New Elms Thai Transportation

I don't think I have enough vocabulary to describe all of today so this is a 2 part series. The first part of the day was a once in a lifetime adventure. The second part of the day I hope to repeat often :). Erin too!  Who am I kidding I think all the Elms will repeat the second half of our day.  Omg!  Is all I can say. Definitely my kids learned why the US is #1 in animal protection and conservation. 

Part 1

Today we called it E day. Something we have talked about doing since we knew we were moving to Thailand, ride Elephants. I am not sure I can do justice with describing the moment but I will do my best. The 6 of us are picked up this morning in a van. We are driven to I really have no idea where but it was not far. Out of the van we walk up to this open looking market with lots of people, no one speaks any English. Following this very tall, skinny militia looking Thai who leads us to where we pay then swiftly leads us basically to the front of the line where we are pushed and shoved (not to rudely where you would want to punch the guy but just enough to get us where we need to go without having to speak to us since no one speaks any English) to where we should get in line to ride an elephant. The 6 of us split up into pairs and board our elephants. First off these animals are huge and so very gentle. My elephant was pregnant. A guide rides on his neck and we ride in a bench on the back. Every step I felt like the bench was going to slide down the side of the elephant and I was going to be hanging onto the side of the animal with Walter atop of me but it never happened, basically a very uneasy feeling.  Jack is not speechless often and this was one case where he didn't say a word but his eyes said it all, a bit scared, excited and overwhelmed. 

We rode for about an hour. All through what felt like the jungle but I know it wasn't because we rode past 2 roads, a development where they are building houses and who knows what.  My kids did not say much. We had some guy come out of his hut and try to tell us/sell us something, who knows what.  Walter and I had the sales man guide. He was hilarious and knew very basic English and I use the word basic loosely. He knew America #1, big papa (which is what he called Walter) and big baht tip. Baht being the word for dollar.  Oh and iPhone which he took mine and continued to take about 40 pictures of us and the kids also I believe he called his mother and posted on FB about the stupid Americans riding his elephant.  Lol   He was a very animated guy who had a routine and I'm sure thats why they put Walter and I with him.  Remember big baht tip, hence the word tip, as part of his vocab. 

As we were getting off the elephant we became part of the show and all these people started taking our pictures. I would like to believe it is because of our rare beauty and grace but unfortunately I know better. I believe it was because of our very white skin our so different eyes, and the way we speak. Several people were taking our pictures. So very strange and really not much you could do.  This place was a zoo and I don't mean this literally, though it had crocodiles, a tiger, which sadly I believe was very drugged, cock fights and a gun range. Doesn't every animal park have a gun range?  Let me tell you this was an adventure a very strange adventure I might add and we all agreed it wasn't one we need to repeat but we were all glad we did it. 

I think it took until we were back in our van heading home that my kids spoke, and we all know that that is a shock in itself. 

Fun fact for the day:  Elephants are pregnant for 2 years.  I would not have made a good elephant. 

This is what we rode through

This is supposedly the guides house but who knows. He could have told us anything and we would believed him. Remember TIP was part of his vocab. Though people did live in these. 

Us on our elephants. My elephant couldn't be near Erin and Andrews elephant because supposedly they partook in Thai boxing, which means they didn't get along

Big Papa!!!

Yep those are crocodiles.  They had in a nicer home than some of the people.

I have no idea of the purpose of the bag hanging over the table but thought it was very odd and needed to take a picture of it. 

For those curious, the elephants were Asian elephants.  Maybe us living in Thailand might be a clue about that too.  How you can tell the difference between Asian and African is in the ears. Asian elephants have smaller ears. 

Cheers

M

Part 2 tomorrow