Luang Prabang, Laos
Happy 11th Birthday to Eliza!
Lydia set the table with our daily med boxes filled with malarone for fight against malaria, and our probiotic capsule to encourage good bacteria growth to prevent tummy upset. Eliza’s spot has the gummy pizza she picked out at the supermarket.
We have a breakfast of orange eggs and bagels with cream cheese, mango smoothies, with a special chocolate croissant for the birthday girl. In lieu of candles, notice the incense sticks that look like an 11!
We’ve arrived at Elephant Village. Our first event is watching the elephants eat grass and patting them.
We learned that all of the elephants were rescued from being logging elephants, working 14 hour days dragging logs through the forests of Laos. The Elephant Village prides itself on being the first howdah (saddle) free elephant company. There is a question of whether we should be riding elephants at all. We learned more about that later in our trip, but for today, we felt lucky to be able to ride them.
We learned that all of the elephants were rescued from being logging elephants, working 14 hour days dragging logs through the forests of Laos. The Elephant Village prides itself on being the first howdah (saddle) free elephant company. There is a question of whether we should be riding elephants at all. We learned more about that later in our trip, but for today, we felt lucky to be able to ride them.
Next, we learn the commands to get the elephants to stop, go right, left, sit down and also how to say thank you to the elephants - kaup jai lai lai (thank you very much).
Then the elephants are brought over for us to hop on and take a ride around the grass. The children go first. Thank goodness, because after experiencing the ride myself, I (Katie) would have been scared for them to go. The good thing for the elephants are there are no saddles, but that means we are sitting directly on their necks with nothing to hold onto except the lumps of their heads!
After walking around in a circle on the grass, each of us fed our elephant bananas. We were surprised how quickly they put swung their trunks back to grab the banana and brought it into their mouths.
Eliza’s elephant takes a seat.
Each of the children hopped off and got a photo with the elephant.
Brian is enjoying the scenery during his ride.
I (Katie) am holding on really tight, even though there is nothing to hold. My legs were sore the next day from clamping onto the elephants necks all day! When the ears flapped back against my legs, I felt more secure because they would hold my legs in place.
I felt like I was going to slip off the back of the elephant while she sat and I fed her bananas!
Happy to be off!
Next up was a walk through the Nam Khan River.
First we had to get down a hill to the river. My elephant was not interested in going, so she kept trying to turn around. Lydia’s mahout (elephant trainer) left her alone on her elephant so he could help guide my down the hill. Lydia was so scared, but so brave.
Each of the children hopped off and got a photo with the elephant.
Brian is enjoying the scenery during his ride.
I (Katie) am holding on really tight, even though there is nothing to hold. My legs were sore the next day from clamping onto the elephants necks all day! When the ears flapped back against my legs, I felt more secure because they would hold my legs in place.
I felt like I was going to slip off the back of the elephant while she sat and I fed her bananas!
Happy to be off!
Next up was a walk through the Nam Khan River.
First we had to get down a hill to the river. My elephant was not interested in going, so she kept trying to turn around. Lydia’s mahout (elephant trainer) left her alone on her elephant so he could help guide my down the hill. Lydia was so scared, but so brave.
Hayden and Eliza’s elephants were the first ones in.
They sat down in the water, which meant the kids got wet! Eliza said she was a little grossed out because she noticed elephant dung floating along in the river!
A pic of all five of us on the island in the river. Hayden decorated it for the thumbnail for Eliza’s birthday vlog on Youtube.
We head across the river to see the “baby” elephants. There is a girl who is six and a boy, Maxi short for Maximus, who is 5. They have to be separated because Maxi is naughty and tries to push the girl with is tusks. The vlog shows Hayden, Lydia and Maxi flossing together!
Maxi
The girl elephant
At this point, Eliza has an upset tummy and even threw up into the jungle! Not at all fun on her birthday. She was so excited about having a special day with the elephants and now she felt terrible :( She tried to eat some rice and drink some water, and take pepto-bismal.
Nothing helped so we decided to try a cold shower before going back down to the river to bathe the elephants. She sort of felt better.
The beautiful lunch spot.
We learned about the differences between Asian and African elephants.
Hayden’s elephant sat down while getting her head scrubbed. Lydia seems relaxed while scrubbing her girl’s head.
We learned about the differences between Asian and African elephants.
Hayden’s elephant sat down while getting her head scrubbed. Lydia seems relaxed while scrubbing her girl’s head.
Hayden’s mahout would shout “1, 2 , 3!” and between each number, his elephant would splash her trunk into the water.
A little splash in the face for Katie.
Another one for good measure!
Another one for good measure!
All of us walking further out into the river. Eliza’s elephant took off first, and didn’t seem to want a bath, which was a bummer because Eliza was being a trooper to get back on the elephant on at all.
Heading back to land.
The final fun of the day was a couple of hours swimming in the fancy Shangra-Lao pool. It was “an upgrade” in lieu of the low season discount, since we already had paid in advance.
Eliza felt MUCH better after a few flips!
Another in-pool bar. We had fun having swim races! Brian would 2 laps for our one, and he still often won!
The view!
Thanks for a fun day!
Present time!
Dinner back at the Greenhouse Villa. Eliza is hoping to feel better tomorrow so we can go out for dinner for her birthday.
Dessert time! Can’t feel too sick for an ice cream treat! From a not-so-fancy store at the end of our street.
Screen time for Lydia!
A fence made of televisions, also at the end of our street.
Wrapping up the night with a game of poker.
Heading back to land.
The final fun of the day was a couple of hours swimming in the fancy Shangra-Lao pool. It was “an upgrade” in lieu of the low season discount, since we already had paid in advance.
Eliza felt MUCH better after a few flips!
Another in-pool bar. We had fun having swim races! Brian would 2 laps for our one, and he still often won!
The view!
Thanks for a fun day!
Present time!
Dinner back at the Greenhouse Villa. Eliza is hoping to feel better tomorrow so we can go out for dinner for her birthday.
Dessert time! Can’t feel too sick for an ice cream treat! From a not-so-fancy store at the end of our street.
Screen time for Lydia!
A fence made of televisions, also at the end of our street.
Wrapping up the night with a game of poker.
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