Toby Goes to Another Zoo

[Raven]

Last year, Toby went to a zoo.  And now, he has been to another zoo.  He first heard about it at home.

'Toby!' said Mummy, 'Come downstairs and look what we've found on the internet!'



'Look,' said Mummy, 'There's a zoo very near where we are going for our holiday.  It's called the Family Fun Zoo.'

'Will there be pigs there?' asked Toby.

'I shouldn't think so,' said Mummy, 'But there are elephants at this zoo; look, here is a photo of them.'

'Oh good,' said Toby, 'I'd like to see elephants again.'



Later, at the hotel...

'I think I will take my new bag today,' said Mummy, 'And bring your cap, Toby, because we will go to the zoo immediately after we've finished breakfast.'



'I'm glad that the staff could provide us with an early breakfast,' said Daddy, 'So we can arrive at the zoo just after opening time, and have lots and lots of time there.'



'Well, this is good,' said Daddy, 'This zoo is a lot cheaper than the one we went to last year.'



'Oh dear,' said Mummy, 'I must have left my bank card back at the hotel, in my other bag.'

'It's alright,' said Daddy, 'I've got mine.'

'Most of the zoo attractions and facilities are cash only,' said the Admissions Clerk, 'But there are ATMs all around the zoo.  We advise a clockwork exploration of the zoo, so that you reach our daytime-sleepers later in the day, when they are more likely to be active.  Zoo Maps are available at our Essentials Shop, which is immediately on your left as you leave the Admissions Counter.'

'Thank you,' said Mummy.



'I don't think we need to buy a Zoo Map, though,' said Mummy, 'Let's look at this big map, and plan our route from that.'

'There's a Children's Zoo!' said Toby.

'We can visit that later,' said Mummy, 'Let's do what the man suggested, and walk clockwise.'



They didn't go to the Essentials Shop.







'Look!' said Toby, 'We don't need to walk; we could go by Tour Car!'



'But then we would miss a lot of the animals,' said Mummy.

'There's an ATM here,' said Daddy, 'I'd better get some cash out, so we have it ready.  We'll need some for lunch, and for ice-creams.'



'How much should I get out?' wondered Daddy.

'Get 60 Playmolians,' said Mummy, 'I think that will be enough.'



'What's this place?' wondered Toby.



'Oh, it's a Butterfly House! said Mummy.

'I don't want to go in there!' said Toby.



'But, Mummy, Daddy, come quickly!' said Toby.



'I'd LOVE to go here!' he said.



'But, Toby, you can see squirrels any day in the park at home,' said Daddy.

'These will be different squirrels,' said Toby.



'Do you think that's a squirrel house?' asked Toby.

'No,' said Daddy, 'It's just a bird nestbox.  There don't seem to be many squirrels on this squirrel walk.'

'I haven't seen any squirrels,' said Mummy.



'Wow!' said Toby, 'Look at this!'

'Oh ... doves,' said Mummy, 'I love doves!'



'Can I feed the squirrels?' asked Toby.

'We haven't seen any squirrels,' said Daddy.

'You will see plenty of squirrels if you go to feed them,' said the stallholder, 'Just go along the path opposite, and sit on a tree stump, and you'll find that squirrels will come to you.'



'Can I have some squirrel food, Dad, please?' asked Toby, 'It's only 3 Playmolians.'

'And I'd like to feed the doves,' said Mummy.

'Alright,' said Daddy, 'One bag of food for squirrels, and one bag of food for doves, please.'



'You needn't come with me, Daddy,' said Toby, 'I'd like to go on my own.'

'OK,' said Daddy, 'I'll wait here.'



'Squirrels, come and see what I've got!' said Toby.



'That was great fun, Daddy,' said Toby, 'I think I'm going to really like this zoo.'





Tomorrow: Part 2 - More Fun For Toby

[leefert]

Yay! Toby is back!

[tahra]

Great!

[Daniela]

 

That´s the story, I was waiting for!!!!!

[Tiermann]

Great to see another Toby story. I hope we get to see some of the things he misses, like the butterfly house.

[Raven]

^ I did take photos of the inside of the Butterfly House - but I didn't think they were very interesting to look at!





Part 2 - More Fun For Toby (and Mummy)


'What are these animals?' asked Toby.

'They are Wild Pigs,' said Daddy.



'They don't look very wild to me,' said Toby.



'But look at that!' said Toby, 'It's a peacock!'



'And what is happening over there?'



'It looks like Camel Rides,' said Mummy.



'Oh, can I ride a camel, please, please, please?' asked Toby.



'Yes, of course,' said Mummy, 'Come on.'

'One child, please,' she said to the man at the gate.



'Children must be accompanied by an adult,' the man replied.

'Well, I'm not going on a camel,' said Daddy, 'I don't mind being high up on anything that is stable and secure, but I'm not going up there on a moving creature that could do anything.'



