Wake up at 7am, Rikka had only managed to get 2 hours sleep! Get ready quite quickly and pack to leave the hostel. Grab 2 slices of toast with pineapple jam and a ninnan in the little garden. The mini van driver arrives at 8:45 and we are the last ones to be picked up so got to sit at the front with lots of room so it's very comfortable, no seat belts over hear unless you are driving or the passenger in the front!

Drive about 45minutes and stop at a services for a quick drink and toilet stop before continuing for another 10 minutes to Wood's Elephant Home in the hills/jungle.

As most places out here, when entering someone's house we had to take our shoes off; then sat down at a big table overlooking the little valley.

We then get taught by Woody about he different Elephants he has and how they are looked after after being rescued from the jungle, however some are now born at the Home.bWoody also explains the traditional techniques of using a spear type thing to control the elephant and how it's important that we understand that it's not to hurt the elephant but to be used as a command (will describe later). Basically, if you hurt the Elephant for no reason, it will hurt you for no reason - everyone's really pleased that do not have to hurt the elephant :) :)

We Are then taught different commands for controlling the elephant (will go through these in order in a minute). We are then provided with 'uniform' for the day and are split into 2 groups; poopoo and candy. Of course, we are in group poopoo!

Go down first with group poopoo to meet the elephants, Woody introduces us to them all including a mum and her calf who is only 7 weeks old! Other calf runs around like an excited puppy. We are not allowed to touch the end of the calf's trunk (her hand) as she will get sick from mosquito spray.

As Elephants remember sounds and smells really well we get to go to some of the elephants and feed them bananas and sugar cane, either by putting it straight into their mouth or giving it to their trunk for them to feed themselves. They don't have front teeth, just the huge ones at the back so don't have to worry about being bitten :)

We are then split into smaller groups and get to learn to climb onto the Elephant, scary!!! You always get on the elephant from its right hand side and you say "Yor kar" (meaning leg up) and the elephant will lift its leg up. You can then hold on to its ear lobe and a bit of skin just behind the elephant's front leg, placing your left foot on its heel and your right foot on its thigh. Once you have stood up you say "saaung" (meaning higher) and he elephant lifts it's leg higher so you can climb onto its shoulders. You have to shuffle forward to just behind the elephants head and lock your legs into behind the elephant's ears. To know you are 'locked in' properly we get to lay back on them and then forwards so you are leaning over its face for a cuddle :) to get off you do the same to get on but in reverse, however I managed to miss its legs and fall off hahaa :)

Once everyone has had a go we learn to direct the elephants, so we climb back on. To turn right you hold the spear in your right hand and place the point on the elephants left temple, lock your right leg in and gently kick the elephants ear with your left leg saying "kwaar". To turn left you do the same but with the other hands/legs and say "sai". To get the elephant to stop you say "yourt" and place the spear on the top of its head. Once everyone has had a go at that we have a break so that the elephants don't get too dizzy from all their pirouettes. This is when we get to clear up their poo with a cut up plastic petrol canister and throw into a wheelbarrow. Elephants poo for 21 hours of the day and sleep for 3; the also poo once per hour!

Once all the poo is cleared up we take it turns to get back on the elephant and learning to go backwards and forwards. To go forwards you just say "pai" and place the spear flat on top of the elephants head. To go backwards you have to shuffle your bum back and forth, place the spear between the elephants eyes and say "toy". We've now practiced everything so we break at 1pm for lunch where we are fed sweet and sour with fruit for afters. We get to relax in the shade while it rains for the first time since this morning in Chiang Mai when it was hammering it down.

As we head out again the sun comes out and it's REALLY hot! Rikka and I get given "Neung Phaa" to ride who is about 10ft tall! To start with I get on the back of her and Rikka climbs up and sits at the front to give the directions. Our elephant is really wide so I get an achey bum almost instantly! Walk down and over the lake and around the edge of the jungley bit around the edges of their fields, very pretty! It's quite scary going up and down hills as it feels like you could fall off at any point. We get off half way (about 15 minutes into the journey) and let the elephants wander off for 10 minutes to eat lots, they love it and keep doing little trumpets as they're happy :)

After about 10-15 mins we climb back on, this time I'm at he front. Start by going down a really steep and windy hill, so get to practice the commands. There is one guy to help with each elephant in case we get stuck though :) I was kicking behind the wrong ear and think I confused the elephant.

We then get led down a small stream which was really fun! And the elephants love it but poo in the stream. Rosie and Erin's elephant got its willy out, haa! Our Mahout (man) talks to our elephant and gets her to squirt us with water from her trunk, so funny!

Once out of the stream we are almost back where we started on the loop. The Elephants know they are almost at the end and start walking quickly to their big pile of sugar cane each. Now the elephants are taken to a shallow pond where they all lay down on their side. We can then get in and scrub them with brushes and splash them cool. Our elephant seemed to love it as she kept stretching her legs!

The elephants then move to be on their tummy and we can get on their backs in he water. Again, the Mahout speaks to the elephant and gets them to splash us with their trunks! We then try to stand up in the elephant which is quite difficult and tickley, they them splash us some more which makes me almost fall off! Aha! Time for us to get out now, walked over yo where we left our clothes not realising their was still more!

Get to a much deeper lake where we climb onto the elephants before they walk into the lake with us on their backs. They love the water and keep bobbing up and down so it was a lot like a roller coaster, but so much better! Just as we were about to get out of the water our elephant goes back down and almost makes Rikka's face get the poo that was bobbing around from the elephant in front of us!

Out of the water we each get to sit on he trunks of 2 elephants who are holding their trunks together, like a swing! So funk and get out picture taken! Finally we get a urge group photo with he elephants in it too! When it's the end of the day we all start clapping and saying thank you the elephants all trumpet, so cute!

Head back to the cabin for showers and to get our stuff together ready for our trip home! Such an amazing experience and just for about £40! Whilst waiting for our ride we talk to Erin (19) & Rosie (18) who met at a ski season & have come out here together, they've been out here for 3 months! So tired, fall asleep on the way home in the mini van.

When I wake up we are about 30 minutes away and I start talking to Rikka about the day and say "Yourt" quite loud which makes the guy driving the taxi (same guy who taught us about riding elephants) slow down, then he realises I was just saying what I could remember and started doing the actions in the traffic jam :P

Get dropped off at about 5 and luckily Aoi has found another room for us do we move our stuff in :) and then book for our Thai cooking class tomorrow! Arrange for a taxi in the morning to take us to Tiger Kingdom :) after cooling down in our room we walk towards where we were the night before and find a small place called "Ugo" for food, right opposite the city wall.

I have thai green curry for 99 baht and a virgin mojito (like he mint mocktail in Dubai). Head back down to the street market in search of gifts. Get Lauren some Thai trousers, and some other things (not going to say what though). At the entrance to he market a man is selling bags, really nice ones for 250 baht, we say we would come back later and he immediately dropped the price to 120baht, bargain!

Get an elephant anklet each for 85baht. Walk back past John's bar again for a Samson and coke :) and on way back to hostel get a 60baht pancake (peanut butter and banana) each, yum! Get back to hostel at 10:15pm and cool down in room! Upload some elephant otitis to Rikka's phone and to facebook as I cannot wait any longer! Sit outside in the. Outstayed to write up the journal from the very long day and get armache. Back in bed by midnight.