Page 82 of Winging It with You

Ever.

23

Theo

Bali Elephant Sanctuary

Bali, Indonesia

I don’t know what’s more terrifying: driving through the chaotic, narrow streets of Bali or the fact that Jo thought it was smart to lend Asher the van.

He’s sporadically weaving in and out of morning traffic, and on more than one occasion, I’ve braced for impact in fear of colliding with another speeding vehicle.

Or worse, a slew of unsuspecting locals.

Thankfully, we arrive at whatever secret location Asher was navigating us to unscathed. I’m not going to officially label him as a bad driver, considering we’re in a different country. And even though I’m a big fan of the old ten-and-two driving technique, he gets bonus points for holding my hand the entire time.

But I’m also not going to pretend like I wasn’t eternally grateful when the car was safely put in park.

Looking over at Asher, I see genuine excitement written all over his gorgeous face. I’ve seen him snarky and bothered. Unamused, annoyed, and vulnerable, even. But excited? This feels like a first.

We both exit the car only to reach for each other’s hands again and walk in lockstep toward the thick greenery before us.

I hear them before I see them.

“Shut. Up,” I say, stopping in my tracks. “Elephants? Are you kidding me?”

Asher’s face erupts into the most infectious grin.

“Elephants,” he says, yanking my arm and taking off in a run through the rows of palm trees and native plants.

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“Hey, um…Theo? A little helphere.” Asher laughs even though there’s a slight panic filling his voice.

We are both sitting in a shallow, tiled kiddie pool with a pair of rambunctious baby elephants who are unintentionally smothering us with excited affection. Their skin is thick and rough but somehow still soft to the touch. Their not-so-little trunks effectively challenge us to back-to-back arm-wrestling contests in search of the pieces of bamboo we were provided by the sanctuary staff, which we quickly ran out of.

My jaw has been on the floor since the very moment we stepped foot in the sprawling elephant sanctuary; never in a million years did I think this was something I’d get to experience in my lifetime.

Let alone with him.

“If the two of you have had enough fun with Alba and Aster over here, we’re all set for you at the bathing lake,” saysYanie, our smiling guide. She kneels at the edge of the pool, fresh bamboo in hand. Alba and Aster quickly forget that we exist and clumsily charge toward the snack Yanie offers.

Yanie leads the way through the winding paths of the sanctuary as people hurry through the expansive reserve.

“The grounds are larger than I was expecting,” I say to Yanie, venturing alongside her through the thick vegetation.

“Our park is set on almost ten acres of land that’s been intentionally landscaped to mimic the native home, Sumatra, of our elephants.” She points to the greenery all around us. “As Bali’s only dedicated rescue facility, everything we do is to ensure comfort and care for these critically endangered animals.”

“Critically endangered?” Asher asks, his face full of concern.

“Unfortunately, in 2012, these elephants’ status changed from endangered to critically endangered because in a single generation, half their population was lost due to rapid habitat loss and human conflict.”

It’s heartbreaking. These gentle giants hold such innocence behind their big eyes, and during our introductory tour earlier, we learned just how intelligent they are.

“But as you can see,” Yanie says, leading us through a break in the greenery to reveal the most picturesque man-made lake, “we’ve done everything we can to create a loving and healthy environment for them where they can live out their days free of harm.”

At least a dozen elephants of various sizes are escaping the heat, enjoying their time in the water. The playful trumpeting of their trunks fills the air as they splash around like happy children. It’s awe-inspiring and a privilege to witness.

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