Kanchanaburi, WWII, and a New Friend

One of the best parts of being a tour-guide at an elephant sanctuary is getting to meet tons of cool, interesting people from all over the world. Last week, a boy pulled up on his motorcycle (it literally was as if he appeared from the wilderness ha). His name was Konrad, and we instantly hit it off. He is traveling alone throughout Thailand in a short break before starting grad school. We had so much fun together playing with the elephants, that he spent an extra day at the sanctuary hanging out with me, and then I was able to take a day off so that we could explore the city of Kanchanaburi together.

This is going to be a special story...

When I found out that that Konrad was German, I was immediately more reserved and guarded. Two of my grandparents are Holocaust survivors, and the first thing I think (wonder) whenever I meet Germans is that their grandparents might have killed my grandparents' families. I know it's dark, and that it's not this generation, but it's still something I struggle with just because I've grown up hearing so many stories about the Holocaust/ Germany from my grandparents. I have to say, I wasn't planning on telling Konrad my Holocaust connection. However, some of you may know that Kanchanaburi, Thailand played a significant role in WWII. There even is a film, called "The Bridge Over the River Kwai," which focuses on Kanchanaburi's role as a Prisoner of War camp for the Allied Forces. While the bridge has been renovated, it still stands, and it is one of the most visited sites in Kanchanaburi. Our first evening exploring the city together, we "stumbled" upon the bridge. The two of us were reading the memorial plaque near the bridge, when I made a comment along the lines of "it's interesting how some memorials can commemorate 1000 people, while others remember millions." Konrad immediately started talking about his trip to a concentration camp, and the one he mentioned is the one where my grandma was. I quietly said, "My grandma survived there." He became quiet, and it was really awkward for both of us. Then we sat down, on the bridge, and had a several hour long conversation about World War II, trying to explain why genocides happen, and Germany's role (today) in helping to promote peace. It was one of the most fascinating, unexpected, I would even say enlightening conversations I've ever had.

Not only that, but the next day we booked a tour to go hike and swim in the beautiful 7 waterfalls of Erawan National Park. Then we went to Hellfire Pass- which is where the Allied POWs were forced to help construct the Thailand Burma railway to help Japan. The POWs were treated very poorly, and many of them died. The POWs gave it the name "Hellfire Pass" because the men were forced to work into the late night, usually 18 hour days, and only bamboo torches lit their gaunt starving shadows. This image resembled Hell to the POWs. At Hellfire Pass, there is now a memorial museum, and you can walk along Hellfire Pass and the original railroad that the POWs built. Konrad and I did this, together. Then we actually rode the Death Railways (still erie) and our tour ended, again, at the Bridge Over the River Kwai. It was an unforgettable 3 days together. I still cannot believe that I explored all of these WWII sites with a German (in Thailand!) Who would have ever thought. I don't know for sure, but I have a feeling that Konrad and I will be friends for a long time :)

Me standing at the front of the Bridge Over the River Kwai

Konrad standing on the bridge

Us standing on the bridge together

Today, Thais light the bridge up for tourists. It is very pretty,

but something about the colorful pretty lights almost doesn't feel right.

A funny statue we saw (Oh, Thailand..)

Erawan Falls (Don't feed the Monkeys!)

Waterfall #1 of Erawan Falls

Me!

Konrad with some cool tree roots

Right before we jumped in and went swimming.

Such aqua, clear water!

Jungle-y :)

Waterfall #3

Me chilling in a waterfall!

Free fish pedicure! At first we didn't like it, it feels like you're

being eaten (I mean, you are) but then it feels nice! Almost addicting!

Waterfall #4 had a natural water slide!

Climbing back down to Waterfall #1

Hellfire Pass Museum

"This museum is dedicated to all the men and women who suffered and 

died while working on the construction of the Burma Thailand railway

during the Second World War"

Where the railroad begins (very quiet)

It took POWs 3 hours to walk from their camp to the construction site.

That little faint trail in the distance is the route they took 2x everyday.

Walking the original railway through Hellfire Pass

Hellfire Pass

Ironically, a tree has sprouted in the middle of the Pass.

Thais believe it's good luck to cross through the hole.

I loved this tree. Very symbolic I think :)

An original railway cart that men used to carry building supplies

Waiting to ride the Death Railway.

So eerie to me that there were beautiful flowers blooming right next to it.

