Elephant nature park:Monday

Today was beyond surreal. It feels like a day dream, as though it didn't really happen. All of the thinking,  planning and wondering of what this experience would be was wiped away. With every new incredible life moment that came along, I didn't realize the incredible experience I was having until thinking back on it a few minutes after. 

I had my last breakfast in Chiang Mai at the Riverside House before being picked up for Elephant Nature Park. 

This was my daily spot where I began my day's planning.

Once picked up and making a few more stops to pick up fellow volunteers AJ & Josie from Perth Australia and Sally & Jamie-both vets from England, we were taken to the ENP office to pay our remaining balance and get our goodies. Both Jamie and AJ had been to the park in previous years, 5 and 2 years ago respectively. Jamie spent a month here studying elephant parasites. A month would be heaven, even if looking at poo. After paying we started the hour and a half drive to the park, which is in the   jungles of the mountains. We were shown a documentary  called "Caught In The Moment" that left me sobbing. The last 10 miles the road was quite bumpy, reminding us that although we were in a plush air conditioned van, we are in the mountains of Thailand.  

 

Side note: upon reminiscing about the week later on, Josie told me she couldn't forget how happy I looked when I was walking to the van. She said I had a smile from ear to ear and looked like a child with my visible excitement. 

The ride passed several Chiang Mai excursion parks, many offering elephant rides with elephants chained to cement pillars. My heart ached. Finally we rounded another hillside and came into a small valley. I saw elephants free of people on their backs. I was home! I have started to say "where I live" or going "home" when speaking of my accommodations as it is quite the truth at the moment. 

We pulled up and had a brief intro before walking towards the park's wide open spaces. Our first sight was one of the girls  walking straight for us.

We walked into the same pasture area and were surrounded by others.

There is a baby there!! And one of the 400 dogs.

This girl was the first we saw & were told she's not very social with people, yet we were still so close!

The Dani walked right over to us. She was addicted to methamphetamines on her arrival. She was given them to work longer hours.

Never have I been so close to a free elephant. Heaven.

We then wandered to the feeding area, called the platform, and fed Jokia (left) and another (I forget the name). Jokia means eye of heaven. She miscarried while climbing a hill and was not allowed to see if the baby was alive or dead. She then refused to work so her mahout shot her with a sling shot in the eye. Later she was being defiant again and pinned her mahout who then stabbed her only good eye. She is now blind.

This was the other girl. 

Watermelon-it's like a tic tac to an elephant! This is Jokia again. 

We then found our rooms and made ourselves comfy. It's like summer camp, or as one of the girls from England said, "Parent Trap" in her darling accent. I couldn't not giggle as its so true. I share a room with Sarah who is from Sydney, Australia. She too is traveling on her own, we get along great.

The newest baby, Dok Mai who is 2 months old was spotted while we enjoyed out Thai vegetarian feast of lunch. Such cuteness! One of the dogs was barking and teasing him. Amazing to see the animals interact. Throughout the day we felt many rumbles as well. Surreal is all I can say. 

It's all about the animals here! Just kidding, this isn't really ok. 

As seen from our room window. It's like living in a treehouse. 

After lunch we had orientation on the  skywalk which is a long balcony over the elephant area, where they can walk under you. This babe was flinging her sunscreen on.

The best part...

The river means one thing...

Bath time!!! This is Mai Dok, she's had a rough life. Her hips and legs are severely deformed from injury. She has had broken legs and ankles from being chained up during the logging days. Her hips were also broken from being charged by a male while she was part of a breeding program.

She has a horrible limp as one would expect with such injuries.

After bathing it was our bath time. Showers in Thailand are a bit finicky and it was a lil cold for my liking. It is cooler here in the mountains so a cold shower isn't quite a refreshing. Just like summer camp! 

At 6:30 we had a traditional welcome ceremony with a local shaman and elders (women). Seriously, this day can't get any better!?

We walked upstairs to this...

To the left were some Children playing amazing music. To the right are the offerings and the shaman in the back. 

There is a small square box made of banana leaves with flowers and candles on it, called a float. The shaman took our bad "things" or luck and put them on the float which will be sent down the river. 

The float is in the middle.

He is chanting and speaking the entire time.

During the ceremony we all took turns sitting in front of the elders who tied white string around our wrists, left for women and right wrist for men. The string is good luck. We are to keep it on for 3 days, no more than 7. My little lady took extra care to put it on and even blew on it. Extra luck?! To take it off, we must pull at it until it is comes free. If it is cut with a knife or scissors we will cut ourselves in the future. We can not throw it away, we should keep it with us in our bag, or under a pillow. Eventually we are to leave it somewhere, but never to throw away. 

After the welcome ceremony we had yet another feast, followed by a documentary that left me crying yet again! A snippet: baby elephants (we saw a 4 year old) are shoved into a "crush", which is a cage that hugs their body. They are then abused, starved and sleep deprived for at least a week in an effort to break their spirit. They continue a life of Torture and abuse to be domesticated (for rides and tourism). What we saw was a broken, beaten, bloody and battered baby elephant. 

Please don't ever ride an elephant. This is what they go through to get to that point. The videos are so hard to watch. 

Excited to see what tomorrow brings. Every amazing thing that happened today can never be relived. I am in shock  just writing about it. Is this real life?! 

To bed I go under my mosquito net! Gotta rest up for our job of planting grass tomorrow.

And yes, as you guessed it, there is wifi! I'll do my best to stay on top of things.