The Singapore Zoo and River Safari

I'm not a fan of zoos what-so-ever.  I guess I have a love/hate relationship with them.  I feel like for the most part, they're good for helping out endangered species, but other than that, they make me feel pretty sad.  Even more so after reading this article in the Huffington Post: 11 Things You Should Know Before Planning Your Next Trip To The Zoo.  Every zoo I've ever visited, the animals look sad and depressed.  Imagine how you would feel locked up in a tiny cage or small environment with people gawking at you.  I'm sure you wouldn't like it that much.

So saying all of that, I didn't plan on visiting the Singapore Zoo when I went to Singapore last July.  Every pre-planning website and book that read about Singapore, however, suggested that the zoo was a must-visit.  I still wasn't having it though.  Not until my local Singaporean friend convinced me otherwise.  And I'm glad she did.  The Singapore Zoo is the kind of zoo all zoos should aspire to be.

The enclosures for the animals are more like miniature sanctuaries for the animals - who seem to be pretty happy (well, happier than animals in other zoos!).  Each enclosure is sponsored by various local companies, which are clearly marked on signs in front of the enclosure.  If the habitat looks like shit, you know who to blame and who to complain to.  (None of the habitats looked like shit though, they were all very well maintained).

The open chimpanzee enclosure...I kind of wished I lived there myself.

The lion enclosure.  You can see the female lion on the right.

The giraffes, not housed in a funky building with African bush painted on the walls.

Beautiful white tiger. Their enclosure is quite similar to the lion's enclosure.

Even the typography of the zoo made you feel like you're walking through a jungle.  The animal enclosures weren't just off of the pathways, you find them hidden behind islands of trees and shrubs.  Most of the animals are not stuck in cages, but have free-roaming enclosures that seem more fitting of their native habitats.

Enclosures are hidden behind the brush and trees

Another way to get to the animal enclosures.

A recent off-shoot from the Zoo is the River Safari.  I highly recommend paying extra to go through the River Safari.  With an open and inviting layout, it is divided into rivers by region - for example, the Amazon, the Nile, rivers in Asia and America.  Really cool place and made learning about the various river ecosystems fun!  It's also where the pandas are housed if you want to see them.  You can enter the squirrel monkey forest and walk in their enclosure while they jump around in the trees above you.

Looking out from the entrance of the River Safari, the various river habitats are built along the sides of the river.

I got caught in the monsoon while exploring the River Safari.

Adventures in the Nile.

An adorable red panda in the panda enclosure.

Hanging out with the squirrel monkeys in the Squirrel Monkey Forest!

Here are a few more photos of some of the animals in their enclosures, looking happy and having fun!

Feeding time for the free-roaming chimps!

Free-roaming orangutans

Like the Squirrel Monkey Forest, you can enter the lemur enclosure,
which also houses bats and birds.

Patrons feeding the elephants after the Elephant Show

One last thing while I'm on the subject of zoos and sanctuaries.  I recently read an article published by National Geographic about an animal sanctuary near my parent's home in Colorado. It's about Animal Defenders International, which is an organization that saves mistreated animals used for our entertainment (for example, abused circus animals).  This organization rescues these animals and move them to sanctuaries around the world to give them a better life.  The article really touched me and inspired me to donate a portion of profits of my photography work to ADI.

If you happen to be traveling to Singapore soon, as a non-zoo lover, I highly recommend checking out the Singapore Zoo and River Safari.  Entrance fees are not cheap (nothing is cheap in Singapore), but it's definitely worth it!

Don't forget to try a Panda Pau!
A chocolate custard filled Chinese steamed bun!

Happy Trails!

Unfortunately, the only thing missing from the Singapore Zoo is a unicorn...

Fill my little world right up

One of the great things I love about being an expat (although I’m currently on expat-life sabbatical leave right now) is that I love feeling my little world grow.  It’s like watching a little seed that sprouts into a wee seedling and eventually grows into an old oak tree, full of life and branches and twigs and foliage. (The branches would be roads, twigs – side streets and alleys, foliage – interesting shops and cafes…hopefully you get the picture here, I’m shit at properly describing it.)

When I first visit a new country, I’m usually pretty nervous, maybe even a bit apprehensive while sussing out my new surroundings.  I tend to frequent the same places, which are not too far from my home base.  But ever so gradually, I venture further and further afield.  Until after a few months’ time, I think back at how I timidly started out my explorations and how far my, what was once small, world has grown.  It’s such a fulfilling and confident feeling.  What once had seemed like an enormous city from the space of a few blocks, turns into a small and easily accessible city in a country I want to explore more of.

For example, I remember the first times I had to take the subway solo in both London and Seoul.  With complicated-looking maps, the process seemed so dubious (or just terrifying).  But once I figured it out, it was simple and allowed me to build my world even more.  It’s so silly to think that something like taking the subway can be daunting at first, but when you come from a place that, while growing up, had a lack of public transportation, it can be anxiety-inducing.   

The London Tube map...when you first see it, it seems pretty unreadable.

