When mummy and daddy left, I was a little sad and missed them for a while but I soon cheered up when grandma said we would go to see the elephants at Mae Taeng Elephant Park the following day. The next day we got up very early, for me anyway, and set off for the elephant park. I was very excited. We had been to the park before with mummy and daddy but only stayed a short while. This time we were going to stay the whole day and have lunch there.
When we arrived, the first person I met was called Yu. She was a very nice Thai Lady who looked after the park. She told me to make myself at home and have a wonderful time. Grandma took me to the Gallery.                                                                                                                                                

This is where the paintings are on show. The paintings are done by the elephants in the “elephant show” and are for sale.

They are very good, I never realised that elephants could paint! There I met another nice lady called Ann. This is not her Thai name. I couldn’t pronounce her Thai name. She was awesome and showed me where everything was. Like where I could buy bananas for the elephants, the toilet, the shop where I could buy ice cream and the café where I could buy coco cola and coffee and other drinks and snacks.

When the elephant show started, I got a seat right in the front so I was very close to the elephants. The show was “awesome”, elephants are so clever. They were introduced to the people watching one by one and when their name was called out, they came to the front and did a little bow (I think it was called a “wei” in Thai). Then they came close to the fence and started dancing because the lady doing the commentary put some music on the loudspeaker. It was very funny. Some of the elephants had mouth organs and were playing them; this made me laugh even louder. A couple were even spinning hula-hoops with their trunks. There were two baby elephants, one named Goolie Por and the other named Som, they were so cute! The mahouts set up some artist’s easels in the middle of the showground and two elephants started painting. An elephant called Suda was painting a picture of an elephant and a tree and the other elephant called Siinon painted a picture of some flowers. At the end of the show, the elephant called Siinon played football. She was very clever, she could kick the ball very hard but it didn’t always go into the net and she could also kick the ball with her back leg by throwing the ball over her back. At the end of the show I met Goolie Por's Mahout who was called “Curly Top” because he had very curly hair. His real name was Gnot, pronounced “Not” or something like that and his friend Sampon who had an elephant named Nong Nue. Nong Nue was about 4 years old and Goolie Por was about 2 years old. Sampon and Curlytop became my best friends,

After the show, it was time for lunch. I went to the restaurant and had a lovely meal. It was Thai food but I could have had chips if I wanted. Thai food is awesome; it is sometimes a little spicy, but not all the time.

I had noodle soup, spring rolls, green curry chicken and rice; for desert, I had fresh fruit; pineapple, melon and something called rambutan. There was lots to choose from and it all looked delicious.

After lunch, I was taken to the Bamboo Rafting place, where I was given a lifejacket and helped on board a bamboo raft
The raft is made from bamboo poles lashed together. It is very long and there are two men, one at the front and one at the back, who steer the raft using long bamboo poles by pushing them into the water and pushing very hard to point the raft in the right direction. The ride was about two miles along the Mae Taman River past thick jungle and other elephant’s camps. It was very beautiful and exciting. At the end of the ride, I was collected by a “Song Tauw”, which is a type of pickup truck with seats in the back, it’s like a Thai bus, and taken back to the elephant park. It was almost time for the park to close, but Sampon and Curlytop asked if I would like to help bathe the baby elephants.

Three baby elephants going to bathe (Goolie Por, Charlie and Seven)

At first I was a little bit frightened but finally I said yes and they took me down to the river. The water was very muddy and I didn’t have any swimming clothes with me, but grandma said it didn’t matter as the park would lend me a mahout suit to go home with. When we got into the water I was surprised at how warm it was, it wasn’t cold at all but it was very fast. Although I am a good swimmer, Sampon and Curlytop looked after me and kept me from being swept away. The two baby elephants came into the water and squealed with delight. They were so happy to be playing in the water. When they layed down in the river Sampon told me to go and throw water over Goolie Por and Charlie but to keep clear of their legs because they get very excited when they are playing. Both of the elephants squirted me with water from their trunks and I climbed on their backs and slipped off lots of times, it was great fun. I really enjoyed this part of the day. When I had to go home, Sampon and Curlytop asked grandma if I could go back the next day and really look after the elephants. Sampon had a really baby elephant which was only six months old. Grandma said that it would be ok to go the next day.

We got up very early the next day, to go to the park. I was really looking forward to helping look after the elephants. I was very excited. When we arrived at the park Sampon and Curlytop were waiting for me and took me to the elephant nursery where Sampons baby elephant and mummy were. I went inside the fence and the mummy elephant let me touch the baby who was very cute.

Washing the mummy and baby elephant

 Sampon and Curlytop brought a hose and let me squirt water over the mummy elephant who enjoyed it very much and over the baby elephant. The baby was very naughty, she kept taking the hose and drinking the water and one time she pulled the hose so hard it came apart and we all got wet. It was great fun. When the mummy and baby elephant were clean, Sampon and Curlytop took me to see the newest baby. It was only 10 days old and was still in the jungle.

The holiday went very fast, I spent nearly every day at Mae Taeng Elephant Park, and I think grandma and bumpa enjoyed it as well. On my last day at the park, Sampon and Curlytop put me on the back of Goolie Por and let me ride into the show. Curlytop rode Nong Neu and Sampon led Goolie Por, I even got to take part in the show. It was very exciting. I could not believe I could be so lucky. At the end of the day Sampon told me that I could give his baby elephant a name, I said I would like to call her EM. This is grandma and bump’s housemaid's name and she is very kind and looked after me as well.

One day I would like to be a Mahout and have my own elephant. But it’s not allowed in Thailand, to own your own elephant you have to be Thai. I think elephants are wonderful animals. They are so big but very gentle. Sampon and Curlytop taught me lots of things about elephants. They taught me that although they are gentle and domesticated they can be dangerous and that I must always respect them. Treat them kindly and be nice to them. Look after them and love them and they will be your friend for life.

Sampon and Curlytop are now my best friends and I stay in touch with them by email. They do not have a computer so I write letters and grandma takes them to the park. I will go back to Mae Taeng Elephant Park next year and spend more time with the guys.

I would like to say „thank you „ to all the people at Mae Taeng Elephant Park who made my holiday so enjoyable. I shall never forget it …

Khun Nee ….. Park Owner

Mr. Ken ….. Park Owner

Khun Laa ….. Park Owner

Khun Yu ….. Park Manager

Khun Im ….. Park Vet

Khun Ann ….. Gallery shop keeper

Khun Satinnee ….. The lady on the microphone

All the banana sellers

All the Mahouts

And last but not least, my two best friends SAMPON & CURLYTOP and all the elephants

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING MY HOLIDAY SO WONDERFUL