Elephant Nature Park

I am slowly approaching my destination quietly seated inside a 9 people van, attempting to advance through a pretty steep, pot-hole filled, deep orange coloured dirt road...dangerously avoiding the edge of the road that overlooks a green field filled with palm trees, and overgrowing flora. We pass many an elephant trekking camp where these animals are employed to "entertain humans" be it by drawing flowers, performing acrobatics of some sort or simply allowing humans to ride them atop elephant seats. We later learn how this is at a huge cost to their livelihood and a rather bizarre contadiction; in Thailand elephants are sacred beings, long revered and used in numerous iconography across the country. In Thailand, the elephant population (wild and "tamed" has diminished by 95% in the past decade only!). There are now only 2500 elephants left in Thailand and most undergo a horrendous "taming" process to allow them to be enslaved for trekking camps, logging or for begging in large cities and temples. It is rather disturbing...particularly when you watch it live or on one of the many documentaries that has been made on the subject; National Geographic 2002.

So we slowly make our way into the "Elephant Nature Park" of Thailand, a vast flatland on the banks of the Mae Taeng river, surrounded by bushy trees, fields of cotton and only 60Km north of Chiang Mai. Lek, a Thai woman, owns this camp and has fought for the past years to rescue elephants from dangerous situations and bring them to this haven of peace. The Park is a sanctuary, a place where you go to relax, learn about elephants and mostly, to live among them and learn to appreciate their greatness close up in a humane and positive atmosphere of freedom. Although you may visit the park for one day, once you set foot onto the dirt you feel the need to remain there for a much longer period of time. Peace floats in the air. Volunteers who stay longer sleep in bamboo huts that overlook the river. But everyone is able to take part in the daily ritual of feeding and bathing the elephants. They eat anything from 250Kg of cucumbers, pineapples, bananas and/or pumpkins daily! They get bathed and scrubbed down twice a day in the river and once a week, they get taken up to the hills to roam free for one night in what is called the "Elephant Haven"...and those who are lucky to go with them, sleep on a large tree-house.

I stayed for 3 days (2 nights) and the experience was truly unique. I loved my bamboo hut.....nothing fancy, and yet, all the wonders of the world.... I woke up to elephants roaming free below my hut every morning! My bathing ritual involved a large tub of water and a saucepan type thing to help scoop the water out and drop it over my head. The water, of course is cold. The shower is in fact a bamboo hut in the middle of a field. (You're lucky there's a light switch!) . My room was simply a mattress, a mosquito net and two large windows overlooking the place. I walked with the elephants in the mornings as they fed on nearby bamboo, grass & leaves of sorts. All the while, we would carry orange ribbons cut from Buddhist monk robes that had been blessed. These ribbons would be tied around the trunks of trees to "save" them from being culled. In Thailand, there is now a ban on logging..... but this practice reinforces the "sacred" nature of trees to anyone Buddhist (nearly everyone here) attempting to cut the tree down.

We would then return for some chill-out time before lunch.....a feast of 15 dishes to choose from, prepared on the spot by the local folk working in the bamboo hut known as "the kitchen". Then after lunch, it would be bath time. Off to the river with buckets and brushes to scrub down the animals. If one didn't have enough with this 40 minute water fest, there would be another chance later on at 5Pm to try it again! Not without before viewing the National Geographic Documentary or taking a nap. Then off to the bath again....and then a short walk at dusk before enjoying another feast under a thatched roof at night, with the sounds of crickets or the odd dog coming up to keep you company. Then, the mahouts would light a fire to keep the 3 "old ladies" (80+ year old elephants) warm at night and we would make ourselves hot cocoa and play a game of cards or two.... or simply enjoy the darkness of night, reading a book under a torch to keep the mosquitoes at bay!

I was surprised to find I didn't really have to work much at this place, as the locals are employed to take care of everything. In fact, after the 1st day, where everything felt like a novelty, I started getting a hang of the schedule and did as I pleased! It's very chilled. On the 3rd day, I went off walking in the forest and one of the most marvellous things happened. Much like seeing snow for the 1st time when one grows up in a tropical climate, for me it was happening upon a cotton field. I had read many books where these fields were named and described but the sight of seeing it live was amazing to me. I neared it and grabbed a stem and realised the stalk had a ball that had "flowered" into 4 parts and each part was a cotton ball, with seeds and all, but a cotton ball nonetheless. I treasure these moments.... when you get to see where things really come from, and how amazing it is to think that that same thing you are looking at, when spun and threaded, can become the clothing that protects you! On my second day, I insisted in helping cook (I couldn't keep away) and learnt a thing or two as I mashed over 50 green bird-eye chillies in a wooden mortar and tried to sign my way around the kitchen.

Feeding the elephants is quite amusing. You place 3 or 4 cucumbers in the tip of their trunk and they roll it in and dunk them into their mouth. On some occasions, you get to stick half a pineapple into their mouth (which looks like a massive tongue really). Apparently they have molars to crush the food...you never see them though! They don't really smell (nothing like horses or cows if you know what I mean) which makes approaching and patting them so much more enjoyable. Although they have a habit of pooing in the river while they bathe, the crap floats and looks like a big green ball of hay so it's pretty funny!

I didn't make the trip up to the Haven.....maybe next time when I return. In the meantime, all I can say is that I haven't slept this long in a while, and the peace of being surrounded by nature, pure clean air, the sounds of crickets, or the rustling of the tree leaves is so soothing to the human soul, that my return into Chiang Mai last night was rather distressful! It took me a while to fall asleep, amidst the sounds of motorbikes, cars and the odd booming stereo. I miss the elephants, the cats, dogs and the wonderful people who have dedicated their life to preserving these special animals...a total of 22 older elephants and 3 young ones who have luckily made it to this sanctuary. THIS is what I call eco-travel and all included for only $299/week where you know exactly where every cent of your money is going.