The Seoul Subway map is even worse...most of the time they're
written in Hangul o_O

I think back on my time in Chiang Mai.  I absolutely refused to try out a motorbike.  The drivers in Thailand were crazy as hell (of which my broken ankle can attest to), I felt that the city had a crazy layout (it actually doesn’t), and frankly, I was just too damn scared.  When I went to Krabi, a small city in the Thai peninsula, I bravely decided to try to learn how to drive a motorbike.  Easy. As. Pie.  I still wasn’t sure about motorbiking-it around Chiang Mai though.  That took the peer pressure of a friend I’d met in the islands to get me to do it.  Once I did, though, the big city of Chiang Mai shrunk and I was zooming myself about all the soi’s (streets) and back alleys.  Slowly, I ventured further out of Chiang Mai and drove the Sameong Loop.  I loved to feel the polluted wind on my face (through my face-mask, of course!).  I loved speeding around and I turned into one of those crazy drivers myself.  Not really.  (For that I’d need about 4 other people on my motorbike and, while I’m driving, I’m holding a baby in one hand, mobile phone in another, with the person sitting directly behind me holding an umbrella over my head, because in this scenario, it’s monsoon season.  Or I would be driving around with a dog sitting on the back of my motorbike, wearing sunglasses).  I became addicted to driving my motorbike…so much so that I can’t wait to get one in Colorado.

I couldn't make this up if I tried.  We saw this guy and dog (wearing sunglasses!) on our
first trip up to Doi Suthep. At least the guy is wearing a helmet...that's rare!

I really love how my world has grown over the last ten years.  From discovering various countries in Europe and Asia, it definitely gets easier the more you do it.  And once I’ve given my leg a proper rest and let it fully recover, I can’t wait to grow my little world even more. 

Adventures on the horizon: Cuba (woohoo for opening up Cuba to Americans!!), Iceland, Norway, and Kilimanjaro in December 2016. 

Happy Trails!

While writing this blog, I kept singing the chorus to this song, which I haven't heard in AGES (and it makes me nostalgic for my Leicester days, for sure).

Choose life. Choose a career.

I've been rather blog-quiet recently.  Mainly due to my move back to the homeland last September. 

After months and months of testing and interviewing, I’ve finally landed myself a proper job here in my home state of Colorado.  Considering what I’ve done for the past 10 years (moving overseas four times to foreign countries with no friends or contacts), it terrifies the shit out of me to feel like I’m “settling” down at home.  It’s as ridiculous as it sounds. 

One would think it would be more terrifying to move to a foreign country, two of those countries were non-English speaking, not knowing a soul, not much money in your pocket, no place to live besides the initial hostel or two.  It’s not terrifying.  That’s what I thrive in.  It’s what I know I’m good at.  I don’t know how or why, but I can create a life out of nothing in a place I’ve never been.  And I love that about myself.  I love letting my world grow.  Until now, I don’t think I’ve ever given myself much credit for that.  I would say 99% of the friends I made in school (before traveling) have said they could never do what I’ve done.  Funnily enough, I’ve always felt that way about their situations…I could never see myself settling down – getting married, buying a house, raising kids.  No offense to any of you that live that kind of life, but the “settling down” life has always bored the living hell out of me.  There’s nothing wrong with settling down, it’s just never been my style.  But here I am now…starting that process by getting a *real job, buying furniture, renting a house (albeit an adorable house).  I’m terrified, apprehensive, anxious, and the nomad in me is saying “Kaycee, what the FUCK are you doing?!  There’s so much more world to see and experience!” 

After living in Thailand and Korea, I definitely needed a break from the expat life.  I’ve been home for about five months now (and kind of thinking that’s all the break I needed since it was during the entire **2014 football season), but I need to give another form of lifestyle a go before I make any rash decisions (by “rash”, I mean throw all of my newly bought furniture on the sidewalk, up for grabs to anyone who passes by, allowing me to bugger off the States and just country hop for the rest of my life).  I’m giving myself 2-3 years to figure out this life-settling business.  If I find it’s not for me, then you can bet your buttons that I’m gone for good.  Half of me wants that.  Half of me wants the settling.  It’s internally brutal, make no mistake about that! 

During those 2-3 years, I’m focusing on getting out of debt and more importantly (ha!), training for Kilimanjaro.  It’s going to be challenging as hell trying to climb a mountain with a fused ankle, but I’ve now realized more people with far worse disabilities haven’t let their disability alter their dream.  If they can follow their challenging dreams, I can too.  It’s going to take a lot to get there, but my goal is for a December 2016 summit. 

 Although I’m settling down, I still consider myself an Expat Tribe member…just on sabbatical leave ;) Which probably isn’t the best way to start off the “settling” lifestyle – I’m not giving it a real chance from the get-go…however, you can take the girl out of the nomad life, but you can’t take the nomad life out of the girl.

So “settling”, here goes nothing!

Happy Trails!

*When I say “real” job, I mean a job that can turn into a career…proper benefits, retirement, all those cookies. 

** If I could be an expat between February – August every year (which means I’m home for Bronco season), that would be just perfect.  Seriously perfect.