Sawadee Ka!

So I have just finished a week playing with the elephants and it was an absolute blinder, an amazing way to start off the whole year. It was a relatively early start on Monday, getting to the Elephant Nature Park (ENP) office in Chiang Mai for 8am. There were muffins and free t-shirts though so not all bad! We piled into minibuses for the 60km or so trip up into the mountains to the ENP. Our guide was Chay, C, H, A, Y, as he reminded us everytime he spoke to us. He was an absolute legend but more on that later!

First impressions of the ENP were excellent - it has lots of open space, a river to wash the elephants in, and lots of cabins and chill out spaces. We were given a quick briefing on what not to do (mainly involving standing behind elephants, which I've learnt about anyway from experience with cows, getting stuck betwen elephants and teasing the elephants, which we would never do anyway). Then it was straight off for feeding time! Now we found out that elephants eat for 18 hours a day, and eat something like a 3rd of their body weight, so the food we were giving them, pumpkin, pineapple, bananas and watermelon, was just a mid morning snack. Their trunks are so tactile and it's so clever watching them use them like we use our hands pretty much.

After that we got to go wash them in the river with the mahouts (who stay with the elephants all through the day) and the volunteer coordinators (VC's), Chay, Aek, Thep and Mixx. Obviously it ended up in a big water fight which was very amusing, if a little chilly in the water!

On the first day we also got to stroke the elephants - they were a lot hairier than I thought, like stroking a scrubbing brush really. There are some really sad stories about the elephants Lek (the woman who started the park) has saved. Several have been maimed by land mines so have either no foot or a really knackered leg, one, Medo (my fave) had a broken hip when she came to the park, then last year one of the bull elephants tried to mount her and broke her back, then when she refused him he circled her for 3 days and wouldn't let anyone get near. What a total beast! Anyway so she is the parks most disabled elephant and I loved her more than the others. The babies were pretty close though! There were 2, a girl and a boy, and we couldn't get as close as the rescued elephants as the hope is that they can return to the wild eventually once it's safe for elephants again. There are also elephants who have been blinded by slingshots for refusing to work, some really horrific stories. People can be horrible.

The food all week was really impressive - although there was way too much tofu for my tastes! Still managed to stuff my face every day, although everyone now wants some time away from noodles and rice, hahaha.

The first night Nina and I found out we were in a room next to the loudest snorer known to humankind. Still managed to get some sleep, but the dogs (70 on site) had a tendency to howl at 5am when the sun was coming up which acted like an early alarm for me before the real thing went off at 6.30. Bad times. They dogs were so so cute though, apart from James Bond, Nik Noy (who we were warned look like friendly but not friendly) and another who we tended to avoid. Puppies were running about everywhere and it was generally bedlam but I loved it!

Anyway the days swiftly fell into a routine - up at 6.30, breakfast at 7, back to the room at 7.30 to brush teeth and put on sun cream, meet at volunteer area at 8 to find out which jobs our groups had (there were 4, a, b, c and d. we were b) then do jobs until half 10, feed elephants at 11.30, have dinner at 12, wash elephants at 1 if you wanted, then afternoon jobs from 2 - 4. There was a lot of spare time really so got to chill out and read a lot.

Jobs were varied and included washing the fruit so there were no pesticides, chopping it and carting it to the feeding area, chopping grass for the elephants with machetes (big elephant grass stuff not lawn grass, obv!), moving hay bales to feed the cattle and pony (bit different to doing it at home - no baler twine or machinery here!), digging sand to spread in the dog shelter that's been built for all the rescued dogs from the Bangkok floods,, planting sugar cane (hellish job), as well as some others we didn't have to do but the other groups did.

If I'm honest the worst part about the ENP was the day trippers getting in the way and stealing the elephants, and the freezing cold showers!

On the first day we also got to walk around the park and meet all the elephants, feeding them bananas and stroking them. One of the funniest lines of the week came from Chay when Camille, one of the girls, asked about Medo being injured by the male - his response ' yes they are big and heavy and dangerous for the girls - be careful of big men!' elicited massive laughs from the whole group. We heart him.

In the evenings for the first couple of nights we had a few talks - one from Antoinette, a Dutch activist who supports the park through her own charity, and also learnt some Thai from the VCs. My favourite was the word for 5 - hah, so now I can put 555 instead of hahaha. Classic. We also learnt the elephant song and dance (Chang Chang Chang) which made evryone look equally stupid and crease up in laughter.

