It’s finally happened.
The day has come.
The day for which I’ve been waiting my entire life.
I MET ELEPHANTS!
Those of you who know me know I’ve been dreaming about elephants for a very long time. For as long as I can remember, frolicking in a jungle alongside gigantic elephants has been on my bucket list, and in Chiang Mai, Thailand, I finally had my chance. My first free day in Thailand, I sprung at the opportunity to visit an elephant sanctuary and spend the day in the jungle alongside these creatures I’ve been longing to meet for years.
The day began with a songthaew (most popular form of transportation in Thailand: a converted pickup truck with two rows of bench seats) picking my friends and me up from our hostel. The four of us squeezed in with the group we would be spending the day with: two 18-year-old Canadian adventure seekers, an American photographer named Kevin, and a sweet man vacationing from Liverpool, Phil, who became our “uncle” by the end of the day.
We endured a very bumpy two-hour drive up a mountain and deep into the jungle, which ended when we arrived at Elephant Jungle Paradise Park. This is an elephant sanctuary that exists as a wildlife refuge for elephants to thrive in the jungle and humanely interact with people.
We were greeted by five large Asian elephants and one three-month-old baby elephant. My heart!
We spent some time petting, feeding, and playing with these incredible animals. Elephants love interacting with humans and surprisingly feel the same way about us as we feel about puppies. This became overwhelmingly clear to me when I was almost suffocated with love (and literally) by a baby elephant named King. I was sitting on the ground, calling for baby King to come over and play with me. He trotted over and began nuzzling my legs and wrapping his trunk around me. I was in heaven! The cuddle-fest quickly escalated when he began to climb on top of me, attempting to sit on my lap. The situation was not ideal, but before baby King, weighing in around 500 pounds, could flatten me, a few bystanders came to my rescue and pulled him off. It was a little bit scary, but a very treasured moment I will remember forever. Not many people can say they had a near-death experience because a baby elephant loved them too hard.
After the feeding and cuddling portion of the day wrapped up, we went down to a mud pit where we covered the elephants (and ourselves) with mud to cool them off from the hot Asian sun. The path from the mud pit led us to a beautiful waterfall tucked away behind a trail of lush trees. We ran through the waterfall and washed the mud from our bodies and our elephants. I was given a bag full of corn and fed one of my favorite elephants in the water surrounded by lush vegetation and clear skies. It was incredible.
Our time with the elephants ended all too fast, but for me it was an incredible adventure full of unforgettable experiences!
I arrived in Fang, Thailand yesterday and will be spending the remainder of my time here teaching English alongside the six women who have been placed in Fang for the month. Updates to come!
Sending love and elephants kisses from across the world <3
“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.” Psalm 37:4
