Phoenix Zoo
Have you ever been stranded at a place in a foreign country? How did you feel? Were you panic-filled, or were you calm and able to make rational decisions?
I was stranded at Phoenix Zoo in Papago Park, Arizona, USA, in January 2022. I had arrived in Phoenix from Accra, Ghana the previous evening and was looking forward to my two weeks’ vacation. Thus, I planned to do enough sightseeing to my heart’s delight!
When I arrived at the airport, I took a taxi to the hotel where I was staying. Before I arrived in Arizona, some friends had informed me that the public transportation there was not as available and efficient as that in other bustling states like New York. They told me that I would mostly have to order a Lyft (more common there than an Uber) to go places.
As such, the following morning, using the hotel WiFi, I downloaded the Lyft App on my phone. I decided to go to Phoenix Zoo after breakfast to spend the entire day there. I had read on the internet that it was the largest privately-owned, non-profit zoo in USA. I was therefore looking forward to this as while in USA about twenty years ago, I visited Los Angeles Zoo and had a great time there.
Hence, I ordered a Lyft and set off with great gusto to Phoenix Zoo. I started my tour of the zoo with a camel ride, as you can see below. That was my first time on a camel, so I was very excited. It was a comfortable ride.
Thereafter, I took my time to see all the animals and birds at the zoo. I saw a giraffe, a zebra, an African lion, an Asian elephant, a Bornean orangutan and flamingos, to name a few. After a long day, I was ready to go back to my hotel around 5.30 pm.
After exiting the zoo, I took out my phone to order a Lyft. Alas! There was no free WiFi service. My heart stopped beating for a second. I broke into a cold sweat. How on earth could I get back home? (Home being my hotel).
Still thinking, I walked into the car park. The zoo was on the outskirts of town. There were no taxis available, and I had no idea of the bus stop routes and schedules. All I could see were vast expanses of roads from afar. Walking to the nearest bus stop did not appear that appealing.
I therefore started to engage in self-recrimination. “Why did I even come here in the first place?”, I asked myself. “How could I have erroneously assumed that the zoo had a free WiFi?” I remembered a similar error of assumption at a sauna in Baden bei Wien in Austria some years ago. I consequently felt so foolish.
After a few minutes of panicking and engaging in self-blame and regret, I realised that this would get me nowhere. I had to calm down and focus on how to solve the problem at hand. I realised that what I needed was an internet connection to enable me order a Lyft home. The question was how to get it.
I saw a guy sitting in a truck at the car park. He appeared to be friendly and accommodating. Thus, I mustered courage and approached him. I told him of my plight, explaining that I was stranded without an internet connection to order a Lyft. “But how did you get here in the first place?”, he asked incredulously. I explained that I used the WiFi from the hotel.
To cut a long story short, he generously put on his mobile hotspot to enable me connect to it. I thanked him profusely, shaking with relief. I, therefore, successfully ordered a Lyft back home. Much as I loved seeing all those animals, I was only too glad to leave them behind. I had no intention of spending the night at the zoo, although this zebra looked so calm and accommodating:
The following morning, I went straight to a store and bought a local sim card. With that, free WiFi or no free WiFi, I was certain of an internet connection to order a Lyft wherever I went to. I was not going to allow the lack of an internet service to interfere with my long list of things to do and see in Arizona. How I missed the use of an Oyster card in London and the ease of travel it afforded!
Being stranded at Phoenix Zoo taught me how to think clearly in a crisis:
- Firstly, don’t panic!
- Secondly, focus on how to solve the problem.
- Thirdly, find and act upon possible solutions.
- Fourthly, don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Do you have any similar experiences of being stranded? Kindly comment by clicking on the chat icon underneath the heading. Please subscribe below to get posts delivered straight into your inbox:
Insightful, thank you
Most welcome 🙂
I got stranded in Cuba because the Cuban government would not let the group I was with leave the country. Luckily, the phone service was good and I was able to change my hotel reservation in Cancun, Mexico. After a tense 24 hours, the Cuban government let us leave. I had a chance to go to Iraq and China after that but turned them both down. Not worth the risk!!
Oh my goodness! That was quite an experience! I’m glad to hear that you were able to change your hotel reservation in Mexico.
Thanks for sharing your experience. When we look at the world today, it’s scarier than it was thirty or forty years ago. I tend to be a people watcher when traveling, specially in airports. Those overnight layovers can become pretty lonely when traveling by yourself. I learned there is ALOT that happens in an airport during the night. It was when I walked outside for a few minutes that it put a different perspective on things. Though I wasn’t stranded, I surely felt a little bit like a homeless person.
Oh I see. Yes, it seems that things are a lot scarier today. We always get new perspectives the more we travel. Thanks so much for your comments! 😄
I went on an outing with friends in Shanghai, and the event ended at 2 p.m. I had no internet to order Uber; the subway and buses had closed, and taxis were nowhere. I relaxed around, and with time, a tricycle cab came, and I boarded to my destination.
I discovered solutions to every issue as I grew older and realized that there are always answers. Someone is always willing to assist you, no matter what the circumstance.
That’s an interesting experience! I’m glad to hear that you took it easy and had a means of transport finally. It’s true that there are always answers and a helping hand. Cheers! ☺️
Glad you made it back safely to your hotel. Thanks for the tips! I hope to visit Ghana someday. It’s on my list of places to visit. Blessings!
Yes, I’m very glad I did! You’re most welcome. I hope you’re able to visit Ghana. We are very hospitable so you’ll love ❤️ it! Blessings, too! 🙌
I had a similar experience in South Korea. I kept boarding the wrong bus-and going to Chongju instead of Jeonju. I kept lugging my suitcase and finally a handwritten note in Korean took me to the right place and my new job teaching English! I am not sure I calmed down but I go there and it was a great adventure.
That’s so interesting to hear! 🙂
Good you finally made it!
Did you teach English there for a long time? And did you learn any Korean yourself?
Yes, Heidi-Marie, I stayed 3 years and learned a little Korean. Challenging language. I enjoyed living in South Korea. Very gracious people.
That’s wonderful! I can imagine how challenging it was. I would love to go there one day. Wanderlust beckons 😄
Thanks for sharing this idea in The Zoo. Anita
You’re most welcome, Anita 🙂