Wednesday - later
Ticket to Ride
fter checking out at 10-00, we were driven back to the gatehouse of the zoo, (it is quite a long way) where we were able to store our bags in a locker and have the rest of the day looking at the exhibitions that the ordinary day visitor sees. We felt rather superior to them, as we had heard so much more about the animals and seen them so much closer. As the tracks and roads in the park amount to about nine kilometers, and I was having hip and knee trouble (as usual) we hired an electric trolley cart. This is an overgrown golf buggy style of thing, seating for four and cost $40-00 for three hours. Pricey but worth it. I could not have made it on foot.
Anyway we saw just about all the zoo and returned the cart to the hire centre. Then we set off on foot to the kiosk where we redeemed our lunch voucher for hamburgers and chips and drinks, which we ate in the open, by the lake. There were several islands in the lake on which lived spider monkeys, ring tailed lemurs and black and white ruffed lemurs. We ate in the lovely sunshine, (the weather has been great) surrounded by ducks, ibis and other wild fowl, who also live in the lake. It was very peaceful, being a weekday in winter there were not a great many people there. The lemurs are also very attractive.
t about 3 p.m. we collected our bags and the lady in the Gatehouse called us a cab to take us back to Dubbo. We shared it with another couple who were carless, their vehicle having developed a petrol leak that morning and needing emergency surgery. Our motel, The Countryman, is rather a long walk from the centre of town and the railway station. I wonder why Countrylink recommend one so far from the station. Dubbo is overloaded with other accommodation. However, it is comfortable, I must admit to liking motels.
e had a very nice meal here, with a bottle of wine, I had Tandoori chicken with rice and poppadums and Mac had pork, stuffed with apple and roast vegetables. We followed it with lemon meringue pie and coffee, then staggered back to the unit, luckily on the ground floor.
We had a very good night, surprisingly so in my case, the mattress felt very solid, but my hips were not uncomfortable, as they were in the Zoofari lodge.
fter a motel breakfast (this is probably the meal motels do worst) we showered and checked out just before 10-00.
