Beautiful Bali, Island of the Gods.
On route through Asia for magazine assignments, I hit Bali the tiny Indonesian island known for the colorful Hindu rituals, lush rainforest, spiritual vibe and of course location for EAT PRAY LOVE memoir lovers. Yes, the scenery and culture is stunning, a world unto its own, and the artisans routinely create exquisite offerings. But even over the Spa treatments, private plunge pools and exotic Mangosteen *my new favorite fruit, the Pachyderms (or Elephants) at the Safari Park delighted me most. They are so tuned to humans and so smart and their positive energy radiates out.
Riding them, well, not as much fun as feeding, playing or petting them from the ground. Not being able to sit in the correct position like the trainers, or 'Mahut', as a tourist you are in a teak carriage seat on their backs and prone to the swaying and sliding that their gait feels like. But its an extraordinary height to see the world from. And its impressive that the elephants give their Mahut's a leg-up by lifting their feet as a step-up. They are such spiritually tuned animals -- imagine your horse or pony on his best behavior day, smiling and willing and wearing a warm and fuzzy attitude a giving you a gentle nuzzle to the body. That's what elephants are like up close and personal all the time.
