A Tigers Breakfast

[Cathrin]

For my 50th birthday present I was taken to Woburn Safari Park.
This place has come on in leaps and bounds in the area of conservation and protection of endangered species.
Mark and a very good friend Gail, bought for me a Carnivore breakfast and a VIP tour of the park.
What a great day we had.
We got to ride in the Duke of Bedford's personal Land-rover, first we got to lay the meat out for the Tigers breakfast, then we had to jump back into the truck as they were about to let the Tigers out and Mark's door had somehow got locked! He got in in time but it did make it more fun
This lasted about an hour and a half as we also got to see the Lions up close and very personal in their night den, they were so close you could see your reflection in their eyes

After we had had our breakfast we got a VIP tour of the park, going into areas that the public don't normally get to see, we got to feed some of the herbivores, see a 4 day old Eland calf and I got to cuddle a lemur.
The tour was supposed to be an hour and a half long, but we got a good ranger and it was a three hour plus tour that we ended up doing, very cool.

Mark had sorted out a picnic of Smoked salmon salad with Champagne and Strawberry's dipped in chocolate for dessert ... Yum

As there are so many photos (and more going up later today) I will put a link in to our Picasa web album if you want to see some very up close and personal photos.
picasaweb.google.com/markncat/CatsBirthdayTrip#

[Ann]

What a fabulous birthday present! And I'm not surprised the Ranger spent so long with you. I'll bet it isn't all that often such genuinely interested and informed people come along on VIP trips.

The pics are amazing. I couldn't resist including a couple here (hope you don't mind!)

If The Boys were still around, a tongue this size would definitely have gone onto their wishlist. Whoever got to my plate first would have cleared the gravy (and anything else that happened still to be on it) in one lick!



And this one is just a bigger version of Alexander or Kotio coming home bearing "gifts"!! (Even to the expression on the face!)

[Cathrin]

Thanks for putting them up Ann
I can't seem to get that right and I don't want to waste the bandwidth with big pictures, Mark put the rest of the photos up today so lots more to see.

I even have video footage of a couple of the bits we did. It was a truly amazing day and I'm glad I have the photos to remind me of what a great day it was .
I would recomend the experience to anyone.

[julieurwin]

What a fantastic gift to receive. Did not know you could get such tours. Wow. The photos are fab too. You are one lucky lady.

[Chris]

Love the second photo, the expression is definitely a (much bigger) version of the 'aren't I a clever cat then?' ;D ;D

[Edda]

Gorgeous pic! The tiger is my favorite big cat! Love the stripes!

[Cathrin]

Thank Edda, got to love those cats .... btw this year I was taken to the Wolf conservation trust on a 'Wolf Walk'
This is where they take the wolve for a walk and you can go along with them, have photo opotunities and some other great things.

[gill]

Oh WOW!!!!!! I'd love to go on a Wolf Walk It would certainly be a bit different from walking your average poodle or chihuahua

[Cathrin]

We do have some photos of the day, I will try and get Mark to load a couple up for you all to see.
They were walked on these massive chains with 2 people holding on to them. What you have to remember is that the Wolves are not tame, the are socialized.
He won't tell me what we doing this year for my Birthday but I know it is a day out somewhere .... But as he say's 'how is he ever going to top the 'Tiger Day' out?
I'm not sure I want him too.