Thailand: I washed an elephant.

If you viewed this post yesterday (Jan. 31st), I found some more photos and added them to the top this morning.



The next day we had to wash the elephants again to prepare for the show, which we were to take a small part in that day. I still didn't want to get in the river, so they asked if I'd like to wash the baby (the 4 year old I was seen riding earlier). So, I did and it was fun. She laid down and rolled around. So cute! She seemed to enjoy it. I kept having to back up because she kept rolling around on her back like a puppy dog.

Thailand: Cooking at the elephant camp

We got a little mini cooking class at the camp. The food there was fantastic. We ate so good there. Chiang Mai in general has by far the best food in Thailand. We just couldn't get good food after we left that area. Above: Markian is cutting veggies for the stirfry. Below, I'm stiring the Tom Yum Soup.


Markian is making the veggie stir fry.

It wasn't a proper cooking class, as they'd already done most of it for us, but enjoyable non-the-less and I was so tired at the point, I was kinda glad it wasn't. Later during the trip we pay the money and take a full on cooking class. Anyway, it was good food, and they catered toward my picky needs. I love Thai food! There is way more than I can eat here in Japan. The lady also made us the Chicken with hot chili basil sauce which is one of my favorite Thai dishes. That was the best one I'd ever had and I tried it twice more on the trip. Good stuff! I'd come back for the food alone!

Thailand: The Baby Elephant

There was a baby that was only 22 days old at the camp. So, so cute! Really, really hairy though. The younger they are, the more of that coarse wiry hair they seem to have. Later after all the tourist had left the camp. One of the mahouts showed us around. The baby was friendly and came right up to me, which he hadn't done earlier in the day. The pictures shown first are from later in the day.

So cute! These elephants can't go back to the jungle at night like the others. The elephants with tusks can't go either as there are bad people that will kill them for their tusks. The others go back every day at about 3 PM and then come back at 7 AM. The Mahouts ride them into the jungle about 2 hours. We rode 1 hour of it and it's slow going and up steep rocky cliffs. Beautiful though. I will never forget early the next morning as we rode back from the jungle after walking to pick up our elephant. The mist was all over the rice fields and it was so quiet except for the chickens. I really wish I'd had my camera, but seeing as I was afraid of letting go to take a photo, I guess it was wise I didn't take it. What a wonderful experience.



This is more of the camp after close. The buildings you see below are where some of the local people who work in the camp live.

Thailand: Spider ATTACK!

After a wonderful lunch (the food here was some of the best we had in Thailand), we walked back to our room for an afternoon break. The accommodation was a little rustic, but we are in the middle of the junk at an elephant camp, so I wasn't expecting too much. I started to sit down on the bed and then I saw it... I biggest spider between the two beds, on the floor, just hanging out. It was so still and so big (it's body wasn't, but it's legs were which made it the size of a hand) I didn't think it was real at first. I told Markian and he quickly put a trash can on top of it (see below)
We spent the next hour debating how in the heck to get that thing out of our room, and wondering how we were going to sleep at night. Below, Markian is explaining possible plans to get that thing the heck outta there!
FINALLY, he slide a piece of plastic under it and while we both screamed he ran outside and flung it into the yard. I got a picture of it before it crawled out of the trash can really quickly. And yes, I was screaming while I took this picture. What an adventure...

Thailand: Markian washed an elephant...yes, he did, really...

So after learning and still learning how to get on and off and stop and go, we ride down by the river because it's time for the elephants to take their bath. I didn't want to get in the water because I was afraid of freshwater parasites that you can get by going in freshwater in Asia. They go in through your skin. Yes, I'm paranoid, but parasites are nasty. Also it was the morning and the water had to be cold. Originally Markian was the one not wanting to go. However, once we got down there he wanted to do it and I backed out. Getting off the elephant was difficult. Markian got off first and then the elephant got back up. They had to make it lie back down again so I could get off. Below they're trying to get me to tell it to lie down.

So the above picture I took, but the ones the guys in the water took were better so I mostly posted those which are what you see below. The guys below are who went went into the jungle with later. More about that later although I don't have any pictures from it.

Markian said the water was as cold as I though and well, the elephant pooped in the water too. Lovely.

They don't seem as big when they're lying down.
He's making sure he gets her squeaky clean!
The Mahouts must wash their elephants every day. The elephants seem to enjoy their bath.
Yeah, strangely enough he enjoyed this or at least seemed to even if he won't admit it and this is what he didn't want to do. Well, he thought I was crazy for wanting to do this program at all, but I proved him wrong there too. Good times.

