After working hard at the elephant camp (see previous blog), we returned to Chiang Mai with a laundry list of to-do's to take care of. Here's a taste of the "hardships" we've been enduring! First on our list was the Chiang Mai zoo. We were a little hesitant after our horrible experience with the Beijing Zoo, but we were pleasantly surprised. Most exhibits were comparable to their western counterparts. My favorite exhibit was Gibbon Island, which was really ...

Imagine for a moment that you're a working elephant. You spend your days laboring hard for the logging industry. It's a dangerous job, but it's certainly better than begging on the streets of Bangkok. But then one day, your luck takes a turn for the worse and you break your ankle. You're basically useless to your owner now, except for the purpose of breeding. You're tethered to a tree with a short rope and a huge bull elephant is brought in. If you struggle...