The Wettest Rodeo (bathing the baby eles)

By John Roberts 23 March 2008 01:23:00

There is a lot going on outside camp nowadays, I seem to be spending most of my time behind the wheel of a car, to Chiang Rai twice to talk to land officers, to Chiang Mai to interview some frighteningly qualified and intelligent young ladies to help us through polo, to local villagers to find out if what land agents' maps said was true on the ground...

    ...anyway, you get the picture - too much outside and not enough ele!

    It is mid-March and summer is on its way, you have to rise at an early dawn to catch the cool breezes, the morning coffee looking across the river is now an exercise in enjoying the cool as opposed last month's shivering and waiting for the sun.  Come mid afternoon, especially if you've been walking in the forest - or working up a sweat over a stressful keyboard in an air conditioned room - there is nothing better than a dip.

    About a week ago I stole an afternoon hour from all these planning meetings to spend in the river with my babies, I'd forgotten my camera that first time and promised to be back the next day to capture the antics - well I spent the next few days really working up a thirst for eles; steep sided 4WD switchbacks, PowerPoint presentations, muggy cassava filled clearings, under-air conditioned Government offices and the hallowed halls of Chiang Mai University all conspired to keep me away but that couldn't last forever....



...ever the otter, Tawan enjoys the current and getting washed down stream....



...Riga is just as difficult to stay on and often leaves any riders breathing water, Manau's just too cute and still has a crush on Moskva...



...of course, the smaller you are, the greater the star factor and so Manau is everyone's favourite to watch...




...while the smaller babies are always a job for professionals, even Pleum the washing machine can be ridden by a skilled and enthusiastic day visitor (with a little help from Sompong).

    Unfortunately, my video of the Lung Lord and Lynchee rodeo show failed to embed - eight seconds and a flailing trunk - but you might have some luck by clicking here

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