Thailand: Getting on an Elephant

So, after the show, they took us to an area where some of the elephants are kept during the day and there is a big open pasture area. We got some water and cleaned our hands off. They were really good about keeping us hydrated here! We got a little booklet with commands in Thai (you can see it sticking out of our shirt pockets above) for the elephants to tell them to stop, go, turn left, turn right, lie down...etc. At the point all I could remember was Stop and turn (in no particular direction), which was good enough for me. Stop is the most important word I think...

To get on, there are two ways. The easiest way is to tell the elephant to lie down and then climb up, which if it's a big elephant, is still a long ways up. The first time I got on the big adult elephant, she didn't lie down and she only bent her leg and I had to crawl up it. That was super difficult! They had to give me a push, or I never would have made it.
Markian was the first one to brave it. They were so big and as much as I wanted to do it, I was scared. I have height issues sometimes. So I made him go first. He looked pretty confident up there, which made me feel better although I don't think he felt so confident.
I was content just to walk and watch him ride at first. He seemed so high above the ground. But then they said I could ride the "baby". The baby was about 4 years old. So not full grown. Still looked huge to me... Scary enough. The adults you ride on their neck, but the baby you have to ride further back on it's spine and it's a much bumpier ride and there is less to hold onto. You just kinda have to lean back and lock you legs. I really didn't figure the leaning back thing out until the next day. Here I am below, nervously riding the baby elephant.

I have to say, she did listen to me. When I rode the adult later, he didn't listen so much and just did whatever he felt like. If I said stop the baby stopped, so I liked her. But yeah it was super bumped and I felt like I was going to be thrown off at first til I got used to it. You feel so high up. Almost like you're flying or something. Isn't she so cute?
Then we swapped and Markian rode the baby and I rode the adult. The adult wasn't as scary as to feeling so unstable and more comfortable, but yeah it didn't listen to me at all. Markian said I wasn't firm enough. It was even more high up which was really crazy. Oh and the big one is Ma Pen....I think was it's name. Crap, I can't remember. I will have to look in my stuff later. It was the one we road to the jungle each time. I rode the baby more than Markian though. This was the only time he rode it.

The elephants skin is very rough and the younger ones are really bristly. I scratched myself getting off the elephant. Oh and getting off of the elephant sucks let me tell you. Even if they lay down, you still are high up and they don't want to lay down for long so you have to hurry and get off. That was the scariest part for me.

The mahout trainers were awesome! Some of the nicest people I've ever met. Everyone there was very friendly.
I love this picture! I didn't realize the elephants were even posing when we were on them! Loads more elephant camp to come! Next we (well Markian cause I am a chicken) bathe the elephants.

Thailand: The Show at the Elephant Camp

Okay, this is out of order, but my mom has been begging for these photos, so fast forward to a year after the place in my last entry. These pictures were taken on December 23, 2008. I decided (yes, I because Markian didn't want to do this, he thought I was crazy), 2 days at an elephant camp doing a mahout (elephant trainer) course. This was the best thing we did in Thailand. I can't say enough good things about it. We flew from Bangkok to the north of Thailand to the second biggest city, Chiang Mai. We then took a taxi about 45 minutes away to Maesa Elephant Camp. I had signed up for the course online. Getting there was a bit of a hassle. Our awesome hotel the night before helped me out (I have pics of that as well, but not downloaded yet). The photos I am showing you today, are not from my camera, but the ones the people at the elephant camp took for me and put on a cd. Mine are still on my memory card. I have been very sick (got sick in Thailand...long story), plus busy with going back to work. I have a three day weekend now and am feeling better so I'm posting this for my mom.

We arrived at the camp and were taken to our lodging and given mahout outfits to put on. The camp runs a show three times daily. We were first taken away to see the show and what they do here.

We participated in a darts game during the show. It was us against an elephant. The elephant didn't do so well that day, but apparently the day before she was really good and didn't miss at all when he played some other people. I think she hit two. Anyway, she is throwing them at balloons a few meters away.

It was my first time being that close to an elephant and wow, they are so big. I know it sounds stupid, cause "duh" elephants are big. But, really, just being that close and seeing it is something completely different.

Markian was quite good at this and only missed like once.
I on the other hand, missed every time but one. Pathetic. I couldn't even get the dart to reach the balloon area, until they let me cheat and step forward.


We got some key chains with elephants on them for being good sports and participating. I was still nervous, as we'd just gotten here and I had no idea what all this was going to be like.
The elephants then patted us on the heads. They are So cute and so smart.


During the show the elephants demonstrate logging (like they used to do before machines took over), and parade around and also give (massage) with their feet which is rather scary. Lots of people turn up to see the show. Most of the benches were full. They also demonstrate their painting skills.
After the show, you can buy the paintings they just painted in front of you. Some of them sell really fast, as you can see two are missing and this picture was taken right after it was done. Different elephants have different painting styles. More on painting later though. Next it was on to learning how to ride an elephant.