Holiday At The Zoo With My Boss Family | Gembira Loka, Yogyakarta

Unexpected challenges and energetic children running all around one animal closure to another was something I dealt with for two days.

During this holiday season, my boss invited all of her grandchildren for a family trip to Yogyakarta. Not only I was tasked to arrange the trip but also to make sure that two of her grandchildren and her elderly mother arrived safely in Yogyakarta. It wasn't an easy task because I had to act firm but also ensuring they all had a good experience.

Once we got off the train station, we directly went to check-in to the hotel. Since, it's a very laid back trip, the group rested until the next morning when we had to travel at Gembira Loka Zoo. I had to make sure everyone has the proper ticket and made sure that they are not running around too far from the group.

Gembira Loka itself is quite a massive animal facilities and park. They offer various educational activities and petting zone where children can interact with the animals. Unfortunately, it is not as extensive as a Safari but still a great affordable place for children to learn about different kinds of animals and how to take care of them.

We all paid about 85000idr/person to enter the zoo and that already included the train service all around the area as well as the boat experience. For me, the boat was one of my favorite experience from the zoo.

The animals inside the zoo is not as extensive as it used to but good enough for children to learn about it. The highlight of this place is the petting zoo and the elephant enclosure where children can also interact with them.

There were plenty baby goats that I even want to bring them back home as pets.

The elephant is also the highlight of this zoo where visitors can take pictures in front of it and also feed the elephant.

While it was such a simple holiday, the kids enjoyed it because it was the first time seeing animals such as alpaca and capybara. Since it was very hot, all the animal hid in the shade and this monkey was seen playing with sand without a care in the world.

This place to me is more like a small park where we can take a walk and enjoy the surrounding nature than being a zoo. Just look at how shaded and serene the place can be.

Also, the visitors of this place isn't only children but you can spot couples walking around exploring this massive parks.

These days, they also upgraded the stairway back with escalator that helps people go around the parking area. In the past, it was another steep hike and wasn't so kids and elderly friendly at all.

We ended the day with lunch at the nearby chicken restaurant. Everyone was happy and so did I, except now I am completely spent. Here's more picture from the zoo.

After the zoo, I met up with several of my students and future students. It was a deserved break from the children and my responsibilities. Thankfully, my boss allowed me to take some breaks until 8 PM.

It was a good 2-3 days that felt like really long to me but the good thing is that I have the chance to see some greens. I am hearing my boss secured some projects and some of us are going to be stationed in either borneo or west-java. All I care right now is get some good sleep and some alone time to get back into my other projects and navigate my online classes schedule that gets extremely packed these days.

And I told my friends and previous students ( some are currently my students too to promote my course). So, I am bound to be extremely busy soon.