Sensational Saturday

Long story short: I had a sensational Saturday! :)

It started to be fantastic just before lunch: After gloriously rising morning sun, we experienced such a massive downpour that first plans to build an arch were drafted. Minutes later the mist cleared, the sky turned blue, the sun started burning. Plans change, they say. ;)

This is my everyday view once I leave my tent... there are worse places to live on earth, right? ;)

I welcomed new guests to the camp; amongst others Julie Ninnis, an Australian lady I had been in touch with via email before. By default I had mentioned that I wouldn't mind her bringing me some Cadbury chocolate to the elephant camp. She took this hint quite seriously.

This must have been some 5kgs of finest Australian chocolate!!!
Big shame that all good things come to an end... ;)

Happiness is the only thing that doubles once you share it, they say. So I started to share my chocolate. First with Mike, then with the other tour guides, the bar staff, the kitchen staff, the office staff... I shared and shared, until there were only... well... maybe 3kgs left. ^^

I secured the few leftovers in my tent and took off for today's Elephant Experience. Nine German guests required my guiding, and they were all quite happy with the information I gave them, I believe. At least they listened pretty well. :)

So this is how you properly scrub an elephant clean. Easy, right?

Afterwards we started the obligatory canoe safari on the Sok river. As the sun was still roasting us, the majority decided half way down to jump into the river and float the rest of the route. So chilling in our life jackets, we enjoyed some good talks while the amazing landscape passed by like in a drive-through-movie. (In case something like that exists...) Would somebody like to join?

This is rather at the beginning - later on I was in the water, too busy for taking pictures. Sorry. ;)

Finally we made it back to the camp, and I even got an applaus from my guests for my today's performance. Well - not hard to be brilliant when pumped up to the skull with (Australian) chocolate. ^^

The good news kept coming: After approximately two months in production we finally released the first part of our new HaHa-movie! No more commercial elephant movie in the evening, but a very personal documentary about our youngest elephant lady. So cute!

Last but not least, as I had shared some more Ozzie chocolate with the second shift bar staff, I read my emails. And guess what I found? My good old friend Jürgen has eventually booked his flights to Thailand! And he will come to see me for my 26th birthday!!! Isn't that terrific?

Real friendship knows no boundaries, they say. And for sure it doesn't care about distances... :)

Once upon a time in Australia... two guys merely of full age fooling around in the sanddunes of Western Australia.

Thanks for being with me throughout all these years, Jay!

So yes, this is what I call a sensational Saturday. How was yours?