How to ride an Elephant

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A very early start, but today was one of those rare days that we weren't actually getting up to catch a plane. Today we were going to ride Elephants! This would have been my 3rd time doing this. I first got to ride one in Zimbabwe when I was 14 - riding it without a saddle just like a horse. Gosh that was uncomfortable. Then I rode one on a choir trip to Thailand, sitting in seat on the back. So this time we were sitting in seats again. We had a short drive into the jungle, and it was freezing, I mean freezing. That isn't a problem if you are dressed for it, but no we were all in shorts and tee-shirts. It was cold, and everything was covered in mist. It was very atmospheric.

Before we got to ride the Elephants we were allowed to feed them. That was very cool. We had lots of bananas to give them, and they would hold out there trunks and wrap it around the banana and put it in there mouth. HB was a little worried about feeding them, but she did manage to do it. HB and I were riding the same Elephant, the Grandma of the group. All these Elephants are rescue Elephants from the logging industry or according to Mrs G the lodging industry - you do have to forgive her, English is not her first language. It was funny though. To get onto these magnificent creatures you had to climb up onto a platform and then step across onto the elephants back, swing round and sit down. It's not a problem for an older person, but poor HB was terrified, there was no way that she could step across - she would have fallen between the Elephant and the platform, so she had to be lifted on and passed to me. But she wouldn't let go of her Daddy's neck. She was screaming, she really didn't want to get on. I really thought it would end with us staying behind or her going on with her parents. Nope, she did eventually manage to do it with a lot of coaxing. Once on we snuggled down and had a really long hug. Once all settled they put the wooden bar across us. I thought for a minute that we wouldn't have anything to keep us in. Thankfully we had a wooden bar - that made me feel so much better.

The first part of the 1 and 1/2 hr trek was a steep walk down to the river. My Mummy always used to tell a story about how when I was really little (much much smaller than I am today) she would be terrified that I would fall out of rides because the safety bar would never come down to me. I never truely understood what she meant or felt, that was until today. This pathway was steep, very steep. I had one arm round tightly around HB keeping her in, because she would have fallen right out if I hadn't. My other hand was pushed so hard against the wooden bar to keep myself from falling out. While all the time trying to make sure that the cushion that we were sitting on didn't fall out, which is was trying to do. I don't think I have EVER been so glad to back on a flat surface. I was pushing so hard against the wooden bar that I pulled all the muscles in my chest, and the next day I had real trouble putting my arms up. HB and I had a grand old time on the trek, we chatted up a strom about anything and everything. The only thing I didn't like (apart from going downhill) was being hit by bits of trees. I was a little bit concerned that I would have a giant spider flicked into my face. Esp as there were huge webs everywhere. Mrs G told me to look at one that had a spider in it, but seeing as the web was made between two trees I dreaded to think how big the spider was. Saying that the spider was probably only the size 5p (which is the smallest English coin to all my American friends), but still I didn't want to look. The scenery was stunning, really beautiful. This country used to be the country of a million Elephants, but the numbers are now very low due to the logging industry and loss of habitat. That is really sad I think, they are such gentle giants. I was pretty glad that we went so early because by the time we got back, it was rather hot and the place was inundated with backpackers.

