Schuetz

My family just came back from a bruising 10-day Elephant Safari. It sounded like the best trip ever, but dreams and reality definitely dont match!

We had costumes made for us in Bangkok and then all the detail work finished here in Tokyo before we left as usual. Everything was picture perfect and arranged to the last detail as always, except NONE of us where prepared for the ride itself. A nightmare!

Each elephant step is huge! It threw us backwards and forwards on our seats, like bingo balls in a can! Even with all our cushions and silks that we brought to make it breathtakingly beautiful, we couldnt relax great pictures of true misery! In fact, if I had only one hour left to live this is where I would spend it, because one hour on the back of a giant elephant seems to last forever!

After the first few hours of torture we begged to get off and walk next to the elephants. This is really the only good option you have, except when crossing rivers, which was truly wonderful from the back of our giant friends!

If youre thinking of going on an elephant Safari make sure youre a great hiker, bring a good pair of walking shoes and then walk next to the elephants and play with them during the camp times at night. Im not saying dont go on an elephant safari; just dont expect to ride the elephants. The only slightly bearable spot is right on the neck where the driver sits, but during the day they never let you drive.

Elephants are amazing creatures! They played harmonicas, kicked soccer balls with us and let us play and crawl all over them this was definitely the best part, oh -- and the trainers tell us that if we ever come back to visit, the elephants will remember us, even if its 30 years from now! I dont know if this is true but I sure hope so, Ill let you know in 30 years when I stop back for a visit, NOT A 10 DAY SAFARI - 10-MINUTES maybe at most!

I just reread my article and I know it makes me sound like a spoiled wimp but my family travels on exotic vacations most of the year with our tutors and staff, so we have seen our share of bumps and bruises and reality checks, but an elephant Safari is by far the biggest disappointment I have yet experienced. Its not at all romantic or relaxing like in my dreams. So Dreamers Beware! Elephant Safaris are a Nightmare!

I was born -- Princess Raven-Dance -- My tutors say its best for me to stay out of public discourse, but its my life! And I want to share it! Smile And if I don't speak up about elephant safari's, a lot of people are going to end up on a nightmare vacation when they could have been at the Disneyworld water park in Florida for 10 days! Now thats a wonderful vacation! We go every year and I hope to see hear you there screaming down the Blizzard waterslide!

I love elephants, but life is to short to waste precious family vacation time on an Elephant Safari, when the only reason anyone would subject themselves to this is to brag about it to his or her neighbors, letting others jealousy be more important than your own families enjoyment.

-- Raven-Dance