*Singing* And The Corn Is As High

As an Elephant’s Eye -----

Did you ever get close enough to an elephant’s eye?

If so you will have noticed how long and thick their eye lashes are! How their tear ducts look so very much like our own.

And you will have been so drawn in to wonder just what they were thinking behind their gaze ----

I sat here making this post, looking at this photo…and in the eye itself I see the reflection of a crowd all gathered around –It’s another day at the Bali Elephant Safari!

I just wonder what all these elephants think about the likes of US?

In the quiet central highlands of the Indonesian island of Bali, just 20 minutes from Ubud, is the small town of Taro, home to some pretty impressive residents: Sumatran elephants!

After deforestation in Sumatra, the elephants were left homeless and with a depleted food supply. Fortunately they were rescued and now live happily at the Elephant Safari Park.

The park was founded by Australian Nigel Mason, who took nine neglected elephants from the village and travelled to Sumatra and rescued another 18. His operation is part of the World Zoo Association, so animal welfare is the priority.

There are now 30 elephants living at the park including 3 babies! And another mother is expecting –elephants are pregnant for 22 months, the longest of any mammal. 22 months! Oy!

We loaded up on to our elephants and headed out on a ride through the park!

Our elephant’s name was Daisy! Did you know that elephants have exceptional hearing? My hotel room key fell out of my pocket – and Daisy stopped, backed up, turned around and retrieved it off the ground with her trunk! Good girl, Daisy!

There is all kinds of vegetation around – can you see the cacao pods on this tree?

At the end of our ride, the elephants got to take a dip in the pond….with us still on their backs! Yes, some got squirted with water, and some felt they were in danger of falling off of the chairs, but we all survived unscathed!

Mike and Mary kickin’ back in style!

After our rides we enjoyed watching the elephants show off for us….here they come marching in to ---guess ----the baby elephant walk, of course!

((Is there anything cuter than a trunk holding a tail? I don’t think so!))

Fun stuff! I am amazed at how strong their trunks are! It’s an arm….or stronger ---with a fist at the end that is also a nose….One elephant held a harmonica at the end of its trunk and actually played a tune by blowing in and out of his nostrils through the harmonica. So funny! You couldn’t get the harmonica away from that elephant either, it wanted to keep playing! LOL!

This sweetie marched around the whole ring twirling the hula hoop round and round on her trunk. Now THAT is skill…I don’t think I can even do a hula hoop the way I used to as a kid –I haven’t tried in 40 years!

this one shows us the Slam Dunk!

Can you tell the one on the left is spraying the crowd in the front row? LOL! They seemed to love doing it too….

The big finale and final bow -----

It’s definitely love at first sight!

PS – with Sumatra Elephants, only the males have tusks. This is one smiley girl!

Every time I see an elephant I’ll remember my time at the Elephant Park! They are doing such a great job in helping to preserve these beautiful creatures.

Today we head back to Ubud for several activities! We are going to a Balinese “opera’ kind of traditional dance, and we will be visiting a typical Balinese house, as well as a family temple. These activities will require us to be in sarong out of respect.

And then we will top off the day by shopping the popular shop section of Ubud’s main streets. It’s our final full day --- we start our long journey home on Thursday.

I can honestly say we have filled this entire trip as full as we could fill it – brimming over and changing our lives with the experiences shared.