Chaing Mai

As warned, the bus trip to Chiang Mai was an experience; the trip took about 15 hours. We arrived at 5:30am to a gas station outside of the city and we're told we must pay extra for the last leg of the drive... Scam? So we were then stuffed into truck beds and shipped over to the main gate where we then wondered aimlessly looking for a hotel to take us in which was no easy feat. 

Our Hotel: 

Later that day we roamed the city with a couple we met earlier.  We found ourselves scheduling traditional Thai massages at the woman's prison of all places... A work reintegration program that teaches the inmates trades. 

Woman's prison massage: 

The next day we set off to the jungle for an elephant sanctuary.  The whole day was surreal as we learned to speak their commands, ride them bare backed on trails around the valley and then we took them swimming in the river.  We of course rode the 'wild one,' Jenny, who ignored our commands as much as possible and tested our skills of just hanging on.  She was so sweet though and actually very docile and serene.  

This isn't the elephant we rode. We didn't even take a camera with us 

Yesterday the two of us and a guide spent the day biking all over the Lanna countryside surrounding Chiang Mai.  Our guide AJ took us through small villages, a local Buddhist Temple, endless rice patties, to a local preschool, a wood carving house and a compound where they were building ceremonial cremation structures.  It was amazing to have to have an opportunity to visit these areas that would really be otherwise inaccessible to us without a guide and catch a glimpse at the daily life in these small communities. 

 

And the freshest smoothies: