The river is calling...

Been planning to go to the River Safari this year. After constant reminders to Zech's papa to get the corporate pass, we were finally going.

Just before doing that, I spent some time with Zech reading up on pandas and piranhas. Borrowed the books from the library at Nex. Prepared a 'River Safari' lapbook too.

 

Zech tried some of the activities. Really glad he was looking forward to the trip!

So off to the River Safari we went on a weekday! Reached about 10 plus. Not many visitors! Mostly tourists. Cool!

At the entrance, Zech posed with the crocodile.

Giant otters! The first animals we visited at the Amazon Flooded Forest.

Manatee. Clumsy-looking but rather adorable. It was lunch time.

Zech didn't like to be in the dark as most of the animals in the Amazon zone were housed in the aquarium that mimics their natural river habitat. He was becoming disinterested until we came upon these.

Piranhas! Somehow, Zech was captivated by these small creatures with shiny scales.

Once we were out of the Amazon, Zech was relieved. He wanted to see the pandas. That seemed to be the highlight of the trip for Zech. He can't take the boat ride as his height doesn't qualify. Fortunately, he was very cooperative and waited patiently for us adults to take the boat ride before visiting Kai Kai and Jia Jia. 

 

He didn't miss much. Most of the animals were hiding somewhere.

 

 

 

 

Now for the highlight of the day! Zech was thrilled to see Kai Kai! He obligingly took pictures when I asked him to. See his happy face below?

 



 

 

We had lunch at the Mama Panda Kitchen.

 

All things panda! Really really cute! Food is average but, ambience is more important for me, so the panda theme made up for it.

 

 

After lunch, Zech visited the pandas again. This time, we saw Jia Jia sleeping.

 

 

Thanks to the pandas, Zech perked up and even dared to put his hand on the glass in front of the Yangtze alligator. This seemingly small creature looks harmless here but it apparently kills human. See how interested it is to see Zech?

 

 

 

The River Safari took us a good half day. We left around 1 plus. The boys were tired, especially Zech. Nathanael slept most of the time. He probably only saw the pandas and the stingray.

 

Bought this for Zech at the souvenir shop before we left. Quite an interactive book. Reading it to Zech was like having Kai Kai and Jia Jia talking to him.

 

Had a follow up with Zech the next day. We read the books before trying out the activities in the lapbook.

 

 

 

Zech fixed this panda puzzle before asking for a story about the pandas. That's what he usually does now after completing a puzzle. Seems like storytelling is a motivation for him to do puzzles.

 

 

 These few days, I hear Zech talking about the River Safari. If he were to go again, it's only for the pandas and yes, the boat ride when he's grown tall enough. It's panda frenzy at home now.