Lion 360

The Monarto Safari Park offers at additional cost various experiences. The best is Lion 360. This is where you are in the cage, and the lions are not! They do this every day, so that as they allow us into the cage, the lions are arriving knowing that raw meat is about to be on offer.

It is a bit scary when they first climb on top of the cage.

You can pay extra to feed the lions. It appears you get to feed them twice.

Manarto Safari Park

CJ couldn't get ordering tickets online to work. On the way to the houseboat he was still dealing with the folks at Minarto Safari Park to order the 8 tickets. Even after he finally saw they posted the charge to our credit card, they couldn't confirm the sale and he had to email them pictures of the credit card statement. Sometime while on the boat, he received an email with the tickets.

Minarto Safari Park is the largest area for wild animals outside of Africa anywhere in the world. First up is a ride through the entire park.

Is this a Zee bra or a Zeb rah? We're in Oz. It's a Zeb rah.

Unfortunately, the rhino is on the other side of the bus.

This giraffe came up to the bus and put its nose against the window, three times.

The last paddock we traverse is the lion area. Entrances to the more dangerous animals have a double entry fence. A gate allows the bus to pull into a fenced space. The door behind closes and then the door in front opens allowing access to a second control stall. CJ had earlier wondered out loud what would happen if an animal slipped into one of them. He might get his answer.

There is a large pride of lions surrounding the entrance. One is lying facing away from gate. We cannot open the gate and move on until somehow these lions get moved. We're told trainers have caused them to move by giving them a whiff of raw meat. Where the meat and trainers remain a mystery. The final lion to move away from the entrance is the one lying in front of the gate.

We pass by the "human cage", the overnight "motel" for the lions, and the place where keepers do research on them before returning.

Murray River Cruise - Final Day

 CJ's back has him up early again today. He is able to view first light.

There is a fingernail moon rising just before the sun. Within the hour it will no longer be visible. It's almost dead center in this image.

A bit earlier, it was more visible but in the trees. In the above image, the moon has risen more.

The cliffs are almost as beautiful bathed in the morning sun.

On the return trip we observe other houseboats and Pam and Randy get to see the Murray Princess.

Eventually we are passed by an Unforgettable boat that entertains us by hugging the shoreline and driving an erratic course such that he nearly steers into the shore on multiple occasions.

And all too soon, we depart the boat.

Murray River Cruise - The Cliffs

On day 3, Wednesday, CJ observes river traffic. He has coiled the lines just we did on our sailboat. He hopes to impress Murray.

We have brekkie, push off and set a course upriver.

The trip is four hours. The primary activity is sea bird watching. Pelicans are the most interesting on the river.

We find a location to moor in the shadow of the cliffs.

It's cocktail time on the River Murray, complete with English bar towels!

The sun is setting. The show is not as good as when we came up the river on the PS Marion. The sun doesn't paint the most downriver part of the cliffs. What is painted is gorgeous.

The sun also illuminates animals and sea birds.

Some bird is making a nest in the hole in the cliffs.

The sun continues to put on a show as it sets.

After dinner it's time for stargazing. There is no ambient light in this area and the moon is below the horizon. If you can see it, here we have the Southern Cross and the two stars pointing to it.