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DAY 8 WAS SPENT HAPPILY WANDERING THROUGH THE HUGE TEMPLE AT DOI SUTHEP. HOWEVER, CURT IS TAPPING ME ON THE BACK INSISTING THAT HE BE ALLOWED TO TELL HIS VERSION OF THE GREAT BAREBACK ELEPHANT RIDE. SO, TAKE IT AWAY CURT---------- I want to address a rumor that has circulated the world via a blog regarding an incident in Northern Thailand involving an elephant and myself. Most of you by now have seen a photo of me atop a large African elephant and by my confident seated posture, you may mistakenly assume I maintain a level of expertise in bareback elephantry. I assure you this is not true in my case. These normally gentle beasts stand upward of nine feet or more. I was invited by the handler, or raja, or whatever you wish to describe the man in charge of the pachyderm to mount his mighty steed. When approached by the handler, I was next to a spectator bleacher. So this was quite handy for me to board his enormous animal. Once settled upon the elephant, I immediately felt at one with her and within seconds took control of my new partner by parading her around my friends as they photographed my conquering of this wild giant of the jungles. I paused her and began to reach to my side to grab my camera for a unique view from above when the animal suddenly
WENT ROGUE. The elephant's back end fell out from under me. I was not ready for this action for both of my hands were free, when apparently raja standing close by commanded the animal to lower for dismounting. Unbeknownst to me, for an elephant, taking this position requires firs lowering its posterior. I being a novice rider and without knowledge and experience in the art of elephantry, was thrust backward sliding down her back feeling each of her vertebrae, cascading downward spine to spine, then I was catapulted into a free fall about five feet from the terra firma doing a reverse spread eagle to meet the ground abruptly, and then sliding into a dust cloud. It hurt -- still does -- but nothing broken or sprained, just a bruised back, butt and ego. I realized no one was at fault. The elephant obeyed her command, the handler thought I was ready to dismount, and I did not hold on tight as a responsible rider should, and not elephant around in my Walter Mitty world. The handler felt bad, I felt worse, and the elephant? --- I suggested that her owner rename her Sarah Palin. So that's the true story from the one actually feeling the pain. RAJA CURT SIGNING OFF FOR NOW. Photos courtesy of Chuck Feil.
LARRY ELKINS ELKINSPHOTOS
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DAY 8 WAS SPENT HAPPILY WANDERING THROUGH THE HUGE TEMPLE AT DOI SUTHEP. HOWEVER, CURT IS TAPPING ME ON THE BACK INSISTING THAT HE BE ALLOWED TO TELL HIS VERSION OF THE GREAT BAREBACK ELEPHANT RIDE. SO, TAKE IT AWAY CURT---------- I want to address a rumor that has circulated the world via a blog regarding an incident in Northern Thailand involving an elephant and myself. Most of you by now have seen a photo of me atop a large African elephant and by my confident seated posture, you may mistakenly assume I maintain a level of expertise in bareback elephantry. I assure you this is not true in my case. These normally gentle beasts stand upward of nine feet or more. I was invited by the handler, or raja, or whatever you wish to describe the man in charge of the pachyderm to mount his mighty steed. When approached by the handler, I was next to a spectator bleacher. So this was quite handy for me to board his enormous animal. Once settled upon the elephant, I immediately felt at one with her and within seconds took control of my new partner by parading her around my friends as they photographed my conquering of this wild giant of the jungles. I paused her and began to reach to my side to grab my camera for a unique view from above when the animal suddenly WENT ROGUE. The elephant's back end fell out from under me. I was not ready for this action for both of my hands were free, when apparently raja standing close by commanded the animal to lower for dismounting. Unbeknownst to me, for an elephant, taking this position requires firs lowering its posterior. I being a novice rider and without knowledge and experience in the art of elephantry, was thrust backward sliding down her back feeling each of her vertebrae, cascading downward spine to spine, then I was catapulted into a free fall about five feet from the terra firma doing a reverse spread eagle to meet the ground abruptly, and then sliding into a dust cloud. It hurt -- still does -- but nothing broken or sprained, just a bruised back, butt and ego. I realized no one was at fault. The elephant obeyed her command, the handler thought I was ready to dismount, and I did not hold on tight as a responsible rider should, and not elephant around in my Walter Mitty world. The handler felt bad, I felt worse, and the elephant? --- I suggested that her owner rename her Sarah Palin. So that's the true story from the one actually feeling the pain. RAJA CURT SIGNING OFF FOR NOW. Photos courtesy of Chuck Feil. LARRY ELKINS ELKINSPHOTOS
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