Posts in category Asia

Elephant Island

Jan01
2012 Leave a Comment Written by coon1906

secured payday loans online

We pulled into Ko Chang Mai Elephant center in the back of an old pick-up truck with two rows of seats and a canopy over the bed. That is their version of taxis here in South East Asia. Our trip led us from our hotel past the small villages, fields of coconut trees, and dense mountainous jungle till we reached almost the other side of the island. Ko means island in Thai and Chang means elephant, so it seemed Ko Chang would be a perfect place to visit the elephants.

I have ridden in Cars, trains, planes, boats, and even a couple of horses, but never an elephant. After we exited the vehicle, ready to meet the elephants, we were instructed to follow one of the big females that was being taken down to the water by her handler. Asian elephants are much more docile than African, so although we saw innumerable amounts in the few months leading up to this, it is not as likely that you could partake in an experience like this in Africa.

When we arrived at the water, we were joined by another medium sized elephant who also proceeded into the water for a swim. Seeing this, Morgan, Harrison, and I swam out and hoped on their backs. Despite their size, both elephants were extremely gentle, and the most they did was turn their trunk around to spray us while we were helping to wash them off.

After the elephants were done swimming, Morgan and Harrison rode them back to the camp, where both elephants were saddled up so that we could take a ride through the jungle. The forest was lush and green from the rain, a spectacular view around every corner. We followed a trail that the elephants knew well, and for such large animals, they make less noise when walking than many humans! Our journey lasted about an hour while we were able to enjoy the view and ride with the animals as the seemingly endless jungle poured out over the hills in front of us.

It was a one of a kind opportunity, and we chose this center because they rescued the elephants from the logging business which is a very hard life for elephants. Now they get good food and only have to take a few tourists up and down a trail every day. All of the elephants seemed content and I was happy to have spent time up close to the largest land animal on the earth.

Posted in Elephant Island - Tagged , , ,

Bats, Rats, Insects, and Reptiles in Asia

Dec31
2011 Leave a Comment Written by Morgan

Giant geckos in the bed, bats in the bathroom, spiders in your shoes, and snakes under your bungalow, these are just a few of the animals you will find everywhere in Southeast Asia. If you have any phobias of these animals, this is probably not the best place for you to come. However, if you have an interest in snakes, insects, arachnids, or bats, you’ll always be entertained, even when you least expect it! In many of the countries we have been to, especially those in the tropics, wildlife is all around. You do not have to look for it, chances are, it will find you.

Most mornings, I like to wake up on my own however, in Kep, Cambodia the local wildlife is only too happy to help. One morning, I woke up to a loud thumping on the wall. It sounded like someone was pounding on the wall so I went outside to see who was making all that noise so early in the morning. To my surprise, it was not a person, but a giant Tokay gecko beating a millipede on the side of the wall. It was the largest gecko I had ever seen! By the time I found the source of the noise, it was only 4:00 am so I went back to bed. I thought I would be able to sleep well until 6:00 am, when I normally get up, but only an hour and a half later, we heard screeching in the ceiling. This time Zach got up to check, and it turned out to be a little family of rats. While a hunting Tokay is not my favorite way to wake up, especially at 4:00 in the morning, it is always amazing to be in a place so filled with wildlife.

Thankfully, you don’t only see animals when you are trying to sleep. Another night, I walked to the bathroom to brush my teeth, and before I closed the door, a bat flew in. He just flew around in circles until I let him out, but it was awesome. He was an insectivorous bat feasting on the many insects that also call the tropics home. After watching the bat, I went to bed. Within only minutes of lying down, two Tokay launched themselves at my head. Thank God we had a mosquito net!

Other than Tokay and bats, occasionally you get huge rats that run through your room, spiders in your shoes, or snakes around in or around your bungalow. These animals are all around in these countries and we must remember that it is us, who are in their territory. Whether it is at home or while traveling, enjoy all wildlife, which you see!

Posted in Bats Rats Insects and Reptiles - Tagged , , , , ,