On Monday, we took an elephant ride. We got there before the elephants had been brought down from the forest. An elephant eats about 60 kg (125 pounds) of food a day. So, they bring
them into the forest for the night. The first thing they did was bring the elephant to the river and give them a bath. The handlers were so amazing. One of them took off his flip flop and scrubbed the top of the elephant. Once they were bathed, they were saddled up and we were loaded on the elephants. Each elephant had a handler that urged them on and kept them from straying.
We went down a hill to the river, and then back up. It was a bit scary going down the hill, but the elephants were incredibly sure footed and were so gentle.
There was a baby that came with his mother. The handler teased him with a banana to keep him going along. It was fun to watch.
