First day with Pak Boon

My very first day at the Thai Elephant Home, I was introduced to Pak Boon, a five year old female elephant, who was to become "my elephant" for the next seven days.



I began learning some basic verbal commands so that Pak Boon would lay down allowing me to climb up onto her back....



I learned how to get Pak Boon to lay down.... especially helpful when washing her.



Just hanging around Pak Boon was a hoot! Later, when I started to ride her up into the jungle, I was to find out that Pak Boon definately had a mind of her own..., she walked very slowly up the jungle path, wanting to stop a taste pretty much every blade of grass along the path ... and definately did not like having anyone walk directly behind her!