ele park catch up 2



ele's walking back from bath





Ele's crossing the river



Monika on raft crossing the river...I am falling off the other end

 We thought Tuesday was harandfull, but it was a preparation for Weds. But let me tell you a little about the groups and how we are divided. As it turns out Joe and Cheryl are on the A team and Joe/Ro and Monika/bonny are on the C team. Joe has been sick with a cold and has spent some time in his room resting. So the Joe/Cheryl team has been the Cheryl team. Monika, Honey-bunch (other Joe) and I have been really working hard. Ro is more sensitive to the sun and has been helping when she can Since we work in our groups and the work time is several hours in the morning and the afternoon. I think this has been a little hard on Cheryl. This morning we cleaned up the poo and then got on old clothes and took buckets to empty the mud pond. When we were almost finished, there wads a mud fight.

walking up the hill with ele



dinner spread


 I only got sprayed but many were pushed down and ended very muddy. It was very interesting how fast we emptied the water and the staff took a hose and filled the pond.. some went for a swim and others took a shower I was in the later.



In the afternoon we were hard at work at digging a hole that would eventually hold some cement cylinders . Digging 16x43x43 pits in the blazing sun in clay is hard work. We used a small chisel, shovel, and sharp edge hoe. Amazingly, three of us got one hole almost completed. It was hot sweaty work and when we were finished, some went tubing.



On Thursday, we went to a small Christian school in the nearby village. The children were making “donuts” bracelets and giving massage. They had some things to by and we all took something. I took pictures and the younger folks played soccer with the kids. Some were very good... and of our crew both the men and women had some very good players. After lunch we prepared to go off on the overnight. At 2:45, we gathered our stuff and went in a truck to the river when three ele's were waiting. The day before, Joe and Cheryl had walked them down and stayed overnight with them and then left them.

Some of the folks stopped to buy beer to carry up the hill. The first venture was to get across the creek on a bamboo boat. If you put too many in the boat it sank a little and then your feet got wet. Walking up hill with three ele's is an experience....walk, eat, poo, walk, stop, walk eat... toss mud ..etc. It took about an hour and half but we made it up. There was a lean-to type shelter and an area with a large mat and a cooking fire and a few other areas.. but it was open and had “PRIMATIVE” squat... two boards to stand on and hole. We had a good dinner with chicken legs and other items and the beer folks a beer. I had some tea which was wonderful. Bun told some fireside stories of the early days, the mahouts, the difficulty getting the place going etc.. At about 8 when it was dark, we got our lights and started out in to the jungle to find three grey ele's who were grazing someplace. Going out wasn't too bad, but coming back... the group almost ran and soon I could not see them and felt a little panicked. After we called help, someone came over the edge with a flash and we at least know which direction to go....

I can tell you, when someone says pitch black... you know it when your eyes are shut or open....it is the same.



sleeping area