Sometimes you can't help being a tourist. I was invited out to a friend's house on Saturday for a trip out of the city. It's always good to get out of the dust storm that is Colombo. Took a couple of hours to get there but transported in the relative luxury of another friend's car. Rolled up to the house to see a large elephant stood on the lawn. There are times when it would be uncool to not act like a tourist. Photo opportunity of the trip so far.
She may be huge but because she moves so slowly you don't feel like you're going to get crushed.
The only bit that does move quickly is the trunk. I was given a bunch of bananas to feed her with and being the dumb westerner I am asked if I needed to peel them. The only thing you need to do is let go when she grabs the whole bunch and shovels them into her mouth.
Apparently there were 2 more elephants but they were down by the river cooling off. The 2 guys looking after the elephant come from 3 generations of elephant handlers. An elephant and handler form a bond. There was a photo in one of the Sri Lankan papers of an elephant protecting its handler. The handler had overdone it on the booze and was laying comatose on the pavement. The elephant was stood over the guy watching out for him until he came round.
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