Day 11

Elephants, oxes, and conchs, oh my!

Today we booked tickets to the Elephant Safari. An hour long ride into the jungle, we all mounted, two by two, onto these immense creatures to traipse around the mountain and through small streams. Oanh and I have done this type of thing before the last time we were in this part of the world, so we focused more on the two teeny weeny baby elephants walking alongside our pack (apparently following their parents) and getting into all kind of trouble. They were getting stuck in between branches, burrowing into holes in the dirt that were much too small for them, trying to get the grownups to go the wrong way and a few times, just didn’t want to go any more. They had us in stitches the whole way!

After about an hour, we were dropped off at a shopping station for jewelry and tribal crafts. This is quite normal. Jenn and I each bought an anklet bracelet. Good bargain thanks to Jen, only 50 bahts. (That’s about $1.50) It’s very cute with elephants… how appropriate.

Next: an Ox-cart. Yes, a real honest to goodness Ox-cart. Wooden wheels and all, we bounced and wobbled down a dirt road past little village huts complete with grass roof, bamboo walls and satellite dishes! How else would they watch reruns of “Everybody Loves Raymond”?

Then the elephant “show” which was pretty spectacular if for only one thing…. The elephants paint! Yes, there were 3 elephants who actually painted pictures of trees and elephants. One of them even painted her name. We watched it occur in front of our eyes and it was amazing. Although the production was partially upstaged by two baby elephants frolicking, and I mean “frolicking”! Oh yes, lots of mounting and wobbly elephant penis for all to see! And yes, there are pictures!

After a small lunch that included a MOUND of Pad Thai, we headed over to the bamboo rafts. Literally 10 thick bamboo stalks or so, tied together with string or rubber and placed on the water with three small wooden bench seats that were not pleasing to the bum after a spell, and two Thai gondoliers. This was a real “Jungle Cruise”. There was even an elephant taking a bath! He was actually in the exact same position as the one in our favorite Disney ride, but he moved before I could catch a snapshot! The water was nice and cool and at points I almost jumped in, but then I saw a bit of trash floating by and got my wits back.

The final destination on our Safari was an Orchid Farm and butterfly garden. I went crazy with the foliage photos, sorry. Just skip through them. These are for my mom who LOVES gardening and flowers. I thought of her immediately as we arrived. After the farm it was back to the hotel and into the pool to cool off. The Safari was well worth the price of admission and we also got to know a mother and daughter from Chicago. Alisa, the daughter, is in the middle of her two year contract with the Peace Corps stationed in Thailand and mom was spoiling her during her break. Alisa’s teaching English in a small farming village in the mountains living in a hut with no air-conditioning, internet or even protection from the creatures of the jungle for $100 a month. It’s only her and the villagers. She speaks fluent Thai now. A little lonely sometimes she admits, but overall the townspeople have become her surrogate family and she gets on fine. Fascinating. I could never do it, but have much respect for those who can.


A couple of laps in the hotel pool and a few Mai Tai’s later we were all relaxed and cooled down.

That evening we headed back out to the market for more shopping and dinner. We didn’t buy anything since we received our laundry back from the hotel and… you should always check the prices before doing laundry at a hotel. Let’s just say a Peace Corps’ salary for a month would barely cover it. Not happy.

At the market we were introduced to ““Banana Roti”, a Thai style crepe with condensed milk, coconut milk, bananas and a little bit of sugar sprinkled on top. Highly recommend it! We had dinner at an outdoor restaurant that had a live shrimp pond in the center. So… we ordered shrimp… and steamed “morning glories” veggies, oysters, and BBQ Conch! So the shrimp was good, lots of garlic. The vegetables were lovely. The oysters were HUGE! I tried it, but couldn’t do it. Oanh finished mine. And the Conch was five large shells burnt on a plate with no special sauce. They had the consistency of a very chewy squid or octopus and no flavor. I got it down, but let’s just say the mango and sticky rice was a MUST to finish off this meal!

Then into “Let’s Relax” for a foot, head, neck and back massage. Mostly reflexology and Thai style, lots of poking and prodding. Not my favorite kind of style, but the place was clean, the atmosphere was nice, and I did get a good night sleep afterwards!

Nighty night. While visions of elephants and snails danced in my head.

Oh I almost forgot. John MacDonald has written a blog of the day and insists you hear his version. So here it goes. Unedited… It is quite funny.

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Today’s Blog is written by a special guest blogger who is also in the land of curry and elephants, John MacDonald
Wednesday, April 15, 2008
Well, hello everyone! Wow, I can’t tell you how excited I am that Oanh has asked me to write today’s blog relating to he and Erika’s adventures here in Thailand. Although, I am a little apprehensive too, Oanh has informed me that he might edit it for content if necessary. He probably just wants to be sure that I do not write anything inappropriate. No worries, I’m sure.
Yesterday, Oanh, Erika, Jennifer and I went on an elephant safari. Which was an amazing suggestion by Oanh Nugyen. After an hour drive north from our hotel, we arrived at the “safari camp”, a small compound with a few wooden buildings and quite a large number of elephants which were personally trained by Oanh. After a few minutes of milling around with other “safari members” we mounted the pachyderms, two to an elephant with the exception of Oanh’s a truly magnificent animal that supported a jeweled thrown, and were off. The elephant ride lasted approximately two hours and deposited us at an actual native village populated by rural Thais that worshipped Oanh as their god. At the village both Jennifer and Erika bought matching silver elephant ankle rings that were handcrafted by Oanh signifying that both women were beholden to him for life.
After a short time in the village, the four of us “mounted up” in a series of small oxen driven carts that trekked us back to our starting “camp” area where we had a lunch of various local foods (I had fruit and spaghetti – no joke) before we made our way to a flotilla of bamboo rafts located on a small river running by the safari compound area. The four of us and two other members of the group loaded aboard one of the fifteen by five foot rafts which were then guided down the river by two members of the safari staff. Half way along our journey one of our guides was attacked by a giant Asian crocodile which dragged him off the raft and into the water. I was paralyzed with fear, but Oanh nonchalantly thrust a large knife in his teeth and leaped into the water after the reptile. Soon the body of the crocodile floated to the surface of the water, the hilt of the knife protruding from its belly. Nearby, Oanh came to the surface of the river, the still living guard holding onto his back. I was still too frightened to move as the girls helped the guide back onto the raft as Oanh took control of the pole used to guide the craft and started moving us back down river. In all, it was a very relaxing journey on the river for a few miles after which where we joined the organizers of the journey for our ride back into town.
Aside from a quick detour to an orchid farm, we made it back to the hotel in time to head over to the massive shopping area in Chang Mai that is known as “the Night Bazaar” for dinner, which Oanh cooked himself, before returning to the hotel for a well needed rest.
And that is my blog for the day. I’m sure Oanh will not feel the need to changing anything. I mean, what can he possibly add or change? Hope you all enjoyed my little guest appearance here on the Oanh and Erika site, and I’ll catch up to you all when I get back! Oanh rules!