Today was the big day! The day my family had been waiting for since arriving in Thailand. This was the day that we were going to see the elephants. We got picked up about 6:30am; Candace and dad squeezed in the back of the pickup while mom and I sat in the cab with our driver. Our guide had been out the night before watching a soccer match so mom and I were convinced he was a little worse for the wear. Why might we think this? The empty beer can in the center console screamed 'hair of the dog', but what really confirmed our suspicions took place when we stopped at a gas station for a "15 minute break"- he indulged in a greasy meal and a quick nap before continuing with us up the mountain. How did mom and I help this poor young thai deal with his hangover? Simple. We cranked up the volume on the radio and encouraged him to belt out the lyrics with us as he drove. It's no wonder mom and I rode in the back of the pickup on the way home.
When we got to the elephant jungle sanctuary we were given traditional clothing to change into, along with a quick elephant pep talk. We were then invited to a small feeding area where the elephants gather for banana and bamboo snacks. Once all of us were in the area, the elephants were led down the mountain to meet us. It was a bit intimidating because the space was small, the crowd was large and the elephants were huge, but eventually each one of the McCutcheon's was able to pet and feed one of these big beauties.
One of the funniest moments took place while Reg was attempting to take a photo with the baby; before the flash could even go off she found herself surrounded by elephants on all sides. They were quickly closing in and she was going to be stuck in the middle. We've never seen Reg move so fast in her life.
Stew found himself in an equally precarious situation when he tried to feed the large, tusked male elephant. As he lifted his arm and called "bon" the elephant stepped directly into his path. Stew had to quickly crouch and throw the banana into the pachyderm's mouth so that he wasn't impaled head on by a tusk. Maybe that's why we were instructed only to put bananas in the trunks of these tusked creatures, not directly into their mouths.
Although there were some close calls, all four of the McCutcheon's survived the first phase of the elephant visit. Next, we would be heading to the mud hole to play. The walk to the hole was incredibly slippery and more than once I thought I was going down. Candace and I pushed along in front while mom and dad took turns holding one another up in the back. Finally, we reached the mud pit. What did they want us to do? Get in. Come on. Wade into this thick, sticky brown goop filled with elephant dung. No? You don't want to? You're hesitant. Don't be hesitant, because next thing you know, you'll be ducking from flying elephant dung. The motto of the guides: get in and get dirty on your own terms, or stay out and get dirty on theirs. Before long all four of us were in the dirt, laying with the elephants and slinging mud pies at one another (yes, even my mother was taking part. Way to go, Reg!).
There can be only so much poop play before one starts to question their life choices, so off to the water hole for baths we went. The elephants absolutely loved the water, and although it was cold, it was a great way to rid ourselves of the mud hole remnants. We took small bowls, filled them with water and poured it over the elephant's course skin. Our guides liked soaking us more than the elephants, so by the end it had turned into a pretty epic waterfight.
After exhausting ourselves and the elephants, we headed back to camp for a traditional thai lunch.
Our elephant experience was absolutely amazing. We loved having the opportunity to interact with these beautiful, gentle creatures and would do so again in a heartbeat (mud hole and all!).
