Repairing the Roof at Elephant Haven

constructing a thatched roof at Elephant Haven
Originally uploaded by Asia Trip2007.

It was an hours hike up the mountain side after the river crossing. We arrived at Elephant Haven at around 3:30pm. It was an open concept bunglelow with a kitchen area, sleep area and a pit toilet 20 metres south. The whole building is constructed on a forty five degree angle mountain side.

We discovered, once removing the old thatched roofing, that the bamboo struts were also rotted and needing replacing. Pom ordered around 40 thick bamboo poles using her cell phone,but needed some volunteers to make the hike back down the mountain to the river crossing, wait for the truck then hump the loads of bamboo back up on our backs.

I volunteered without knowing what I was getting into, along with 3 others who weren't totally tuckered from the first hike up, to help out.
Who knew that bamboo would be so heavy. It was very heavy, long and cumbersome, the walk was very hot and dusty, and I was carrying the bottom half of the load (heavier) as my counterpart was a smoker, and he had problems with the weight and breathing (he was only 26 and muscular, I would hate to see him 30 yrs from now!).

I would say the weight was only 60lbs total for the 8 long pieces percariously balanced, but slugging it on your shoulder, attached to someone elses movements and going up a 45 degree angle (foot slipping with every step in the loose dusty soil) was quite tricky and tiring with many stops to get our energy back, switch shoulders, and take a sip of water. I think the journey took us twice as long and when we arrived back at the haven, I dumped the load and collapsed on the floor for a nap.

Day two was spent repairing the roof. The new bamboo was attached to the frame and then all able bodied volunteers wanting to help climbed onto the bouncy bamboo struts and started tying the grass roof up in a shingled pattern. In this photo, my new buddy Rose was working on a ledge on the inside and stuck her head through the small opening which hadn't been completed yet. We were around12 ft from the ground balancing on the bamboo poles, what a neat experience.