Colombo, Sri Lanka 01'03'2013

I think this is the first blog post where me and my friends are actually in the photos. But this trip can not be posted without us in the pictures haha. It was a great adventure. Enjoy!

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I had originally planned on just staying inside the hotel. This plan was even more rectified when I saw that our hotel in Colombo is brand new and oh so nice looking. Plus I was tired and really wanted to rest. But the pull of a friend's invite is a powerful one and I was dragged on to a trip that would be as memorable as it was painful.

Getting inside my room, I was ecstatic! everything was brand new it's like I had my own new room!

After containing my excitement I just hurried and changed clothes to go out. Being as I really wasn't planning to go out, I didn't bring any "going-out" or "adventure" clothes. So I wore what I had and said whatever.

Angel and Angel. Yup!

Toyota Prius. The hotel limousine we rented.

We rented the hotel limousine (a very nice and economical Toyota Prius) for the day because the place we were going to was two hours away without traffic.

It was a very long road trip but we got to sleep very well along the way and the car was very nice so once again I enjoyed every moment of it.

Elephant poop! Haha

Our elephant whose name I completely forgot. Sorry!

We went to an elephant orphanage to ride elephants.

I must admit that I am a bit of an animal lover and I felt a little bit of pain in my heart to see that the elephants were in chains. Well I guess anyone and anything that is bound in chains would look pitiful but still.

Our Mahout holding our elephant in chains.

The Sri Lankan Asian Elephant.

We rode the elephant which was being guided by its personal Mahout and it was painful to say the least. Painful because even with the foam on it's back the elephant's vertebra was still digging and punching into our butts, especially while it was walking and the road was not smooth at all, no.

But being the adventurous debonaires that we were. we just enjoyed our ride and smiled for the camera (while screaming in pain inside haha)

Angel in the Front, Angel in the Middle, and me, the thin Asian guy on the back.

Smile for the Camera!

The Mahout is dragging us along.

Looking down at something.

When the short trip was over we got the opportunity to take pictures with the elephant alone. These were mine.

Emulating the Japanese from my recent trip to Tokyo, I smile for the camera with the peace sign.

The thin Asian guy.

After the ride with the elephant, We were then told to bathe that same elephant by the river.

Angel bathing the elephant with the Mahout helping. 

Angel bathing the elephant alone.

This is me, NOT bathing the elephant because I was wearing shoes at the time! haha!

I didn't bathe the elephants because I had shoes on, not flip flops. I don't regret my decision.

After the brief bathing of the elephant. Our butts were still painful from the ride and we were feeling more tired now from the flight to colombo and the trip to the elephant orphanage. So we went to the last place in the orphanage, the uber small museum.

Whole elephant skeleton. I wish it was a dinosaur!

Elephant vertebral skeleton. The one that pains your butt when you ride an elephant.

Elephant skull.

The museum was just a small exhibition of elephant skeletons and some information.

After the elephant place we were taken to this herbal garden where we were lectured (sales talked! haha) about the different health benefits of different herbs.

Introducing the inedible Red Wild Pineapple.

A cacao pod from a cacao plant with cacao buds on top. This is where you get Chocolat.

"My master is sales talking some foreigners again" says the dog while wagging his tail. Haha!

After the tour of the place we were treated to a "free" massage using the oils and creams that they sell in the place. It was an OK massage for me because I felt like the pressure from the massage was too soft, I like it hard, but it was still good.

I can not post the pictures of the massage because my blog is supposed to be rated: GP - General Patronage rated for all audiences hahaha.

After the massage we were unsurprisingly directed to the souvenir shop where they sell various oils and soaps. Naturally, I didn't buy anything.

After the shop we took the two hour long no-traffic ride back to the hotel, sleeping along the way.

The trip was short, but nice, It was a great experience, one which I would not soon repeat unless the elephant we will ride has significantly more padding or maybe a full on harness or chair or both on it's back! Haha

Until my next trip, Gihin Ennan!