Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Mum and Daisy Do Hawaii: Quick Montage

Heres a bunch of random pics from when mum and Daisy visited. Sorry for short commentary, limited time on computer!!! I took Daisy boogieboarding in Waimanalo and we saw this amazing scene on the way back. That night we all went camping on the beach for Lunas birthday, but I think those pics are in a previous post?
Daisy all wiped out and recovering from a shopping spree at ala moana centre with a smoothie from the 'thirst aid station"
Daisy with cereal for eyes (we did a great movie on her camera of me shooting it out of my nose)
At the top of Diamond Head there was a visiting cheerleading group and the guys were randomly throwing the girls above their heads!! Very scary right at the summit, but a cool thing to see!!
Daisy looking cool up Diamond Head


Mum and Daisy came to the zoo and I took them behind the scenes in the reptile dept. and to have a cuddle with the giant tortoises...



Animal encounters and camping!

An exhibit me and Conor put together on Saturday. See if you can spot the two gidgee skinks!!
The following week I was a teacher for a 'Vacation Adventure' where kids spend all day at the zoo doing activities, special tours and animal encounters. Here are a few pics of a couple of our encounters...
Kara, one of the kids, with a meal worm, about to feed the birds in the aviary. I was actually working int he aviary that day and not as a teacher, and the kids were so excited to see me in there when they came to do their encounter! They have to call me 'Miss Grace'!!!

A female blacksmith plover eating a cricket.

A heart top turaco.

One of the boys feeds Squirt, a hand-reared giraffe
Keeper Lyn shows the little uns how to give Kruger the signal to open his mouth

And he's right on cue!

Aaaah! Give me apples!!

After the kids were all pau, I got to have a cuddle myself, and really enjoyed it. Even getting slimed!

Squirt, the giraffe wants in on the action!!


A fish that Steve caught, cooking on the BBQ.
Me and Daisy joined some of my friends to camp out on the beach last week. It was really good fun having everyone together, cooking food, having a campfire, singing and music, it was great.
So our mate Steve was opening beers using a lighter! We had a go but soon found it was much harder than it looks. Here's Dani (Naomi's housemate) struggling!
. Still she did a better job than I, and eventually got into her beer.
Steve the pro demonstrates the way to do it....
With success of course and makes it look like childs play!
Smooth operator!(Steve works at SLP on the reef section with Devon and Luna, and is also a hike trail guide where Naomi works)

Devon toasting marshmallow on the barbie to make smores (thats melted chocolate and marshmallow sandwiched in graham crackers, which are kind of like largish rich tea biscuits. Well nice!!
Chimps unwrapping christmas presents. Pretty self explainatory really!


Saturday, December 24, 2005

More monitors


Here is a big post with some pics of me and Conor feeding the Savannah monitors, and tons more of other reptil related encounters over the past couple of weeks!!
Conor fending off Henry with a rake!!!!


Conor leaps to safety!! ha ha!!
Me feeding rats to Henry


Henry swallowing a huge tilapia (fish).
A LIVE cricket being carried up a vertical wall by ants in the outdoor plated lizard enclosure.

Ah man!! I peed myself!
I was clipping an ingrowing toe nail on a tortoise and it weed all over me!!! Look how much wee there is!! For the whole afternoon I looked like I'd wet my pants. And it chafed like crazy.

A HUGE New Caledonia Giant Gecko, named Lacey, who I love. She eats mice, as pictured.

Check this out! A wild Metallic Skink we found at work with 2 tails!!!

Tortoise wars!!!

Here they are, the Burmese black and brown tortoises and elongated tortoises I look after on thursdays and saturdays. When you clap, they all come out of hiding to feed at your feet!
Sulcatta tortoise love (very vocal- they even harmonise!)

Abby and Henry relaxing in the sun together (aaaah).

A cheeky, wild Gold Dust Day Gecko, nicking food out of the bowl as I prepare it.

Friday, December 23, 2005

The Palace

Ages back me and Naomi were going to visit one of the palaces, called Iolani (or similar) Palace. Unfortunately we could only go in if we did a tour and payed, so we admired from the outside.

As per, SORRY ABOUT THE SIDEWAYS PICTURES!! This problem is really doing my head in and I am trying my best to get over my computer illiteracy but with little success!!!


Naomi under a natural archway created by banyan tree roots

Me, showing the palace and some other nice historic building in the background

Iolani Palace

Beautiful engravings of nudes in the glass doors.

After that we went for lunch in the cosmopolitan Bishop square. We saw some amazing life sized horse sculptures made from coconut palm leaves!!

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Devon: Chud Monster

Some of you may remember a couple of pictures previously that I take much delight and fascination in.... Devon's chewing gum habit. An avid gum fan but ever the economist, she won't throw away her gum when she wants to eat and then replace it with a fresh piece. Instead she saves her gum- usually in an interesting and gross place!!! Previous pictures have included the side of a cocktail glass and rim of coffee cup in starbucks. Now I list, with the aid of photography, other meals that have prompted this interesting behaviour... Those with a weak stomach may wish to turn away now!
Celery sticks and cream cheese

Chocolate brownies

Licking out the cake mixture bowl

popcorn and a movie

Tuna pasta... see top of fork. Now that IS creative!

On the dashboard!!! GOOD GRIEF!!! (can't remember what the other food here was though)