BENGALURU: First, they were excited, then scared but intrigued. Finally, they ended up a little wet and happy. I’m talking of the encounter of my two daughters, Aisha (6) and Zoë (3), with the elephants during our weekend at the Dubare Elephant Camp in Coorg. A few months earlier, my family and I had just relocated from Bern, Switzerland, to Bangalore. While we loved the buzzing city of Bangalore, we were keen to discover the quieter and picturesque Western Ghats nearby.
After a five-hour drive, the adventure could begin. We first had to cross the river in a small boat. A sign warning swimmers from possible encounters with crocodiles impressed my daughters sufficiently so as not to jump into the water. From far away the sound of the elephants could be heard and it was not long after that the first elephant came to greet us! But the highlight was yet to come: In the morning, we witnessed the bathing of the elephants and, after some time, Aisha found the courage to help wash them.
In return, she got a “shower” from their trunk. As for Zoë, she preferred to watch the elephants from a safe distance, playing her favourite game: Football. It was definitely a weekend to remember for everyone. The author is the Consul General of Switzerland, Bengaluru