Dear Air India

11 LonglandsRd New Mills STOCKPORT Cheshire SK12 3BL 17th April 1994 Linda Woolnough Reservations Superintendent Air India 17/18 New Bond Street LONDON W1Y 0BD     Dear Linda Woolnough     Thankyou for your letter of 13th April. Thankyou also for your concern as to whether or not I would be within the law using an elephant on my smallholding. However, you have no need to worry on that score, as I have already cleared the matter with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries. Incidentally, they think that it is a first class ecological idea, and have asked me to get in touch with them once I actually have the elephant 'in situ' as it were, as they want to send a man along to conduct an experiment - something to do with feeding the elephant in such a way that its digestive system is working to the optimum, so that when it is pulling the plough it not only cultivates the earth but manures it at the same time. I must say I hadn't thought of that one! I haven't yet heard from your Manchester office, but in the meantime I wonder if you could help me with a small problem? You see being English and brought up in the city I have no experience of handling elephants, and with this in mind I was wondering whether, during my stay in India, it would be possible for me to have elephant riding lessons? I realise of course that I could walk behind the elephant, as farmers once walked behind their horses, but quite frankly I don't really fancy doing that in view of what I wrote about the elephant manuring the earth. No, I want to learn to ride an elephant like Sabu used to ride one, sat on its head with my legs dangling down either side - although I think I'll skip the loincloth. Perhaps you could let me the name of a reputable elephant riding school in the Bombay area? I would be most grateful if you could. Looking forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely T Ravenscroft (Mr)