Elephant Ride

Elephant Ride, originally uploaded by Robbi Baba.

Through the Nest we signed up for a tour, which included an elephant ride, visiting a hill tribe village and ending with a rafting trip.
We stood waiting for the elephants and when they emerged from the bush and began walking across a field toward us, I think we were all a bit startled by their size.
It's one thing to see an elephant in the zoo. Another to watch it approach, knowing you're expected to climb up on it's back. Luckily they had a big scaffold set up for us and though it was scarier than I expected, even Eden made it onto her elephant.
There was one baby and somehow Joyce ended up on that one.
I have to admit I expected the seating to be a bit more comfortable. Basically it was a metal enclosure resting on layers of burlap. One held onto the metal for dear life as the elephant's back pitched like a small boat on a rough sea.
It was terrible for taking photos or video! I was terrified I would drop the camera.
While I'm complaining I might as well tell you that the whole thing was rather sad. I had fostered hopes of really interacting with the creatures. Perhaps feeding them, petting them or some such thing. Not a bit of it. We couldn't see much of our own beast and as they mainly walked in single file it was hard to make eye contact with the other two.
Adding to the sad atmoshpere was the dessicated landscape of chopped down trees and burned patches. It was too damn dry and too damned smoky.
Still, I'm very glad we did it. If I'm ever in Thailand in the lush rainy season, I'll for sure take another elephant trek. But I'll make sure I get to feed my elephant some bananas.