Tuesday

We were up at six and I was glad I was in bed and asleep by 9.20 last night as I felt fit and ready to go.

We went down for breakfast and it was a lovely morning after overnight rain it was fresh and clean and the sun was out.

We were too early for anything cooked but there was still plenty of choice. I had my usual plate of fruit, Jon stayed off fruit as Bertie was a little iffy yesterday so he had toast, cheese and ham. We both followed this with some of the pastries and then we were fit to go.

We waited in reception for the car to collect us and were surprised when a very nice Range Rover arrived. We got in and set off to pick up two more people who turned out to be a lovely young Dutch couple who were really pleasant company.

We then drove up into the mountains through lovely countryside, and passed a few elephants along the way, to the farm and I am glad to sy our driver was very good. We arrived at the farm and turned off the road onto a dirt track which was very steep and narrow, so glad we had a good vehicle and driver.

Once out of the car and not an elephant about, we were shown to a little hut on stilts with open sides, shown were the toilets were and given a bottle of water and waited for the other people to arrive. This farm Patara only takes a few people a day so we had all booked before we left our own countries. The other couples were from UK and China.

We used the toilet which really was 'a room with a view' as it had a widow, well an opening with no glass and the view down the valley across the jungle  when you sat on the toilet was beautiful.

We were given a talk about the farm and elephants in Thailand which was very interesting and this particular farm has been very successful in breeding them. We were all given an over shirt to wear and as all the 'mahoots' wear them it helps to settle the elephants with new people. We were told the elephants were all happy this morning as they like rain and it had rained overnight.

We then walked up a very steep till to an open area where there were about 10 elephants roaming around and we met our elephants and their keepers. There was a young baby running around and she immediately came over to where we were on another raised, wooden hut and tried to take the bananas from the baskets and she was so cute.

We were all allocated to our elephants with a basket of bananas to feed them. My elephant was only six years old and not very big and he was called Bang, I can't remember the trainer's name but he was very good and took good care of me for the whole day, such respectful people here in Thailand.

We started by learning how to feed them and let me tell you putting your hand right into an elephants mouth is a bit scary! They close their mouth on your hand and it feels like your hand is in a vice. We were taught how to tell them to open their mouth, put a banana right in and then tell them well done. After one whole basket of bananas I had it sorted and still had my hand with all my fingers!

Next we gave them some bundles of grass which was more like green sticks. They eat constantly and so much.

Next we did a health check on them and I and my elephant were used for the demonstration. We had to check if they were muddy on their sides as this means they have been lying down to sleep at some









point through the night but they only a tally sleep for a total of four hours and not all at once as this puts too much pressure on their hearts and lungs.

Then we were told that they sweat from their eyes and that they are not, what most people think, crying, they also sweat between their toes.

Next we had to check their poo! Each elephant is chained at night to keep them in one place so that any droppings can be checked as it is very important to make sure they are healthy. I was taken over to Bang's sleeping area and had to count how many balls of droppings their were. Less than five is not good, Bang had done eight! I had to pick one up and take it over to the group and split it open and everyone had to have a sniff and it just smelt like grass which is good. It also had liquid in it and was well chewed so all in all a healthy elephant!

I was then given a bunch of grass to use like a brush and was told the words for lie down and Bang did and then I had to beat the hell out of him to get the dried mud from his back. We then were told how to lead them by the ear and say 'ma, ma' to make him walk and off we went to the elephant wash were I hosed him down and rubbed off the mud with my hands and I got soaked but it was great fun.

Bang then went back to her own little area to eat more grass and wait till all the elephants were washed while I took photos. Included in the day was an official photographer and a man with a video so taking our own photos was not important.

Once all the elephants were washed we were given a talk and demonstration on how to get up on the elephant and there are four different ways. The favourite way for Bang was by stepping on his right front heal  with my left foot while he lifted it off the ground. Then with my right leg I stepped onto his knee and hung onto his ear and literally hauled myself onto his head. Jon kindly took photos of this manoeuvre - not a pretty sight! Once up I was very glad I had been given such a small elephant as it was very high with only a rope to hold onto behind me, really kills your arm! You have to sit forward on his neck, with your knees tucked up behind the ears a bit like a jockey on a thoroughbred! It is really uncomfortable and I felt very insecure and hung on for dear life to Bangs mop of hair!

I didn't see Jon get up as I was too scared to turn around! We started to move and headed up a huge slope into the jungle. It was really hard work over very rough terrain. There were times when I thought I couldn't go on and my legs were shaking due to gripping the beast. Eventually, the trainer, who was walking along side suggested I put my legs in front of the ears hanging straight down and this was better, not a lot, but better.

All of this was made more difficult by the baby that came along with us. He was 14 months old and full of mischief and his mum was walking in front of me. He stopped to dig up roots, to scratch himself on a tree and generally block my elephant who kept knocking him with his trunk. If he got behind he would come dashing past pressing against Bang and my foot which in turn knocked me off balance!

We had a very long walk up and down hills when I thought I was going to land on the ground over his head and all the time the young trainer kept asking if I was OK and telling me I was doing well.
Unbeknown to me Jon had had to get off and was walking. I think he put too much effort into the first part and wore himself out but he said he was too uncomfortable to carry on so they made him a walking stick and he walked.


















WEATHER
Hot and sunny with the usual afternoon storm 34 degrees