Thailand(2) & Elephants!!!

---

We now had our final 2 weeks in Thailand, before having to "think the unthinkable" & head back home....but before that, we had plenty to do:

- we spent a night in the Thai border town of Chiang Khong, helping Brian & Emily (from our river cruise) celebrate Emily's birthday, and finding the most fabulous 'wat' (temple) in town (which had the best internal paintings that we had seen to date on our trip).

- we had a few days exploring Chiang Rai, which has more of a feel of the real, old Thailand - ie: if Chiang Mai is how Bangkok used to be, then Chiang Rai is how Bangkok would have been even earlier (before tourism really took off). We explored the wats along the quiet back-streets, which had an almost country-like feel to them, visited the hilltribe museum in town and enjoyed the 'non-Bangkok-ness' of this northern Thai town.

- we took a day-excursion up to visit the Golden Triangle (point of Mekong River where Myanmar, Laos & Thailand all meet), visit the market-sites run by some hilltribes (they are not 'real' villages, just tourist attractions for the tribes to sell souvenirs at!) and then had a transfer down to Chiang Mai.

- we spent three days as volunteers at an elephant nature park, less than an hour outside of Chiang Mai (www.elephantnaturepark.org), where we got to feed, bathe and go on walks with some of the gorgeous Thai elephants that they care for in the park. Most of the elephants in the park are victims of abuse from previous owners, but have since been cared for & brought back to good health. It is quite an eye-opening place with regards to how many elephants are harshly treated in other 'parks'/'camps' around Thailand, but which the lack of knowledge of tourists continues to perpetuate. After all, people pay big money to see elephants in the wild in Africa, so why expect them to do tricks / rides in Thailand & not just watch them in a more natural environment?

- we spent a few days in Chiang Mai, buying up a lot of souvenirs from the extensive night bazaar(s), touring the outlying silk and lacquerware factories and generally soaking up the atmosphere.

- after catching the night train back to Bangkok, we made a trip out to see the Floating Markets (to buy lots more souvenirs!) and spent a night in the relaxing town of Kanchanburi. The town is famous for being where the 'Bridge over the River Kwai' was built and we visited the new war museum (explaining the harsh conditions under which the POWs were forced to work in constructing the Thailand-Burma Railway for the Japanese); however, we also found time to have a final Thai massage and locate an excellent curry house for dinner!!

Now it is the end of our trip, and we have had to return to the UK - boo! hoo! Having to work for a living now beckons again - but we look forward to catching up with friends and family back home, and to visiting those of you that we have met on our travels (if we have not already done so!!)

---

Photos

At the Golden Triangle...
...statues by where Myanmar, Thailand & Laos all adjoin the Mekong River

Long-necked Karen 'hilltribe' village
The tribe are actually native to Myanmar (Burma), but can be found in Thailand to meet tourist demands!

Elephant bath time!!
H helps bathe Thai

Elephant walking
C and H with Lily (and her mahout)

H with Thai
at feeding time

Temple of Dawn
in Bangkok

Catching the bus...
...when buying a bus ticket you always need to remember to check (i) if bus in picture is one you will actually be on, and (ii) how old the picture is (ie: is it from when the bus was new 10 years ago?!!)