Kampot Elephant

I have enjoyed seeing this big guy over the years. The first time was sometime in 1996 and the kids in the neighborhood screamed "Elephant!". This was a treat since the only way I had ever seen one was in a zoo, behind cement and bars... I got a close up, like less then a foot look at the elephant. I had brought my daughter MaryKate who was 3 at the time and at first she was fine then she realized this animal was a lot bigger then a dog and she started screaming. You can imagine the thoughts running through my head. "Nuts, there is NOTHING seperating us, NOTHING and if this elephant takes it into his head that he wants to chrage there's nothing that's going to stop him!" With my daughter screaming andI'm in hyperventalating mode I wasn't happy...
Since then I've come across my old friend a lot. In 1998 after the coupe of 1997, we rented him for the day and he would let me climb up his trunk and I rode him for 1 1/2 hours. When we we lived out in the countryside for 3 years he would stop at our house and the kids would cut banana trees to feed him. Each time I would go up and touch him and talk to him softly. He always reaches out with his trunk though I know from experience having a youthful 4 year old elephant pull my arm in Kampot and almost loosing it that you still have to be very careful. This time after feeding him he followed me without the handlers. I think he is so COOL!!!