A day with the elephants

On Saturday, we visited an elephant preserve in Kalady, a few hours from Kochi.

Kobi meets a 4-year old male (just like him!) See how his tusks are just coming in?


Now Karma says hello. Rubbing this elephant's trunk was surprisingly soft and warm.


Jen was actually a little worried about this, but it turned out to just be a friendly snuffling.

We also went to the water's edge as the elephants were cooling off in the water.


Kobi kept jumping in and out of the water as the elephants had their bath. The elephants follow the spoken commands of their mahout, in the language of Malayalam (we think). One word, and they'll dip their trunk and spray their right or left side....as we were close enough to find out. The men are wearing the traditional south Indian sarong, called a dhoti, which they wear long or fold up, changing the length as the moment moves them, like Paris skirt fashions.

But the highlight of the day was when all four kids rode an elephant up and down the lane, with the occasional motorcycle or rickshaw veering around them.


The kids had to climb a ladder to get up on top.


Maggie the Queen