ZH’s first solo vacation in Thailand: Day 10 of 12

ZH spent her last day of ‘a whole day of fun’ at Safari World.

Yiyi (aunt) woke up earlier than ZH again, as needed to prepare breakfast and lunch for Safari World. ZH woke up not long after, around 6.20am.

The park opens at 9.00am, and I intended to arrive before they open. According to Waze, it’ll take us approximately 40 minutes. Pretty accurate, I would say.

Day Ten: Safari World: Safari Park and Marine Park

I booked a taxi with GrabTaxi again, that additional 25 baht service fee is worth the hassle of hailing a taxi in Thailand (similar problem in Malaysia). The driver told me that he heard from fellow taxi drivers that Safari World offers the drivers 100 baht if they bring in foreign tourists, i.e. not applicable to Thai nationalities. A fact not verified.

We left home around 7.45am, and arrived around 8.30am. We paid 225 baht for our ride, inclusive of the 25 baht service fee.

En route to Safari World, we planned the schedule for the day with ZH in the deciding seat. Thanks to ZE, ZH more or less know which shows that she should avoid – she’s afraid of explosions, gunshots, etc.

ZH’s choice as per below:

• Feeding show
• Sea lion show – ZH’s favorite show
• Elephant show
• Dolphin show
• Bird show

We paid local admission fee again! Told the staff that I didn’t have my work permit with me and showed them my local ATM and credit card. The staff accepted it. Yipee! The savings are more than enough to cover our taxi rides and miscellaneous expenses.

Admission fee’s comparison as per below:

• Adult 580 baht Thai / 1,200 baht foreigner
• Child 480 baht Thai / 900 foreigner

As we skipped three shows, we took our time at the park.

We walked in to Marine Park first to get our bearing, then walked out to catch the 9.45am Safari Coach (30 baht per person) for the tiger feeding show at 10am. Remember to get a stamp on your hand for re-entry into Marine Park.

We were the only two passengers in the whole coach. If you want to catch the feeding show, remember to sit at the right side of the bus for the best view.

After the feeding show, we returned to Marine Park. It was quite quiet until more tour groups arrived. Our seats were enroached, we were squeezed for space in our seats, family talk over us as though we were invisible, so on and so forth in all shows.

The last Bird show at 3.35pm was empty, yet people still want to squeeze in. Goodness gracious me. One row behind you can still get a first-class view and experience, you know. Don’t be so kiasu (afraid to lose out), can or not?

I tried to be patient, to show a good example to ZH, but it wasn’t easy especially when I didn’t sleep well the night before.

  

  

I find that things are more expensive here, in comparison with Dream World. A coconut drink costs 75 baht vs 40 baht in Dream World.

After the last Bird show, we tried booking a taxi with GrabTaxi to go home, but to no avail, even with 50-100 baht tip offered.

Staff advised us to walk out of the park (to Security One station), and the guards will help with taxi. It was very messy with no queue system, and guards were hailing and negotiating fare for passengers. Seeing that, I tried calling taxi with GrabTaxi again, with 100 baht tip, and managed to secure one finally.

It was a one hour journey, we paid 430 baht (305 baht meter fare + 25 baht service fee + 100 baht tip) and additional 40 baht for toll.

We were both tired and sticky with sweat. ZH tried to keep herself occupied by reading and drawing.

It has been a long and tiring day under the heat, and also crowded with pretty rude tourists (without naming which nationality).

We had dinner nearby our condo and ZH decided on stir fry kangkung (water spinach) to go with rice.

For once, I fell asleep before ZH around 9pm.

Continuing from Day Nine, I reflect on the day and take time to marvel at the wonders of ZH:

• Safari World’s “passport” for checkpoint stamping costs 55 baht. ZH decided not to buy it, but used the free Safari World’s map and show time table instead
• We were seated under the sun during the first sea lion show: was very, very hot. She was literally drooling at the ice cream on sale, but didn’t say anything. I asked her to get one, and drink more water later
• She spent 100 baht to buy food to feed the giraffes, something that she really wanted to do and it was one that she deemed worth her pocket money
• Steamed corn was the only one thing that she really wanted, to be able to eat it during the show, just like her elder sis’s trip
• She was tired and bored during our one hour journey home and wanted my attention, buy I was also tired. Seeing that, she tried to keep to herself and let the tired yiyi rest

Two more days before she returns home …