This is one experience
we we’re all very excited for especially the girls. But there was a big part of
us worried about the welfare of these animals and worried that when we got
there they would all be drugged.
We have visited the
Safari Park in Bali already in our previous trip to Bali, so thought we would
give the other zoo a shot.
We arrived at Bali Zoo
around 8:30am but the park didn’t open for some hours. But that was ok, because
we we’re headed to Breakfast with the Orangutans. We paid $149aud for 2 adults
and 2 kids and this included buffet breakfast, photo opportunity with what we
thought would only be orang-utans and entry to the zoo of course.
There are all sorts of
activities but we refused to ride any animals, not even the pony. General admission
into the zoo is only 350,000rp ($35aud).
Once we arrived we had
to work through a very quiet zoo and onto the shuttle to Kampung Sumatra, which
was a fun experience on its own. It is the zoos free double decker shuttle bus
that will take you from one side of the zoo to the other.
The first time we jumped
on we rode up the top- the fresh breeze was beautiful. But later on when we
went on the shuttle we decided to put ourselves down the bottom in the shade as
the sun had a real bite to it.
Once we got to Kampung
Sumatra it was a short walk past the manmade waterfall, across the bridge and
we arrived at the restaurant situated right above the elephant bathing pools.
As we sat down for a
delicious fresh buffet breakfast with more food choices then you could imagine.
As we sat there eating the zookeepers kept bringing out animals to touch and
get up close and personal with.
We played with birds..
A very cheeky
armadillo..
Watched a porcupine eat
some fruit..
And then of course had
our photo with the orang-utans. It goes by a number system, so when you arrive
they give you a number- we we’re 45. And over the course of the morning they
call out the numbers in lots of two, as there were two cheeky orang-utans this
morning to take photos with.
Our highlight of the whole
breakfast was having the opportunity to feed two giant over 20-year-old
elephants, who were standing ever so patiently by the restaurant.
For 60,000rp ($6) we
bought a basket of fruit and hand fed these beautiful big creatures that
deserved so much more then what they had- incredibly smart.
As we were walking off
to explore the zoo the elephant dropped a giant Lei on Hayley’s shoulders, she
was on cloud 9.
As for the actual zoo
review, we will leave that one for the next post. Don’t won’t to make this post
a chapter book.