On Wednesday we went to a local school where the children showed us how to do some handicrafts and make amazing sesame cookies. They are all from hill tribes so very poor - you made donations to the school for doing the activities which was nice. In the afternoon we moved some hay then went tubing as it was Hannah and Elles birthdays - was very nice rolling down the river back to camp! We found a local shop afterwards and bought some rum and coke - Song Sam, absolutely gorgeous and super cheap! Everyone was drinking that night so it was just fun hanging out and eating the birthday cake the ENP had organised for the girls (had elephants on obv!)

On Friday we cleaned up elephant poo - not great after drinking rum! They make it into paper so have to save it all - and keep the park clean as well of course! We also drove an hour in an open backed lorry to get some more hay - health and safety isn't a massive worry over here. In the evening I had a foot and body massage - was amazing, I was so so stiff!! I was still so full of cold the massage lady gave me some Thai vicks, 555.

The end of the week was pretty quiet - on Friday everyone was tired from Thursday and on Saturday it rained really heavily through the night and kept lots of people awake, including me due to the noise, and Nina as the roof dripped on her head. Woops. I spent most of the morning preparing elephant food and being pushed around on a wheely transporter by Ian, one of the Canadian boys who was there with his family, and sitting in a chair with a puppy asleep on my chest! On Saturday, our last night, we had a traditional Thai meal, with sticky rice, fried pumpkin, chicken stew, pork kebabs and other things I didn't like! I was mocked incessantly by most of the Aussies and Thep, the head VC for my accent - it seems that it is amusing wherever I go!! On Sunday we did a few jobs and packed ready to leave at 2. Nina and I had booked into 'A Little Bird' hostel in Chiang Mai for 3 nights before going to Vientiane to get our Vietnamese Visa from the embassy and go tubing in Laos! It's really nice and only 100 baht a night. It actually has hot showers so we never want to leave!! Chiang Mai is an awesome city, really laid back and pretty easy to walk to most of the main places. On Sunday night we went for some drinks for Emily's birthday, a big group of us from the park which was a lovely way to end the week. I ended up leaving early after getting lost looking for a 7/11 as I wanted something to eat, and got so lost that I had to go into a hotel and ask a concierge for the way back to the hostel! Typical. It was nothing to do with the 5 quid buckets of rum obviously... As a result of Sunday, Monday was spent going to Maccy's, reading in the dorm and eating burritos. In the evening we went to watch the celebrations for the King's birthday - you have never seen anything like it! They really love the Royal family in Thailand, the fireworks were even better than Florida and that's saying something! So we got to see some traditional dancing and all the various costumes the various hill tribes wear and stuff. So cultured! On Tuesday we went to Doi Suthep (look it up) which is a major temple in the area and ahs something to do with a sacred relic being carried up the mountain by a white elephant. It was a gorgeous place, with a lookout where you could see all the city below you, even though it was pretty hazy. The monks are lucky to live there! Apart from the 300 odd steps you have to climb up to get to the entrance - after 2 weeks of no exercise I was ready to die by the top. The afternoon was spent wandering round used bookshops looking for a new one to read - I've found a pretty weighty one which I'm hoping will keep me going through Laos! Then we were super touristy and went for Italian, just couldn't face more noodles or rice. Later on we walked down to the night bazaar, which is on every night and is basically loads of market stalls on the road side. Nina finally got her much longed for Chang top - if only they did one for Sang Som! There are just so many lovely things in the markets - it's so tempting to just fill up my bag now! On Wednesday we had booked our minibus to Laos so spent the day hanging out round the hostel - Nina had a killer cold so didn't feel like doing much of anything. I took myself off for a walk to try and find the city park but went the wrong way and decided I couldn't be bothered backtracking in the heat so went back to the hostel. Minibus was late - finally arriving at 8.30 after originally being promised for 6.30 but never mind - we have nowhere to be in any rush! This is the end of the Thailand story for now - at least until we come full circle and are back in Bangkok in January. As an aside, the Little Bird has the most awesome cat, Tigger better watch out!

Things I have learnt in Thailand.

• They have rice for literally every meal - even breakfast.

• They fully love the King and there are pictures of the Royal Family everywhere - I"m going to get one of the Queen for my front door when I get home.

• The kerbs are ridiculously high for a country where I feel like a giant.

• If you walk away from a tuk tuk driver they will give you a miles lower price.

• Drivers don't care about pedestrians or any potential road laws.

• Mosquitoes love me, even with deet on up to my eyeballs.

• Thais are very very friendly and pretty much always willing to help!

• White elephants belong to the King.

• Women can't touch monks and they are the next most respected people after the King and the Royal Family.

• Thai people love foot massages.

Hope to hear your thoughts on my ramblings!!

Becca xx