Day 13 - Wild Animal Park

Our last day in Disneyland was over and we had done so much. We had been to Universal Studios, Disneyland, Sea World, the Science Centre, and Dane had done the Flight Simulator. But I just didn't feel our trip would be complete unless we went to either, the San Diego Zoo or the San Diego Wild Animal Park. We packed our van the night before we were to leave and then we went to bed. My mind was sort of pretty set on going to the Wild Animal Park, but I knew that after we left there we would have a 10 hour drive to my cousin's place, near Grass Valley.

The next morning we were up bright and early, for our last breakfast at the delicious buffet! We headed south to San Diego Wild Animal Park.

San Diego Wild Animal Park

Four Boys and a Hippo

Petting Zoo

We got there right after they opened and the first thing we did was hop the train. It lasted 40 minutes and took us over about 300 acres of land.

Train Station

While on the train ride on little guy said, "Mum, when you mix red and blue what do you get?" I replied - purple. He then said, "Then they make purple." As he pointed to the two girls in front of us!

What Do Red and Blue Make?

We saw a new little giraffe. It was her first day out to play and she was with her mum and a couple other adults.

Baby's First Day Out to Play


We saw lions, and hippos, and a white tiger.

Hippos Sleep All Day - No Predators For Them!

The Females and the Young

The King

The gorillas were great. They were in this area with a surrounding rock canyon and we got a picture of one guy sitting on the wall.

Just Hanging Around

The elephants had a new baby also. We saw them later do a show.

What was wonderful to see, was how many acres of land these animals had to roam on. There was no feeling of being penned up here.


In the aviary we saw some beautiful birds. This one insisted on dive bombing my head a couple times.

After the tour we walked around and saw the Fishing Village.

Playing Baby Weaver Birds

And then the boys had a chance to get close to a 9 year old alligator. It looks like a baby, but it is not.

We left the zoo about 2:30 and I was pleased because I was ahead of schedule, by about 1.5 hours. This zoo was in the middle of nowhere and trying to find my way back to a main freeway turned out to be interesting!!! As I was driving along I drove up alongside someone and got his attention. I told him where I wanted to go and he told me to turn left and head in that direction. I was in the wrong lane, so had to go straight. As I got through the light I saw he had also gone straight (when he had been intending to go left) and he waved me over. He told me I was going two exits further than him and I could follow him and after he turned off I could continue two more exits.

This was wonderful. As we traveled I noticed he had two symbols on the white truck he was driving that showed white crosses. We had a laugh that maybe he was an angel! I nearly turned at a wrong place and I suddenly saw his arm waving out his window to keep following him. *smile* Finally it was his turn to turn off and he didn't. He told me to keep following him and he took me to my exit and then turned around to go back to his own exit. What a good samaritan!!! And we had a number of people like this on our trip!

So we were off and running. I had a map that showed me how to go and it was taking me on a detour around the I-5 traffic. I should never have got off the I-5!! I ended up going 1/2 way to Santa Monica and then I had to head North on the 405. This ended up taking me way out of my way and you should have seen the traffic. There were 12 lanes of traffic!!!! Six on each side!

Enjoying Relaxation After Lots of Walking


When we got to Bakersfield it was hard to find a hotel, cause there was a wrestling match. We finally found a grungy hotel and crashed.

Wonderful Hotel

Our hotel was wonderful!!! You will see photos of a messy room, but it will give you an idea of what you get for your money. And this is the smallest of the suites! I can't recommend it highly enough. For just $30 a night more you can have a second bedroom and second bathroom!! And for the price of one night you are getting full buffet style top notch breakfast and a very nice light supper!

The Bedroom

The Kitchen, Dining, Livingroom (with sofa bed pulled out)

Reverse View

Half of the Dining Room

The Lobby - Livingroom

Registration

Sleeping Hard

This little cutie does *not* come with the room, *but* you could have one of your own, if you do as much as we did in seven days of theme parks, zoos, science centres, flight simulators, etc!!

Day 11 - Thrill of a Lifetime For a 13 Year Old

Two days ago I found a brochure for a Flight Simulator experience. I called the owners and found out that I could get Dane in for 1 1/4 hour flight on Wednesday. Our days have been crammed. We basically get up at 7:oo am every day, because we are not missing our breakfast! And then we spend the day running at the park or on the road at Sea World etc. Well, this day we spent the whole day at California Adventure, left there at 5:00 pm, got home and had a quick 'complimentary' snack in the dining room, and then dashed out the door again to the Flight Simulator place. Dane's appointment was for 6:00 pm.

