Adelaide Show Teaser - Part 2

 The Adelaide Show is of course a story of two halves... there's the agricultural Show, then there's the fun Side Show. And Side Show Alley is where you'll find all of the rides. Not that L-kun is really ready for all the fun and excitement of the Show.

First off... here's a cultural shot. Hmmm pipe organ. Monkeys. Seems historic or symbolic... or both. Sometimes I think I would have made a good organ-grinder monkey. If only I could dance in time.

 Now this is more my style... I tort I taw a... well you get the picture (copyright infringement avoided - whew).

And what sort of show would it be if it didn't have copious amounts of sugar-based snacks? And when I say sugar-based, I guess you can pretty well miss out on any thing that isn't actually sugar - or even more concentrated carbohydrates. I'm glad the Show comes around only once a year.

L-kun was looking quite nonplussed about the Panda... poor Wang Wang and Funi... how quickly the popularity wanes. By the way, I understand that the Adelaide Zoo's financial state is not quite strong - maybe the cost of the new Panda redevelopment wasn't quite balanced by the increase in visitors. In fact they're 24 million in debt, and now considering re-branding themselves as the "Conservation Ark". *sigh* I sometimes wonder who is running this State... [time to get off my soap-box now]

Every year there's something that's a must buy at the Show... something that everyone has, and therefore you need to buy it (to avoid the savage glares from parents that have bought what ever it was already and don't want to be the sucker). This year it was the bubble guns. L-kun didn't seem to mind one bit... and went through about a bottle of bubble solution in the afternoon. Be warned however - you should shop around first as the price varies ridiculously from stall to stall. 

Now whilst L-kun was only 3 during last year's Show, he was able to enjoy a few small attractions... ok, they're not exactly thrill a minute, but when you're 3 they're pretty fun nonetheless.  

And unlike in 2009 (when he was 2 and really didn't know what the hell it was all about), in 2010 he really enjoyed himself on the rides.

And the truck-driving... beep beep!

The dragon-riding was the one exception however. This was his first "roller coaster" and he really didn't look at all comfortable. I doubt he would have wanted to come back for seconds on this ride.

The final challenge - the giant slippery slide. Ok... for those that have just come to this blog recently, there's one thing that you should know about me. I don't like heights. Ok... a fireman I would not make. Still, as a father, you have to suck it up, and do things that don't make you feel necessarily comfortable. This was one of those occasions. I know I know - you're most probably wondering how I could be afraid of a slippery slide. 

Well that's the thing with phobias, they're not exactly rational. Still, Everest was climbed, and Daddy felt like he'd bested yet another "fear factor". Ok - the fact that everyone and their dog was climbing up the ride didn't really come into it. I felt I had achieved something. 

And the trip down was a lot more interesting... though quicker. I'm not what my expression is here (fear or relief). L-kun seems to have mastered the art of hiding his fear however - under a facade of having a good time!

So that was our afternoon at the Adelaide Show (in short form)...  Was it fun L-kun? You betcha! 

But we're not quite finished just yet... one more to go.