going to the elephant village @ LPQ!
"Mae Boun Nam's beautiful trunk is always in motion: sniffing, feeling and sensing, replacing the use of her eyes. Blind in her right eye for many years, Mae Boun Nam only recently lost vision in her left eye.
Her mahout, Mr. Sao, can be seen bobbing his feet energetically against her body as he guides her along the forest tracks. ("Yes," Mr. Sao admitted. "My legs get very tired! Absolutely!") With his guidance and with the information gathered by her trunk, Mae Boun Nam finds her way through the thickest jungle, and down to the water's edge.
To watch Mae Boun Nam make her way forward is a beautiful thing. Her trunk seems to tap the ground like a blind man's cane, before curling upwards to take stock of the surrounding trees and foliage. If she comes across something tempting, even Mr. Sao's adamant calls and bobbing feet can't get her moving. Mae Boun Nam lives in the moment and takes her treats when they present themselves. Mahout and elephant are are a wonderful sight as Mr. Sao serenades the jungle with traditional Laos songs and Mae Boun Nam sways her head in rhythm with his music.
Sometimes, this lovely elephant can be found resting with her forehead against the trunk of a tree, stealing a power nap between customers. This happens after a night of restless sleep, when the insects keep her awake and set her ears to listening and her mind to wandering."
10:13 AM