FINDING FRANKIE

By Brady Hamilton

Finally, I have made it and the time is right. I spend the evening enjoying myself with newfound friends who ask me to take a journey with them to Pattaya City, Thailand. Only two hours from Bangkok, where I had planned to stay for the duration of my trip, I am one step closer to fulfilling a dream. As the evening closes, I look online to find the “Pattaya Elephant Sanctuary” and with only a few days left before the end of my vacation, I know I must book the excursion.

            The humid morning is refreshing. I pack up a day bag and make my way down to the lobby where a van waits for me. The driver greets me with a warm bow. Since this is customary in Thailand, I return the bow, eager for what the day will bring. Near me are two ladies with whom I immediately converse.

            We drive to a few other pick-up locations where we meet more friends who will be joining us for the exciting activities we have planned. As the driver embarks on the final stretch toward the sanctuary, my heart beats so fast that I wonder if it is about to burst out of my chest. Driving for nearly forty-five minutes, we finally see our destination. Making our way down a dirt road, we are welcomed by the sight of a large hut with an eating area surrounded by bamboo. 

            The sight makes me ecstatic: I am experiencing a dream materialize before my eyes. By the balcony, we are welcomed in by Frankie, the nine-month-old elephant. If someone looks at my eyes, they will probably see stars shooting out of them. The caretaker banters with comedic timing and has us watch a quick introduction on what to do and what not to do around elephants. The caretaker then guides us to wash our hands before preparing the meal for these gentle giants.

            Our guide is cracking wonderful jokes as we roll a mixture of rice and other foods into small spheres. As we finish our task, we can now take time to feed them. Frankie is swaying with joy alongside two other excited elephants, eager for the treats. We learn that the elephants are all rescued, which makes this meeting even more magical. After feeding them, we are allowed to walk with Frankie and his friends through the jungle towards the bathing area.

            The caretakers teach us why they rescue these beautiful beings, which makes each elephant hug we receive even more dear. Frankie loves to give me kisses with his truck and my smile cannot be contained. Now we transition to the best part: washing the elephants. We are each given brushes with which to scrub the elephants and we move into the big pool to splash around. Frankie sure loves to splash around as he happily bobs his head up and down in the water, shooting water at us with his truck. 

            The trip is sadly coming to an end as we finish up, moving back to the hut for some delicious food. We gather together, laughing about our favorite moments. Since it is time to leave, the bus ride is somber. However, I cannot help but see elephant faces everywhere I go for the rest of my trip. Looking back, I want to cry with joy: the experience will forever be dear to me. If you ever get the chance, visit Frankie and his friends. You won’t regret it: I know I don’t!