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  1. Exploring the new Tropical House at Marwell Zoo

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    Our family always loves a day out to Marwell Zoo and this time we went straight to the newly opened Tropical House to see what we could find.

    Marwell Tropical House 4

    The impressive exhibit spans across 2 levels and has a diverse range of tropical plants and wildlife inside. As we entered we noticed the sign which asked visitors to please be a little quiet as the sloth doesn't like loud noises and we were all delighted to see him having a snooze in one of the trees.

    Following on from there we found some very unusual looking birds like a crested wood partridge and Brazilian tanager plus there’s a large 70,000-litre aquarium with 2,500 fish, a crocodile monitor lizard, Burmese mountain tortoises and so much more.  As always the children were busy dashing around and as a result we missed some of the wildlife but I figured we’d just try and find them next time we go.

    Marwell Tropical House 6

    The interactive room was very popular with visitors and explains the flow of energy through life. We all giggled when we stopped at the table showcasing different animal dung which is used to generate energy at the zoo.

    BeFunky Marwell Tropical House 1

    This innovative and sustainable exhibit is the second phase of a £17m investment programme and will ultimately create improved habitats for the animals and a more immersive experience for visitors.

    Marwell Tropical House 9

    After our visit to the Tropical House we went to the Wild Explorers area which has roaming wild rhinos, zebras and scimitar-horned oryx and then the children happily played in the nearby wooden play area while I visited the restaurant to grab us all some food for lunch.

    With our tummies full we slowed down a little and spent the rest of the afternoon saying hello to many of the animals including giraffe, tigers, penguins, meerkats and lemurs.  On this occasion we didn’t go on the road train and railway but I can thoroughly recommend it for the great views of the park whilst giving your feet a rest.  On your way out there’s an amazing gift shop which is worth a visit if your own little monkeys have earned a treat.

    BeFunky Marwell Tropical House 2

    For more information and news on upcoming events at Marwell Wildlife, please visit the website here: https://www.marwell.org.uk/zoo/

    Marwell Tropical House 12

  2. Subscription or Gift Chocolate Indulgance with Treatbox

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    Anyone that follows Dorsetmums will know that I am a wee bit of a chocoholic so when the opportunity arose to review a Treatbox I couldn’t say yes fast enough!

    It only took a couple of days for my Treatbox to arrive and as the box is long and slim it fits through the letterbox so you don’t have to worry about being in for a parcel.  I was desperate to open it straight away but the kiddies were around and not only did I want them to not steal the chocolate from me but I also wanted to have the chance to take some pics and have a proper look at what was in there.  I think I was expecting maybe just a box of nice truffles and was genuinely excited to see a wide variety of different things for me to work through in the evenings when they were in bed.

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    I was very pleased with the presentation, the chocolates were all hidden within pretty tissue paper and there was a card which detailed the chocolates inside and a lovely little poem on the back.
     
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    The box you receive is a mystery and changes each month but my one contained a Coconut Ritter Sport, GuyLian Seashells Box, a Milk Chocolate Sicilian Hazelnut and Almond Bar, Caramel and Chocolate Drinking Sticks, Champagne Truffles and a couple of GuyLian Praline Cones.

    I took great pleasure in deciding what to try first and although it was all delicious the champagne truffles and seashells stood out as my favourite.  One thing I wasn’t going to share though was the chocolate drinking sticks and one night I made myself a hot chocolate and then rested the caramel one in which made the most amazing indulgent chocolate drink.
     
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    It took me quite some time to work my way through the box and I had to keep finding new hiding places so my husband wouldn’t get hold of it or the lot would have been gone straight away!

    Although Treatbox has a subscription service you can purchase a box to receive either for yourself or as a gift for a Birthday or Anniversary.  The Treatbox would also make an excellent present for Mothers Day, Christmas, Easter or a new Mum and for those of us with busy lives it’s pretty easy to order online and just have the gift delivered.  A box can even be tailored with a message from you for that special touch. 

    There are various options to choose from with something for everyone including Retro Sweets, Chocolate, Liquorice or Candy.

    For more information on the boxes available please visit the Treatbox Facebook page.

     
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    Dorsetmums was gifted a Treatbox for review purposes however all views are my own.