Our Adoption Journal: Day 16: Safari Park (Part 2)

PART II

So apparently we are taking the hollywood approach to this blog and splitting it into two parts despite it covering one day. Good news for you is the second part is free. So was the first part. And the rest of the blog. Note: I will not turn away anyone looking to donate to a freelance part-time blogger. No amount is too big.

If you don't want to read an entire second post for the same day, let me summarize for you: pandas, pandas, pandas, more pandas, lunch with pandas, panda souvenirs, feeding horses, giraffes and elephants, hanging out with a couple orangutans, seeing some other animals. Boom! Also Captain America 3. You know you want to keep reading now (hint: nerd points).

For those of you who either 1) can't get enough of my writing, 2) are really bored, 3) love zoos, 4) are addicted to reading blogs (you know who you are), or 5) wanting to hear all about the day, the rest of this post is for you.

Bethany loves pandas. A lot. So it is always fun when I get to take her to see them. This is the fourth time I've been able to do so. If I recall we took well over 400 pictures of the pandas at the Atlanta zoo once - it might have been over 600. It was a lot.

There was a lot of informational signs and pictures and diagrams all over the exhibit. Ian loved them, couldn't get enough. They were in English and Chinese. I'm not much of a sign reader - I prefer paying attention to the animals and taking enough pictures of them so that hopefully one of them turns out decent. I adhere to the volume photography method. Benefit of the digital era. That said, since I didn't have my phone (remember that from part I?) I was limited in the photos I could take. And Bethany's camera batteries are terrible (or maybe the camera itself) so those all died quick - so we were down to Jemma's phone. Are you thinking, "Wait, what? Jemma has a phone?" Why yes, she staked a claim to my old iPhone 5 and it is now referred to as Jemma's phone. I won't give her a phone/data plan though. She has to be at least 3 for that.... We did our best taking photo's with Jemma's phone and the girls camera's.

After the exhibit, we went to go have lunch at the panda restaurant. No, they don't serve panda there - that would be terrible. Shame on you for even thinking that. They do, however, serve food that you can eat while sitting right next to some panda's. We scored two tables right next to the glass and pushed them together. Bethany and Ian went to order food and I sat with the others watching the pandas eat. It was pretty cool to get to eat our food while the pandas ate their food right next to us. Shockingly, most of the time we were there, no one stood between us and the pandas. There was a momma panda and her cub. There were panda triplets born in 2014. The cub kept dropping their carrot, and then trying to reach it by hanging upside down and kept falling onto a giant ice bubble and sliding off. The kids laughed every time.

We could have left at this point and it would have been an awesome day. But wait - there's more!

We next went to the children's zoo area. There was a little show going on with various animals on stage. Off stage there was a giant bird guy walking around on stilts terrifying my firstborn son. He clung to me. I appreciate these little moments of vulnerability from my little man. I know he will grow up fast and by a man of his own, so I make sure to appreciate these moments of little boy-ness when I have the opportunity.

Ian really liked the baby goat and petted it for quite a while. Phoebe got to see a piggy and was thrilled. After the show, we changed a couple diapers and then headed into the main area. We went over to look at the horses. I offered to let Ian ride a horse for 20 RMB, but he didn't want to, although I could tell he appreciated the gesture. Little moments of bonding like these are treasures to an adoptive parents soul and the man at the feeding station gave us some plants to feed them for free. All across the safari there are feeding stations where you can pay between 10-20 RMB for a bundle of plants to feed the animals. It was super fun to see the kids interact with the animals. They got to feed horses goats and zebra's in this area.

Then it was off to explore the rest of the park. We came across the elephant feeding station and couldn't pass that up. How often do you get to feed an elephant? Bethany took the first 5 and I took Jemma. It was super cool. Then we went to feed the giraffes. Also amazing. My tongue may or may not have gotten a little to close to a giraffe tongue at one point. Then we went and saw the koala's, which were mostly asleep because that's mostly what they do - sleep, like 20 hours a day. Hey, I do read some of the info signs.

We then headed for the exit, but got there a little too quickly so we headed over the the ape exhibit. There was an orangutan out for a small show with a couple of zoo workers. At some point another one climbed the netting about us and literally hung out above us. God gave these creatures some serious strength. At one point the orangutan hung upside down from his lower limbs and one of the zoo workers grabbed the upper limbs and got lifted up off the ground and swung around. The boys agreed that it was a Ninja Warrior. Free American Ninja Warrior points for everyone - even if you somehow don't know what it is - I'm feeling generous.

Then it was time to meet our driver. Only a different driver met us and showed me our last name on his phone. He took us to a new van. He did not speak any english. Normally this wouldn't surprise or bother me at all. However, if you recall, I left my iPhone in the OTHER VAN!!! I should note I paid for parking, and the drivers lunch for the day, as drivers are hired for the day - so it was really strange to have a totally different driver and van. I tried explaining it to him, pointing at the drivers iPhone and gesturing somewhat wildly. Finally, Bethany was able to get Ian to understand that I was missing my phone - and it was clear when he realized it - as he ran right to the driver and explained to him what was going on. Sweet boy. I think he was thrilled to be able to help. He is such a helper. I can barely lift a bag without him shoving into me trying to take it and carry it for me. Or push a stroller. I often let him.

We proceeded to get into the van - or at least some of us. I was still getting half way in loading bags when the driver started to pull ahead. That was unexpected. In hindsight he was pulling up to allow us to put things in the back of the van. But clearly I didn't realize that initially as I may or may not have freaked out a little bit. We got everything loaded and started back to the hotel. After a while, the driver handed me his phone - so I took it and talked to someone from the car company. They spoke enough english to tell me that they found my phone - but that the van was driving some where else far away. She asked me when we were leaving China, so I said Friday - and she said she would try and have it to the hotel by then. UH WHAT?!?! I said I needed it sooner and she asked when, so I said tonight. She said they would do their best to have it back to hotel by the next day. Well at least it was accounted for.

We got back to the hotel and I went out and got some cup o noodles for everyone else and then went to get a few things from Aeon (Target equivalent), including a t-shirt that says LEST GO with a road runner on it. I love typo's on t-shirts, and they are plentiful in this land.

I got back to the lobby and the rest of our travel group was just getting back from the Pearl River Cruise that we have done twice before and opted out of this time. So I explained to our guide what happened with my phone and she called the company. Apparently the van needed repairs so the driver left and sent a new one as a replacement. They said they sent the phone already to the hotel, and sure enough it was with the concierge. SIGH. OF. RELIEF.

I dropped off the goods and then met another adoptive dad in the lobby to go see the new Captain America movie. I had stumbled across a theatre earlier in the week and noted the show times. So we saw the 9:40PM showing of Captain America 3 in 3D. It was super fun, and in English. It was fun to connect with another adoptive dad. And of course gain more comic book hero nerd points. 1,000 nerd points if you've seen the film.

I stopped at Starbucks to pick up a couple of hazelnut lattes for the morning since we had to meet our guide at 7:35AM for our consulate appointment. I got back to the hotel at about 1AM.

Another amazing day in China.