Animal Weekend

The weather is picking up again. After the Coromandel Adventure and before the weekend Friday needed to be rest/catch up day. It has been a long time since we walked through the park to the cliff top overlooking Rangitoto. This time we took a snack and a book to sit awhile. This was after we had made a brief postcard/shopping visit into St Heliers. We picked up the girls in the afternoon and went to the Ladybird park. This park has the usual climbing things and a springy thing that looks like a ladybird. Zoe did a bit of falling here, so we went down to St Heliers' beach. Again the Zoe's play was shortened. This time because she slipped on the rocks and her 'no-no' (backside) landed in a rock pool. Quick change of clothes and home again.

On Saturday morning Ian and Sally set off to birthday shopping and so we took Zoe to the zoo. This was a slight mistake because the Pasifica Festival was on in the same place. It was a slow journey to the zoo car park. We were checked to see if we were actually going to the zoo. I have a feeling that their ticket method did not work as we saw numerous cars pull up in the zoo car park and the occupants disappear into the show grounds.

Zoe enjoyed her time at the zoo. She stood happily watching the usual animals, but unfortunately was badly shaken by a rooster who managed to take a peck at her bread. Later we had a good lunch and a train ride around the zoo by a driver who inspired confidence by telling us that this was her first day and starting off backwards. Zoe finished the time with a number of slides and a climb on the dragon.

Hippo Wallowing

On Sunday we again took Zoe out. This time to Kelly Tarlton's Underwater Adventure. This is only ten minutes drive down the road and, like the zoo, she has a season ticket to put around her neck. This was a last minute decision and we paid the price by being in a long queue consisting of Liner passengers at the end of their journey from Miami. The big attraction for such tourists are the penguins and the Antarctic snowcat ride.

This episode was very short and mum took Zoe for a long play in the sand at the beach. She was the only one who did not have a sleep in the afternoon. When I woke from my sleep the girls were asleep in their rooms, Ian and Sally were spread out in the lounge and mum was ironing in the kitchen.

Later Sally cleaned the fish tank out and brought the disposal unit to a halt with grit. (This morning I gained a new skill - how to remove and repair a disposal unit - I think.) The day ended with the grown ups in front of the telly eating more of the delicious Cadbury chocolate flavour that the don't seem to make in the UK.