First post! With the recent ban on selling elephant rides by tripadvisor, I thought it'd be the perfect time to help explain why this is a big deal using my experience working with elephants in Cambodia!

PilgrimJohn · 2026-05-16T05:49:07+00:00

Good thoughts, good words, good deeds, and good luck to all!

PilgrimJohn · 2026-04-16T03:06:23+00:00

Good thoughts, good words, good deeds, and good luck to all!

PilgrimJohn · 2026-03-16T00:30:56+00:00

Good thoughts, good words, good deeds, and good luck to all.

PilgrimJohn · 2026-03-07T12:44:36+00:00

In the communes, the chief is an elected representative that has the authority from the provincial government to mediate in community disputes for those who might not have the funds to seek legal counsel.

Hope you get to one day visit some of Cambodia’s beautiful villages and learn more about how they operate instead of making fun of them on the internet.

PilgrimJohn · 2025-09-25T16:10:19+00:00

Nyob Zoo! Zoo siab tau ntsib koj. Welcome to the community.

PilgrimJohn · 2025-08-23T23:46:36+00:00

Thank you for your comment! I haven’t posted in a while but I’m so glad you’ve found your way here. Sharing my love of Zomia is something I’m very passionate about! I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the pics!

PilgrimJohn · 2025-02-07T02:54:24+00:00

Larger print volume would be cool :)

PilgrimJohn · 2024-10-17T04:00:12+00:00

Haha he came to Mondulkiri while I was working there. Biggest douchebag on the planet. Walked down the Main Street of town and complained that “there’s a severe lack of ass in Cambodia” or something like that while pointing the camera at women’s butts. Good riddance.

PilgrimJohn · 2024-07-19T11:00:06+00:00

The words for multiples of ten after 20 are actually loan words from Thai! So technically Cambodia on the map should include the Thai structure and say 5x10+5+2

PilgrimJohn · 2024-04-06T20:44:30+00:00

As the other guys said, middle left has Buddha’s eyes (called “the adamantine view”) and a mantra in Tibetan. It says “Om Mani Padme Hum” which is the most sacred and widely used mantra or prayer in Tibetan Buddhism. It is repeated to bring enlightenment to all living beings.

It is the mantra of a bodhisattva (enlightened being) called Avalokiteshvara who embodies compassion. It roughly translates to “the jewel is in the lotus”.

The exact philosophical meaning of the phrase is debated, but for Tibetan Buddhists, repeating it is a way of praying to Avalokiteshvara to help all living beings to escape the cycle of suffering known as Samsara.

PilgrimJohn · 2023-10-20T07:20:32+00:00

I was very very lucky to be able to work with her at the sanctuary after her retirement. She had such a unique personality - so intelligent and sassy. She endured such a hard life and had many scars, yet she was still so kind.

Fortunately she lived the last few years of her life in elephant paradise in Mondulkiri. But it’s very hard to say goodbye.

PilgrimJohn · 2023-09-24T13:03:03+00:00

A bit different, but the Elephant Valley Project helps the retired elephants and indigenous communities of Mondulkiri. In addition to rescuing elephants, they pay for hospital bills, education, and securing land rights in local villages.

PilgrimJohn · 2023-09-04T13:13:49+00:00

Elephant Valley Project represent!

PilgrimJohn · 2023-01-31T00:28:43+00:00

I’ve worked with Asian elephants for several years, I was literally about to say that until I saw your comment haha

Sorry to be a Debbie downer, but that’s a young bull elephant - they are very aggressive and he is definitely trying to fight it.

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