Catherine's dream vacation

[Catherine]

Those of you who have known me for years have never known me to go on vacation. I have stayed home with my animals and enjoyed a break, but I hate traveling places. There is seldom anything that I want to do or see at most of the usual vacation destinations.

However, I have finally found a trip I would love to take.  I am guessing I would be travelling alone. No one I know would want to have a vacation like this.

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...0qNUnzKciA

Can you imagine all those snakes waking up at the same time. There would be Garter Snakes everywhere, hundreds of them.

The videos are amazing.
https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...fpkI1xbr6w

Can you see me sitting on the ground with garter snakes crawling over me and around me. It is like an ocean of snakes.

These are amazing snakes.
https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...aFE_Z8m5rQ


The pictures are great. I could happily spend a week there.
https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&...z38NW9Xb_Q


Dream vacations do exist.

[Libby]

Those are the kind of vacations I go on. I don't know if I saw it on here or Facebook but there a place where hundreds of dogs live in a sanctuary like place. That's my next goal vacation. I go to the beach to play with the fishes and hopefully see a dolphin. Last year I got lucky and was 5 feet from 2 manatees 2 different days. I go to zoos and actually got to see winter the dolphin without a tail. I've been to the Philadelphia Zoo, the Chicago Zoo, the Nashville Zoo, the Knoxville Zoo, the Chattanooga Zoo, the Memphis, the Ripley's Believe It Or Not Aquarium in Knoxville, the Chattanooga aquarium, if there's an aquarium in Chicago I think I went to that one too, I've even been to SeaWorld in Florida when I was younger, and I've been to Busch Gardens, I even got to swim with dolphins even though the Dolphins didn't come around, there's even been a few I can't name cause I don't remember much.
Those are the best vacations. There's one zoo I want to go to that the whole zoo is in a biodome and they have mostly big cats. And the whole place is heated by the sun because of the way the dome was built.
Theres also a place in Japan covered in rabbits and they follow you around begging for food. That would be amazing. Surround me in animals and I'm happy.

[Catherine]

You and I have the same dream vacations.

We posted about the dogs in an earlier post.

http://www.animalloverswebforum.com/show...p?tid=2099

I want to go to Cincinnati Zoo. One of our Toronto baby gorillas is the silver back there. I am proud of how Jomo has turned out and I want to see him.

Philadelphia zoo is the one with the over heard walk ways? I want to see that.
San Diego Zoo and the Game Farm were amazing. The Game Farm is part of the Zoo, but it is out of the city, 2000 acres and some pens are big enough for natural herd behavior. I loved it. I got to see the condors!

Still, the snakes coming out of hibernation would be the best ever. I am from Manitoba and it would be great to visit my home province again. It is a special place.

[Libby]

That would be amazing. You'll have to go and tell us all about it and take lots of pictures.

[Catherine]

If I plan it right I could be there when the snakes wake up next year. The whole idea is amazing.

I would definitely take lots of pictures, unless I was so busy looking at the snakes that I forgot to take pictures.

I am just happy to find somewhere that I would want to go. Actually there is Riding Mountain National park in Manitoba that I want to visit. I think my next big vacation needs to be in Manitoba.

[Libby]

You should definitely try to go next year.

Looks like they've changed out some exhibits since I heard about it but this is the zoo I was talking about. I don't know when I could go. It's Some distance away from me. I've taken that trip from Tennessee to Nebraska in a car and it's a long drive.

http://www.omahazoo.com/exhibits/desert-dome/

[Tobi]

Oh   That's one heck of a vacation Catherine and sounds perfect! There must be some 'snakey people' who would just LOVE to go with you! I would  definitely go for a day trip (but that would be a bit difficult as I am 'over the pond') 
Aren't Garter snakes beautiful?

[Catherine]

Even I can't go there in one day. I think it is about 1000 miles from here. Canada is a really big country. 
It was probably a 2 hour drive from where I grew up, but I never heard of it when I lived in Manitoba. Of course people saw reptiles differently back then.

I do want to visit some things in Manitoba so I can make this part of my plans. I like to plan for years before I take a trip and then see all the amazing things an area has to offer.  Half the fun is in the planning.

So far no one here wants to go.  I haven't mentioned it to the right people yet.

And yes, Garter Snakes are beautiful. They also come in somewhat different colours in different parts of North America.

[Tobi]

Yes, Canada is absolutely massive. I have never been but know it must be an amazing country, with such varied and beautiful landscapes. I think it's hard for us to understand just how vast it is. I don't like travelling much any more at all, but when I was in my 20s, it was on my list of favourite places to go! Another one was Austria and oddly enough....Siberia!

It would be nice to take a road trip, especially in a luxury motorised camper. That way it would be nice and slow, and you could visit places along the way. But that would be very difficult if you have so many animals to care for at home. A lottery win is what is required   Then you could pick just the right animal-sitter for your brood, buy a wonderful camper and take off for a month!

[Catherine]

I like the luxury camper road trip idea. You are right that it would take a lottery win.   If I won the lottery I could go for a few days and then head home and then go for a few more days.  I don't like being away for long. No pet sitter can look after your pets for a long stretch.

I did see quite a bit of western Canada when I was younger. I still want to see the east coast. Australia is on my list and so is Iceland. I love the rugged terrain.

I would like to see the Grand Canyon. Nothing on
 the planet compares to the Grand Canyon. I might yet get there. From here it is easy to book a flight or a tour.

The snakes trip is also possible. The planning will be a lot of fun. I will want to think about it and plan for years.