1940 seal

This cave was used as the hospital for the POWs.

Today, Thais have placed a Buddha into it and it is a shrine.

You can explore the crevices of the cave

View from our seat on the Death Railway

Riding the Death Railway

Once again, on the Bridge over the River Kwai

(POWs constructed, as well)

pensive moment

Lightening the mood with some tropical fruit!

Funny sign

Drinks after our day!

More drinks...with a cool Thai man

The bar across the street was called "Get Drunk for 10 Baht"

Don't worry, we went there after :)

This is what a $6/ night guesthouse looks like.

The walls were the best part: splattered with colorful paint!

Jolly Frog Guesthouse, Kanchanaburi

Life Amongst the Elephants!!!

These past few weeks I have been working at an elephant sanctuary, called Elephant’s World in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. Elephant sanctuaries are basically “retirement homes” for elephants that are old, sick, and formerly abused. The great part is that I get to work hands on with many different elephants everyday (which truly is amazing, and I don’t know where else I would be able to do this.) The not so great part is that I haven’t had internet or running water. (Hello river baths!) Also, snakes (cobras) are a real danger here, so every night when I head back to my room, in the pitch black with my flashlight, I bring a stray cat with me to “check out” my room and mattress before going in (Fun, right?!) At Elephant’s World, I serve as a tourguide, chef, vet, photographer, translator, and volunteer. Basically, I lead tours of 2-6ish people everyday throughout the sanctuary. Working as a tourguide is the best unanticipated part of interning here, as everyday I get to meet new (ethical!) people, hear their stories, and they are usually young and ambitious- have researched sanctuaries instead of just taking an elephant ride, and CUTE! There have also been a few television shows and documentaries filming here these past few weeks, and as the only farang who speaks Thai…I completed my first live Thai interview!!! One of my coolest, milestone moments here so far :)

My daily routine is pretty much the same everyday:

-       Breakfast

-       Visitor’s Arrive; Greet and Introductions

-       Head down to the river to watch elephants take a bath

-       Cook sticky rice- banana- pumpkin mix for old toothless elephants to eat/ set on cool surface to dry until the afternoon

-       Feed our 3 oldest, toothless elephants yellow bananas that visitors brought; tell their stories (logging industry, tourism, etc.)

-       Lunch :)

-       Ride in truck: Cut banana trees, sugar cane or plant pineapples for the elephants

-       Head back to the cooled sticky rice mixture; make “snowball sized” balls, rolled in fiber (and sneek in medication in some balls)

-       Feed the toothless elephants sticky rice balls!

-       Head over to see some elephant healthcare: watch vet clean infected wounds, and treat old skin and scrapes.

-       Elephant Bathtime! (This is when visitors get to swim with the elephants/ ride bareback in the water for a few minutes). I usually am the designated photographer!

-       Head back up to reception to feed the elephants their afternoon snack.

-       Say goodbye to visitors (usually trade emails/ facebooks :))

-       Clean up!

It’s a pretty exhausting, but fun day. Everyday I get to touch, feed, and be close to many different elephants, while experiencing the excitement and enthusiasm from first time visitors. At the end of the day, my “tourguidees” and I usually take some pictures together, and trade emails and such. I have loved meeting so many people from such different countries! I feel like I now have friends to visit in Australia, England, Germany, and Holland, to name a few.  I love being able to speak Thai with the mahouts, (elephant cowboys) and see how they “talk” with their elephant when the visitors are away. Elephant’s World is located in the most beautiful middle of nowhere- as you will see in the pictures, and when I wake up in my bungalow in the morning and look out my window, I can actually see elephants grazing from my window. Amazing.

Some Elephant Trivia:

