Otters, cougars and monkeys, oh my!

There is something to be said for not doing fun, child-friendly things on the weekends or during school vacations. I'm a big fan of getting somewhere early, and leaving early. Typically, our days at the zoo begin when the zoo opens, and last about three or, sometimes, four hours. I also prefer the quiet days, when it's a bit too cold, or even a little rainy, when there are less people around.
I usually avoid days like today like the plague. It was beautiful, sunny, just warm enough to be comfortable, and in the very middle of Spring Break. Happily, Marlo and the kids were okay with getting to the zoo early. And we were. We arrived about 10 minutes before opening, but already had to stand in lines. We wandered the zoo somewhat comfortably all morning, and left to enjoy our picnic lunch in the park.
Returning to the zoo was, in retrospect, our biggest mistake. The place was packed. We were getting a little over-heated in our long sleeves and jeans. There were a lot of people. (I mention this twice because it's true.) We were all already getting tired.
So, the afternoon included: our getting a bit too much sun on our noses; Sydney having a bloody nose from the activity and dryness in the air; kids not wanting to walk so much anymore; moms getting tired and ready to leave as soon as they can; everyone was hungry for sweets and stuff they shouldn't eat; and all of us getting bumped, pushed and very nearly tripped several times.
Finally, we made our way home. Remind me again why I don't usually do this stuff on school holidays. Having said all that, we did have a lovely day.