My mind has been occupied with other things for the past week or so... I have finally taken and passed my driving test after avoiding lessons for the past 20 years or so! The impetus to learn was, of course, Orla - it's been so frustrating having to plan a military operation whenever we want to go out. Will it rain before we get to the bus stop? - Rain in Penang is the equivalent of having a full bath of water dropped on your head in one go, so this is an important one. Maybe we should call a taxi instead? - but how long before it arrives? Do I get everything packed and ready and then spend the next 15 minutes twiddling my thumbs and/or watching Orla unpack it all over the floor? Or pack after I've called, only to find that the taxi's waiting outside mid- nappy change? No baby seat either, so I have to wrestle an energetic toddler (who wants to pull all of the driver's proudly displayed Manchester United regalia off the parcel shelf) into my seatbelt and pacify her with a boob until we get to wherever we're going. Walking isn't really an option - after daybreak it's hot enough to fry eggs on the pavements, which are so uneven, narrow and broken that even my all-terrain, LandRover pushchair is beginning to feel the strain. So finally being able to drive the car will open up all kinds of options for us.
Of course, we have had a few terrific excursions. Orla's fascination with nature and all things animal means that we have already taken trips to the zoo, bird park and butterfly farm. Check online for off-peak or family deals, or frequent users deals before you go - when I expressed my horror at the cost of London Zoo if we chose to visit in the summer, a friend who lives in London revealed that she is a memeber of the Zoo's 'Friends...' scheme - she pays about GBP60 per year and can go as many times as she likes, whereas a one-off visitor would pay GBP20 per adult during peak season.
Luckily for us, Taiping Zoo, a pleasantly managed and maintained park about an hour away from us, costs around GBP2.50 per adult. Even Giles, who is not keen on the concept of zoos and often despairs of the conditions for animals, agreed that it was a pleasant surprise. Orla was entranced from the moment we arrived until she drooped wearily on Daddy's shoulders, almost four hours later. A zoo is a great environment for little ones - they can see animals clearly, and seeing them 'in the flesh' encourages learning; once the animals are within their range of experience, they are more 'real' to children, who can then put them into context through memories the next time they see them in a book. Orla was thrilled by creatures she'd seen in her books or on her World Animals DVD. Since the zoo visit, she has learned signs and/or sounds for many different animals - she even trumpets like an elephant! We talked to her about the animals we saw - observations about what they looked like or what they were doing, how they behave and so on... She may not understand all we tell her at this stage, but I'm a firm believer in talking to babies like people, rather than like babies! I honestly think that Orla's communication skills and understanding have benefitted from Mummy's explanations of anything and everything!
The bird park was another hit. Sadly, many of the birds were in small cages; we'll visit the open aviary in Kuala Lumpur when we visit the city, which is a much nicer environment, both for the birds and for visitors to enjoy them. The great thing about the bird park, though, was that there were some birds that could be fed or gently stroked - we were both enchanted by a little Scops Owl, who 'danced' when his back was gently stroked and we had a close up view of the birds who landed on Daddy's hands to scoff worms from a pot we bought on the way in!
Similarly, our visit to the butterfly farm was a great success. Orla loves butterflies - she refuses to use the sign for 'butterfly' and insists that they are 'flowers' instead! There was a live insect and reptile show, which meant that again, we had a ringside seat for viewing all of the creatures. Apart from one hairy moment when Orla tried to squeeze the leaf insect that had been sitting on her knee for a couple of minutes, she was calm, gentle and completely fascinated by the small beasties. I hope that early experiences of being close to and handling bugs and minibeasts mean that she won't grow up with irrational fears and phobias; it's good for me, too, as I have to curb any shudders around spiders, scorpions and cockroaches!
We're hoping to visit a city farm and petting zoo when we go back to the UK for a visit in the summer. I'm sure that Orla will adore it - and will continue to learn so much from the experience. Books and DVDs are great for introducing things that children have no daily access to, but periodic visits to the Real Thing are what consolidates learning and cements meaning into memory.
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