We got there and it ended up being the most wonderful experience for Dane. He was first taken in the office for a briefing - after suiting up, of course.

Suiting Up

Briefing

He climbed into the cockpit of a simulator. These particular simulators are built to look like a generic F15. He was given a few instructions and off he went.

Full Focus

The Tower

The tower is where the instructors will talk to Dane, via mics.

When he was done, I spoke to the flight instructor. I told him that Dane had a passion for flying and specifically fighter planes and he wanted to be in the airforce. I asked him for his honest opinion on how Dane did. His response?? A *huge* grin and he said, "He was smokin' the F4's. He was great!!! He was just flying rings around them. He took out four or five of them, before I brought him in - in 5 or 6 minutes!" The owners both came in and gave their opinion and it was clear they were impressed. One of them told me that while Dane was flying he had to keep his eyes on the screen in front of him (mimicing the open sky) and also the screen in his cockpit, plus all of his controls. That is alot of organized thinking that I don't think *I* could handle!

I was so pleased to see how impressed this pilot was with Dane's abilities and instinct. He said that Dane was a very steady flier and the only time he was shot out of the air was when there was a malfunction! They ended up letting Dane fly for an extra 45 minutes for free.

Dane Grinning Like A Cheshire Cat After Flying

Apparently there are very few of these simulators around and Dane ended up getting in with some of the most authentic. It was a wonderful experience for him, that I am sure Dane will always remember!

Day 12 - California Adventure

Disneyland has now got another park called California Adventure. It is way smaller and you can get it done comfortably in one day. The kids had fun meeting more characters.

Mr. Incredible

Mrs. Incredible

Sully

Seeing Sully was a big hit!

Lightning McQueen

Mater

Brother Bear

We went to a spectacular musical called, "Aladdin". It was truly beautiful and what a place to see it - Disneyland! The boys then met Aladdin afterwards on the street and got his autograph.

Aladdin

As well as seeing all the characters the boys also went to a show. Actually the little ones went and the big boys sat out. They saw Bear in the Big Blue House; Jo Jo; and Winnie the Pooh and friends.

Bear in the Big Blue House

The rides were fun and Austin is now dubbed "King of the Roller Coasters". They have California Screamin' as a roller coaster. Austin really wanted to go on this one. None of the rest of us were willing to go. I tried to convince Dane to go, but he was having nothing to do with it. It did loop de loops and three big drops! Finally Austin decided to do it alone! He was just inside the 48" limit, being 48" exactly! Off he goes, and the next thing I hear is Dane is going to. I don't think he wanted to be one upped by his little brother. When they came back they said they loved it! We looked at the camera shot the people took of it and it was funny!! Dane was looking like he was having fun, but Austin was no where to be seen!!! Apparently he had dropped down so low in his seat, you couldn't even see him!

Cooper was his typical excited self about the roller coasters. There was one there that *I* did not like. The reason was that it ran around corners with no barricades and you had to trust that it wouldn't run off the track. This didn't faze him!

When Cooper rode the carrousel the operator asked him his name and he said, "Me Cooper". She couldn't understand him, so I had to clarify that his name wasn't "Meetooper". Just as the ride was about to begin she used her megaphone and said, "We have a special guest with us today. His name is Prince Cooper. Let's have a round of applause for Prince Cooper!" And then she crowned him. All day long he would walk around places and say to people, "Me Prince Cooper."

Prince Cooper

Day 11 - Science Centre

We were supposed to be going to the Science Centre today, but on the way to San Diego it began to rain! As I was driving along I was thinking to myself how everything had fallen into place so nicely. I was sure that since this door was closed, certainly a window was about to open!!!

Sure enough, there I am driving along and I see a sign for the Science Centre. I ask the kids what they want to do. We all agreed to do the Science Centre. It turned out to be great, cause our kids have studied the human body and right now they just happen to be having exhibitions on Grossology - which is right up kids alleys! It is all about how the 'gross' things in your body happen!!

Assembling the Human Body

Sign By The Bathroom

They had this 'Snot Machine' and he talked. He moved around and this gross green thing dripped out of his nose and he told all about the nose and germs. *grin*

You Know What This One Is!

They had a large man that the kids could pump pop into, and then they could see the gas rising in his stomach and then he burped.

The Burper

As well as all the gross stuff they had a exhibition on the eye and seeing. It was fascinating and full of information.

Right before we left the kids went in a hurricane machine and encountered winds up to 78 mph.

Cooper Was A Little Unsure About This One

We also went to the IMAX and we saw a movie on the Hurricanes and why the wetlands are so critical to Louisiana and areas like that and also what the government etc is doing to restore the wetlands.