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Our first experience of this whole adventure was meeting and feeding the elephants within 10 minutes of
our arrival. The feeling of awe when surrounded by these excited, friendly giants did not leave me in the
2 weeks I spent here.
Wary at first, you have no time to feel fear as we were hoisted onto an elephant
before travelling at a sedate pace into the river. Then after being slowly lowered into the fast flowing
water, you splash and bathe the elephants. An unforgettable experience for someone who has never
been close enough to touch an elephant let alone ridden one bare back. This I have since learned, is a
welcoming ceremony for all new visitors and serves its purpose well as introducing the elephants as fellow
companions and not marvels to be controlled and viewed from a safe distance.
Next we travelled on Jumbo Express, a chance for us volunteers to help the nature park distribute drugs sucha as antacids, cough syrup, vitamins and
paracetamol to remote hill tribe villages. We also traded packets of sweets and toy for the wide-eyed but sometimes excited co-operation of the children so we could administer a dose of oral wormer.
Putting aside the attempts of my brain to adjust to the change of environment, culture and language, I was called upon to treat or give advice for poorly thriving chickens, buffalo and a child with a badly damaged and infected toe. How strange to be offering treatment without the security of a well-stocked pharmacy or nearby library at my disposal. I may have helped but couldn't help feeling I should have been able to do more.
Next on to 2 elephant camps to see an elephant with a developing abscess on its back and to leave eye drops for another. Again the elephant with the abscess we treated as best we could but our advice to rest the elephant until better was ignored as tourists were expected and she was saddled up almost immediately.
Our next trip was to the elephant haven high up in the forest. We travelled for about 2 hours on elephant back up into the hills along a narrow well-worn track. The view was amazing although the elephants seemed more intent with stopping to sample the lush food on offer rather than hurrying to our destination. We reached our camp just before the heavy rains hit and sat eating and talking together by candlelight. The following morning we tied blessed scarves around trees in the surrounding forest to mark out an area to be protected then wandered to each find our elephants that had been let free to roam and feed overnight. All found, we packed and climbed aboard before heading back down the hill and onto the nature park. The heat of the day meant each elephant spraying themselves, and rider, with whatever water was available on the road or from their own sinus secretions in an attempt the cool down. The rest of our time at the camp was spent helping out where needed be it feeding the 27 dogs that have the run of the park, mucking out the main yard where some of the elephants are fed and tethered overnight or helping to treat those that needed it.
The best thing though was simply sitting and allowing yourself to absorb the feeling of peace that watching elephants wander, eat, scratch, trumpet and grumble to eat other undisturbed and surrounded by forest-covered hills gave you. This coupled with the warmth and hospitality we received during our time here is the essence of what I will take away with me when I leave, and what makes me want to come back and help again with this just cause."
Tola
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