excellent elephants

Asia » Laos » West » Luang Prabang
March 23rd 2007

Published: March 23rd 2007

So hear I am again, after my best, most memorable and beautiful experience yet. Well twas to my taste anyway. So as I mentioned we were doing the ‘mahout’ experience thing. It was a lovely experience, really we spoilt ourselves. So was not sure how id take to the whole thing because of the circumstances - having elephants chained up for tourism purposes, but it was fine. We headed out with another couple - 4 person thing because only 4 elephants there - to the elephant project and where we were staying and eating for the 2 days. The place we were staying was like what I imagine a safari in Africa may be like. Pretty dam sophisticated for us. We managed to get a lovely room by accident, big double-king bed , en suite, luxurious bedroom furniture and lights, elephant door handles, elephant toilet roll holders and elephant mats. We were out a little in the forest with a view of the river and local houses across the way. We headed out across the river to meet the heffalumps. Got some info on route - how big they are, where from and Asian elephant characteristics. They were so huge, even more than I imagined, gigantic colossal. So impressive. We headed out for a spin, they have seats where you mite put a saddle on a horse. The Mahout sits on top of the neck. We hoped on from a wooden platform, high up. We wondered around the trees and out onto the dry area, which will later be flooded in the rainy season. We got to exchange places with the mahout. Such an unusual feeling, everything in slow motion, sitting like a jockey, feet behind ears, knees on her head. Pretty high up too. We did this for a wee while and then back to the mounting up place, took pics, watched them eat a little and off we went , smiling and excited back to lunch. The food of course was gorgeous, we were spoilt. After this, we headed back to the elephants, over the river and hoped on again. An elephant each this time. My elephant was Mai Euk. She was 45 years old- they can live to 120. she was the smallest of the group. And the skinniest. Quiet slow as well, but I was so much personality, and all the sweeter because she was the most poorly looking of the group. It was the luck of the draw, who got which, so I was delighted cos otherwise I would have felt sorry for her and wondered about how well they were looked after, this way I found out a lot. So we headed across river, me on her neck and the mahout - a young guy, no english and shy sitting behind. Was so funny she was trying to eat everything on route, I couldn’t stop laughing, I think he thought I may have been worried but realized I was having a good time eventually. We had to climb a steep bank to the other side, the poor pet, she took her time and managed, twas tough on her, her back legs aren’t great. Off up hill into the forest/jungle we went and the guys tied them up for the night, where they would stay and eat. They have a 50 yard long chain attached to their foot. so they are retired from logging, there were some awful stories, they arrived in bad condition, underfed injured as they were forced to pull weights too heavy for them in their logging days - this applied to my one in particular. One was even fed estasy to increase work speed. So, they were fed well here and seemed to have an ok easy enough work day, so I felt it was all ok. After this we walked to a local village where we were no doubt the talk of the town. Our guide brought us into the school, so we got all the info-school hours, subjects etc. the kids just stared and stared and smiled and laughed. We spoke to some - so they could speak English, took a few pics etc. was funny, having a celebrity like status. Wasn’t sure if it was kinda patronizing at first, but realizing they got such amusement out of it all was good. We wandered round and said hello to the locals - learning a bit of Laos, saw the temple and headed back for a lovely meal in the lovely place we stayed. there are bungalows, a restaurant and a guesthouse, all connected by winding stone stairs and lovely plants and flowers. There were also too monkeys to feed your leftovers to. Was so excited about the next morning… we were up at 6.30 ish. I nearly died when the guide was late, was cursing him though wed miss bathing the elephants, but all was good! He arrived and we met the mahouts and went back to out beautiful friends and hoped on and walked to the river. Mounting up was little amusing! I kinda got stuck, got my mahout in a little panic, couldn’t stop laughing! He rolled me over though, such a tolerant elephant! The washing was deadly, just not long enough time. We got a great laugh. Mai Euk, the ickle elephant nearly submerged fully, and us with her. There was only a couple of feet of elephant above the water. She hat down and we threw water all over and I scrubbed her head. Chris and her mahout - who seemed to like her very much! Went for an involuntary swim! But twas warm so all good, and worth the pics of her getting back on! It was the most unusual and interesting and funny bath I’d say ill ever give to person or animal. Mai Euk kept insisting on standing up every now and again, giving us a bit of a wobble, and a great giggle. The poor mahout didn’t want to get completely drowned so he’d shout a bit and she would -just for as long as she liked- sit plonk herself back into the water. We wandered back to there kinda station point where they are fed and saddled up. We kinda stopped wherever she liked, for a bit of grub, she was the boss, but a safe one. They eat bamboo shoots and coconut and banana stalks. Got loads of pics, even felt my ladies tongue . They were funny, scratching off the trees, and best of all trying to fight and injection. My girl kinda ran around in a circle - slow motion enough but one shove and you would be squished-then plunked herself on the ground to avoid the needle in the ass.was so funny, she finally got in the neck and went off, ass facing us, apparently annoyed and sulking. I wish I could describe all this better, they were so beautiful and so big but the gentle unhurried step, careful consideration of where to place the feet, feeling rough but smooth skin, prickly hairs, soft ears, tiny brown sharp intelligent alive eyes, so much skin, quite a high hump and just a generally meditative composed attitude all while knowing how powerful and impressive they are. Every long strong trunk and huge limb, hitting the ground with force that seems stronger than any machine, even the biggest JCB, because of the mind/brain encased in a skull as big as a bolder.
So unfortunately, much to my disappointment, it was over, I nearly shed a tear. A lovely lunch, be it a wee bit sad in all our cases, was followed by kayaking 15km no less! Down the Nam Sum river back to civilization. I don’t want to be civilized! I could live in the jungle, elephants for friends, though lack of chocolate may be a problem. Anyway, the kayaking was fun and fierce exercise. And so ends the trip, back to town, cleaning ourselves up and out for pints. This experience was definitely my best so far.
So, where from here, well we’re trying to decide, should I stay or should I go now as the man said. Well tis tempting to go back or stay in Laos, maybe a few more days of adventure and then to Thailand, who knows. Ill keep you in suspense because I haven’t a clue!
So I think this may have been a wee bit of a melancholy entry, I do miss the elephants even though twas only a brief introduction (I hope) for us.
Toodles
Gracie..
Sqhk dii (good luck - missing the funny letters though)

Copyright Notice: All Rights Reserved