We knew we wanted to volunteer on our trip somehow, and as we'd previously worked alot with children and communities between us, we thought we'd try working with animals this time round, and boy did we have our work cut out for us!
From preparing the animals food, to enclosure clean up in the sweltering heat of the Asian Sun it was hard work, but definitely worthwhile and we would 100% recommend volunteering for such an amazing animal welfare project.
DAY 1
On arrival, we met Eak- our coordinator, who is so happy, helpful and eager for everyone to have fun on the experience. Keen to answers any questions (however silly they may seem) and absolutely cracks me up!
Our whole volunteer group for the week is MASSIVE, so we split into 4 groups of about 20 to manage various jobs that need doing around camp. Ours is Group B (or the GROUP B MAFIA, as we were soon to name ourselves. Not for reasons of violence, but because we used to play the game, "Mafia" every night for funsies).
Eak gave us the grand tour, and the space is HUGE! Suppose, it would have to be as they host a few heards of Elephants and staff, as well as the Dog sanctuary they have on sight too, which we're also allowed to volunteer for!
The Elephants are free to roam but each animal has a dedicated "mahoot" to care for them. All of the Elephants have been rescued (and paid for) with each volunteer fees) from abusers, trekking companies, illegal forced breeding programs, logging, street performances and circuses. Some have both physical and mental issues being treated for at the camp. I had absolutely no idea how awful these beautiful and intelligent creatures are being treated all over the World until I arrived here. In Asia, Elephants often go through the phase of having their "spirit broken", going through traditional rituals by Asian owners such as being chained up or walled in, being poked and prodded with hooked sticks, piercing holes in their skin with needles just to bend their will to their masters.
Thankfully, this sanctuary (and others like it) exists and are trying to rescue as many Elephants as possible with the help of volunteers like us.
It's really eye-opening just being here and learning each Elephants individual story from the staff and superhero founder, Lek Chailert.
One Elephant has a leg injury after stepping on a landmine, another was rather unpredictable around humans after being so horrifically abused by a group of men forcing her to work on the streets for tourists, she even put her mahoot into hospital after throwing rocks and kicking him upon arrival at the park. A rather upsetting beginning to a story which has a happier ending, having myself and the rest of the volunteers actual in tears when Lek told us how...
This female Elephant, Faa-Sai was so angry and scared, she was causing mayhem around the park when a longer resident male elephant came up to her, placed his head calmly on hers and spoke to her, presumably assuring her she was safe here.
Cue tears. It's okay, you can go ahead.
And you better believe Elephants can talk to each other, because trust me, I've seen and heard it already!
I don't and will never understand why anyone would wish to hurt these magnificent animals, but sadly it's still an ongoing problem in Asia.
DAY 2
So I've just had the most terrifying shower of my life, but was even worse for Roisin who shared hers with an actual TARANTULA!!!!!
Now, for all that know me, I am shit scared of spiders. Of all shapes and sizes and unfortunately, the shower facilities here are covered in the wee buggers. Of all shapes and sizes.
After psyching myself up and showering as fast as I possibly could, after hearing Roisin scream in the cubicle next to me I just ran out. Bollock naked. My nerves couldn't take her screams of terror, but when she started to nervously laugh at the current situation, I scarcely tiptoed back in, rinsed the remaining suds out of my hair, whipped my towel round me and ran back to the safety of our room to dry off.
NOPE! I thought. I'd rather bathe with the Elephants thanks.
I didn't feel very clean, but after all, we were in the middle of the Jungle and I had just shared my morning shower with about nine 8-legged beasties!
*Shudders at the thought*
Apart from this our digs are pretty decent.
We have a room to ourselves with hanging mosquito nets over our single beds like princesses. (Side note- it's a treat when backpacking to have a detached single bed without someone above or below you ala bunk beds.)
Everyone has breakfast at 7am and projects start at 8am.
It's all vegetarian food served here with fresh coffee and juice. Meals are initiated with the shrill sound of a bell and served buffet-style on the terrace, looking out onto the fields where the Elephants parade begins and the sun rises over the mountain in the distance. Every morning is like a postcard.
It is a little chilly first thing in the morning, but by midday the sweat literally drips off your skin, more so with the heavy lifting jobs round camp.
Such jobs include:
- Unloading and stocking fruit deliveries
- Cleaning out enclosures and shovelling Elephant shit
- Gathering driftwood
- Cutting corn
- Bathing Elephants
- Feeding Elephants
It's not all work though. It's such an experience spending time with and watching these animals overcome their physical and mental disabilities, meeting some great like-minded people and getting to walk and play with some cute doggies too!
DAY 3
It's ma burfdaaaay, it's ma burfdaaaayy!
And it is sooooo weird being halfway across the Globe and not waking up to a card and a cuddle from my fam, but instead waking up to the sound of Elephants and stepping outside into the Tropical Thailand Jungle and not a frozen concrete driveway in Scotland.
Today the Group B Mafia cut and harvested corn in a field about a half hours drive away from camp.
Riding in the back of an open top truck (which ever-so-slightly resembles a cage) with about 15 other people felt like the beginning of a Taken movie. We definitely all become fast friends after this experience!
