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Published: January 22nd 2009
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After spending a fantastic couple of weeks with the girlies (mwaaaahh!!!!), it came to the time where we all had to go our separate ways 😞 .... for now anyway!!
Next stop - Chiang Mai!!
After a quick stop off over in Phuket...or should i say F..k it (wow not a nice place for backpackers to go!! sleeze on wheels!! no we do not want to go to a Ping Pong show for the 48th MILLION time!! grrrr), we made our way to the north of Thailand to Chiang Mai!!
What a lovely city - completely different to the islands with a lot of quirky wee markets, and well, no beaches!! lol!
Our first night, we spent round the markets picking up a few bargains before getting an early night for the Elephants the next day (yeaaah!!!)
Elephant Time!!
Firstly, a big well done to Rob for even coming along to the elephant trecking, let alone riding one! With a HUGE fear of animals you really did so well getting over your fear!! yeaaahhhh!!!
So anyway....elephant trecking!!
WOW, what an experience!!
A group of only 4, we set off in this wee Thai man's car out
to an elephant sanctuary where you get to actually ride on the elephants, rather than just sitting on a big seat on their backs!
After a quick briefing, and a ridiculous outfit to change into, we were ready for some elephant time!!
First things first - we need to feed them!! WTF!!!??! I am NOT putting my hand in that mouth...you have got to be kiddin!!
But no no, before we even thought of gettin on the elephants we had to hand feed them bananas and sugar cane!
Now when i say hand feed, i mean HAND IN MOUTH FEEDING!! eeek! A bit of a slimy experience i have to say, but fantastic! Getting so close to these amazing animals and actually being able to feed them was so surreal!
Next stage - climbing onto the elephant!
Now getting on an elephant is not an easy task!
Firstly, you need to hold onto their ear with one hand, grab a big bit of elephant skin round their tum with the other hand, tap their foot for them to raise it up and one, two,three you are on the back of an elephant!!
Hah easier said than done....a few
attempts later and we were pro's practically running up their legs and vaulting onto their backs! woohoo we are actually on an elephant!!!
Stearing!!
Now these elephants have been trained to listen to commands (in Thai) that will direct them left, right, forward, back,stop etc. so our next task was to learn how to actually control where we are going!!
After a quick lesson in Thai we were off on a wee training run, attempting to stear this animal left or right.....
Not easy and by god your legs hurt but a lot of fun!!
Elephants really are so gentle and kind, yes HUGE but lovely animals!!
A quick morning done and dusted and our wee training man decided to treat us with a wee elephant tricks before lunch!
Before we knew it, we were getting lifted up in the air, gettin cuddles and kisses and playing some games with the elephants! So cute!!
A gorgeous Thai lunch (mmm) and we were ready for our elephant treck!
All nicely donned up in our Mahood outfits (so sexy!!!) and off we went!
We trecked up a huge mountain on the backs of these elephants, attempting to not stear
them into bushes and trees!! A few eek moments and we made it to the top of the mountain!
WOW, what breathtaking views!
We were so busy trying to stay on the back on the thing we didnt take a chance to see the real Chiang Mai, but wow it was stunning! Just so much greenery everywhere, a lovely other side to Thailand we hadn't yet experienced!
Before we knew it we were back on the elephants and heading back down the mountain, via a nice watering hole for the elephants to take a drink from....or so we thought!
Next min, the trunks are in the water and projecting a funnel of water all over us!
SOAKED!!
Lots of fun and just shows how playful these animals really are!
Back on the trek down the mountain (and nearly fallin off btw!!), we made it back to where the elephants stay! Little did we know they would just walk straight into the water for bath time!
Yup, bath time!
We had to wash down the elephant in this huge river!
What a surreal experience but great!
Elephants being elephants love water, and before we knew it, it was water fight time!!
woohoo!!
Yeh 4 girls v 4 elephants you can guess who came out worse.... but what a great laugh!! 😊
An amazing day had by all and an experience we certainly wont forget!
On our way back to the hostel, we were in for a treat!
Our wee Thai man took us to the Tiger Temple where you get to get in a cage with the tigers!! eeek!
Crazy i know but yes, we took the opportunity and before we knew it we were in this cage with 4 HUGE tigers running about past us!
Only after we entered the cage did we think, WTF are we doing in here?!
Not breathing for the whole time we were in there, we plucked up the courage to pat the tiger.......on its back that is! Holy crp that was scary but wow, we were actually touching a tiger!! fantastic!
That didnt last too long before it jumped up and started chasing another one in there....cue time to back down and just watch from a distance!
The whole time we were in the cage the tigers were running past us, playing in the water, play fighting it was absolutely brilliant!!
What
beautiful creatures!!
Phew...what a day!!! An experience we will never forget!!
Lessons learned:
*Elephants sh*t ALL the time
*No matter how much mossie spray you use, the b*st*rds will STILL bite you......26 bites on one leg (Juli), enough said!!!
*Tigers will eat you if you get too close!!
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