Up close and personal

Every so often it's good to get out and about in our cool capital city. On a very windy Sunday afternoon we ventured somewhat gingerly out in the 100 km/hr winds to the Marine Education Centre in Island Bay. At $5 per adult and $2 per kid it's great to be able to support the local efforts to look after our sea life.

The touch pools are great for young and old alike (well if you're actually brave enough to touch anything and not a completely wuss like me!). 

This guy (Mr Octopus) is quite the star and can actually get a crab out of closed jar by opening the lid and does regularly in front of an audience.

It was mega, mega windy as you can see by the wind in the flags. So much so that when we arrived Noah's fedora flew off down the road at 100 miles an hour, spinning on its side. We had to shout at the boys not to run on the road to chase after it. It narrowly missed being run over by a car and I think it may well have ended up in the sea were it not for the fact it came to rest under a parked car. Phew. Noah would have been devastated - he's rather in love with his $2.50 hat!

The walk back to the car afterwards (only 100 metres) was insane - the wind was whipping sand up off Island Bay beach, and it was like being in a Middle Eastern sand storm - I found myself biting down on sand and wiping sand off my face for hours to come!

Next stop Wellington zoo. We hadn't been for nearly a year and loved the opportunity to get up close and personal with our favourite animal friends. 

Someone really likes the eating the crackers first and then licking the cheese up afterwards!

Speaking of tongues - I love how purple the giraffe's tongues are - this guy was super friendly and happy to show his off to us.

Our favourite part of this day's visit was the new Australian walkabout enclosure that recently opened.

Recognise any of your favourite Aussie soaps here?

Bigger than a dingo, smaller than a kangaroo!

And nearly as tall as the Brolga. 

In the new enclosure the kangaroo, emu, wallabies and Cape Barren geese can freely roam so if you really wanted to you could probably touch one although there are signs asking visitors to stick to the path.

Still cool to be so up close and personal though.

The dingoes have a new enclosure and on their side of the glass they have a wee sandpit that mirrors the one the boys were playing in safely on the other side of the glass. Not today though, the dingoes were happily snoozing in the sun from on high.

And after we'd exited our local Aussie neighbourhood, these guys kept us all enthralled. They are amusing at the best of times, but today even more so all sitting in a row like old men waiting for a bus stop.

This guy was new to us too. Noah fancied himself into Harry Potter riding on the back of a dragon. 

Wee baba cuddling his mama high up on his perch, and having a little frolic as you do.

Our last visit of the day was to this guy. Aren't his colours simply stunning? But even more curious is the little tag-a-long who was being very daring in trying to knock this guy off his perch - can you spot him? I did wonder exactly how long it would take before Mr Iguana would snap, turn around and take a chunk out of him.

Despite the terribly windy day, it was rather a lovely treat to spend this afternoon out together. In the city, our city, together.