2020 is one of those years which seems endless because of all the negative things that are happening. Despite this madness, I was lucky enough to visit a few countries before things went out of hands. One of those places is Sri Lanka.
I had been thinking about traveling there for quite some time with my bestie, but I couldn’t find the opportunity. Either the flights were too expensive or organizing the trip seemed a little daunting. We called that place a level 2 in our jargon, meaning that it is not your typical travel destination where everything is easy and so predictable. Obviously that was good reason enough to make me want to go there. Break our limits, go beyond my comfort zone.
Nature at its best
Sri Lanka is famous for its wilderness. It is a vast island located south of India, not that far when you are in Asia already. They have gorgeous beaches, a warm climate, impressive mountains and a rich wildlife. I was very excited to go on my first safari to see elephants in the wild!
To be honest, I knew almost nothing about Sri Lanka when I got there, and I liked the thrill of the unknown. We ended up having a private driver for our entire stay, which helped us avoid headaches. The island is much bigger than I had imagined and the local transportation is not that great. On our second day, we drove inland for around six hours away from the capital and we were quite stoked to go see the elephants.
You know when you go on a trip, you usually have one or two must-see things that would ruin your trip if you didn’t do? Well, that was the elephants for me. The tricky thing about them is that they only show up in the national park at specific hours: very early in the morning (5-6 am) or late afternoon (4-6 pm). Well, it turned out we got there at around 4:00 which was perfect for the safari.
For those of you who have never been on a safari, it is quite the experience. Bumps, mud, bumps and add to that the thrill of the moment. You never know if you’ll get a rare sighting at every turn, which is so exciting. Lucky as we are, we saw an elephant right at the beginning.
It was majestic, beautiful and so peaceful. The gentle elephant was lazily feeding on some grass, whipping its tail as if it had a quiet seizure. I enjoyed every second.
I was pumped. I wanted to experience more. I thought to myself: Where are the other elephants? I want to meet all the elephants this island has. I want to watch them drink, socialize; you name it!
And so we resumed our safari and met dozens of wild animals, I forget the name. All I wanted was more elephants (I can be intense sometimes, I know).
There was a beautiful lake with a stunning view. We climbed up an observatory and took in the view with the sun setting. It was perfect. But where were the other elephants? The ones advertised at the entrance of the park? There was supposed to be a herd! Well, according to our guide, February is not the best season. August however is another story.
No. Way. I’ve come to far to give up.
I made a wish. I wanted to see elephants by the time we would leave the natural reserve, no matter what.
We drove back slowly in the twilight. The shadows were creeping in, the bugs were out and biting me. The moon was already high and bright with the last sunrays of the day. It was eerie.
The same road we had driven earlier was blocked by a huge branch. Our guide took it out of the way, but then we heard something.
A pair of eyes were staring at us from the confines of the trees.
An elephant. A wild and scared elephant.
Stomp. Stomp. A chill ran through me. Something was off.
And the elephant charged.
Blood drained from my face.
What was wrong with this elephant? Aren’t they supposed to be gentle? My earlier assumption turned out to be horribly wrong, and I was gonna die for being so naïve.
A thundering shout. Our guide. The wild elephant froze, unsure what to do.
The driver floored the jeep, and we left. I could barely realize that a charging elephant can topple a jeep and cause serious harm. Even kill you in the process, maybe even stomp you if it deems you a threat.
I could not take this thought away from my mind. I nearly died.
But we were not out of the woods just yet.
My wish had been heard. Dozens of elephants were congregating on our way out. A blessing or a curse?
I could not decide. An elephant had almost killed us. Now there were dozens of them?
It was getting late, but we still took some decent pictures and videos while I was trying to control my growing fear. I had to tame it. And so I did, one breath at a time.
We got out of the safari safely in the end, unharmed, with unforgettable memories. But we stayed well over the closing time. Maybe that’s why the elephants all came out and were surprised to see us. They were scared, even.
I am glad I got to see the elephants, but there’s only one thing I can think about: careful what you wish for.
Have you ever experienced something that you were excited to see on a trip and that turned out unexpectedly? Let me know in the comments or by email!
David M. Snow
