Every year, two of my best friends Carolyn and Betsy and I plan a "girls weekend." Carolyn lives in the Bay Area, and Betsy lives in San Diego, and this year it was Betsy's turn to host us over MLK weekend. When Bets asked us if we had any requests for our fun-filled weekend, I immediately requested to go to the San Diego Wild Animal Park. I went there once when I was a kid, but all I remember was learning the word "wildebeast" that day, and that I was wearing an awesome safari hat... a picture of which my dad still has on his desk to this day.
The night before our Safari adventure (as the park is now technically called "The San Diego Safari Park") the girls and I went out drinking and rode a mechanical bull... so it goes without saying that we didn't even wake up till 11, and didn't make it to the park till almost 1:00pm. But no matter... we still got to see the lions (lazing on top of an abandoned jeep), a cheetah up close and personal, lots of monkeys and gorillas, rhinos, giraffes, and elephants! The elephants were especially awesome because there was a little tiny baby 3-week old elephant, that was pretty much the most adorable thing ever... second only to the cuteness of a baby panda.
We had also made an appointment to try out the "Flightline"... which is a 3,000 foot-long zip line that starts high up on a ridge above the park and sails over the animal habitats. It was installed to educate people about the California Condor conservation efforts (which the SD Zoo is a huge part of), and gives adventurous souls the chance to "fly like a condor".... yeah right, it was downright terrifying!! Carolyn, the classic wuss if we've ever known one, was totally fine, where I was shaking in my boots. I stand by my story that Carolyn's crush on our adorable college student "flight instructor" masked her instinctual reaction to realize the zip line could end in certain death... followed by getting eaten by a lion.
I was really, really nervous as we were on the ledge about the push off for the zip line, but as soon as they pushed us off... it was beyond exhilarating!! It was towards the end of the day, which is feeding time, so we sailed over the giraffes as they were eating their tall trees, and saw some more elephants. It was awesome and I HIGHLY recommend it!!
Overall the San Diego Wild Animal Park was just as awesome as I remembered it. Lots of walking and exercise, great weather (which almost goes without saying in San Diego) awesome animals, and a new life-long experience in the Flightline! And of course, our day was topped of by THE most beautiful sunset!
Giraffes at feeding time
The ADORABLE baby elephant
About to go down the 3,000-foot Flightline!
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