An Elephant Success Story!

After much confusion, we ended up in the city of Kratie located in South East Cambodia instead of Ratanakiri located North East, our original destination. Along the Mekong River, Kratie (pronounced kra-cheh), served as an ideal stop over on our way to Mondulkiri. As our first stop in Cambodia, we spent our afternoon wandering through the large market sampling local snacks, memorizing basic phrases, and attempting to understand riel, the local currency. Cambodia accepts USD and riel; ATMs deliver only USD and change from vendors is often mixed, making transactions confusing. As our first appetizer in Cambodia we ordered soft boiled duck eggs which came with shrimp sauce and lime. To our surprise when we cracked open the eggs we saw feathers, a spinal column attached to the head and beak, and realized we were eating a partially developed duck fetus. While it was hard to get past the feathers they were remarkably delicious.

We awoke early the following morning to take a mini bus to Sen Monorom in the Mondulkiri Provence. The bus pulled up outside our guesthouse and to our shock and disbelief we were instructed to board the already full bus. All seats were taken and there were five new people with reserved seats and baggage. Like sardines, five blocks later, we were told to make room for yet more passengers. After forty-five minutes of deliberation, the twenty-four of us set off on our five hour journey in an eleven person vehicle. Amidst serious discomfort, we made friends with three French guys with three very French names, Pier, Louis and Hadrian, who we continued to travel with for just under one week.

Upon filing out of the bus, it wasn't until that evening that we reacquired our normal postures. We hopped on the backs of two motor bikes and headed to Nature Valley Lodge, an oasis of bungalows, hammocks, and even a pool table surrounded by expansive farmland. While Gabi lay sick in bed, Lisa enjoyed a few rounds of volleyball with the guys and the two brothers who managed the hotel, ages 11 and 16. That evening, the French boys taught us how to play Khmer Pool!

Mondulkiri Province means 'Meeting of the Hills' with expansive landscape views of rolling hills, pine trees, valleys merging with forests, fruit and vegetable plantations and hidden waterfalls. Mondulkiri has only two people per sq. km., making it the least populated province in Cambodia. This area is also known for its wildlife and is home to bears, tigers, and other animals...none of which we saw. The six of us awoke early the next morning and were transported by motorbike to a local village where we boarded our noble elephants. We climbed a tall structure in order to climb on their ginormous backs and sat two people in a small, rickety, bamboo basket like seat. It took us both a few deep breaths constant readjusting and a lot of prayers to feel the least bit comfortable balancing 10 feet above the ground. Our mahout, an elephant trainer, was eight years old and used a bamboo stick with an attached root ball to smack the elephant into obedience, occasionally hitting his passengers.

The elephants made their way down a steep and muddy path through a dense bamboo forest. We ducked our heads to avoid decapitation and our knuckles turned white from clutching the basket as the elephants slid often uncontrollably down the narrow slope, peeing and pooping the entire way. To our enjoyment the elephant in front of us provided a free show displaying its larger than life dangling "fifth foot". The elephants acted like overweight toddlers as they disobediently deviated from the trail eating everything in their path. While keeping their clothes on, the guys also provided free entertainment as they goofed off the entire way taking silly photos of themselves with our camera. While swimming, Pier managed to unintentionally stab Louis right below the eye, drawing blood. But not to worry, this mishap did not deter their games. Our destination was a wide river where we ate lunch, went for a swim, bathed the elephants, and got stuck in a torrential downpour.

Content and no longer needing to fund our white elephant, we returned freezing to a cold shower and round of Yatzee. Leaving the muddy streets of Sen Monorom we headed to the paved streets of Cambodia's capital!