Chiang Mai is amazing
There is SO much to tell.
So, first, buses here are crazy. Crazy awesome, that is: They lean back so far; there are various cup holders; we were given dinner and breakfast with coffee; movies play; blankets are given out. Some even have individual touch screens with video game controllers. Cah-razy!
We arrived in Chiang Mai at 6:30am, and tried finding a hostel in the old city. We went to 4, but no one had space. We then stopped in at a hotel that is actually so incredibly nice. The old city is quaint, and relatively small/easy to get around .... and full of Western tourists. I quite like it, not because of the tourists, but due to the number of markets, temples, and hostels.
Today was a great day. We went with Chok Chai tours, who definitely did not disappoint, to an elephant camp. First, went bamboo rafting down a river. We moved way faster than I was expecting, but it wasn't too fast that I was scared. Then, we saw an elephant show - they painted pictures, put balls into baskets, kicked soccer balls into nets, and were generally just incredibly cute. The youngest was 3 years, the oldest 14. We were given lunch: buffet style delicious Thai food, and walked across a wooden rickety bridge to the elephants.
Riding an elephant is one of the coolest things I have ever done. First, we hopped on to the seat on her back. She was the smallest of the elephants to ride there. Thank goodness, too, cause it was scary being so high up and not really being strapped in and having the potential to slip on the mud and fall. Half way through, the driver, who rides on the elephant's neck got off, and told me to get on. So, I hopped on to her neck, sitting on her shoulders, with my legs behind her ears. COOLEST THING EVER: To feel her shoulders moving under me, to feel her ears slap my legs - and those are huge and really weird feeling ears, to feel her super thick skin and put my head on her head. Man alive, as if that happened. The coolest thing: in the creases where it's not as weathered, she's pink with spots. Actually pink, with greyish spots. And elephants have hair! Really thick, black hair!
Once we got off at the platform, there were various elephants around that we could pet. We were going down the stairs, and the little baby was standing there with his mother. This baby was only a few months old, but he was well aware that bananas were on the platform and that we would give them to him. So, he pushed past me, pushed Sarah out of the way off the stairs, and went up a few to get bananas from the other tourists. I was stuck with a baby elephant in my pelvis. It was awesome!! The mother was eyeing me, and I was patting her trunk, but she seemed a little wary of how her baby was doing. Eep eep!
We're off to the Night Bazaar tonight, and tomorrow is temple day, and time to find a new hostel. Today was amazing, and I will NEVER forget it - elephants are, after all, my favourite animal. :)
So, first, buses here are crazy. Crazy awesome, that is: They lean back so far; there are various cup holders; we were given dinner and breakfast with coffee; movies play; blankets are given out. Some even have individual touch screens with video game controllers. Cah-razy!
We arrived in Chiang Mai at 6:30am, and tried finding a hostel in the old city. We went to 4, but no one had space. We then stopped in at a hotel that is actually so incredibly nice. The old city is quaint, and relatively small/easy to get around .... and full of Western tourists. I quite like it, not because of the tourists, but due to the number of markets, temples, and hostels.
Today was a great day. We went with Chok Chai tours, who definitely did not disappoint, to an elephant camp. First, went bamboo rafting down a river. We moved way faster than I was expecting, but it wasn't too fast that I was scared. Then, we saw an elephant show - they painted pictures, put balls into baskets, kicked soccer balls into nets, and were generally just incredibly cute. The youngest was 3 years, the oldest 14. We were given lunch: buffet style delicious Thai food, and walked across a wooden rickety bridge to the elephants.
Riding an elephant is one of the coolest things I have ever done. First, we hopped on to the seat on her back. She was the smallest of the elephants to ride there. Thank goodness, too, cause it was scary being so high up and not really being strapped in and having the potential to slip on the mud and fall. Half way through, the driver, who rides on the elephant's neck got off, and told me to get on. So, I hopped on to her neck, sitting on her shoulders, with my legs behind her ears. COOLEST THING EVER: To feel her shoulders moving under me, to feel her ears slap my legs - and those are huge and really weird feeling ears, to feel her super thick skin and put my head on her head. Man alive, as if that happened. The coolest thing: in the creases where it's not as weathered, she's pink with spots. Actually pink, with greyish spots. And elephants have hair! Really thick, black hair!
Once we got off at the platform, there were various elephants around that we could pet. We were going down the stairs, and the little baby was standing there with his mother. This baby was only a few months old, but he was well aware that bananas were on the platform and that we would give them to him. So, he pushed past me, pushed Sarah out of the way off the stairs, and went up a few to get bananas from the other tourists. I was stuck with a baby elephant in my pelvis. It was awesome!! The mother was eyeing me, and I was patting her trunk, but she seemed a little wary of how her baby was doing. Eep eep!
We're off to the Night Bazaar tonight, and tomorrow is temple day, and time to find a new hostel. Today was amazing, and I will NEVER forget it - elephants are, after all, my favourite animal. :)
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