A devoted Swiftie has gone to great lengths, making a lengthy trip to eastern Thailand, the home of Moo Deng, a baby hippo that has charmed audiences globally.

Molly Swindall, a content creator celebrated for her fandom of Taylor Swift, decided on a whim to fly from New York to Bangkok to “meet the legend known as Moo Deng!” she expressed in a video posted on Tuesday. “I can’t wait to showcase her.”

She journeyed nearly 21 hours “just for Moo Deng,” a baby pygmy hippo who recently gained fame for her cuteness and cheeky demeanor.

“I’ve seen Moo Deng everywhere, just like everyone else. I see her as an icon,” Swindall shared with YSL News on Wednesday. “Watching all the videos and seeing the memes made me say, ‘I need to see her in real life.’ Plus, I’ve always wanted to visit Thailand.”

Swindall anticipated that her brief trip would be “exhausting,” but she believed she could manage it. She needed to return home by Friday for a Gracie Abrams concert with friends, which meant her time in Thailand was limited to just 30 hours.

Throughout her fast-paced adventure, Swindall vlogged the entire experience, keeping her audience informed about her Moo Deng journey, even sporting cozy Moo Deng pajamas as a delightful souvenir.

She felt “incredibly excited” about meeting Moo Deng and mentioned in a later video that she planned to wear a Taylor Swift shirt “so Moo Deng knows I’m a fan,” complementing her look with a fresh and dewy appearance to match “Moo Deng’s vibe.”

“This was such a magical day,” Swindall exclaimed. “I adore Moo Deng!”

Encountering Moo Deng was a ‘dream come true’

As Swindall flew to Thailand, her excitement turned into nervousness because she was uncertain if she would even see Moo Deng. There had been rumors that the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, located about two hours south of Bangkok, did not allow visitors to view Moo Deng during the weekdays.

After some research, she discovered that other visitors had successfully seen Moo Deng and shared their encounters on social media during weekdays.

“Thus, I held onto hope that I might actually get to see her,” Swindall said.

She also contacted the zoo, which confirmed that Moo Deng is accessible to visitors every day, generating great excitement for Swindall.

After traveling for a few hours and making her way through the crowded zoo, she couldn’t help but squeal when she spotted Moo Deng napping in the water alongside her mother, Jona.

“Oh wow. She’s absolutely adorable,” Swindall exclaimed in her video.

Swindall enjoyed a few moments with Moo Deng before deciding to explore the capybaras. Although a heavy rainfall briefly hampered the fun, she later returned to get another glimpse of Moo Deng.

“When she came out, it was like a full show. Her personality was so vibrant, and it was truly a special moment,” she recalled. “It just filled me with joy. It was something I’ll cherish forever and will definitely share in the weeks to come. I’m going to tell everyone, ‘I met Moo Deng!’”

Moo Deng is ‘really that special’ and likely a Taylor Swift fan

Moo Deng didn’t always embody the recognizable diva seen in memes and videos, but once she comes to life, there’s no stopping her, especially after a good nap.

“Once she woke up and started being active, she really put on a display,” Swindall shared. “I got to witness Moo Deng in the classic entertaining style you’d expect from the memes and videos.”

Moo Deng showcased her well-known fake bite, dashed in circles, and slid around, according to Swindall.

“Her personality was truly radiating. I thought to myself, ‘Wow, she’s something special.’ It was everything I imagined from the online content I’d seen.”

One of the delightful aspects of the experience, according to Swindall, was feeling the shared excitement of the crowd, similar to being at a concert.

“Everyone was thrilled together, and despite any language barriers, we were all smiling at each other and cheerfully pointing things out. We connected over Moo Deng,” Swindall added.

Swindall has a hopeful theory that Moo Deng might be a fan of Taylor Swift, especially since she did not leave when “All Too Well” 10 Minute Version from The Vault started playing.

“She appeared to enjoy it, but I kept the volume low so I didn’t distract her. Still, I like to think she heard it and found it enjoyable,” Swindall mentioned. “Great artists recognize one another. So naturally, she has to be a Swiftie.”