'Toby and I will ride the camels, then,' said Mummy.

'20 Playmolians, please,' said the gateman, '12 Playmolians for an adult, 8 for a child.'



'This is going to be so exciting,' said Toby.



'The camel will stand up with the back legs first,' the camel handler told Toby, 'So lean back as the back legs come up; then lean forwards when the front legs rise.'



'Oh, my bag,' said Mummy, 'Daddy, will you take it, please?'



'Oh, this is fun!' said Mummy.



'It's wonderful!' she said.



'That was great!' said Toby, 'You should have tried it, Daddy.'

'I was perfectly happy trying that nice safe bench,' answered Daddy.



'That looks a nice place,' said Toby.



'Can I have a hot dog, please?' Toby requested.

'You don't need a hot dog yet,' said Mummy, 'It's hardly any time since you ate a good breakfast.  Now, mind the tour car.'



'I hope these tour cars aren't going to be a nuisance,' said Daddy.



'This looks interesting,' said Toby.



'We have a special offer today,' said the stallholder, 'Three shells for just 1 Playmolian.'

'Very nice, but I don't think we need any shells today,' said Daddy, quite firmly.



'Look at this,' said Toby, 'We didn't go to the hot dogs, but now the hot dogs have come to us!  Please may I have one?  I was the only one who didn't have any sausages for breakfast.'



'Well, that's true,' said Mummy, 'Go on then, have a hot dog.'



'You must sit down to eat it, though,' said Mummy.



'Now let's go and see the seals,' said Daddy.

'Are they at a lighthouse?' asked Toby, in amazement.



'This is going to be fun,' he said.




Tomorrow: Part 3 - The Lighthouse and Other Buildings

[Birdie]

Excellent!!! 

The very first picture feels like the beginning of a movie. I love it!

[tahra]

I forgot to say how much I love the mess in the kid's room! 

[leefert]

Wohoo! I love how you've set up the story! Can't wait for the next chapter!

[Raven]

Part 3 - The Lighthouse and Other Buildings


'We can actually go up the lighthouse,' said Toby.



'Come on,' said Daddy, 'You'll want to see the seals first.'



'OK, I've seen them now,' said Toby, 'So can we go up the lighthouse?'



'I'll go first,' said Mummy, 'Keep to the right, Toby, and put your hand on the wall.  Follow me, and Daddy will come behind.'



'We can go up higher still,' said Toby.



'I'm not going up that ladder,' said Daddy, 'You know that I don't like ladders.'

'I'll go up the ladder with Toby,' said Mummy.



'You go first, Toby,' said Mummy, 'And I'll be right behind you.'



'This is the greatest most fun super high lighthouse!' said Toby.

'It is rather nice up here,' agreed Mummy.



'This is the best zoo ever!' said Toby, 'So far I've fed squirrels; ridden a camel; eaten a hot dog; and now I've climbed to the top of a lighthouse!  I wonder what's next!'



'The camel enclosure,' said Mummy.



'Hmmm,' said Toby, 'Camels are exciting to ride, but they are not very exciting to look at.'



'But look over there!' cried Toby, 'There's a pyramid!'



'It looks like a gift shop,' said Mummy.



'There are toy camels for sale!' said Toby, 'Can I have a toy camel please?'

'You saw toy camels like that at the zoo we went to last year,' said Daddy, 'And you didn't want one then.'



'I hadn't ridden one then,' said Toby, 'Now that I've ridden one, I feel as if I really know camels.'

'Oh, Daddy, let him have a camel,' said Mummy.



'Thank you for the camel,' said Toby.

'Where are we going next?' asked Daddy.

'I want to see the koalas,' said Toby, 'I saw pictures of them when we were studying Australia at school, and I'd love to see them in real life.'

'I expect that Mummy would like to see the macaws,' said Daddy.

'Yes, but we're going clockwise round the zoo,' said Mummy, 'We can see the macaws later; let's go and see the kangaroos and koalas now.'



'I'm thirsty,' said Toby.

'That will be because you ate that hot dog, I expect,' said Mummy.



'But look,' she said, 'there's a map here; we can see where we can buy you a drink.'



'There should be drinks for sale just past the koalas,' said Mummy.



'There's an ice lolly cart!' said Toby, 'I could have an ice lolly; that will be as good as a drink.'



'I would like an orange ice lolly, please,' said Toby.



'Will you put my camel in your bag please, Mummy,' Toby asked.



They didn't go into the Nocturnal House.







'Wow, I'm really seeing koalas!' said Toby, 'I wish I could touch one, I'd love to know what their fur felt like.'

'It would probably bite you,' said Mummy.



'Let's have a look at the kangaroos,' said Mummy.



'There's another peacock over there,' said Toby.




Tomorrow: Part 4 - Photographs and Passed Places