The Taronga zoo, I was informed by several locals, is one of the best in the world. As I am against the theory of caging wild animals for the purpose of human entertainment, I was initially hesitant to embark on this activity and essentially support the cause. I learned, however, that Taronga implements many humanitarian efforts, such as helping save endangered species and housing injured animals to rejuvenate their strength before releasing them back into the wild. Taronga also takes great care when setting up the animals' living quarters, providing them with as much real-life stimulation as they can and creating games to prevent boredom. Seeing how Taronga uses its zoo as a platform to ultimately make a positive difference in the lives of animals, I decided it is worthy of my support and went ahead and planned my day.
Upon arrival, my housemate, her boyfriend and I were immediately struck with a multi-million dollar view of the Sydney Opera House, ocean, and Harbour Bridge. At one point I mused at the irony that perhaps the best view in all of Sydney is inhabited by giraffes, who don't have the mental capacity to appreciate it. I pondered this irony, relating it to life itself, and I will leave you with that food for thought.
The zoo is laid out for visitors to begin their day at the top of a hill, wind downward, and trek back up again at the end of the day to return to the parking lot. Along the way one is able to view hundreds of different species of animals across the board, from spiders and lizards and snakes (both in and out of cages), to koalas, giraffes, elephants, lions and zebras. My housemates took great enjoyment of watching me viewing a giant lizard or turkey and then suddenly realising they were not on display - they were simply wild animals wandering around the zoo. The giant black spiders parked seemingly every few feet in giant webs above our heads, on the other hand, would be classified as more terrifying than amusing. At one point a patron threw a large stick at a spider web, and the weaving was so strong that, to my disbelief, it actually stuck. I was so creeped out that my mind started playing tricks on me, and I began to imagine little spiders running all through my clothes - once I even took my shoes off and shook them out before moving on. We certainly did have a real wildlife experience.
In one snake-filled room, I spotted a father teaching his young daughter about each of the displayed reptiles.
"If you ever see this one, run as fast as you can in the opposite direction," he solemnly taught her, pointing to a snake whose venom, the sign informed us, was lethal enough to kill 20 mice simultaneously.
"Can they even bite through my trousers?" She asked, doubting.
"Yes." I figured that was a good time to leave this conversation before I turned around and booked a flight back to the U.S.
I was initially most excited about spotting Kangaroos, but to my surprise, the species were few and far between. We crossed paths with a miniature kangaroo in a walkway titled something along the lines of "Kangaroo experience," which was exciting, but I have to admit I was hoping for more. The sole large kangaroo we spotted was leisurely rolling around in the dirt - funny as it was, I would still love to see one hop around during my time here. Perhaps kangaroos are so scarce because zoo management doesn't want to pull them from the wild, in which case I understand.
My favorite part of the day was the seal show, where my group and I sat in an outdoor amphitheater and several seals put on a show, all the while being fed buckets of fish by trainers, thus making the enjoyment mutual. The seals waved, clapped, dove, swam, performed handstands and swam with their fins up like a shark. The audience learned to always keep an eye for a certain sticker when shopping for tuna, so that we are supporting safe fishing practices. The show was a perfect balance of informative and entertaining.
After the zoo, my little group ventured to a Japanese restaurant in Sydney titled Mizuya, where we met up with some other friends to celebrate my housemate's birthday. I had but to sit down and view the ordering tablets to know it was going to be amazing. Sure enough, the family-style meal was divine, highlights including deep fried silk tofu, teriyaki chicken skewers, sushi, and deep fried veggies. I realized what a great marketing tool an ordering tablet was: rather than placing an order when the waiter stopped by, one could simply press a button any time during the meal and the dish would magically appear at the end of your table when you looked away from your conversation. Several orders were made after my stomache's capacity had been filled, and I have no regrets. I did venture out of my comfort zone when my California roll was delivered below a bedding of caviar. Repulsed, I inquired the table if anyone else wanted the sushi. They encouraged me to take a taste, noting that I eat chicken eggs, so what's really the difference? Unable to argue with the logic in this argument, I closed my eyes and took the smallest bite I could muster. Sure enough, the crunch - dare I say - enhanced the flavor. If I hadn't known what I was eating, I may have even admitted that I enjoyed the added texture.
After dinner we mosied through Sydney and into Darling Harbour to enjoy some gelato overlooking the bay. To my surprise, crowds began to form along the sidewalk and it was discovered we were visiting during the night that bi-weekly fireworks soar over the Darling Harbour - an initiative instilled to increase tourist activity in this location. It was a great way to end the night.
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