LOTUS Travels: To Elephant Camp I Go!

When I had to leave Luang Prabang to head back to Chiang Mai for a one day conference on human trafficking, I was very sad to say goodbye. I felt like I didn’t have adequate time to explore all that the city had to offer – and I only scratched the surface in discovering the beauty that defines Luang Prabang. However, I knew another journey awaited me and grew excited once again about the days ahead of me.

I checked into Julie’s guesthouse around midday and found my room in a back section of the guest house near the “garden,” which featured hammocks and a peaceful atmosphere to read, write and relax. Julie’s was a fascinating place to be, namely because of the anthropological studies that it lends itself to. The species that Sara has classified as “contemporary hippies” – she is well on her way to publishing her explanation and scientific documentation of this group – comprise the entirety of the demographic that flocks to Julie’s while visiting Chiang Mai. The usual styles were represented: headscarves, colorful (sometimes striped) baggy three quarter length pants, piercings (nose seems one of the most popular), dreadlocks/braids, and of course – the large backpack that all hip youngsters wear when traveling the world (*Note: If you would like more information about this species, please direct questions to Sara – she would be happy to answer your inquiries).

*Related Memory: We had a fun experience on the way to Lao with Sara’s body-size backpack in which she was climbing a hill after getting of the boat and found herself tumbling slowly backwards because of the weight of her backpack. I heard a tiny voice whispering, “Erin, Erin,” but wasn’t quick enough to lend a hand and pull her up the riverbank. Luckily, Amber was close by to hoist her up the hill. We had a good number of laughs about this for the remainder of the trip.

(*Back to Julie’s Guesthouse)

The “chill” atmosphere was comforting, but I decided that I had to find a source of entertainment for the next day – since the conference was still two days away. I narrowed my interests down to two options: white water rafting and interacting with elephants. I was torn for a good portion of the day, especially since the white water rafting trip that Amber and I went on in Ecuador was one of the best times of my life – watching her pound on the raft screaming, “My friend is stuck under the raft, she’s stuck, help her!” was priceless. It turned out I wasn’t stuck, but happily floating down the river with my toes pointed up, as instructed, after being tossed through the air due to a rapid that our guide assured us would not be a problem. He was pretty cool, despite the little white lies.

After mulling it over, I opted to see the elephants. I found a program that sounded perfect – Elephant Nature Camp (really Elephant Nature Park)! Though it cost more than other elephant adventures, I knew that I did not want to simply ride domesticated elephants, since I had become aware of the plight of Asian elephants upon arriving in Thailand. Instead, I wanted to learn why the elephant population has continued to drastically decrease over the years – and why so many elephants continue to be abused and treated as tourist attractions in a country that seems to revere them.

I signed up for Elephant Nature Park, and found myself on a bus the next day with strangers. Flashbacks to elementary school flooded my mind – and I worried about making friends on the 1.5 hr long bus ride. At lunch that same day, it really felt like elementary school, as I found my group’s table full, and was turned away – luckily, I was in the wild and already knew how to fend for myself. I found another table with some high school girls from New Mexico – and put on my best high school girl act, which consisted of many “oh my gods!” and “no ways!” They were very nice to adopt me.

I had an amazing day at the elephant park. I had no idea that I had chosen a famous conservation camp in Thailand. The founder of the camp, Sangduen "Lek" Chailert, is known globally as the “Elephant Whisperer,” due to her passion for rescuing abused Asian

elephants and nursing them back to health. I loved the story of how her passion developed – which began when her grandfather who was a traditional healer in her home village was awarded a baby elephant for his work. Lek grew to love the baby elephant and went on to found her own camp dedicated to Asian elephants. In addition to the camp, Lek has started “Elephant Haven,” which is a jungle sanctuary where elephants can go to experience life in the wild, and “Jumbo Express,” which is an outreach program that provides medical attention to elephants in need. After I learned about this woman and her accomplishments driven by heart, bravery and wisdom, I understood why Time Magazine named her a “Hero of Asia.”

Though I enjoyed feeding the elephants, bathing them in the nearby river and soaking up the energy of the vast landscape which seemed surreal as elephants traversed the land and formed the backdrop of an enchanted scene, I was most fortunate to have the experience to learn about the difficult situations still facing Asian elephants today. I learned of the cruel braking-in tactics used in northern villages of Thailand to force elephants into submission so they can be lucrative in the Tourist industry – details which are horrifying and I could barely stand to watch in the documentary shown that afternoon. Since elephants are not nationally protected and are considered livestock, individuals have the legal rights to treat them as such. It was a harsh reality, but I take comfort in the fact that activists such as Lek are fighting back to protect the rights of Asian elephants.