1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Working in a rescue centre helping locals and animals specially elephants who were mistrated. Hotels afterwards were great and good value for money. Hua Hin area is relaxing, beautiful and people are great. Their culture is amazing. We looking forward to come back to Thailand.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

Don't be affraid to eat were Thai people eats. Food is great, and try to speak their language as they are so greatful and you will have better response from them.

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?

Of course but because of the long fly I can't agreed with the enviroment friendly, so if you ever go there, try to go for as long as posible.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?

Outstanding

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Falling off an elephant while giving it a scrub in the lake!

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

Go for more than a week!

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?

I think this holiday benefits the animals more than local people and I doesn't so much minimise impacts on the environment as tries to make up for effects that humans have already had. It is definitely a worthwhile holiday allowing you to give something back to the country you are visiting.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?

I feel very lucky to have had so many fantastic "one off" experiences.

1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?

Seeing the elephants emerge from the forest for the first time was amazing! Getting in the water with them was great fun too. It was just a privilege to have the opportunity to work so closely with the elephants and their mahouts, who were also so much fun! The pineapple picking was one of the best workouts I have ever had - be prepared to work to the point of physical exhaustion - saying that though I thoroughly enjoyed it, particularly arriving back at the centre with a full truck of pineapples as the elephants come thundering after you! The baby elephant was just delightful and great to work with too.

2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?

Thick working gloves are a must for the pineapple picking and the dung collecting! Be prepared for lots of breaks during your working day which can sometimes be hard to fill as there is not a lot to do in the local vicinity. The living conditions are basic and sometimes dirty - no air con, hot showers or flushing loos here, so just be aware. You quickly get used to it though!

3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, and minimized impacts on the environment?

I feel my holiday directly benefited the centre by providing an income, and our custom in the local village I am sure is appreciated locally. I do not feel that it minimised impacts on the environment in any way.

4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?

I met some great friends from all over the world whom I will never forget, and I got to work up close and personal with elephants which was what i most wanted to achieve. Of course, I cannot fail to mention the 3 mahouts, whom were so much fun and really made my trip complete.

(click photos to enlarge)

I can honestly say that it was an absolute honour to be so close to such gentle majestic creatures and the mahoots were great fun too once we got them out of their shells.

Picking pineapples for the elephants has to be one of the hardest jobs in the world because of the hot sun and lack of shade. But yesterday I went with new elephant volunteers and just took pictures and film until the end when the going gets really tough. These pictures you may well want to see... but will have to wait til Koh Phangan to sort that out...

Although my trip was with elephants, they are on the same site as a Wildlife Rescue Centre and the volunteer house (which we all share) can be very busy and noisy at times. There was a chaotic feel to it but overall they were great kids (mainly teens to mid 20s).

The whole centre is on Temple grounds. Being female I had to cover myself up and take a man with me as females are not supposed to talk to the monks (and definitely not touch them or pass anything directly to them). But on my first visit I was completely overcome by the peace and realised how much I missed the Buddhist 'bit' since returning west in June this year. On my second visit to the Temple 2 days ago we were given a full tour and also gifted a small Buddha statue each. It was an awesome and very peaceful place... (my friend is planning to spend his next day off sitting in front of that shrine meditating all day!). Again there are photos...

I'm not sure if I will get back to this part of Thailand again but those elephants were such a gift. And over the course of 2 weeks I was able to see their individual personalities. One thing they all have in common is a dislike of dogs. Which is unfortunate as there is a pack known as 'the elephant dogs' (as opposed to the 'volunteer house dogs') and they love to run with us in the jungle.

Each elephant has a slightly different response when the dogs get too close but the most exciting/hair-raising event occurred when our pack ran into another pack and a big fight broke out. The snarling was less than 100ft ahead of us on the same road. All 3 elephants came to an emergency stop and the youngest (and most lively) started banging her trunk hard onto the road, really slapping it down, and then she started to trumpet loudly. And all the time we were yelling at our elephants to stop (just incase they were getting ready to charge off anywhere! and they were definitely thinking about it...)

So now I have some very useful Thai language skills. I can tell a person/elephant to go forward or backwards, to come to me, and to lie down (in the lake!). Just hope the children on my next project [of the teaching placement] are more responsive than the elephants are...