• Elephants eat 200 kilos of food/ day
• They drink 120 litres of water/ day
• They change their teeth 6 times in their lifetimes
• In the wild, many elephants eventually die after their last set of teeth fall out, because they can’t find soft enough food to eat.
• An elephant’s strongest part of their body is their shoulder/ neck area. Just like people, their backs are not very strong.
• Elephants should carry no more than 100 kilos on their backs. When you sit in a seat on an elephant, that seat alone weighs about 50 kilos (then think about adding 3 more people!)
• An elephant’s life span is about the same as a persons: late 70s/ early 80s is getting up there!
• An elephant needs to stay with by their mother’s side until they are 4 years old. In many cases, elephants are taken away from their mother after only 1 or 2 years so that they may start working.
• Asian elephants, unlike African elephants, love to throw dirt on their backs to keep them cool, and protect their skin from the sun
• There are about 5000 elephants in Thailand (including 2000 wild elephants), but the numbers are dwindling.
• Elephants are big business in the tourism industry, and, even though it has been illegal in Thailand for 50 years to use elephants in the logging industry, their use still persists. They are also still poached for their ivory tusks.
• We can help by learning about elephants, not purchasing ivory, and, when traveling supporting elephant sanctuaries as opposed to going on a private elephant ride.
• Final fun fact: When an elephant eats a whole pineapple, it can remove the bristly top with it’s trunk, so it only eats the fruit. (Incredible to see!)

After living in Thailand now for almost 6 months, I find it really ironic that elephants are considered to be one of the holiest, most revered animals, yet they are so often abused and mistreated.

Enjoy the pics I know many of you have been waiting for :)

Reception at Elephant's World, overlooking the River Kwai

(where I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner everyday)

My bungalow bedroom

Playing in the river...check out those mountains behind me!

Little slice of heaven :)

Some puppies that live at the reception area!

Some kittens, or as I like to call them: "cobra catchers"

They eat breakfast with me every morning :)

The way it should be.

Elephant itch!

Cutting bananas with guests in the morning to put in our 

sticky rice mixture

Cooking the sticky rice

Traditional Thai style :)

Dtom, the head of the mahouts, and I on the truck. 

The sun is really strong so everyone wears these "traditional Thai hats" when

we have to go cut banana trees or sugar cane.

Me doing nothing

Songkran, our oldest elephant, has the most beautiful eyelashes!

Scrub a dub bathtime!

(This was my first time giving an elephant a bath)

Love :)

When there are no visitors, the mahouts let me ride from

the river up to the reception eating area with them. 

This is what I've become haha

Dr. Samart, the founder of Elephant's World, has a soft spot for all

animals. These male American calves were headed to the slaughter house.

Now they have been rescued and live amongst the elephants, cats, dogs, and 

water buffaloes. They get into a lot of trouble though, like eating trash (above).

The number of bananas it takes to feed 10 elephants for 1 day.

One of my cobra catchers, chilling in my mosquito net.

My life as a tourguide :)

There's a huge elephant next to me!

Healthcare: This is Plara- his tusks were removed while he 

was still alive to be sold for money, then the holes where his tusks 

were became infected, the infection spread to his eyes, and now he is blind. 

He is only in his 40s but looks like he'sin his 70s because he is blind in both eyes.  

Na- the woman on the right, brings her own bananas everyday to feed/ distract 

him as his infection is cleaned out. It is a painful process, and he has been doing 

this for the past 9 months, everyday.

Treating a wound on Wasana's rear with an antiseptic.

Wasana is 68, and her skin is not as thick as it used to be.

She got this wound when she itched her rear end on a tree,

and it became infected.

Elephant bathtime (playtime!) with the mahouts!

Shampooing and brushing her bristly hairs!

Me and my friend, former tourguidee, Konrad.

(Next blog post will probably be about our travels together)

What a beauty!

Dtom feeds an elephant in the river with a water bottle...

Open wide!

So cute

Harvesting sugar cane for the elephants

The bottom of an elephant's foot

Some of my cobra catchers. There are 4 kittens...

Do you see all 4?!

Three's company, I guess!

The sanctuary at dusk

When an elephant drops a sticky rice ball, 80 ducks 

quickly rush to pick it up!

Na and I cleaning some trays with our eager, hungry duck friends

Mahouts can get pretty rowdy!

View from atop the elephant. 

Check out their tiny black bristly hairs everywhere!

Some of my guidees, and new friends

Pizzah asks his elephant to go on it's side to wash it, and

it listens without a hitch. Pretty incredible.

Actual view from my bungalow window when I wake up in the morning.

I spy 2 elephants! SO COOL!!!!!

Seconds before being thrown off of Kamoon...

...and I'm down!

But happy :)

Thailand :)

In Thailand, it is considered good luck to cross

under the belly of an elephant.

I'm not one to shy away from good luck :-)

Yesterday I led an amazing tour with some Brits and Aussies,

 and we had a Thai superstar filming a special for TV!!! (Center)

It was only appropriate to end this post with an elephant butt :)