Hide and Seek

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We don’t actually have to do any more chores, we can just drift in and out, they have just sort of let us free and groupless but always get pulled over when the fruit trucks come in. The scale of fruit and vegetables that we shift every day is ridiculous but my throwing and catching is vastly improving. I had a moment where I walked up to the truck, backed up against the platform, but there was a gap. Yes, I stepped and fell straight down. I’m just one disaster after another, more embarrassing than injuring. After fruit we walked to the forest around the part and found bare trees. By bare I mean trees that haven’t been protected by an orange cloth, tied to protect them from deforestation, a Buddhist tradition. I climbed up to my tree and tied my cloth with space to grow, it will grow, I believe it won’t be cut down. This afternoon we worked on, it’s boring describe but we work a lot here, we all want to help. Later, I went to Jody’s house to see her art and her beautiful home. She is a wonderful lady who knows all the elephants on a deep and personal level, she knows their stories, their personalities and their habits. One thing that elephants do that is one of my favourite details is that they squeak to each other, their communication is marvellous and fascinating.

We were elephant watching as the elephants came in today, they are kept in at night because of poachers and farmers who protect their land. Elephants have been shot at the park before. The ground builds up with the rain and accumulation of soil and the babies can now pull themselves up so their front legs come over the barrier and only the feeding platform. We got some great shots. The adults had a go too and their strength was fantastic, they were after the most tender leaves, growing over the roof of the shelter. I love living with elephants.

Found a sun spot on a balcony to read before finding Lek this afternoon. Lek is the beautiful woman behind all of this, she is gentle, loving and incredibly brave. She has risked her life to give elephants the freedom, love and respect they deserve. We climbed into the elephant pen with the family and sat in the sand while we watched her with the elephants. She has such a deep understanding not only of them but with them. The baby girl, she’s been with her since she was tiny and her mother knows that Lek is special. Lek will sit under her and the baby will tap her with her trunk when she is sleepy and steal her hat when she is feeling playful. Lek sings her lullabies and when baby lies down to sleep, she snores. Being feet away is just something magic, something from a dream. She also plays hide and seek with her, it is adorable.

Tomorrow we go on a trip that I cannot wait to post about,



All my love, from Katie xx

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