Saturday night we grabbed a taxi from our hotel and headed north to the Night Safari at the Singapore Zoological Gardens. The safari opens around dusk; about 90% of all tropical animals are nocturnal, and therefore most active after dusk.

The safari path winds through an outdoor jungle, with dim lighting to help you view the wildlife. Flash cameras were prohibited, but we attempted to take some photos anyway without the aid of a flash. We'll see how they turned out. We had our choice of walking on a path or sitting in a monorail-type tram. We opted for walking, of course, since we are not lazy tourists!

I am a die-hard animal-lover, but my favorites that night were the giraffes, leopards and otters. It's hard to explain the awe and peacefulness I felt as I stood a mere 10 yards away from two giraffes eating their dinner. Their quiet nature and graceful beauty is truly amazing, with those long legs, knobby knees, and dinosaur-like necks. The leopards were also very beautiful, although they mostly laid around relaxing. Encyclopedia photos simply don't do their spotted coats any justice. My third favorite, the otters, were hysterical. They made these high-pitched squawking and squeaking noises and tumbled over one another, as if clambering for attention. I couldn't figure out if they were agitated by our presence, if they wanted us to play with them, or if they were begging for treats. Which ever it was, they were really cute and comical.

Another highlight of the safari was a walk through the enclosed bat area. Here, bats hung upside down and fed on a lump of seeds. These were the largest bats I've ever seen - the size of a small monkey or cat - and they are very furry too! It made my skin crawl - I was traumatized by a bat in my bedroom when I was about 5 years old. Nevertheless, I couldn't stop staring at these bizarre creatures. They are pretty creepy, hanging upside down and "walking" around the branches. Their "feet" are oddly monkey-like, which is a little disconcerting.

The last standout from the safari was the suspension bridge, or as they called it, the Bridge of Suspense. We laughed, because you often see misspelled words or phrases in Asia (such as Hair Saloon instead of Hair Salon). This one actually did have a double meaning, since many people crossing the suspension bridge really were afraid and in suspense of the crossing. We thought the swaying bridge was fun, but not scary in the least.

For more information visit the zoo's website at:
http://www.zoo.com.sg/safari/