Elephants!

We spent Monday at the Elephant Nature Park. After we were picked up at our hotel we traveled north of the city for approximately 40 minutes. Upon arrival, we received an introduction to the park from our guide and then we got to feed the elephants. Each elephant eats about 200 kg of food/day and there are thirty-two elephants at the park so you can imagine how much food that is.  Each elephant would get a huge basket of bananas and gourds and it was our job to hand them to the elephant. The elephants wandered freely around the park but they showed up to the feeding station on masse when it was feeding time.  After feeding time was over, we went on a walking tour of the park to meet some of the elephants and to learn more about them and the care they receive. This allowed us to get up close and personal to these beautiful and powerful beasts. Daniele tried to hug as many elephants as possible!
We had a huge buffet for lunch and we could sit near the observation platforms and watch the elephants as we ate.
After lunch it was time to get wet and for the elephants to get clean. Everyone received a bucket and we walked down to the river. The elephants waded in the water and we proceeded to rinse them from top to bottom. After a thorough soaking we used river rocks to give our elephant a good scrub.  After their bath, most of the elephants wandered over to the mud pit to get all dirty once again!

Danielle bonded with this Grandmother elephant

Bath time!

Everyone got wet!

Time for a scrub.

After bath time it was time for another feeding. Emily and Danielle each fed their own elephant another basket of fruit.  Overall, it was an incredible day for us all.