Pasha's Photos of Caversham

Pasha the elephant put his photos of the trip to Caversham Wildlife Park in his photo album. Of course, his favourite picture was of his new friend, Cookie the kookaburra.


There was one of the lazy kangaroo, and another of the sleepy koala.

His friend Cookie the kookaburra, was the only one who smiled for the camera!

Pasha Makes a Friend

Pasha the elephant was very excited. He was going to the Caversham Wildlife Park.

“It’s time to meet some REAL Australians,” he said to himself. He meant the animals, of course. He wanted to meet the kangaroo, the koala and the wombat. He had a lot of questions about Australia.

A lot of people were going to Caversham, so the Manager of Pine Tree House hired a bus. On a hot and sunny morning, a black bus called Night Rider arrived to pick up the group of visitors.

“How odd!” thought Pasha. “Shouldn’t it be called Day Rider?”

The students piled into the bus, and the driver turned on the radio. Then they were off!

Caversham Park was divided into different parts, each one like a state of Australia. The first stop was Molly’s Farm. Pasha heaved himself up into the stands, and sat down to watch the sheep being sheared. Then he learnt about how to swing a billy can to make tea, and how to crack a whip. It was all very thrilling.

Then Pasha trundled off to see the Wilma the wombat. She was sitting in a park keeper’s lap, and looking very plump and stuffed.

“Can I have a picture with you?” asked Pasha.

“Of course,” said the friendly creature. “I’m very popular, you know. Everyone takes pictures of me.” Sure enough, there was a long queue of impatient visitors.

The swamp wallaby wasn’t quite as friendly though – he tried to take a little nip out of Pasha.

“Watch out,” said his keeper. “He’s a carnivore you know – he likes meat.”

“Well, I’m rather thick skinned,” said Pasha, but he was careful to stay out of reach.

The kangaroos had a large area all to themselves, and lots of people were feeding them. Most of them were lying in the sun and looking lazy.

Soon it grew hot, and Pasha wished he could doze like the kangaroos. “There’s still the koalas,” he said. But to his disappointment, the koalas were having their afternoon nap.

Finally, Pasha wandered by the bird enclosure.

“What have we here,” cackled a large-beaked bird. “Oooh, I’ve never met a creature like you before!”

The bird turned out to be Cookie, the kookaburra. Once introductions were made, the chatty bird was more than happy to tell Pasha all about Australia.

“You must meet the Aborigine people,” said Cookie. “They’ve been here nearly as long as we have, and they have lots of stories to tell.”

“Perhaps I will,” said Pasha, with a smile, and he took a photo of his new friend.

Shopping at Coles

Pasha the elephant was moving into his new home in Perth. He was staying in a Campus Residence. He had a nice little room with huge pine trees outside his window. In fact, the Residence was called Pine Tree House.

“This isn’t too bad,” thought Pasha to himself. Suddenly his tummy rumbled.

“OOOer,” said Pasha, startled. Everything sounded much louder here, it was so quiet. “I must be very hungry.”

There was a supermarket just down the road, so Pasha decided to go shopping.

“You’d better hurry,” said his new flatmate, Morris the miner. “The shops close at six.”

So, the two of them hurried to Coles Supermarket. The supermarket was very large. Pasha nearly put a knot in his trunk, trying to pick up all the cans of food.

“Everything comes in cans here,” he said to Morris. “Corn, beans, peas, mushrooms...”

He squeezed his way into the vegetable section – elephants love their veggies. Such a lot of choice! Should he buy brown onions, or red ones? White bread, brown bread or Turkish bread? And look at all the apples!

“Frrribbble,” he said, for that’s what elephants say, when they’re at a loss for words.

There were all kinds of eggs to choose from too – barn-laid, caged, free range.

“You can buy everything here,” said Morris happily.

Sure enough, there were bright pink pyjamas (Pasha decided to pass), pots and pans, socks and stockings, paper and pens, dog food and cat food (why did they never make elephant food?), lots of make-up, and deals on all sorts of items.

But everything cost much more than it did back home. Pasha sighed, as he paid the lady at the cash register.

“How are you today,” she said cheerfully, as she put the food into bags. “Here’s your change! Next please...”

Pasha looked at the coins on the tip of his trunk. The $1 coins were larger than the $2 ones.

“How very strange,” he said to himself.

The Inspector Beagle

Pasha the elephant was in Perth! He got off the plane and looked around. The sky was the bluer than the rivers back home. The grass was greener than a parrot’s wing. But where were the coconut trees? There was not a single coconut palm in sight. Suddenly Pasha felt very homesick.

“You must go this way to meet the Customs Officer,” said a friendly airport official. So Pasha blinked away a tear and went into the airport. There were people from all over the world pushing trolleys and carrying bags.

Suddenly, an Inspector Beagle trotted over to Pasha. He was tiny dog with floppy ears and big brown eyes. He made Pasha feel huge and clumsy.

“I hope you’re not carrying drugs or food!” said the Inspector Beagle sternly. He sniffed at Pasha’s suitcase and looked down his long trunk.

“I wouldn’t dare,” said Pasha meekly.

"Shells? Butter? Fur? Muddy shoes?" asked the Beagle.

"I..I don't think so," stammered Pasha.

"Straw hats? Stuffed animals?"

"Well, I'm an animal - and I know I look a bit stuffed, but I'm just built that way," explained Pasha.

"Hmm," said the Beagle, and wrinkled his nose thoughtfully. “I'm not sure that counts.. Alright then, off you go.”

So Pasha hoisted his suitcase with his trunk and lumbered off to the Arrival Lounge. A young man was waiting there for him, carrying a sign that said Perth University.

“Hallo,” he said cheerfully. “You must be Pasha. Welcome to Perth!”