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Published: August 27th 2006
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We got picked up this morning for our trip to the elephant conservation centre which is way outside of town. The centre is run by a lady Thai called Lek, apparently she has been voted one of the most influencial woman in Thailand by some voting poll or other. It sounds like she has been rescuing elephants from abusive situations since forever.
We found out that there are now 30 elephants at the park after 1 died of old age last night. The atmosphere at the centre was quite subdued and not just with the humans. The dead elephants long term friend was calling out and pining for her old elephant friend, it was really sad to see, apperently she had stayed at her side for weeks right up to the last few moments before she died.
We got briefed about safety and not approaching any elephants and staying on the platform (sounds a bit scary!) as some of the elephants were quite dangerous due to their mistreatment and distrust in humans.
After our little tour around the place we were able to feed the elephants, so we both picked ourselves a hungry looking one and grabbed ourselves a basket
of fruit. It was great and much more fun than at the zoo because of how close we were. It was funny how they could take the stalks off the pineapples, they couldn't peel a banana though.
Lunch was really good, we had a massive buffet, but we noticed that the volunteers that were staying and working there seemed to have a little bit of a cockiness about them as though they ruled the place which was a little sad.
After lunch, came the bit we had really been looking forward to: swimming and bathing the elephants! However we were a little nervous, especially after the second safety talk that the lovely stand in guide gave us (the normal guide was off with her poorly dog).
We all walked down to the river with the elephants and their mahouts (their trainers) trying to be constantly aware of where the massive Elephants were.
The elephants were straight in the water (with their trunks on). (They all started to have a splashing time). It was amazing just to watch them lie down, roll about. Some were completely submerged with just an eye popping up now and again and their trunk
working like a snorkel. I was the first out of Andy and I to get in, armed with my bucket and brush. The water was cold and very fast flowing. It was quite hard to move against the current to get near the elephants, but then I didn't want to get too close incase the decided to get up, so it was fun trying to keep an eye on everything, not being swept away, trying to wash the elephants and take photos!
The elephants came out when they wanted to, this again was great to watch the babies playing with each other, the adults chucking mud and dirt on themselves in such beautiful surroundings. It was like watching wild elephants doing what they do, but up so close.
Back at the centre we watched a video that was made by the National Geographic channel on this centre. This was a very sad and disturbing film which some people walked out of. It showed how people in Thailand and Asia train their elephants for work, whether it's for carrying tourists or logging.
The way they do this is to break the elephants spirit so they become submissive. They are put
into a cage that they can't move in and tied up. They are then beaten with sticks and have nails poked in their eyes for a week or as long as it takes for them to stop fighting. Then every command they want them to learn they hurt them until they do the correct one. This lasts for weeks. It was so terrible to watch.
Many of the elephants at the centre had come from this type of training, I find it amazing that any of them let humans near them again.
Had we have known what the elephants had been through we would never have gone on the elephant ride back in Laos as we, like other people thought that the relationship between the mahouts and their elephants was usually a good one, but not the case.
However at this centre that is what Lek has been doing. When they get a new or baby elephant they are asigned a mahout and they build up trust and friendship with the animal and they are able to control the elephants this way and the correct way.
Elephants are so intelligent they can understand 40 different verbal commands.
After a really good day we got back to town and went to the night market where me and Melissa both got touched up by some guy. (No not in that way you sicko) He was obviously having a good feel for our wallets. I, Andy questioned him a little but we left it, incase it got a little out of hand. Again, like Bangkok it just made us more aware of our surroundings. Its so sad that you have to have so much distrust in people.
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Mandy
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Sooooooooooo cute!!
You guys get to do the best stuff (I wanna wash the elephants!!). Can't wait to see you again - real soon now! Love Ya Mandy x x