It was sickly hot and hard work in the sun, yet oddly satisfying, as we cut down corn plants, tied them into neat piles and flung them into the Taken truck.
We ate lunch in the shade and shared stories about the places we've travelled or want to travel. We shared weird Thai cookies as well as tips and tricks about travel supplies and budgeting.
En route back to camp, we all had to sit, lie and awkwardly stand atop the cut corn plants and pray we didn't fall over the side on the bumpy ride home!
After dinner, the staff usually host an evening activity, and tonight was a lesson in Thai culture, which was super interesting. We learned words, phrases and songs (which I will type up if I get the chance).
As we learned an Elephant song in Thai, Mix (one of the other coordinators) said there was another song we could sing- one that we all knew the words to already...
It was when the lights went out and the first chords to the familiar, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" song started I knew what was happening!
Roisin had told the staff it was my birthday earlier and asked if we could do something special for me tonight, which they did. The Kitchen ladies made me a cake, presented to me during the 50-odd volunteers singing to me in different keys and languages.
Awks.
I don't blush or get embarrassed easily, but I hate being the centre of attention! However, being so far away from home and the familiar on my birthday, it was nice and comforting. I really have the best friend a girl could ask for in Roisin!
After my serenade, the Group B Mafia destroyed the cake over beers and games on the deck. What a strange but wonderful birthday.
Bring it on 26! Lets see what you have in store...
DAY 6
I NEED A BURGER in my life!!!
I'm going crazy.
I thought I could live this Veggie life for a week but I miss meat. I miss Chicken. I miss bacon.
*drools at thought of bacon*
Rami (a fellow volunteer) is American.
Rami likes burgers.
Rami is driving everyone insane the past few days talking about burgers now everyone is craving one.
In other news, Roisin woke up this morning complaining of swimmers ear. (And she is a swimmer, so if anyone would know, she would), but "we haven't been swimming", I stated.
And you know that 'don't-start-me' look that best friends give you sometimes? Yeh - that! So I backed off. It was making her grumpy. And basically, with a grumpy Roisin there's only one cure: you have to feed her.
After breakfast and during our morning project she was isolating herself. Thoryn (a fellow Group B Mafia member) asked if she was okay, as she was ignoring him.
So I tackled the situation while we were changing in our room after lunch to prepare for bathing the elephants.
"You okay, hun?"
Nothing.
"Babe... you awrite?"
Nothing...
"ROISIN- WITS UP HEN?" Physically grabbing her by the shoulders.
Turns out she legit couldn't hear me, or anyone else because of her "swimmers ear", which she was now fearing could be a silicone ear plug lodged in her ear.
Fuck.
So, to the staff we went and asked if they had someone on sight to take a look and enquired where the nearest A&E was. Turns out yes- they could have the onsite VET to take a look (which I LOL'd at, and many "Roisin's an animal" jokes were made) and the nearest hospital was an hours drive away.
The Vet had a look but ddn't have any, erm... "human" tools, so the staff were so kind to drive us to the International Hospital free of charge.
Bless.
We were very impressed with the Hospital and how expat patients were handled. We ofcourse had purchased travel insurance but thought it was easier in the long run to see the Doctor, pay for the bills ourselves (an emergency credit card helps out a LOT n these types of situations!) and claim the money back with receipts as evidence.
The Doctor recovered a small piece of Ro's silicone earplug from the ear in question, then proceeded to pull out an even bigger piece from the other ear upon insisting she take a look inside, just incase! So glad she did or that coulda been in there forever, knowing Roisin! Safe to say, the silicone ear plugs were binned and foam ones were purchased on the way back home from 7/11: the best tourist-friendly supermarket chain in all of SE Asia!
Also purchased from the holy air-conditioned grail shop, was a chicken burger and hamburger from the deli section.
Which we ofcourse snapchatted and sent to Rami on route home!
(SORRY DUDE!)
DAY 7
Our time at the ENP has sadly come to an end :(
It has been one of the most incredible experiences I've had and cannot recommend it enough to anyone who's thinking about taking part, donating or volunteering.
Elephants are such amazing animals who belong in the wild and do not deserve to be used and abused for our entertainment or as slaves for farming or trekking.
We watched a documentary on Elephant abuse and listened to a presentation from Lek, who is such an inspiring woman. She is so strong-willed, passionate and determined to put an end to the cruelty Elephants receive on a daily basis Worldwide.
Each Elephant at the park has been rescued by Lek, who often had to fight for the release of each one with words or money and her strength and courage to do so inspires me greatly.
So, despite the scary spiders lurking in the showers, going veggie for a week and a quick dash to Hospital, it's been an unforgettable and awesome week!
It's also sad splitting from the Group B Mafia, as we're only just getting to properly know one another, but we've all made plans to try cross paths with one another on future travels... including tonight, at a burger joint carefully chosen by Rami!
One last supper for the Mafia, then it's onto Chaing Rai for us followed by Laos.
ACCOM: Elephant Nature Park
VENUES: Rock me burger
Stace x
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