ran really fast across the branches, and there was a guinea-pig at the bottom, for some reason. It was the first time I've actually seen a guinea-pig in real life before, which was probably not the point of it, but was still pretty cool. (And they are big.)

We had lunch outside the Capuchin Residence (that's not its actual name, but it sounds cool), who were chasing each other, and one was standing upright for a few seconds. Nobody else saw it but me, which was kinda special. After lunch, we went to see the last animals; the tigers. They were resting, but from a distance they were still pretty cool. Then we went to get souvenirs. I got a hat, as I usually do (that's another collection of mine), and then it was time to go. After we got back home, I went on my laptop, where I've been for a quite a while. And here I am, not on MSN, since I have to finish up my blog.

Comments now, 5 from 4 people. I had 2 before an hour ago, and I had a rant lined up as well. Ah well. Replies now.
*Victor: Yes, yes. Ebony Fan Club, third meeting, joined with Victor Fan Club, third meeting. All rise for conjoint theme song: *plays death growls of 'Ebony and Ivory'* (Actually, that would be pretty awesome.)
*Patrick: Yes, that's how blogging goes. Thanks for commenting, as well! I also enjoyed 'Victor and Ebony are cool?,' which was pretty funny.
*Shafi: 'Knowing,' I would say is worth watching just to see it, but I wouldn't see it a second time. But, 'Race to Witch Mountain' is pretty good. And I didn't see that 50,000 word mark, thanks!
*Shafi: I have no idea what you're talking about. Hmm.
*Ebony: Now you're replying to comments? Comments are not supposed to be replies to comments! Lol. And I'll try to start more paragraphing, I suppose it can get a bit run-together. And I wrote, from memory, 1366 words, the longest yet (though this one might trump it.). If you're wondering why I know that, it's because I have to know it for my word count. And 'The Host' is really good, and it's definitely Stephenie Meyer-y. Girl falls in love with boy. Cross-species romance. Good book; I'd recommend it.

Finishing up now. I'll try to post earlier, but no promises. Tomorrow should be a shorter post, since I don't think much can trump the Zoo.

50,000 words, thanks everybody for commenting,
AB