Elephant Encounter

Traveling can bring great joy with opportunities to witness the endless creations of Great Creator. there are endless things to encounter in this magnificent place called earth, things that can help us to remember who we truly are.

Animals are one of the greatest aspects of creation. In our family, animals of all kind are cherished and honored. For the girls, their transitional objects area a bear, a giraffe and an elephant. Those three are never far from the girls offering support and comfort. But how cool would it be to get up close and personal with one of those and connect heart to heart?

In previous travels to Asia both Don and I had the privilege of getting near to elephants both old and young. Sadly, many of these magnificent and intelligent have been mistreated for the sake of human entertainment and/or labor. This weighed heavily on my heart as I researched where to take the family for their elephant encounter. Having much time I decided on a sanctuary about an hour outside of Chang Mai. We were all excited but the girls did not quite grasp what it would mean to get up real close with their tiny selves to those gentle giants. At first they were naturally hesitant but once they meet their elephant for the day both girls were gentle, respectfully and giddy in their interactions.

We spent a glorious day brushing, washing and doing bareback riding (the only ethical way to ride an elephant). We learned things like the health of elephant poop, how they like to live within families and how astounding their memories are. We also learned how painful it is to ride bareback on an elephant for an hour.

When at the end of our three week journey I asked the girls their favorite experience, the elephant encounter was their first choice, without hesitation. I have to say, it made my top experiences as well.

Sawadee

                                                                                     

                                   Sawadee! The greeting in Thailand for hello and goodbye. Often a welcome. I had first heard that greeting fourteen years ago, when I made my first (solo trip) to SouthEast Asia. Like most foreigners, I was immediatly hooked by the excotic location, enticing foods and affordable cost of living. I was over the moon that I never had to wear a jacket or closed toed shoes, that the temperature never got below 75. I could eat, sleep, and pray for under twenty dollars a night. There was even room in my budget to spend an hour in one of the countless foot massage parlors.It was a slice of heaven!

I was so enthralled by Thailand (as well as Bhutan and Burma, where I also explored) that when I left I knew I was not done with that part of the world. The following year I made plans to return. In the course of a year, I went from being single to meeting Don. I was so enthusiastic about my adventures that he invited himself on my travels plans. Exactly a year later, off we went to Thailand (as well as Nepal and day in Burma by the golden triangle) where we traveled backpacker style through both mainland and the southern islands. We made many new memories together and when we boarded the jet for the return flights I knew that we would make our way there again.

But who knew it would be thirteen years later? Or course, Amara was born eleven years ago and then Havana arrived two years later. Raising young kids took precedence over unnecessary luxuries such as travel abroad and while we have traveled with the kids, we have stayed on our side of the planet. I was not that crazy that I would bring the girls on such an arduous journey if they were not going to remember or were too young to handle the strain of traveling halfway across the planet. 

With my fiftieth birthday in site and the girls getting older (and years of saving air mileage), I made my intentions known to the family. I wanted to return to Thailand and Burma. There was some resistance by some as we'd be gone for the holidays. I expressed my desire to spend my 50th away during the best travel times to SE Asia and while there was some still periodic voices of resistance, I had enough support to proceed.  Part of the joy of traveling for me is the planning and over the course of four months I researched, read, inquired both within and with the other members of the household. Part of the girls preparation was to help with dog boarding and sitting over the course of several months. This allowed them to earn money for souvenirs and a trip to an elephant sanctuary.

Finally, at midnight on Dec 8th, we boarded Eva air for the first leg, a fourteen hour straight shot to Taipei and then another four hour flight to Chiang Mai. The girls did phenomenally well. They slept most of the flights and while we had some bumpy jet lag moments upon arrival, we rested and made our way for the Sunday night market in Thailand where the girls were a bit over stimulated by their first exposure to the sites, sounds and smells of Thailand. But they are troupers and Don has the patience of a saint.  Over the next few days we accumulated and had that elephant experience, visited a hill tribe and rode our first tuk tuk. And it didn't take long for the girls to fall in love with Thailand, just the way I had all those years ago.

                                                                                  
 

Havana sleeping the best possible way on the flight.

While we did not opt for this delicacy, Amara and I got a kick out of seeing it. I had told the girls about things like this but it's one thing to hear me tell them stories and to see for themselves.

Havana got her first souvenir the first night, at Sunday Night Market. This adorable elephant, whom we had to then carry around for 3 weeks!

Wat Doi Suthep, the holiest Wat in Chiang Mai.  Havana ran up the stairs while I huffed and puffed my jet lagged self up!

Thai statue in the Hill tribes garden

We ate so many great meals. Many planned around Havana's selective palate. Here we are at a Germany breakfast joint for her to have waffles, which she didn't like! Urgghhhh!