Mud, mud, glorious mud.

Saturday morning began early for some failed sunrise watching and getting organised for our trip to the elephant sanctuary. We have both been so excited about being able to spend some time watching and feeding these incredible animals. This sanctuary offers a stress free retirement for 7 elephants, all with heartbreaking stories of long term abuse and cruelty. To bring each elephant into the sanctuary requires firstly collecting evidence of the abuse and then they must go through government officials (who may or may not have been bribed) to force the owner to sell them the elephant for £40,000.00, half of what it would be worth dead.
Despite how upsetting it was to hear each story it was counteracted by seeing the care and the freedom they now enjoy and the dedication of the staff there. We were able to walk around the sanctuary feeding them bananas, watching them bathe and then cover themselves in mud with those remarkable trunks they have. Could spend a long time watching those trunks and the many functions they perform with such elegance and dexterity. The elephant in the picture managed to open the lock of the enclosure one night and made her way down to the local 7/11 shop!