Once back at the hotel we then had our breakfast and rest before heading out for our afternoon trip. This was too the Old Palace. Lao used to have a Royal family, and there still are some that are alive in France, that is until 1975 when the King, Queen and Crown Prince disappeared mysterously coming back from the North of the country. It was very hard to explain it to HB, she didn't quite understand where they went, so I told her that they were playing hide and seek and they were so good at it that they hadn't been found yet. It was hard to get HB to listen - it is very hard to get her to listen at any time. She has a tendency of going and wrapping herself around her Mum's legs when I tell her to listen. The best thing to do, is to remove her from her Mum's company. That may sound harsh, but is works a treat. Even 3 weeks after we visited it she still remembers a great many things that I told her from our visit there. This was a very different palace. Not at all like the ones you find in England, more like a nicer house, compared to the ones back home and in Europe this wasn't very affulent, but I am sure it was the very height of luxery in it's day in this country. The crown room was amazing though. Red and gold paint with glass mosaic over it all. From the palace it was over to a temple. This was where HB really lost interest. Don't blame her I would have been bored out of my mind at that age. The only difference being I would have been made to stand still and not bug everyone. The temple was rather in ruins, but it is one of the oldest ones in the area. We visited the funeral room where they had a large barge (on wheels) that held the urns of the penultimate King, his brother in law and the Queen. It was very impressive, covered in gold leaf with dragons carved into it. HB, F and Mrs G all had there fortunes drawn. Load of mamby pamby. No one can tell me my future it isn't decided yet. The only funny part about it was that all the fortunes were basically the same. Hehehe - if you study hard and pray hard then you will become very successful and rich. That is what everyone wants here and what everyone asks for when they visit the temples. Or maybe that is me just being a little judgemental. Mrs G is a Buddhist and so being her is really like me being in Disney. She was in her element. We were given the opportunity to pray in the private chapel, but I passed on that. I am not a Buddhist, I am a Christian and so to me, while I completely respect their religion I felt that it would be really fake of me to go in a pray to someone elses God. It would, in my eyes, be rather disrespectful. I just stayed outside and looked at all the pretty ruins.

Our guide showed us this really lovely mosaic picture on the back of the main temple about the tree of life. It had lots of different animals in it, all with different stories. The guide told us a very sweet tale about the Tiger, Mummy Cow and Baby Cow. Which I will tell you now:
The Tiger was very hungry and met Mummy Cow who was on her way home to Baby Cow. The Tiger said 'I'm hungry so I am going to eat you'. The Mummy Cow didn't want to be eaten so replied 'Please don't eat me. I have a Baby Cow waiting for me, please don't eat me'. The Tiger was so hungry so said no. Mummy cow replied with big tears 'Please don't eat me yet. Let me go home and tell my Baby Cow how to look after himself. Then tomorrow I will come back and you can eat me'. The Tiger took pity on the Cow and said she could go, but had to come back tomorrow. So Mummy Cow went home and told her Baby Cow that he had to be brave and to take care of himself because she was going to be eaten by the tiger. The baby cow was very upset because he didn't want his Mummy to be eaten and cried very big tears. Baby Cow decided that he would go and find the Tiger. When he found the Tiger he said 'Please don't eat my Mummy, eat me instead. She is old and her meat will be tough. Eat me, my meat is tender and young'. The Tiger was so touched that he said that he wouldn't eat either the Baby or the Mummy Cow and would go hungry instead. The end.

Ahhh, itsn't that a lovely story. Rather Disney-ish don't you think. So that was the end of our tour, but the day is far from over. To finish the day, we had a private sunset river cruise on the Mekong River. Again something so spectacular that most 5 yr olds would never have seen or done, and what did HB and I do? That's right colour. There is probably a collection now of all the best places that you can go to that I have coloured in. We did take a break for the sunset which was stunning. We could actually see the sun moving behind the mountains. It was amazing how quickly the last part goes. And how quickly the sky changes from blue to fire to twlight colours.

So here endeth another fun filled day in the life of a travel nanny. But the adventures continue tomorrow when we get locked inside a bear inclosure! How ever did we manage that and escape without being eaten? You will just have to wait and find out.

To be continued ...

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Photos

One very scared HB
if you can see, see how tightly she is holding onto her Dad.

Cwock takes a look
He was fed up of being squished between my hand and the bar, so he took a break and had a look out of the window.

Colouring
Be impressed, only my feet and top half from the chest upwards are actually on the bed, the rest is all hanging off - the muscle power!

Comments

[Erin *~*~*]

Epic journaling for an epic adventure
You're doing such a wonderful job of documenting this grand journey! I especially enjoyed the pics of the temple. Thanks for sharing your adventure with us, and keep 'em coming! Erin *~*~*