FROM WHALES TO ELEPHANTS AND TURTLES
Our guides spend most of their summers onboard our boats, watching whales and nature together with passengers from all corners of the world. But, what do they do in the winter? The following text is our guide Ann-Sophie's adventurous story:
"After working nearly the whole season for GG, I decided to do something different throughout autumn and winter. I was planning two different projects; volunteering in Thailand as well as on the Seychelles.
On November 3rd I started my journey to Thailand. There I spent six weeks by an organisation called Friends For Asia. The first two weeks I worked in Meataman Elephant Camp cleaning stables and bathing elephants. Within the next two weeks I taught English to Buddhist monks in one of the temple schools in Chiang Mai. The two last weeks I spent working in an orphanage in Chiang Mai, enjoying the time taking care of- and playing with 30 orphans.
When I was back home in Germany to spend Christmas with family and friends, my next project was not far away...
In January I began my two month marine conservation project on the Seychelles by the organisation GVI (Global Vision International). During very basic living conditions I learnt to identify and monitor 14 coral families containing 50 genera of coral found in the reefs around the Seychelles together with volunteers from all over the world. Beside the coral reef we also monitored the behaviour of green- and hawksbill turtles. The whole project was interesting, good fun and absolutely gorgeous!
To close the circle again I will be back in Iceland in April to work as guide for GG as I did last summer and watch all those marvellous whales, which are still my favourites.
Ann-Sophie bathing an elephant in Thailand...
...Teaching English to Buddhist monks...
...And diving on a reef in the Seychelles.
- No wonder we call her The Adventurer -
(LIA)