A night at the safari
In fifth grade, my parents moved my two siblings and me from central Indiana to Oklahoma. As part of my going-away present, each member of the class wrote a report about various aspects of Oklahoma. Most reports ended with a fascination of the old west: cowboys and Indians, tumbleweeds and wind. Oh, that wind.
Venturing to Oklahoma seemed to be the end of life as I knew it. Not a single classmate of mine had excited me of the adventures waiting in the Sooner State. Clearly, this is a direct reflection of life before Google. May 1998 was four months before immediate information access as we know it today.
If only I could speak to my 11-year-old self about the endless opportunities and adventures I would discover during the next 15 years.
For example, I don’t believe my awkward pre-teen self could have ever imagined a magical day at Oklahoma's Interactive Zoological Park, Tiger Safari.
Tiger Safari
Located southeast of the humble town of Tuttle, Tiger Safari is the living, breathing dream come true for park owner and director, Bill Meadows.
My sidekick, Gina, and I cruised down a hilly country road to the park on Friday evening. Immediately, a baby kangaroo (yes, a joey) welcomed us. Be still my animal loving heart. Have you ever had kangaroo kisses? Lovely, just lovely. After giving the joey the name Oliver, we followed our tour guides to the African Safari hut for the evening.
This lodging experience should be titled “mansion in the wilderness.” With a queen-size bed, two HD flat screens, a loft perfect for a child or two (or Gina), full refrigerator and more channels than necessary– the lodging experience alone should win awards.
With All American Pizza as take-out (large pizza, wings and two drinks for less than $15) and a roaring lion as white-noise what more could girls need of their Friday night? A double feature, of course.
We Bought a Zoo followed by The Lion King was just what we needed to encourage the excitement of spending the following day with exotic animals.
Only a short drive from Oklahoma City, the African Safari hut is perfect for a weekend getaway.
You can’t put a price on falling asleep to the roar of a lion, my friends. You just can’t.
Tomorrow, we get to the animals. Just as we had a night of anticipation, so shall you.
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