On September 10th, we woke up early to head to the jungle for some elephant riding. The weather was perfect and we could not have asked for better temperatures. We were picked up at our hotel and took a quick trip around the island to pick up some other trekkers. When we arrived, we walked down a trail to the river where we were able to watch the elephants bathe and play in the water. We were then invited to sit atop the large animals while they playfully splashed water on us. Valerie was allowed to ride one of elephants back up the trail so we could get started with the ride!
When we arrived back at the hut, we were greeted with fresh pineapple and bottles of water. We were then ready to board a two-seater basket balanced on the back of our elephant. About 6 elephants caravanned through a well-known jungle trail carrying a dozen excited island guests, ourselves included. We rode as the elephants each went up and down steep hills and waded across small rivers. The gentle elephants were also kind enough to stop and pose for photographs. After the 1 and 1/2 hour ride, we arrived safely back at the hut where we were given bananas to feed the elephants, a reward for their hospitality to us. We, ourselves, were given fresh coconuts, cut open at the top and served with a straw. Though they were a bit too bitter for our liking, they were very tropical looking. =)
All in all this was a highlight of our trip and certainly an unforgettable experience for both of us. Check out the video and photos below to see more.
For our honeymoon we went on a three week trip to Thailand and Cambodia before heading to South Korea to start our new jobs as teachers. One of our favorite memories was swimming with and riding these gentle giants through the beautiful jungles of the tropical island of Koh Chang. Enjoy!
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Some of our favorite pictures are below. To see all the pictures from this trip and others, check out our Flickr page here. Enjoy.
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