Elephant Trek (Chiang Mai)

We took an overnight bus to Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand which is the beautiful old capital of Thailand. We spent a day with elephants again--but are happy to report that they were seemingly much better taken care of than the elephants in India. We hired a motor-bike to cut on tour-costs and made our way about an hour out of Chiang Mai to a river where we hopped up on the elephant and trudged through the jungle. As we went off-roading up and down the muddy trails, Des decided elephants are the best 4x4s in the world. During our trip I can say that elephants have become my favorite animal. They are such clever animals with so much spirit! On this trek we did there were several adult elephants and two adorable baby elephants that were 6 months and a year old--the cutest things I've ever seen and definitely the most mischievous! The little one was trying to play-bite Des and was literally charging us--he could've caused some serious damage even at the size it was but we couldn't help but laugh, it was hilarious!
As we rode through the jungle the baby would stop to feed from it's mother (that we were on) and it would playfully run ahead of her the whole time (sometimes under her) trying to get attention...or cover itself with mud or spray itself with water in the river--reminded me so much of  the playfulness of human babies! We loved it!

Baby playing with garbage

Holding trunks-aw.

Hairy baby!!!

Baby goes for Des!

Elephants in the river

Little one tries to get into the restaurant

A-top the elephant

Baby messing around and pulling trees with trunk for attention!

Baby stops for a feed--we stop for a photo

Baby playing in river

BIG TUSKS

Baby feeding

Baby charges me--Des tries to stop him--I RAN!

Happy Thai New Year! (Year 2554) Water Festival!

After all the island hopping in Thailand it was time to hit the mainland again and so we headed back to Bangkok for a couple days where the Thai New Year was still being celebrated in form of the WATER FESTIVAL or "Songkran Festival" which is the Sanskrit word to move or change.

The year according to the Thai people is 2554 (after Buddha). The celebrations were absolutely mental in Bangkok---during the water festival everyone throws heaps of water and soaks each other with water in whatever way possible. Giant water-guns were being sold everywhere and every single person out of the tens of thousands around Khao San road were absolutely saturated! It was a mad party on the streets with booming music and people dancing on stages. It was absolutely impossible to avoid getting soaked ourselves or painted up with a flour-like paste that the locals of all ages were spreading on everyone. They were all very friendly about it and it was great craic although we looked like monsters out of a horror movie by the end of the night!

This went on for at least 3 or 4 days and nights and every morning the street cleaners would be out trying to tidy up and wash away the remnants of the party from the night before--a very filthy time to be in Bangkok I must say! There were also street parades with big floats and giant blow-up dragons--very cool. We spent one day immersing ourselves in the celebrations (well, not as immersed as some) and another day we went to the big shopping center in Bangkok which was crazy. It had such amazing things but I was looking forward to making a few purchases without having to barter like mad for it; however, even the stores started off with items being way over-priced so they could negotiate down like a market setting. I must say I'm exhausted of bartering now, I can't wait to get things for the price they really are! We also saw a movie in the cinema at the center where before it began, everyone stood up and did a salute to the King of Thailand while a song played and clippings and videos of his life were on the big screen for about 5 minutes--very interesting!

Des just about to get shot!

The after-math

Flour-paste face

Clean-up the next day

Simple Serenity--Koh Chang

Following our amazing and luxurious time in Khao Lak we headed out to Ranong where we did a visa run to Burma--a 1 hour long-tail boat ride that took us to a chaotic city on the Burmese border where we got stamped in order to re-enter Thailand. Then we headed for the quiet, peaceful and very relaxing island of Koh Chang where my brother David stayed when he was here and recommended highly. I can see why! We took a long-tail boat from Ranong to the island where the people on the boat shared everything they could in terms of food with us--such generous people! (Sour mangoes in fish sauce was just one to name).

Koh Chang

Little island just off

Koh Chang

The group of locals sharing their goodies with us--so generous!

Des and Dog on boat

These lizards were everywhere waiting for the mozzies!

Long-tail boat

 It was definitely one of our favorite places in Thailand where we felt completely and utterly chilled out without shops, noise or other tourists. We were literally the only ones on the beach most times. Apparently we just missed the busy season (some places had even closed down due to the rain---we had perfect weather and sunshine while we were there besides one beautiful thunder shower) and therefore had nearly the whole place to ourselves! We stayed in a gorgeous beach-hut that had no electricity and had large windows that overlooked the rain-forest and a direct view of the sea--hence the name "nature view bungalows."

Deserted, peaceful beach

The adorable baby kittens that lived in our place

Inside our hut looking out through large windows---what a view!

View from our balcony

Mosquito net--looks a bit like a Princess's bed!

Our hut in the rain forest

Beautiful Hibiscus flowers everywhere

We spent the days swimming in the sea, running along the beach (a mix of white and black sand), eating gorgeous food, playing beach tennis and reading. At night we would read or hang out by nothing but candle light--the simplicity of it was so refreshing! It was pure serenity and solitude--we highly recommend it to anyone! :)

Chilling out by candle-light

Backgammon by candle-light

Reading by candle-light

The cliff where we stayed

Morning coffee on the cliff overlooking the sea

Beach tennis

Des getting stuck-in to Ulysses

Remnants of firecrackers from Thai New Year Celebrations