Up bright and early to wave emma off on her 7 day volunteering trip with the elephants then packed my stuff up ready to be picked up for my elephant trip! Ended up being just me and two German girls. Stopped off at a market on the way to buy lunch and arrived about 10am at the sanctuary. Had to hike through the jungle for about 30minutes until we reached where the elephants were. Felt a bit overwhelmed when I first saw them, this has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember! They were gorgeous, a 4 year old named aio and a 30 year old named mula. We got changed into mahoot outfits and fed the elephants bananas, they were so cheeky, especially the baby, kept trying to steal them out of my bag! They had taught him to say thank you which was just the cutest thing! We walked with them down to the river where they had a drink and just sat and watched them for ages, so quiet and tranquil, I could have sat there all day! It's nice that the people who look after them just let them do as they please, and we have to wait for them, not them following a schedule for us! Had some lunch, egg fried rice served in a banana leaf and loads of fresh fruit. Sat in a hut with a giant spider hanging from the ceiling but I stayed in there which I think is a major achievement for me!! After lunch, we hiked up the river and then bathed the elephants in the water which was incredible! The baby kept squirting us with water but they loved being brushed, the mahoots said it was like a massage for them! After their bath, the baby ran straight into the mud and started throwing it all over himself and rolling in it! After that, we followed the elephants again as they trekked through the jungle, they are amazingly agile for such big animals and could fit down the smallest paths! Fed them some more fruit when we got back and then had to leave. So glad I am coming back tomorrow, one day has not been enough! The tuktuk dropped me off at a home stay in the local village, a little hut with a mosquito net over a bed and a little bathroom but it was nice to see proper Thailand! They made me dinner and I had a couple of beers with them, chatted about Thailand and Buddhism and played with the dogs! Got an early night and listened to some relaxing music!