Funniest thing I ever saw in my life: I was walking down the dirt street in the middle of a jungle village way up the Mekong River in Northern Thailand, near Burma. There was a cross trail -- another dirt street -- up ahead of me, and suddenly this gigantic buffalo stuck his head around the corner, looked both ways, and confirming it was all clear, he trotted on around the corner and up the street toward me, surrounded by a whole herd of friends, about twenty or so huge water buffalo with gigantic heads and huge shoulders and horns. A lot of beef (or whatever you call it) on the hoof, trotting happily around the corner and up the street, minding their own business and not a human anywhere around. They seemed perfectly content and knew where they were going -- didn't need anyone to help them, thanks, very much! I watched them move on down toward the center of this little village, thatched homes on stilts with little piglets living under them in the shade, and they came to another cross trail and they all stopped at once. Seems a couple of elephants were coming down the cross street heading for the river, also unaccompanied by driver or herdsman, perfectly tamely going about their business. The buffalo waited patiently until the elephants had gone by, and then started up again like a mess of lorries at a green light. I wish I had had a video camera. It was surreal.

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