Elephant-es
Journal Entry:
"Yesterday we went to wash elephants! The washing of the elephants was a beautiful experience; we used the insides of coconut shells to throw water and scrub their bristly backs. I told them I loved them and that they were beautiful.
However, what we thought was an elephant sanctuary may have been a sad money making scheme. They may have actually taken these elephants away from their families in the wild and were training them for festivals, all the while having tourists come down and pay to wash them. We don't know yet what the real story is but as we drove home from that I was sad for the moms that had their babies taken and for the babies that were forced to be there and mad at these people for doing all of this. The only solace I can come away with is that for the time we were with them they were being thoroughly washed by their keepers, and loved by us. But they were also being yelled at, chained around their feet and whipped with bamboo. Then some U.K. fucks lit up cigarettes and smoked right in front of the baby elephants. Like what the F! man?! Wake up. Do you realize what you are doing? I should have said something. But I didn't and that's my fault."
Email response from home:
"...Glad you are doing good and having all these adventures..." -Hugs, Mom
Our Elephant Adventure:
Walking down to the river behind this momma elephant.
Happy we get to be so close to this huge lady!
Haha, I promise I looked at this picture later and was as shocked as you are to see what I captured!
Poop. This is why they need a good washin'.
Commands are being shouted at in the local language that the Elephants understand.
Timber...
Travis is brave and goes out into the water first. Watch as his guide in the red shirt gets away ASAP after delivering him...
Splashing the sweetie Elephant.
Washing (with love) the sweetie Elephant.
Being taught a better technique to wash the sweetie Elephant.
Briana confused as how to wash the sweetie Elephant.
"Maybe if I watch how this guy is doing it, I'll get it right."
(after which I did the best I could and just talked to the Elephant about how great she was, how much we loved her, and other good (hippie) vibes!)
The babies come out to the river.
Thirsty!
So smart.
As far as we could tell they were really taken care of here, washed thoroughly at least.
Even in their nether regions...
So cute how she props her leg up!
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