Ever since I was a kid, I've always wanted to ride an elephant. I think it all stems back to the first time I saw Aladdin. Seeing Abu turn into an elephant and storm into the palace is a scene I always remember. I never thought I would have the opportunity to be honest, but I put it on the wishlist in the hopes that I would one day. Most of the time, I put things on the wishlist because I want to do them, but never think that I would ever do them. I never would have thought that I would ever travel to Cambodia and ride an elephant in Angkor Wat. Seriously, I can't believe that this is my life. I get to do such awesome things with my best friend, what more could I ask for?
We were lucky enough to be able to ride the elephants through Angkor Wat. I know lots of people that have ridden elephants at Busch Gardens, but nothing can compare to this experience. It was quite surreal seeing ancient temples and being on top of a massive creature. It was pretty cool being able to see everything. Usually, when you're in a car or tuk-tuk, the view is limited, but on top of an elephant. You can see it all and it was absolutely beautiful.
Afterward, we had a chance to get a closer look at the elephants and I was a bit freaked out. One of my old students was attacked by an elephant in Thailand. After I remembered that story, I was too scared to get too close to the elephant. As you can see in my picture, I'm not really touching it, I sort of put my hand out in the hopes that it would be close enough. For some reason, he was really keen on Markus and they became best friends. Although, that's usually what happens with Markus, everyone becomes his best friend. Overall, riding an elephant was an amazing experience and one that I will never forget!