A Post To Make You Go “Aww!”

by Lori Dwyer on October 3, 2010 · 22 comments

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!,

We may have discussed this before- actually, a quick check of the archives reveals we haven’t discussed this before. Well, there you go. Stuff you don’t already know about me– but I love Taronga Zoo. If it’s possible for a commercial institution to be your soul land, then this is mine.

If you live in, or have been to Sydney Australia, chances are you’ve been to Taronga. It’s all part of the quintessential Sydney experience. Trying desperately to spot a platypus in the dark. Walking your legs off. Giggling at the beermats meerkats. Trying desperately to spot one of those bloody tiny coroboree frogs. Nearly killing yourself falling off a park bench, attempting to shoot that perfect photo of the giraffes graceful neck and head, with the harbour in the background.

Ahh. Excuse me, I’m having a moment here. I can almost smell the sunscreen. And feel the terror from the ferry ride.

The Man and I actually got engaged at Taronga Zoo, a coupla years back. Awww. Romantic, huh? Yuhuh. On the cable car, you ask? At the bird show, with the eagle dropping a diamond ring into my lap? A quite, serene park bench, overlooking the water…?

I pinched this picture from here. Because we didn’t quite get there ourselves…

Why, no. In the old elephant Taj Mahal. Down on bended knee, on the packed dirt, where the elephants used to stomp around, before they were moved to their groovy new digs. Another “awwww”, everybody. A slightly confused one, this time. You’re not sure if that’s a romantic location or not, are you? Me either.

It’s OK. There’s a few more “awww” moments coming up.

Anyhoos, where was I…? The Man, the zoo, writing my blog… ah yes. My blog.

I get invited to some cool stuff with my blog sometimes. This was one of the coolest so far. An invite, to Taronga Zoo, for breakfast with the giraffes. To check out the Zoo’s new iPhone app. Yes, I said iPhone app. I was seething with iJealousy. Until the luuurvely people at the Zoo told me I could come even though I didn’t have my own iPhone. They would lend me one to play with. Oh my, oh yes. Total awesomeness.

And we just had the most fantastic day. Despite my lovely, overtired, feral, tantrum throwing, almost-three-so why-are-we-still-having-terrible-two’s Master Chop. Who would have thought that, as much as toddler’s love to wake you up at gosh forsaken hours of the morning, they themselves get extremely grumpy when woken up at 5am. Heh.

Whatever.

As I said, the most fantastic day. I love any breakfast I don’t have to prepare. I got to meet some awesome bloggers like GoodGoog and FatMumSlim (uh… starstruck much, me?). And we got to walk around the Zoo before it opened. No crowds. And we got play with aniPhone.

The Zoo’s new iPhone app, again, sent my iJealousy meter into overdrive. It’s like a Zoo map, but so not, and so cool. It’s targeted at kids. And the Chop, bless his grumpy pants, could drive it all by himself. And loved it. As you can see.

The point of the game is to complete your Zoo “sticker book”. As you walk (endlessly) round the zoo, you snap piccies of the animals. You can put cool borders and stuff on your pictures if you like. Once you put your piccies in the virtual sticker book, you unlock cool facts about the animals. (Such as, did you know giraffes tongues are blue so they don’t get sunburnt…?). It was so easy to use. You can even get online once you get home, and download any animals you happened to miss, or that happened to be sleeping (WAKE UP MONKEYS!).

iJealous. iWant. All you lucky iPeople can download it, for free, here.

I can deal with the green-eyed Apple monster of iJealousy, though. Only because we got to feed the giraffes carrots for breakfast. Check it out. A huge thanks to aforementioned Chantelle from FatMumSlim for this fantastic photo. My new favorite family portrait. Awwww.

You have not lived until you’ve been licked by a giraffe.

Or seen a baby pygmy hippopotamus. So cute I nearly vomited. Again, can we say.. awwwww?

I think it goes without saying (or would do, if I could manage to shut up for three seconds) that, after a very early start (because giraffes eat early, donchaknow),
both kidlets were thoroughly exhausted by 11am. And Mum and Dad- especially Mum- had well and truly had enough of our screaming child could have stayed there all day. Quite sadly, we didn’t even return to the venue of our romantic enganemnt. That’s OK. Next time. After all, this time, we were carrying this very heavy cute Bump of a thing round the zoo for the last 20 minutes…

One more time… all together now…. awwww!!

