We've just taken Team 3 to the airport, and waved goodbye to them. Now we're taking a bit of a breather before debriefing tomorrow. We were having a drink and a waffle at a cafe, when Rob got a text message from our country manager ordering him to enjoy time with me, so we're now in separate internet cubicles, checking email and taking care of various online things, just to be contrary.
The e-conversation running about Ivor the Engine on the Sanctus1 list is making us very, very homesick.
Although it should be pointed out that during a round of Famous Elephants last week, Rob and I had the crucial edge of knowing that there's an elephant in Ivor the Engine. She's called Alice.
Famous elephants is the game invented on the spur of the moment by our resident jester, and consists of taking turns to name, well, there's a clue there. Any literary, real or well-known elephant is allowed, although I decided against trying to get away with 'one of the thousand elephants that a Cecil B De Mille film famously contained' and stuck to Elmer's friends instead (there wouldn't be much to the story of Elmer the patchwork elephant if there weren't also lots of grey ones.)
This all came about because it turned out one of our team volunteers was mad about elephants. We have therefore taken a ride on Sambo the Wat Phnom elephant (He is 48 years old, and was discovered in Phnom Penh after the Khmer Rouge were driven out in 1980. What he was doing there, we do not know. Now he takes tourists for fifteen minute rides around a small hill.) Pictures will doubtless follow. It is a very strange experience standing on an elephant's neck (in order to get to the howdah) - one feels very unwilling to hurt the elephant. Once riding, the motion is much like being at sea, while having branches slap you in the face. Afterwards we fed him exorbitantly priced bananananas, and having an elephant's trunk come curling round at you scouting for nanas is a truly strange experience that I thoroughly recommend: I never knew before quite how alien the end of an elephant's trunk looked.
Things to do before I die number 34: ride an elephant. Check!
4 comments:
They do waffles?!
On an absolutely serious point, Rachel and I were utterly humiliated on the weekend away because we were certain there wasn't a dragon in Ivor the Engine. Why I was stupid enough to think Wales national mythical icon wouldn't feature in Wales' most successful cartoon of all time is a mystery, but there you go.
We missed you both at the weekend away, although I'd swap Camboddlewaddle for Anglesey any time.... x
They have some weird fruit out there, I know, but a combination banana & pineapple?
Mum
The elephant experience sounds truly amazing... apart from the bit about being slapped in the face by branches... not quite so romantic. Beautiful photo - hope you're going to regale us with many many more upon your return... talking of which, COME BAAAACK (please)!!! Missing you both. x
1] Nanas, as in bananas, NOT as in ananas!
2] Anglesy is better than Camboddlewaddle because:
- less mosquitoes
- chocolate is available in large quantities
- it has more Sanctimonians
3] We will come baaaack soon. That is the nicest thing anyone has said to us in, oh, three months!
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