Zoo

When it comes to visiting Singapore, it turns out that the zoo is the most unforgettable destination.

It was the middle of summer, and the overcast day made it an ideal one to walk around. To my little girl, that was her first time to come face to face with giraffes and zebras. It's hard to describe the feeling of ecstasy that swept across her that moment. The children's song came closest: "Oh, we're riding on a train called the Allee-Allee O - All through the zoo today!"

A few steps away, four nearsighted rhinoceros strolled in a leisurely fashion, with birds perched atop their thick skin. Just as I was reading the Time magazine featured story of (skyrocketed) rhino poaching recently, I found myself, by chance, in the midst of this endangered species. I surveyed the innocent look of these pachyderm mammals. They must be disappointed to learn that their friends got killed because of their horns, which consists of nothing but keratin. No kidding. That's the same stuff that makes up hair and fingernails.

And then, in the labyrinthine Night Safari, we were joining the nocturnal animals - hyenas, otters, elephants and leopards - in darkness. A strong wind blew through the trees. It took me a minute to recognize that it was a flying squirrel, as big as a pizza, gliding between trees. We were stunned.

Yet the climax memory of the Singapore Zoo trip came for me at the very end: When I returned to the hotel I realized my wallet was gone. That would be a nightmare. Money is just part of the equation. Lost identity cards and credit cards made my heart beat faster. I phoned up the maxi cab driver (who took us to and from the zoo) sheepishly, and waited for his search.

"No problem, I found it in the backseat. I'll hand you the wallet tomorrow. Good night."

I could not believe my ears. My wallet is definitely much more worthy than the rhino horns, and I was able to keep it.

How lucky, I thought.