And that’s what’s making me iJealous iHappy this week. Come on over to Mm is for me and link on up!

mummytime

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{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }

Mandy Ferry October 7, 2010 at 7:55 pm

Hi Lori,
I love your site, Can't help myself but to tell all my readers about this post, given I have a travel site.
Feel free to stop by, I now follow your posts as I love your 'this is how it is' attitude!
Mandy.

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mummabear1970 October 4, 2010 at 10:55 pm

What a fantastic day you look & sound to have had. My eldest 2 kids are going to Taronga Zoo this Thurs with my wonderful mother in law. (youngest still in nappies so she misses out – no, with another 2 of the grandkids in tow it is too many for Oma to confidently cope with). They are being picked up at 6:30am to catch a train (we are south of Wollongong). I am NOT looking forward to getting them coherent at that time of the morning! I am sure they will have a fabulous day though! Wait until I tell them I read about a family who got to feed the giraffes their breakfast!

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Megan October 4, 2010 at 6:50 pm

Awww, so cute!

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Bronnie and family October 4, 2010 at 5:38 pm

Awesome. I haven't been to Taronga Zoo since I was about 8 or 9. I wore a bright orange dress and fake clog sandles. Oh the memories …

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In Real Life October 4, 2010 at 2:25 pm

Awwwwwww….! Sounds like a wonderful day! I love going to the zoo! Feeding giraffes would be awesome! Cool picture! :)

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toushka October 4, 2010 at 1:45 pm

wow – last time I was at toronga zoo was in 1996. might have changed a bit…
that app sounds pretty awesome. anything that keeps kids entertained and educated has my vote.

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Jacki October 4, 2010 at 1:38 pm

I love the zoo too! We haven't braved it with both kids yet but it's on the to-do list!

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Lucy October 4, 2010 at 12:56 pm

Ahhhhhh. Lovely.

Lovely husband and I had a date – a very early on in the relationship date, at Taronga, a 1000 years ago. I loved it.

I am so envious – you sound like you had a great day….xx

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Paige October 4, 2010 at 11:20 am

oh my god that is too fucking cute!

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Being Me October 4, 2010 at 10:55 am

Oh, I'm all 'awwwwwed' out now! Those photos were fantastic. I totally have 48 shots of giraffe heads with the harbour bridge in the background, how did you know?! And hey lady, iJealous of YOU! Brekkie at the zoo?

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Ashleigh October 4, 2010 at 9:03 am

You have say AWWWWWWWW after reading that post! What an awesome morning! AND you got to play with an iphone…I jealous. I'm a bit ashamed to say we haven't been there yet, though we've been to Sydney a few times! Will have to go and show Will some African animals as it'll be a while before we can take him back to Africa for a visit! Thanks for linking up! x

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lori October 4, 2010 at 8:02 am

AWWWW, that sounds like a wonderful day! And you got engaged there? Totally cool!

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Brenda October 4, 2010 at 7:20 am

Soooo cute! I may or may not have been the one mostly playing with that app.; )

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Corinne October 4, 2010 at 7:10 am

What a fun morning!

We're zoo friends and go there all the time but have NEVER got to feed a giraffe. Don't the giraffes have just about the best view in Sydney??

Have to download that app for next time we go. I'm dying to see the bubba hippo. x

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Jen October 4, 2010 at 6:03 am

Aww :). That's a very cool app. I'm jealous that you got to feed a giraffe! :)

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Katie October 4, 2010 at 2:43 am

Adorable. Every single bit. I wanna go.

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Wanderlust October 4, 2010 at 12:43 am

Wow, what a great day!! You know, I actually have been licked by a giraffe (through the sunroof of my car). Their tongues are HUGE!!

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Becky October 4, 2010 at 12:01 am

Yup, me too! Aww! And major jealousy here, I wish I could have gone.

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Good Golly Miss Holly! October 4, 2010 at 10:01 am

I am so effing jealous of you guys! What a fabulous day! Did they let you keep the iPhone though as a thank you pressie? That would be awesomeeeee …
x

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life in a pink fibro October 3, 2010 at 10:26 pm

Okay, you got me. Awwwww!

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Sweta October 4, 2010 at 5:50 am

Count me in for iJealousy.
And the last pic? AWWWWWW-tastic!My Aww just went through the ceiling :DOOH,shiny! I see my Taj Mahal!

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Eva Gallant October 4, 2010 at 1:21 am

AWWWW….Sounds like quite a day. I'm sure the little ones loved it.

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