Want to ride a CHANG?

The next morning, we got up and the kids ran outside in the courtyard, playing and exploring while we packed up our things and prepared to leave.

They found this GINORMOUS caterpillar!

Can you see him in the grass there with Amelia?
It was actually quite a docile thing and would curl up in a ball when feeling threatened.
With our minds fresh with the trauma of the Praying Mantis, we left this one alone.

After our breakfast at the hotel, the van we rented for the day showed up.
I guess gambling and stripping are allowed in this van.
Made me not want to sit right on the seats.
Actually, I hope stripping is all that is "OK".
**SHUDDER**

Our first stop for the day?
An elephant camp!
We all hopped on elephants for a nice long ride through the jungle.

Going downhill or down the stairs was actually quite disconcerting.  It felt as though the whole seat area was going to topple off of the elephant.  Add to that the fact that the bench seat was almost impossible to balance with an adult on one side and a child on the other and you just felt like you were going to fall.  Yep.  Down was definitely worse than going back up!

The elephants walking through the water...

Oops!  The hazards of "GREEN" transportation.
See that white strap around his tail?  That was what was holding us on to the elephant while heading downhill and down the stairs.  Glad I didn't realize that while I was riding!

Our handler asked for my camera and when I gave it to him...
HE. HOPPED. OFF. THE. ELEPHANT.
Leaving who controlling the thing?  ME???
Don't you love how I squashed panic and smiled for the picture?  ;)
The elephants actually listened quite well to the mans commands and would walk to him when he called.  The only naughty thing she did was that she liked to pick up big, heavy branches which he would take from her and toss out into the brush.


Still.  Childhood memories come flooding back of stampeding circus elephants in the parking lot of a Kmart in Hanover...

Daddy and the Moosh!

Laura and Lia
Lia's handler made her the pretty crown of flowers.

Katie and Abby rode together and sat quite balanced!
;)

So fun!
Katie and Abby coming into the platform to end their ride.
The kids all bought little rings the handlers made out of elephant hair.
They are braided so tightly, you would never guess it was made with hair.

Pretty Lia and her beautiful crown!