A beautiful photograph came out of this terrifying moment during a mahout training program I did with Jewel Travel Laos. I completely overexerted myself swimming upstream - what felt like an impulsive move for survival - during a playful afternoon bathing with an elephant or two. The mahout and his elephant save me and pick me up as I emerge from the cold water. Panting, relieved, and at the same time totally taken aback are all elements captured in my face here, because for the first time in this split-second moment with the elephant still in motion, I realized I was riding an elephant bareback. The exhaustion, the relief, the fright and the amazement all in one. I stayed in a remote village of 200 people that night. A beautiful and magical experience, and a moment I'll never forget...