So we were wrong………our duty of the day was “elephant poo”.  After a yummy breakfast of toast (cooked over an open flame/bbq), fruit and oats we headed over to the meeting place to find out we were not indeed on the dreaded corn task……but rather elephant poo.  Corn would be for tomorrow.

Our team of 11 headed out with our trusty leader Say and Won (he is here from Burma learning about the program- the program director is actually in Burma right now meeting with legislators trying to advocate for the elephants just as she does here in Thailand).  We were led to a big tool area- a young girl would check out equipment as it went out.  We all grabbed either shovels or rakes.  We walked a short distance to the 1st of 5 elephant barns that held 5 pens each that we would be cleaning out.

They are quite big- so first you had to get all of the half eaten corn stalks raked to the door then get the HUGE poos to the pile as well.  We would work as teams, Laura (from OH) and I were a great team…..I would rake, she would use her shovel to scoop and I would help guide the pile-o-poo-and-corn stalks to a little dump truck.

Our work got slower as we approached hour 3, but we got it all cleared.  The elephants are put into these “pens” at night for their protection- they are quite large like 40’X40′.

After we all went and took what would be the 1st or 2nd of many showers of the day- for you see, when slinging big piles of poo you often hit someone.  Luckily no one was hit in the head but we were covered!

Lunch was welcomed, the day trip people eat lunch with us- our buffet doubles in size as there are about 50-60 day people everyday.  Everyone this week is very nice- they all seem to be having a good time and all are good workers.  After lunch we had a bit of time before we had to meet at 2:00 for our next task:  elephant walk.  Didn’t know what that meant, but did know a nap sounded really good!

The elephant walk was, well a walk around the property.  We were introduced by Say to all the elephants.  Most are in family groups of 3-6 but there are about 4 girls that like to be by themselves.  They are usually older and blind.  We got to go up to about 6 of them in various areas of the park to touch, pat and photo opp with them.  I don’t think it could ever get old, they are so beautiful.  They often have baskets of fruit in front of them (elephants are vegetarians) and they all like to be hand fed.

It was blazing hot while walking around, and like the elephants we would go from shade spot to shade spot.  There are 5 elephants here with land mine wounds, the worlds cutest baby who is about 2 years old who was throwing a total temper tantrum from the boot on one of his front feet from his foot being damaged in a trap.  His manhoot was so patient, the baby would shake his head and try and take the straps off, dance around the manhoot, finally he was able to take one of the straps off-he looked triumphant as the manhoot took it away and tucked it into his pocket.  A battle won……but sadly not the war.  He will wear his boot for years as the wound is still healing after over a year.

We walked about for about 2 hours.  Never tiring of seeing these beautiful animals.    At 4:00 we met at the meeting point to go wash the elephants.  A daily task that is much loved.  All 30 of us met-we grabbed a bucket and started walking towards the river.  The 3 elephants were slowly making their way to the water, one had a broken back injury from logging so walks with a lopping gate.  It takes her awhile to get from point A to B but it is amazing to just watch them.  Once the elephants were in the water we all divided up between them and started throwing water up onto their HUGE bodies.  Careful not to get water into their eyes- we could tell they were enjoying the cooling water all the while munching on little watermelons.

After we had some free time – we often end up on the patio overlooking the paddocks- it is many acres of open land dotted with elephants.  There is always one or two elephants being fed and most are happy to help.  It’s amazing how dexterous their trunks are.

Dinner was accompanied by a torrential down pour that lasted over an hour.  Of course Max and Zach went running out into it- the elephants had been put away for the night, their pens have high roofs and are open on all sides, the rain must have felt as good to them as those of us getting rained on.  There was a noticeable drop in temperature after the rain-almost cool!

The boys have started a card table- during the day and at night they have anywhere from 2-8 people at their table playing card games.  Learning new ones and playing the oldies but goodies.  We lost electricity a couple times during the evening-kids just kept playing.  Rob and I went up for what most likely will be a nightly foot/Thai body massage.  The boys played soccer again and last night Zachary twisted his ankle, today totally fine.  Youth wasted on youth.  Robs turn was tonight, not only swollen but black and blue.

There is only internet in the eating area- and the more people about the worse the signal gets.  So everyone is forced to curtail their on line time.