We took a fun little trip to the San Diego Zoo a couple of weeks back. I hadn't been since I was 11 or 12, so much of the experience was entirely new. First course of action? Pith helmets. No self-respecting adventurer would be caught without one.

Tourist trap? Maybe. Stylish and sophisticated? You know it!

I've always been a lover of animals, but where I live in Las Vegas, the variety is a bit lacking. You can see only so many snakes and lizards before they all start to look the same. And, regardless of how often I try to replicate the mating call of the elusive mountain lion and shake raw meat above my head, they are not fooled into making contact. Probably for the best, all things considered.

Here was an opportunity to photograph so many beautiful creatures in one spot, AND retain all of my limbs in the process!

It helps if you imagine bongos being played throughout this blog post.

The eyes are very soulful. It's a little upsetting to see this one behind the cage.

This fella's practicing his upward dog. Well done.

And here we see the hyperactive panda.

As always, check out the full gallery to see all of the images from this trip!

Thanks for joining me! Now I'm off to take a nap...