On the way down to Kristiansand, we went through several tunnels (remember, Norway is hollow.) One tunnel has several roads that come together within the tunnel, resulting in cloverleaf exits, spirals, and lots of other crazy stuff all carved into the mountain. The tunnel then goes straight out to a bridge, then back into another tunnel. This is a view of the bridge from underneath.
The drive was very nice and only took about three hours. It was right around 250 kilometers, but most of the highway is two lane and through mountainous terrain, so there isn't much speed involved.
Once in Kristiansand (actually, the zoo is about 15 kilometers on the other side of Kristiansand), we went straight over to the zoo. We got in just in time to see the lions getting fed, then headed over to check out some of the other exhibits.
The zoo is Norway's version of Disneyland, combining rides, zoo and water park into one area. The animal enclosures are nicer than many zoos, with much more area for the animals to roam in a "natural" environment. It does appear to be a bit wet for some of the animals, but it isn't too bad.
There is a good selection of animals, including several Scandinavian and European species, like the lynx and wolf. There are also some other animals of interest, like the ring-tailed lemurs. You actually get to go into the enclosure with them and walk around. They seemed quite accustomed to humans, though visitors are warned not to touch them.
Also on the first day, we did a few of the rides and activities, like the Alpine Slide and the obstacle course. I should actually say Kimber and Sidney did the obstacle course while I took pictures. Sidney did the whole thing, and we were really quite proud of her. She is getting to be a bit more daring and agile.
We spent the remainder of the afternoon in the water park, but it was a little cool. The outside temperature was only around 70F, and the water wasn't exactly as "warm" as it was described in the website. Still, it was a pretty nice water park and would be great on a warmer day.
Our hotel was a Quality Inn that was built with kids in mind. They had a large play area in the basement, as well as outdoor play equipment and a nice pool. Sidney was too tired by the end of the day for the pool, but Kimber got in a few laps before going to bed. Breakfast the next morning wasn't as good as some of the hotels we have been in here, but Sidney was able to spend some time playing afterward, then we headed back over to the zoo to finish seeing the sights.
We determined that a one day pass is too short to see it all, but a two day pass was a little too long. Granted, if it was warmer we probably would have spent more time in the water park, and because the season is coming to a close some areas of the zoo weren't open. We do, however, feel we got our money's worth out of the experience. That even included getting soaked on the log ride (twice!) on day two, then waiting for a sudden downpour to slow down so we could make it back to the gate to leave (the trees provided just enough protection to keep us from drowning.)
We had a nice ride home, including the brief detour to Flekkefjord. Then it was time to get ready for another week of school, work and getting ready to move. Sidney's birthday is tomorrow, so we are taking her to dinner at one of her favorite restaurants (Ikea). We are actually doing a party for her this year, which won't be until Sunday. Kimber is running in the Stavanger Half-Marathon Saturday. As you can see, we are still a busy family.
And for a final note - an update on our new house. Theresa sent us a new picture with the landscaping and grass done. We are really looking forward to getting there to add our own "personal" touches, but are very happy with what we see so far.
No comments:
Post a Comment