Yes, we're very behind on blogging... That shows how much we've been doing.
The flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai was an hour and five minutes, from the time they closed the door until we had our bags, basically. We left from the domestic airport and the airport was a breeze. The kids got sandwiches at the airport (Subway is big here) and we even got a meal on the plane (this is the flight I paid for the checked bags, seat assignment, and 'meal' ahead of time.
Pickup at the airport was simple and the hotel staff was waiting for us at Arrivals. A quick 15 minute trip and we were at the Ping Nakara. 19 rooms in the Lanna style and, again, impeccable service.
For dinner the hotel suggested a nearby restaurant on the river and we had a traditional Northern Thai meal including ribs, braided beef, noodles, etc.
We were able to listen to live music from the Bus Bar across the street and got to sleep at a reasonable time for a big first day in Chiang Mai.
Next morning, we woke up early and had breakfast at the hotel. Breakfast was Western, with pancakes, french toast, and omelettes made to order and a small buffet to go along with it. The view from breakfast:
After breakfast was the pickup for our day with the elephants. After researching these experiences, we found Elephant Nature Park where you got to interact with the elephants without riding them. Our program was the Pamper a Pachyderm program, and when we got out of the van we were greeted by our two new friends for the day.
We were carrying bags of fruits and vegetables (squash, sugar cane, and their favorite, pumpkin). As we walked along the path we fed the elephants every few steps, establishing trust and walking along a path for a few kilometers.
Towards the end of the walk, we all went down a narrow path to the river where they got big pieces of sugar cane for a job well done before we ate lunch
After lunch, we made rice balls for the elephants, mixing herbs, brown sugar, tamarind, pumpkin, and rice into balls the size of softballs. We used machetes to chop up more squash, pumpkin, and watermelon to feed them in the river.
We'll be uploading some videos so check back tomorrow for an update to this post.
Overall, an amazing, mind-blowing day with such close interaction with these gentle giants.
Back to the hotel and a dip in the pool (after showering!)
and dinner in old Chiang Mai at a very good Thai restaurant.
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