This past weekend was my 23rd birthday, and after a variety of grand birthday plans arose, and then sadly failed, my sister asked me “What is something you have always wanted to do?!” Such a broad question, posed to someone like myself, who suffers from the horrible inability to make a decision of any kind, is truly terrifying. What is something you have always wanted to do? Well, the very first thing that popped into my head was “go to the zoo”; now I won’t say I’m a zoo snob, but growing up in Nebraska where, according to THIS article on CNN, the WORLD’S best zoo is located, I may have slightly higher standards than the average Joe when it comes to zoos.
My siblings graciously agreed with my suggestion of making Saturday a zoo day in honor of my 23 years of life. First things first, when getting ready to embark on a zoo trip, you must make sure you are properly hydrated to maintain maximum stamina, so, coffee is key to fully function! I bought a bunch of mason jars at Michaels the other day, on sale of course, and boy do they come in handy!
Upon arrival at the zoo grounds, we decided that we should first eat our picnic lunch, to fuel our bodies with avocado tuna sandwiches before we call upon them to make the long trek around the zoo!
We were momentarily distracted by swings…
Finally it was time to begin our journey into the great Houston Zoo! A couple of helpful tips that we can offer those wishing to follow in our footsteps are as follows:
Procure proper sun protection…the Houston sun is brutal…and can be very damaging to the delicate skin on your face; a nice hat to block the sun’s rays is a valid option!
Suggestion number two, make sure you are wearing comfortable footwear; of course if you happen to all show up in the same exact shoes, you get bonus points! Yes, mine are the dirty ones attached to the whitest legs.
Lastly, the Houston Zoo actually has a very cool app that you can use to guide your trip; it has check-in points and photo suggestions. Of course, if you prefer, you can always just use a good old-fashioned map!
The zoo offered some truly beautiful exhibits with a wide variety of animals.
Jonathan even found the lion they named after him! Okay, maybe they didn’t name it after him, but it made for a cute picture of Jon channeling his inner lion!
Overall, while not at the same level as the Henry Doorly Zoo, the Houston Zoo certainly exceeded my expectations, and I had a wonderful birthday!!
onethirdginger.com 