A night in the jungle

High in the mountains of the lush green Thai jungle, is a small primative bamboo hut built by Mahout Joe. Way in the distance ... you'll see the brown hut.




No eletricity .... a stream flowing down off the mountain provides cold water for bathing in the simple bamboo outhouse type bathroom.



The day before I left the Thai Elephant Home, I trekked via elephant, up to the bamboo hut to spend the night.



First order of business was for the mahout to bring the elephants out to an area where the elephants could spend the night eating grass.



Pak Boon in the jungle ... with this being the rainy season, the jungle is so, so green. A type of very intense green that almost hurts the eyes.



Upon arrival at the hut, one of the mahout got busy immediately cutting up spices (mainly chili peppers!) to place with the fresh fish, which was then wrapped in banana leaves and placed in the outdoor fire to cook.



Fresh pork belly was hung over the fire as well to cook for our dinner.



I bought four bottles of Thai white moonshine type whiskey which the mahouts and I pretty much polished off before dinner! Mahout Joe told me Thai Whiskey kept the mosquitos from biting you... I think the Thai Whiskey kept me from knowing the mosquitos were biting me!



Some of the mahout in Thailand sure seem young!






Spicy hot fish, grilled pig fat and rice never tasted so good!




Before 6 a.m. Dar, one of the mahouts, already had boiled water in bamboo over the fire so I could make my cup of coffee.



Dar even carved out a bamboo stick so that I could stir my coffee (I brought along some of the Balinese coffee ....)



Nothing like a good cup of strong coffee, cooked over a wood fire, drunk in the jungle, all the while watching the sunrise over the mountain.



Early morning clouds hovering low in the mountains as the sun just begins its day.



An early morning view of the mist covered mountains as the trek into the jungle came to and end.

"Elephant Buddha"

The very first thing I did upon arrival at the Thai Elephant Home, was to go to the shrine and pay my respects to the "Elephant Buddha."



Part of the ritual included my bringing a fresh coconut, rambutan (red fruit) and incense to the shrine.



The thatch covered shrine to the "Elephant Buddha" set in the jungles or northern Thailand.



After placing the coconut and rambuta at the shrine, Mahout Joe and I burned incense and paid your respects to the "Elephant Buddha."

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!

It's elephant mud bath time!

I am not sure who enjoyed this activity the most ..... the elephants or me!



With the rain falling, the elephants immediately walked into the mud bath ... and I quickly followed with container in hand to scoop up the black mud cleaners and rub it on the elephants.

The elegant, enlightening Asian elephant!

Oh how gracefully they walk!
Like some elderly Grand Dame
Making a magnificent stage entrance!
Quietly, non pretentious...
No need for any ego induced fanfare
Their sheer size makes their presence known...

Tons of muscle and bone
Wrapped in a ten to twelve foot high package
Of wrinkled grey....
A massive body that moves so quietly, so softly.
Movements that flow ever so smoothly
To an ancient rhythm of Mother Earth.
Yet leaving little or no trace.

Ten feet above, seemingly sleeply brown eyes
Peer out of a massive, life scarred skull.
Limited in earthly sight, their vision is eternal.
Non-judgemental eyes ...
Filled with lifetimes of compassion and understanding
Look directly and deeply into one's very soul.

Humbling as well as exhilarating
The experience of sharing time and space ...
With such wise, powerful and elegant mammals.
The enlightening Asian Elephant!