Basically today turned out to be miles better than yesterday and probably one of the most amazing days of my life so far! I'm taking a risk and thinking there will probably be a few more!! Also going to give you a heads up and say this will take you a good 10 minutes to read..

So first stop was to a local market where we picked up breakfast for both us and the elephants we were about to meet! I ended up getting sticky rice with custard wrapped in a banana leaf. It was the nicest breakfast I've ever eaten! I am aware it sounds a bit funky but it tasted amazing!

We got to the elephant sanctuary and were given our official mahout outfit to wear whilst we were riding them. Obviously they weren't all that flattering but I quietly reminded myself that it wasn't a fashion show and it was about the elephants, not me! We fed the elephants their breakfast! True story - there was a baby dumbo lookalike, he got on his knees and whistled for sugar cane and bananas! Talented guy right?!

After that, it was time to get on this bad boy.. Watching myself get on this tank of an elephant, was, no joke like a scene from a carry on film. I was standing on his leg (the elephants!) then as I was pulling myself up I ended up bashing his ear and then sitting on his head. Poor guy must have been glad when I was off him!
Riding bareback on an elephant was the most amazing feeling. You are just so high and you're just bumbling along waiting while they steal some snacks from the bushes! I will never forget that feeling! We rode them to a river and waterfall and then once in the river, jumped off and gave them a wash! They just sat in the water, let us wash them and ducking in and out of the water almost as if they were playing hide and seek then spraying us when they came up! I don't think anything will ever top that, maybe come equal but never better!

After we changed we took a trip to an orchid farm which was very beautiful. Think of every colour you can and it was there, splashed over all the orchids. So I took an excessive amount of photos before we left for Tiger Kingdom.

Oh My Gawdddd! I was in the enclosure with THREE, yes three full size, real, breathing tigers! I didn't die! So basically we had lunch and by the restaurant the 'big tigers' enclosure was visible and they weren't lying, they were daddy tigers but they were also quite on show so having time with them was very public. I went for the medium tigers that were just 19 months old but looked big enough to be 19 years.. We were able to sit behind and beside them as well as lie on their backs and hold their tails! One of the tigers decided to hold my flip flop hostage and there was no way I was going to try shift it to get it back so I left it to the trainer! I managed to get loads of pictures just incase I ever forget a moment (which won't happen!)

After all that excitement we were taken to the highest point in Chiang Mai to take in the views and see how big this city really was! It was surrounded by mountains and fields but you could see how much the city is beginning to take over! There was a temple at the point called Doi Suthep which is where all the monks live! We had the chance to walk around the temple, shoes off, shoulders covered, and try to understand their way of life and their beliefs. Whilst we were up there, got myself blessed by a monk. Casual. He sprayed me with water, mumbled something to the Buddha and hey, I'm now blessed with good luck.. Well we shall see about that!