Elephants

The absolute highlight of our trip was spending the day at an elephant camp.

There are over 20 camps in Chiang Mai and all are a bit different....some you can ride the elephants, some you can't. Some put on "shows", where the elephants dance and paint. Others are adamantly against this, as brute force is used in teaching them these "tricks". 

I was looking for a place where we could be with the elephants in their natural environment, where they aren't paraded around or treated unfairly.

We felt good about Thai Elephant Home, and liked that all profits were going back to the elephants and environment...to reforestation, sheltering, and caring for the elephants. 

As you can see, they gave us some special denim outfits to wear...actually, by the end of the day, I was so glad my legs were covered as the mosquitos were ruthless.

We started the day feeding the elephants bamboo and learning how to get on and off of them. 

These were Thai elephants, and didn't speak English, so we were learning how to command them in Thai. See our trusty cheat-sheets around our necks??

After we were comfortable on their bare-backs, we set off in the jungle.

We stopped for LOTS of snacks...elephants should eat 10% of their body weight per day, so the entire time, they were eating vegetation, and the mahouts were running into the forest to grab them bamboo, bananas, or other fruits. 

Check out this big bite!

At one point, I was holding a bunch of bananas we grabbed from a tree...

 She would reach her trunk up, and I'd give her 2-3 at a time. 

We stopped periodically to give the elephants a rest...to re-apply bug spray, 

save a tree,

marvel at nature,

 and grab a delicious pad-thai lunch. 

After lunch, we continued onto the river for a swim...

 ...and proceeded to have a water fight. 

It was back on the trail, and we were headed back to camp. 

It was quite an amazing experience...to be so close to these gentle giants; to command them, ride them, play with them, and feed them. 

 At the end of the day, we were so dirty, smelly, and full of insect bites.

 This wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea, but I loved every minute of it. 

Hope you enjoyed seeing a bit of our day!

xx,

Lauren

T8!

It's Thursday morning, and we are currently in the middle of a T8! 

We haven't experienced a Typhoon 8 since September 2009, so we were kinda excited to have a "day off" when we woke up! 

 Roads that are usually slammed with traffic, are clear. 

 Visibility is poor, and everyone is staying home for the morning. 

It's kinda like a snow day! 

xx,

Lauren

Ch, Ch, Chang, Chang...Chaaaaang!

Chiang Mai is located in northern Thailand...away from the lure of its pristine beaches. Although Chiang Mai isn't necessarily "off the beaten path", it's not on everyone's travel itinerary and many pass over it, opting instead for places such as Bangkok, Phuket, and Koh Samui. 

Add this place to your list of must-sees, as it was truly one of my favorite Asian destinations!

It's quiet. Low-key. 

Although we (well, MP) spent alot of time working, and hammering out applications, we did manage to do so pool-side, sipping on a Singha, and marvelling about how productive he was being! We had some fun too though....

We spent Saturday morning wandering around the streets, temples, and popping into some local stores. 

The stores were magical little hide-aways. Most were at the bottom of an open-air apartment, and you'd walk through the door and into an oasis. 

I found them to be so charming. 

We happened upon a temple that was devoted to dogs. Yep, my favorite temple. Ever. 

 There were dogs everywhere...even this little guy (no, he's not dead) was sleeping at the foot of the plaque describing the temple. 

 We had some great dinners out, 

 hopped aboard some tuk-tuk's, 

 ...and took in the sights of the Saturday Night Market. 

 On our last night, we went to dinner at Le Grand Lanna

 We watched some Thai dancing, featuring dances from all over the country...

and then ate the best Mango Sticky Rice I have ever tasted. 

 To. Die. For.

Of course, a trip to Chiang Mai would not be complete without spending some time with the elephants...I promise, the next post is ALL about them!

xx,

Lauren