This week in
Cambodia we celebrated the Khmer New Year and therefore had the week off as
most people use the entire week as an opportunity to be with their families and
drink and party. I however decided to take that time to travel North East to
the Province of Mondulkiri. There is not a whole lot in Mondulkiri,
however what drew me there was the fact that there is an Elephant Sanctuary,
and working with Elephants has always been something I have wanted to do.
Saturday 11-
I booked the Elephant Project online and a part of the package was pick-up from
the Phnom Penh Airport and accommodation at a Hostel the night before we were
scheduled to leave so I decided to organize a pick up from the airport based on
someone else's flights so that the company did not need to make multiple
trips. They told me someone was flying in at 3pm Saturday the 11th so I
planned to be there for that time as well as it is only a short distance
from my apartment. Once I arrived however there was no one there with a
sign so I decided to call them to make sure things were still in place as
I had not heard from them that week to solidify the plans. Good thing I
called because the information of me meeting them there had not been relayed to
them and so I needed to look for a sign with the other persons name on it. They
told me to look for a Joanne Shepherd sign at the arrivals gate. While on
the phone with them I must have spoken the name out loud because when I
hung up this girl approached me and said she was Joanne Shepherd. Together
we managed to find the guy from the Hostel to take us there. So we
hoped in the tuk tuk and off we went to the Hostel. When we arrived
another volunteer was already checked in, Nikki, and so we introduced ourselves
and all made fast friends. Joanne has never been to Phnom Penh before and
since we were leaving for Mondulkiri tomorrow we decided to go for a walk
around the town to catch some of the main sites. We walked past the
Monument and then past the palace and down River front before lastly seeing the
Central Market. By the time we reached the market it was dark so we tuk tukked
back to the Hostel for our included dinner. At dinner I learned that
Nikki is a doctor from England and Joanne designs storefronts and is also from
England. After a while we were also joined by Jonathan a massage
therapist doing PhD research on Elephants who will also be with us at the
Project. We did not stay up late as our departure was scheduled for 7am.
Sunday 12- We got
an early start to the day and woke up around 6 to eat breakfast before the car
arrived for 7. Turns out there was another traveller also joining us
which made us a group of 5 and only 4 seats in the car they sent over. So
after some confusion we finally had Nikki, Jonathan, and the newcomer Chris go
in the first car while Jo and I waited for another car to arrive. About
twenty minutes later our car arrived and we hoped in only to stop three blocks
away so our driver could have a snack and pick up a friend for the trip. Because
its a hired car service and they are driving us the five hours to Mondulkiri I
guess he wanted a companion for the journey. We then hit the road again
only to stop 45 minutes later so the two gentlemen could have lunch leaving Jo
and I extremely confused as neither of the men spoke English to explain
what was happening. To make up for it though the driver bought us each an
iced tea on the house. After lunch and back on the road I was no longer
able to stay awake and slept most of the way there. I finally woke up as
we were speed car racing down a crazy windy road in the middle of a fires. As
my eyes adjusted and my contacts regained their moisture enough for me to see I
was shocked to see that it looked like it was snowing. Turns out it was
thousands of white butterflies all over the place. The driver stopped in the
next town at a hostel and told us we were here but it wasn't the right place so
we went up the street to a restaurant and found the other three that left in
the other car this morning so at least we were in the right place. The
sanctuary people eventually showed up and took us to the camp where we got
assigned our rooms and were given a brief low down on the project. I am in a
room with Nikki the doctor from England and Sienna a girl in her gap year from
New York State who's doing a total of twelve weeks here. Two other girls,
Michaela and Indiana, are in the dorm next door to Nikki Sienna and myself,
while Chris has a dorm to himself. Jo and Jonathan have private bungalows
as well as a married couple, Lindsay and Jason, who also just arrived today. In
total our group consists of 8 newcomers myself, Jo, Nikki, Jonathan, Chris,
Linsey and Jason, and finally Michaela (Indianna and Sienna are not in our
group because they were here last week.
