Elephant Experience

I was incredibly excited to go to Sri Lanka after my first year of uni! It was the first time I had travelled alone, so I was not only nervous about making it there, but also ensuring that PMGY were actually there to pick me up from the airport. Naturally, both were completely fine, and as soon as I walked out of arrivals there was a PMGY representative waiting!

The drive from the airport to Ambalamgoda is long and it was a culture shock experiencing Sri Lankan driving, especially at night! There are no rules of the road there, so prepare yourself!

Accommodation at London House was great and Ashika and his family are some of the loveliest people I have ever met- they will make you feel so welcome!

The project itself I had mixed feeling about. I was so excited to work with elephants before I left and the first few times I went to project I was amazed about being up and close with them. However, after a few trips I became more aware of the fact that the elephants were chained at the feet. This is nothing to do with PMGY, but an unfortunate law that exists in Sri Lanka which Ashika himself has campaigned against!! The experience is once in a lifetime and the ability to clean and feed the elephants was amazing, but it was a shame that for me personally it was clouded slightly by the existing regulations.

Overall my experience was amazing. The people that I met out there were fab and my absolute highlight was the Maldives Chill Out Wekend. It was the most amazing place I have ever been and would go again immediately! It is SUCH great value for money!!!