Swimming trunks

The elephant and turtle projects are still trying to get back to normal following the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

By Sun
www.thesun.co.uk

Ride of your life ... Tommy Holgate at the Millennium Elephant Foundation, Sri Lanka

By TOMMY HOLGATE

I begin to reflect. The usual tourist would experience the elephants from a distance, observing them bathing in the river. The volunteer, however, gets up close and personal with the beasts.

Which is what we did over four days at the Millennium Elephant Foundation.

Our tasks were varied - from recording the morning dung pile tally to chopping trees, aka elephant food.

Then you scrub their skin with a tough, exfoliating coconut rind, which are found all over Sri Lanka.

Wet n' wild ... Tommy scrubs an elephant's skin

I-to-i, the volunteering company that co-ordinates the project, also runs conservation-based "working holidays" such as school-building or sea-turtle sanctuary schemes.

The elephant and turtle projects are still trying to get back to normal following the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Swindon builder Carl Read, 25, chose to look after elephants for two weeks.

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He said: "I could go to Tenerife and just sit on the beach all day. I came here to learn something more about myself and see what it would be like to experience a foreign country in a totally different way."

For me, I felt a closer connection with nature, wildlife, and even people, than ever before and would recommend it to anyone considering taking a break from their normal 9-to-5 grind.

Ancient history ... trips to temple ruins will amaze

Sri Lanka itself? The locals are friendly and happy. More so due to being free from the shackles of domestic unrest. A civil war that spanned 30 years was put to bed just over 18 months ago.

As with many developing countries there are Del Boys who try to rip you off. Don't be afraid to haggle. It's a friendly game. If you smile and say no you shouldn't have much trouble.

Volunteers work Monday to Friday, which leaves time for weekend trips away.

After our elephant jaunt we headed to Hikkaduwa, a popular seaside resort 60 miles south of the largest city, Colombo.

Paradise for a couple. But for two single lads? We managed to find a party or two but don't expect 18-30-style jamborees.

Do expect to go on a boat tour, though. We took in a scenic ride on Lake Kosgoda. Seeing the wildlife and water was enough for me but we were then surprised by a jungle trek to observe a traditional Sri Lankan clay hut.

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An old couple still live there and tourists get to see cinnamon stick-chopping displays - you can eat them too, it turns out - and a girl making rope from coconut hair.

To see this at such close quarters was both humbling and impressive.

Traditional ... fishing

In the back yard of such a house grows mango, lime, curry, turmeric, tamarin and cinnamon - whereas if you look into the back garden of a typical British home, all you're likely to see is a naughty fox and next door's football.

On the booze front, local beer is generally all you can get unless you fancy something stronger - the local coconut rum arrack is served in most bars.

At the end of the volunteer experience, the workers are allowed to ride elephants down to the river.

There you can enjoy an elephant shower. Its trunk sucks up nearly a gallon of water at a time before spraying it over its head - and straight into your face.

Imagine a bucket of elephant nose-soaked water emptied straight on to your head and you are there.