ele-fantastic...

...as chris wrote in the comments book- terrible, but i had to use it!

Ban Na is a small village about 80k out of vientiane . One year the farmers changed their crops from vegetables to sugar cane, but a herd of elephants from the surrounding hill came down and started feasting on the crops. Needless to say the villagers weren't too happy about this and changed back to growing veggies again pretty quickly. However, the elephants must have decided they liked this area and decided to stay and eat vegetables instead - seems they aren't too fussy! And they proceeded to demolish pretty much everything in their path whilst doing it. They aren't the most delicate creatures! So at this stage someone must have stepped in with a very good idea-there's only about 500 or so wild elephants in Laos and these were about 30. So instead of shooting the elephanst, which they did start to do, they started a project to try and bring tourists there, and hopefully regain the money they were losing on crops.

So off we went on a little bus that dropped us off on the main road in the middle of nowhere. The village was about 1 k off down a little dirt track and we just had instructions to go and ask for Mr Boonthanon. It was funny! Eventually we found the place and within half an hour we were off into the forest. It was beautiful- lovely sunny paths and bamboo everywhere. All of a sudden teh guides stopped and signalled to listen ...and you cdould hear them cracking the braches and stomping over the bamboo. Then another on the other side of the path, and then another, somewhere in front. It was seriously scary- it seemed like they wee really close but was hard to tell! Also, a villager had been killed in 2005, so all of a sudden i felt very very vulnerable.

We carried on and from now on its seemed like they were just everyuwhere, all around us. Eventually we reached our bed for the night- a hide by a salt lick, where the elephants come to feed (as if they hadn't had enough already!) and wash. This place was amazing- about 30 foot up, and we had to climb 2 ladders to get up there. It was open sided with gorgeous views all around of th e forest and hills, and complete with sounds effects of lots of munching elephants!

After maybe our most horrible meal in laos so far (sticky rice with crawly things, some pig fat?, and something like kidney maybe? ug) we headed off into the forest for another hike. Personally i was quite happy out of trunks reach, up in the hide, but i didnt have much choice! We went down and had a look at all the dung, and footprints (way too big!) and broken trees down at the salt lick, then we headed off in the direction of all the noise....oh dear. it seemed like they were right over the bushes and as we walked along they just seemed to be walking alongside us. I cannot tell you how scared i was!!! Everywhere there were just huge pathways with broken down wood where they just taken out everything in their path. It didnt help that at one stage the guide just stopped, looked really scared and practically bolted right back where we'd just come from! We weren't too far behind him! I was happy to be heading the opposite direction, but after a while there were more- didnt think my heart could take much more! I dont know how many there were but there certainly sounded lke a lot more than 30! We arrived at a dry river bed, stopped and rested and actually heard one elephant uprooting a whole tree and throw it aside! Then it was back to the hide, to relax and enjoy the views. While we were there we read how the first elephant tower they had built was useless and that was why this was so well done- concrete, high up, and you could haul the ladder up. No mention of what exactly happened to the old one, or its occupants but maybe at this stage was better not to know!

Dinner was lovely! Then as soon as it got dark they sent us to bed-7pm! Sometimes the elephants don't come and of course they aren't predictable as to time, so the guides would wake us up if they came. Just a minute after I was thinking that there was no way I 'd get to sleep at that time, I was awoken to the noise of elephants showering themsleves with water from the salt lick! It was, er, 8pm! It was really exciting, the moon wasn't up yet so you could just make out a shadow, then we heard more crashing and another one arrived, then another. Amazing! One came right under the hide and you could see it more clearly. They are so loud and snuffly! I have to admit that even tho i was 30 foot in the air, i was convinced it was going to reach up and grab one of us with its trunk! I'm so hard, me. But it really was huge. We went down to the first ladder to get a better look, then he went off, another came along, and so it went on for maybe an hour (? maybe 10 mins- not sure!). Lots of noise and destruction going on anyway! All i can say is that even this tower seemed fragile against these giants!

Next morning we had a lovely hike back through more forest, round the farmland and back to the village for breakfast. It was a fantastic experience, and we were so lucky that the elephants decided to come. Have to hope it all works out for the village and the elephants-such a unique thing, and amazingly untouristy- we were the only ones there (it doesnt help that the tour companies charge 5 times as much as if you do it yourself). Anyway, the whole thing was altogether brilliant!

Sabadee!