The Dining room
Dining area
Kitchen
View from lounge
Lounge
Monday 13- I
didn't have the greatest sleep because I was listening to every possible noise
outside thinking they were coming to attack me. It was super windy so every
time the trees blew branches would land on our metal roof. And despite mosquito
nets there were loud insects flying around. I woke up with the sun at 5:30 in
the morning just as the cat came in for a snuggle. I got up and went straight
to breakfast to enjoy crepes and some fresh fruit. We had to hike up a huge
hill to meet our group leader for the start of our day. Our guides name was
Chris and he is also from England (most of the people who work here are) and he
took us into Heaven, the valley where we first met four of the sanctuaries
elephants. We watched them being bathed and doing there morning eating. Near
the end Ruby let us touch her. Then it was back to camp for lunch which
consisted of a whole fried fish, it was so massive three of us had to split one
piece. After lunch some people went off to either nap or rest for a bit but
Linsey, Jason, Jo, Indiana, another Jo, and myself sat in the hammocks and
talked. Next up for the day was another valley with two new elephants. We
climbed the hill again and then hopped in the bed of the truck (the truck
couldn’t make it up the hill with us in it). It was a bit bumpy but fun. Then
it was a 25 minute journey down to the elephants. These Elephants, Easy Rider
and Geneo were a lot friendlier and we spent more time up close to them just
relaxing while they ate. Once back to camp we showered up for dinner and then
spent the evening in the lounge room talking and playing spoons. Spoons wasn't
competitive though because the same one person was so slow we were all
guaranteed a spoon.
First glimpse of an Elephant
Loving touch
Scratching on a tree
Menang, Linguon, Ruby, and Pearl. Ruby is smallest but likes to be the guardian of the others. Menang is the Matriarch and decides where the heard will go next.
Pearl, the only Elephant with tusks
Ruby doesn't like being bathed so she just stands there
Linguon gets a scratch from the tree
Butt shot
Butt shot take two
Holding trunks
First touch
up close
After lunch now with Easy Rider and Geneo
Their eyes hold so many wonders
Group selfie
Tuesday
14- This morning was our first work day. After breakfast we were scheduled to
help do some weeding for one of their interns who is working towards
researching which weeds disrupt the growth of their food supply. So we found a
clearing and began to chop the long grass before beginning to hoe the area.
There were ten of us working and the job went super fast with all of us working
hard and sweating like banshees so we ended up finishing early and spending the
rest of the morning in the hammocks. At lunch a huge group of tourists for the
day showed up making it extra loud and crowded in the lounging areas so we
again took root in the hammocks. For our evening work we just helped do odd
jobs for Sambo, one of the elephants who used to be paraded around Phnom Penh
and has now developed a huge lesion in her foot keeping her from joining the
other elephants deeper in the forest as they constantly have to clean it with
iodine. She's the most beautiful elephant almost red in color from the deep
hues of the earth around her and she always seems to be smiling. She also was
severely underfed in Phnom Penh so they have to monitor her size by measuring
her. While observing Sambo the owner of the sanctuary Jack was with us talking
more about how they acquired Sambo and the methods they use to maintain the entire
Sanctuary. We again got finished early so went back to camp to shower and relax
before dinner in the hammocks. Some of the new people from earlier were still
around as they are staying the night so we hung out in the hammocks with them
drinking beers. There were two from Holland and one Belgian. After dinner we
played cards in the lounge with two other new people one from Abbotsford and
another Belgian.
Sambo having her foot cleaned
Time to eat
Wednesday 15-
Around 4am I woke up with a severe stomach ache. This was normal as I had been
waking up the previous nights to use the washroom, however after having gone to
the bathroom the pain did not subside and I ended up returning to the toilet
four or five more times. It was the third time or so when I bumped into Indy
who had been sick as well throwing up. By breakfast time I heard that four
others had also become ill with the same thing. I think it's food poisoning but
because not everyone is sick, only some of us, it's questionable. I had to skip
this morning’s volunteer work, they built a fence for the pigs, but I got up to
join the others after lunch. I still was not in the best shape but we weren't
going far so I didn't want to miss out on the elephants. This time we went to
see Moon and Milot. Milot is probably the most severely damaged looking as she
is skinny beyond means with her spine is sticking out and her face is sunken
in. I tried feeding her but she wouldn't take it. Once we got back to camp I
wasn't feeling well and although I tried to make it to dinner I ended up just
going straight to bed.
Sick but made it to Milot. She reminded me of Nan, as I looked into her eyes I saw a life that had been well lived.
Thursday 16- This
morning I woke up feeling fine, as though yesterday never even happened.
Everyone else too who had been sick seemed back in normal spirits so it must
have been a 24 hour thing. I was even able to stomach a little breakfast before
we set out to do our morning volunteer work. We headed back down to the
clearing where Moon and Milot were yesterday to clean up the banana tree parts
to avoid bugs and mould growing in their eating area. We then had to fill
buckets with the remnants and transport them part way back up the path to the
nursery where it is then turned into compost. After working in the heat I was
starting to feel ill again so by time lunch came around I wasn't able to eat
anything other than some rice and watermelon. I tried having a lay down to help
the nausea but by time we were called back to set off for the elephants I still
was not well but decided to go anyway. I was a little slow going but I made it
to Easy Rider and Geneo and we watched them bathe and then did their vet
checks. We got super muddy from checking them as they had just finished
they mud bath. Once back at camp we showered and then relaxed on the hammocks
until dinner. I was right starved from barely eating the day before and having
a barely existent lunch so when the bell rang I was an eager beaver to eat. We
had tofu amok which was not my favorite so I filled up on rice and fruit and
some green veggie. After dinner it was back to the original 8 of us so we just
talked. Tomorrow is our last day then we get taken into town before I leave on
Saturday.
