Wazza's European Adventures!

G'day! Hi, I'm back, and here to continue telling you about my adventures that I recently had in Europe!

Did you know that after I had that double burger meal from McDonald's, it totally slowed me down? I wanted to do something, but didn't want to spend too much cash, as I am on a budget.

I went to the nearest shopping centre, and I really needed to! My brand new (3 weeks old!) Sony Vaio laptop (one of the best ones - y'know - touchscreen, flipper, the keyboard lit up), and I was really upset to see such a magnificent creation by one of my favourite companies go "kaput". I was angry. Pretty angry. I still have to go back to JB Hifi and talk to them! But anyway, I went and walked to Harlow Shopping Centre and decided to get the repairs underway myself.

"3 weeks, maybe a month..."

"GET OUT"

I left my laptop in the care of two guys that were more interested in World of Warcraft than a supermodel coming into the shop, which, in a way, kinda made it a bit more secure in my mind. I had walked all the way to the town centre, so I decided to walk around and find out what the place had to offer. 

Some really amazing shops, some usual shops, no K-mart or anything like that, but they did have those cheap shops like the Australian Reject Shops, but better, because they sold EVERYTHING, and everything was a quid each! I bought a good amount of food to tide me over, so I wouldn't be eating my cousin out of house and home (which sometimes I think he did think!), and that I'd have something to take with me to any festivals and/or pub crawls that I was intending to do.

So after a bit of a walk around, an ice cream, and buying some amazing comics that I hadn't seen before, and some movies, I decided to call it a day and head on home. 

Walking home I took some photos of the "street signs" around the area... And it's a bit harder to understand as there are no real street names, just names of the areas that you actually had a house in. It was weird... Like Nicholls Field, North Grove, Sadlers Mead... and up to 200 people could be living in each of these areas, not bigger than 5 acres of land... It's totally crazy! I don't know how 68 million people live on this island, close to the Arctic Circle (close enough!) and actually "LIKE" it!! I don't get it. And then they whine and whinge about it? I have told my cousins to move to Freo! They'd think it was paradise, and then I'd send them to the Gold Coast! They would probably think it's Disneyland! Lol. I am actually looking forward to my cousin and her kids coming over. It would make my life a bit more interesting!

I walked back home. 

I got home and put my feet up, had a smoke or two and then did something that I really wanted to do when I got here. And that was watch the football! It was great... just me and the tv... 

Couldn't ask for anything else. 

So that was this day. I'll be back to tell you more over the coming weeks

Get out there and travel!!!

CIAO!!!

Wazza's European Adventures

Paradise Wildlife Park - part 2

Hi - and thanks for coming back!

Continuing on my merry adventures at Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne, UK.

Below are some of the little creatures that I was truly amazed with. Their tactility was amazing. Their hair styles were even better. These guys were everywhere in their shelters (you know the ones - the shelters are in a more darker, secluded area of the park, usually close to the reptile sanctuaries) and they didn't make much noise (unlike the monkeys and gibbons!) They are extremely cute and very tactile. 

 I absolutely loved this little guy (below). He and his mate were going from branch to branch, keeping a good eye on me, and Brian. We got some amazing photos, just like this one where he was looking directly into my phone, and then into Brian's camera.

These two guys below, took the cake. They weren't doing a thing at first - just moseying around, looking for things in the dirt. Then they saw us, and jumped up to the nearest tree closest to the window, and started preening each other for our enjoyment. I was quite amazing.

So after a good walking around, to see where we really wanted to go - we wanted to find the big cats! - we strolled past the gibbons... oh boy! What a racket! 

 This big guy was probably the boss of the structure, going from one tree to another, going inside and outside, yelling at the others.

As you can see, this guy (below) was in and out of their sleeping structure. He gave us the ol' up and down, checking us out as much as we checked him out! These guys were amazing. The strength, flexibility and dexterity was too cool!

These below... were the noise makers. You could hear them all the way from the other end of the zoo! They swung back and forth, and did some amazing somersaults and flips just for fun. And they knew they were being watched, so they kept up the noise...

If one stopped the noises, the next one would start!

"WOOO WOOO WOOOP WOOOP WOOOOO!"

Freaking cool! I almost couldn't get their sounds out of my head for the rest of the day.

We decided that we had enough of the primates, and we went looking for the big cats. They are probably my favourite animals, and I heard there were some Bengal Tigers, Lions and Panthers in here, so we went for a search. We didn't have to walk far, as immediately after the gibbons were these majestic creatures.

 These are Siberian Snow Leopards... And they are so amazing. They were really hard to find, because their shelter was made for them, and it really does represent and look like Siberia in the cage. The only parts that aren't are these "sleeping platforms" on which they just sit there and snore away. They have agility too, walking around on nearly nothing to get to these platforms.

Look at this guy! He looked huggable! But I dare not! lol

I just loved the way they were so casual. Let's face it - they were bored! But they came right up to my face on the second floor balcony, and then just dropped on the platform with a "thunk!!" and stayed there. I didn't manage to get any more photos of them, but they were beautiful creatures.

Next were the other big cats...

This leopard was just bored shitless! He was not moving, and sleeping in the glorious sunlight. We tried to wake him (I think everybody did!) but to no avail. He was having some serious zzzz's!

 Sleeping away...

 Now this is what I was waiting for. I was here to see these guys. The Tigers. I'm a Tiger in Chinese Astrology, and I like that I'm a Tiger! :)

This one (left) was on the ground, pacing around. He was just exercising apparently (this is what the zoo keeper was saying)

He went up on the walkways, and then plonked himself down, to watch US! I just loved the attitude these guys had. Chilled!

When I managed to get a good shot, it was from this angle - these two were bored. I mean, what else is there to do when you are a tiger in the zoo? Sit back, relax, get fed, sleep and watch all the humans go by!

This guy (above) was pacing madly, after this shot. There is a protected area where you can take photos without the wire, and he would come right up to you, stare you in the eyes and walk off... I got a few of them... 

This one was just so regal, so majestic. I'm going to put him on a t-shirt!

 This photo (below) - it was roughly 30 cms away from my camera phone. Almost looked directly into his eyes.

Okay - I've gotta do some work!

Part 3 coming soon!

Cheers!

Waz