Splish Splash I was taking a bath...
Helping run a vet check and checking her belly for any lesions
All muddy
Friday 17- Our
last day has sadly arrived and so we were given a day. I packed up my things
and stripped my bed then joined the others for dinner. Out of the 8 of us 4 are
leaving so its bittersweet. We had breakfast then had to hike up the infamous hill
to prepare for the day. The day visitors did not show up today so we got a nice
surprise by having all of the guides come with us for the morning activities.
We went back into Heaven valley and did vet checks on Niguon, Menang, Ruby, and
Pearl and just chilled watching them for the rest of the morning. Then it was
back to camp for lunch before heading to a waterfall in the afternoon to swim.
The waterfall was amazing!! We managed to encourage everyone in and it was just
fun to relax and not be sweating all the time. We then made the trek back to
grab our things and head into town for the evening. Helen the head of the
sanctuary is leaving so we had a party at the town bar to celebrate and wish
her goodbye. We were all so exhausted though we didn't stay long. I did manage
to extend my stay though as the others peer pressured me into it... That and
they are going to rent moto's tomorrow and go to a waterfall so I definitely
wanted to do that.
Last day, and vet checking Menang
Selfie with Ruby
Sacred Waterfall, we all had to swim in our clothes as the Banong people are very conservative
Saturday 18- So
even though we could sleep in today we were all up and about early as per
routine, so we all went back to the bar from yesterday to have breakfast. After
breakfast we looked into renting moto's but after trying to test-drive them and
failing miserably we chose not to go that route. Instead it was safer to rent a
car and a driver for the day to take us up to the waterfall. So six of us Jo,
Indy, Nikki, Chris, Linsey, and myself piled into the car while Jason and
Jonathan each had their own moto and followed behind. So glad we didn't moto as
the roads were so dusty and the boys got covered in what they call Cambodian
snow, dark red dirt. Once at the waterfall we signed up to do the zip lining
then went to wait for our turn by the falls. There were too many people at the
top level of the falls so we went down to the bottom level to have some more
space and get a better view. To get down we had to endure a rickety ladder,
which was ready to tumble at any second. Time flew by and we headed up for our
zip lining adventures. Jason and Jonathan had never zip lined before but took
to it quickly! Indy was hilarious the whole time yelling out and taking videos
that the guide asked her to be in their advertisement video! There were six zip
lines and one of them took us right over the falls. It was so nerve racking
that I forgot to take in the view! By time we were done ziplining it was
already 4pm and time to head back into town so we piled back in the car and
took off. Unfortunately our driver was reluctant to wait for the boys to follow
on moto's so by time we finally got him to pull over and wait we were a ways
down the road and could not see them at all. A while after pulling to the side of the road Jason came
into view but Jonathan was nowhere to be seen. Apparently Jonathan’s moto would
not start and so Jason and our car driver headed back to help while we waited
with the car on the side of the road. Once everything was sorted we got back
into the car and made it into town only to go straight for pizza as we skipped
lunch and were starving. Unfortunately the pizza place could only cook one
pizza at a time so it ended up taking an hour and a half to get all of our
pizzas out. I was not pleased with the slowness but the pizza was delicious and
worth it overall. We made a quick stop at the hostel to shower up and then we
all met back up at the bar for some drinks and games. We were enjoying the
night so much that we ended up staying up right until my bus the next morning
at 7am!
Bou Sra Waterfall
Selfie with Jo and Linsey
crowded
Ready to zipline
View from above
83 meters up
Tandum jump
Linsey and Jason tandum zipline
We did it!! Gona miss this fine group of people!
Sunday 19- I made it onto my bus and immediately
put my headphones in so I could catch some shut-eye. The bus was quite rough
making it hard to sleep but I did get enough rest to make it through the 5 hour
journey. I am now home safe and sound and am sad that the week is over as it
was one of the best weeks here in Cambodia so far. I've met the most amazing
group of people who I can only hope will be life long friends and I've
experienced something so remarkable by working so closely with an animal that
has endured such traumatic pain from the human hand and yet still remains
gentle, compassionate, and strong.
